Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what criteria the Government will use to determine the right time for the UK to recognise Palestine as a state; and if he will make a statement.

The UK is a longstanding supporter of seeing a sovereign, democratic and viable Palestinian State living side by side in peace and security with Israel, and continues to be one of the largest donors to Palestinian state building efforts to that end. We reserve the right to recognise a Palestinian state at a time of our choosing and when it will best help bring about peace.