Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effect of (1) the measures taken by the government of Israel in response to the sanctions they imposed on settlements in the West Bank, and (2) those sanctions on Palestinian workers in the settlements.

The response of the Government of Israel to the sanctions announced on 8 September by the Foreign Secretary is deeply regrettable. The measures taken will target illegal settlement activity, violence and extremism. Palestinian businesses will continue to benefit from preferential trade arrangements. Our focus is on ensuring we can continue our diplomatic work and support efforts towards a two-state solution. The UK will continue acting in line with our values, and keeps all our sanctions regimes and their impact and effectiveness under review. We will update the House further on these measures.