To match an exact phrase, use quotation marks around the search term. eg. "Parliamentary Estate". Use "OR" or "AND" as link words to form more complex queries.

Keep yourself up-to-date with the latest developments by exploring our subscription options to receive notifications direct to your inbox

Speech in Westminster Hall - Mon 13 Jun 2022
Transgender Conversion Therapy

"My hon. Friend is giving a customarily excellent speech. When I went to see one of my oldest and best friends Imran last year, his child was coming out as trans—as Hope. I want to share Imran’s and Hope’s words. Hope told me,

“I’m Hope and I’m 16. I’ve decided …..."
Alex Sobel - View Speech

View all Alex Sobel (LAB - Leeds Central and Headingley) contributions to the debate on: Transgender Conversion Therapy
Written Question
Political Prisoners: Indonesia
Monday 6th December 2021

Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds Central and Headingley)

Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, if the Government will stipulate the release of political prisoners held in Indonesia, such as Victor Yeimo, being a condition for negotiating any future trade agreements with that country.

Answered by Ranil Jayawardena

HM Government is committed to ensuring that our trade policy is consistent with our international obligations. We are clear that more trade need not come at the expense of our values.

The United Kingdom respects the territorial integrity of Indonesia, including the provinces of Papua and West Papua. We recognise challenges in the region and regularly discuss Papua with our Indonesian counterparts.

Speech in Westminster Hall - Tue 20 Apr 2021
Arms Trade: Yemen

"Colleagues have rightly spoken about Saudi Arabia and the effects of arms sales on Yemen. I agree with the comments of my colleagues on restricting sales, but with time so short, I want to raise the role of the United Arab Emirates, which I do not want to be forgotten …..."
Alex Sobel - View Speech

View all Alex Sobel (LAB - Leeds Central and Headingley) contributions to the debate on: Arms Trade: Yemen
Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 19 Jan 2021
Trade Bill

"We were told that we were going to take back control and we were going to ensure our sovereignty, and that to do that, we must be allowed a say on the rules and standards by which we are governed—to be rule makers, not rule takers. These are phrases we …..."
Alex Sobel - View Speech

View all Alex Sobel (LAB - Leeds Central and Headingley) contributions to the debate on: Trade Bill
Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 25 Nov 2020
UK-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement

"We know that this deal is almost a carbon copy of the EU-Japan deal. We can discuss the ironies of this Government plagiarising the EU’s work on another occasion. However, I would like to focus on the small but significant differences and what they might mean for the UK.

We …..."
Alex Sobel - View Speech

View all Alex Sobel (LAB - Leeds Central and Headingley) contributions to the debate on: UK-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement
Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 25 Nov 2020
UK-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement

"I do agree with my hon. Friend. I sat on the Environment Bill Committee many months ago, when the Bill first came in and before there was a huge pause, and this was also clear in relation to that Bill, so we are seeing a pattern across these Bills and …..."
Alex Sobel - View Speech

View all Alex Sobel (LAB - Leeds Central and Headingley) contributions to the debate on: UK-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement
Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 25 Nov 2020
UK-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement

"The provisions of the investor-state dispute settlement are exceedingly worrying. We have seen previous trade deals founder on them because they give private entities a whip hand over Government and the state. We are meant to be taking back control, not handing it to private courts.

Perhaps the Minister can …..."
Alex Sobel - View Speech

View all Alex Sobel (LAB - Leeds Central and Headingley) contributions to the debate on: UK-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement
Written Question
Renewable Energy
Tuesday 17th November 2020

Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds Central and Headingley)

Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what support her Department provides to UK companies seeking to develop international renewable energy projects to provide energy to the UK.

Answered by Graham Stuart

The Department for International Trade (DIT) undertakes a range of promotional activities to help UK companies to access international opportunities. DIT has an established renewable energy team, an international network of trade and investment advisors, and a network of UK-based regional trade advisors who support UK-based companies to find export opportunities in renewables, including any that would supply energy to the UK. In addition, DIT works to encourage investments into the low carbon economy and support international ambitions to accelerate the global transition to net-zero.

Written Question
Energy: Morocco
Tuesday 17th November 2020

Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds Central and Headingley)

Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps she is taking to support UK businesses to develop energy projects in Morocco.

Answered by Graham Stuart

Department for International Trade teams work closely with UK companies to identify and highlight opportunities in the Moroccan energy sector, and with our Moroccan partners to showcase the expertise and value UK businesses can bring to energy projects.

Written Question
Internally Displaced People: Indonesia
Thursday 5th November 2020

Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds Central and Headingley)

Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, with reference to reports of up to 45,000 civilians displaced by Indonesian military operations in Nduga, West Papua, if the Government will stop the (a) sale of arms and (b) provision of training programmes to Indonesia.

Answered by Ranil Jayawardena

HM Government takes its export control responsibilities very seriously. All export licence applications are assessed against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria (the ‘Consolidated Criteria’).

The Consolidated Criteria takes into account our obligations under the Arms Trade Treaty and other relevant rules of international law. It provides a thorough risk assessment framework and requires us to think hard about the possible impact of providing equipment and its capabilities. These are not decisions we take lightly.

HM Government will not grant an export licence if to do so would be inconsistent with the Consolidated Criteria, including where we assess there is a clear risk that it might be used for internal repression.

The United Kingdom supports counter-terrorism training for the Indonesian National Police, through the Jakarta Centre for Law Enforcement Cooperation (JCLEC). This includes a broad range of counter terrorism investigation and analytical skills; essential equipment to enhance Indonesia’s forensic, surveillance and IT capabilities; and training on the post-terrorist incident response, including first aid training. All training requires rights and responsibilities to be upheld. We do not provide training to Papua based units but continue to monitor the situation in Papua closely. HM Government respects the territorial integrity of Indonesia, which includes Papua and West Papua provinces.