Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Ben Wallace and Tommy Sheppard

Monday 15th November 2021 Commons Chamber

[Mr Wallace]

My hon. Friend refers to a scheme that is stewarded by the Foreign Office. I am happy to hold a surgery for colleagues on both sides of the House on the ARAP scheme, for which I am responsible, and I will broaden it by bringing along Ministers from other Departments so that they, too, can answer these questions and deal with individual cases brought by Members. If the House gives me leave, I would be happy to arrange it.

[Tommy Sheppard (Edinburgh East) (SNP)]

4. If he will make an assessment of the effectiveness of the private companies contracted by his Department for (a) reconstruction and (b) state-building during the UK’s involvement in Afghanistan.

Middle East: Security

Debate between Ben Wallace and Tommy Sheppard

Tuesday 7th January 2020 Commons Chamber

[Mr Wallace]

My hon. Friend had an excellent record as a Foreign Office Minister. I will ask the Prime Minister at the NSC next.

[Tommy Sheppard (Edinburgh East) (SNP)]

Are there any other members or officials of the Iranian Government whose assassination the United Kingdom would find acceptable?

[Mr Wallace]

I do not know how to start on that question. The United Kingdom would always seek to follow international law in dealing with threats against it. Within that international law range all the options such as arrest, detention and disruption, but there are some occasions—for example, when we saw the events in Syria take place—when, unfortunately, kinetic or lethal strike has been engaged by the RAF. The British Government have been very open about that, and it followed a vote in Parliament. We will always reserve in this country the right for us to defend ourselves against threats posed to our citizens, and I do not think the First Minister of Scotland would disagree with that at all.