Oral Answers to Questions

Chris Law Excerpts

Wednesday 5th September 2018 Commons Chamber

[Chris Law (Dundee West) (SNP)]

Q3. The opening of the V&A museum of design next week in my city of Dundee is already attracting worldwide attention, is expected to have up to 500,000 visitors in its first year and will drive millions of pounds into the local economy. The Prime Minister will be aware that an announcement to confirm funding for the Tay cities deal is imminent, and improved connectivity is key to driving the prosperity of the region. As an air link to Dundee was part of Heathrow’s successful bid for the third runway, will the Prime Minister express her firm commitment to the introduction of a new direct air service to Dundee by 2021 and the associated investment required to secure it?

[The Prime Minister]

The hon. Gentleman is right to bring to the attention of the House both that deal and the opening of the V&A in Dundee. These are important ways in which the UK Government are working to ensure support for Scotland and those opportunities for the Scottish economy. Another one of those is the fact that this Government have taken the decision to enable the third runway to go ahead at Heathrow, and we expect that when that happens we will see better connectivity within the United Kingdom.

Salisbury Update

Chris Law Excerpts

Wednesday 5th September 2018 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

I am happy to give my hon. Friend the reassurance that our response will be robust, decisive and unwavering, and it will be ongoing, because this is a matter we need to continue working on. I condemn those who see fit to defend the Russian state where it is clear that it is culpable for this action, this heinous crime committed on UK soil against citizens here in the United Kingdom.

[Chris Law (Dundee West) (SNP)]

Given the sheer weight of evidence that has been disclosed today regarding the Salisbury attack, can we expect the UK Government, along with their allies, to ensure further sanctions, including deportations of Russian state actors?

[The Prime Minister]

As I have indicated, we will be looking at these issues on sanctioning, including some aspects of new sanctions regimes, such as I referred to on the EU chemical weapons use regime. Of course, the deportation of individuals relies on there being the required evidence to enable the Home Secretary to take such a decision.

Oral Answers to Questions

Chris Law Excerpts

Wednesday 4th July 2018 Commons Chamber

[Harriett Baldwin]

This is another great example of how UK Aid can work to unlock a payment system that in many ways leapfrogs what we have here in the UK: people can pay from their mobile phone for a range of technologies and goods. Recently we had a solar fridge in DFID, and M-KOPA Solar is helping poor people in Kenya and other countries to pay for those fridges by using that technology.

[Chris Law (Dundee West) (SNP)]

After continued pressure from these Scottish National party Benches, it was reassuring to hear after meeting the World Bank last week that it has made a firm commitment to no longer finance upstream oil and gas after 2019. However, the UK Government are still spending millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money funding fossil fuel projects in countries that are already bearing the worst brunt of climate change. Will the Minister of State today match the World Bank commitment to stop funding polluting fuels by 2019?

[Harriett Baldwin]

Along with colleagues in the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, we are doing a lot to encourage many of these countries not only to power past coal and fossil fuels but to invest considerable amounts in renewable energy. I share the hon. Gentleman’s aspiration to work with developing countries to power past fossil fuels.

Oral Answers to Questions

Chris Law Excerpts

Wednesday 23rd May 2018 Commons Chamber

[Penny Mordaunt]

DFID has a proud tradition as a leader in initiatives that empower women, including economically. Microfinance is critical to that. In most countries where we have a presence, we are running such a programme specifically for women.

[Chris Law (Dundee West) (SNP)]

ActionAid has calculated that women in developing countries could be almost £7 trillion better off if their pay and access to paid work were equal to that of men. Will the Secretary of State make a commitment that, when establishing such agreements around the world, the UK will demonstrate its commitment to women’s rights and gender equality by ensuring that new co-operatives go further than they have before in protecting and upholding women’s rights?

[Penny Mordaunt]

I will commit to do just that. We have a big opportunity with the forthcoming G7 Development Ministers’ meeting next week in Canada. Canada has done a huge amount on this agenda, and the issues of which the hon. Gentleman speaks will feature heavily in our discussions.

Oral Answers to Questions

Chris Law Excerpts

Wednesday 2nd May 2018 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right about the facts that he has set out in relation to council tax. That is a result of decisions that have been taken by the Government to have that council tax referendum in place and of Conservative councils actually making decisions to freeze or to lower council tax, or to ensure that it is kept lower than in Labour councils. Conservative councils, on average, cost a typical family £100 less in council tax than councils run by other parties. That is important, and the Government have played their part with the council tax referendum.

[Chris Law (Dundee West) (SNP)]

Q15. Since first being elected in 2015, I have consistently campaigned to protect hundreds of jobs at risk in Dundee from being lost through the shoddy restructuring of Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs. I was finally given a written guarantee that these jobs would be transferred to the Department for Work and Pensions. However, I have since learned, without explanation, that this is no longer to be the case. Will the Prime Minister personally intervene to reverse this reckless U-turn and betrayal by taking charge to save each and every one of these 479 highly skilled jobs, without which there will be a devastating impact on the staff, their families and my city?

[The Prime Minister]

The hon. Gentleman has raised an issue I have not seen the details of, but I will ensure that my right hon. Friends the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions look at the issue he has raised.

Oral Answers to Questions

Chris Law Excerpts

Wednesday 18th April 2018 Commons Chamber

[Alistair Burt]

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for his comments. On 3 April, DFID announced an additional £170 million for the new financial year in response to the humanitarian crisis in Yemen. We work with all partners to ensure that there is greater access and a greater prospect of resolution of the conflict through the new UN special envoy Martin Griffiths.

[Chris Law (Dundee West) (SNP)]

I welcome the steps that the Department is taking to secure continued humanitarian access to Yemen, and urge Ministers to do the same in Syria in the light of recent events. Does the Minister foresee humanitarian grounds for military intervention in Yemen, as those were apparently the grounds for action in Syria? In any event, will he confirm—unequivocally and without exception—that none of the 0.7% aid budget, which is for the world’s poorest and most vulnerable, will be used to fund military activities?

[Alistair Burt]

There is no prospect of United Kingdom military action in Yemen. The humanitarian efforts are going on at the same time as seeking to resolve the complex political difficulties there. I remind the House of the exceptional difficulties of access in the northern areas controlled by the Houthis.

European Council

Chris Law Excerpts

Monday 26th March 2018 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

As I have just said in answer to the hon. Member for Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East (Stuart C. McDonald), and as I will continue to say, we believe that the Spanish constitution should be upheld and that the rule of law should be upheld.

[Chris Law (Dundee West) (SNP)]

Has the Prime Minister spoken to her Spanish counterpart about the need to uphold democracy in Catalonia? If not, will she do so shortly?

[The Prime Minister]

Conversations that I have had on a number of occasions with the Spanish Prime Minister have contained our reassurance that the Spanish constitution and the rule of law should be upheld.

Oral Answers to Questions

Chris Law Excerpts

Wednesday 28th February 2018 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

On behalf of Parliament, I concur with the Secretary of State. The situation is absolutely disgraceful, and this matter will be raised by the hon. Member for Liverpool, West Derby (Stephen Twigg) later on in our proceedings.

[Chris Law (Dundee West) (SNP)]

The UN estimates that 6.1 million Syrians are internally displaced. With fresh fighting in eastern Ghouta despite the ceasefire, that number will continue to rise. What is the Department doing specifically to support displaced Syrian families in that particular region? Their needs and challenges are increasing with every passing day.

[Penny Mordaunt]

We have a huge number of programmes that are supporting those people in particular—not just the short-term needs of shelter, food and so forth, but education, jobs and livelihoods. Those individuals have some unique needs that have not been addressed to date with as much focus by the international community, and the setting up of a panel to consider those needs and what more we can do to help in similar situations will be a big step forward.

Oral Answers to Questions

Chris Law Excerpts

Wednesday 7th February 2018 Commons Chamber

[Mr Vara]

I can assure my hon. Friend that we are committed to the constitutional and economic integrity of the UK. That will stay as it is currently.

[Chris Law (Dundee West) (SNP)]

7. What discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on negotiating a transitional arrangement with the EU that benefits Northern Ireland after the UK leaves the EU.

[Tommy Sheppard (Edinburgh East) (SNP)]

14. What discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on negotiating a transitional arrangement with the EU that benefits Northern Ireland after the UK leaves the EU.

--- Later in debate ---

[Chris Law]

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I grasped the word “negotiation” in there. Has the Secretary of State agreed a concession in those negotiations with the Brexit Secretary that will allow Northern Ireland to remain part of the single market and customs union, while the UK leaves, to avoid a hard border—yes or no?

[Mr Vara]

I say again that the United Kingdom is committed to leaving the single market and customs union and to the integrity of the constitution and our economy.

Oral Answers to Questions

Chris Law Excerpts

Wednesday 17th January 2018 Commons Chamber

[Alistair Burt]

I will be very happy to see that proposal; I have not seen it yet. Looking after psychological and mental health used to be seen as some kind of benevolent add-on in terms of aid and support. Bearing in mind the crisis and trauma that so many youngsters go through, it is very important that it is brought right up front and the UK is a firm advocate of that. I will certainly look at the report.

[Chris Law (Dundee West) (SNP)]

As we all know, there are no winners in war, and in comments to The Daily Telegraph before Christmas the Secretary of State correctly said that Saudi Arabia has “no excuses” for blocking food and fuel shipments to Yemen. Is it not therefore sheer hypocrisy and simply inexcusable that her Government are providing billions of pounds-worth of arms sales to Saudi Arabia when 7 million Yemeni people are facing the worst famine in decades?

[Alistair Burt]

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development made a significant contribution to humanitarian access by visiting Djibouti and Riyadh just before 20 December, and the resulting decision has improved humanitarian access there. Arms sales are strictly controlled, as the House well knows. We will continue our support for the coalition, which is fighting a serious insurgency and armed support from outside Yemen directed against it, but we will be firm in our determination to see an end to the conflict, which is the only thing that will resolve the humanitarian crisis.