Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if she will have discussions with the Leader of the House on allocating time for debate on a substantive motion relating to the UK's accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership ahead of the conclusion of the statutory 21 sitting day period for which the treaty is laid before Parliament.

Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Government is committed to effective scrutiny of its trade agenda and has put in place a comprehensive framework for scrutiny of free trade agreements (FTAs). This includes a commitment to seek to hold a general debate on a new FTA where one is requested by the relevant Select Committee, subject to parliamentary time being available.

The scheduling of parliamentary business is not a matter for the Department for Business and Trade.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact on smallholder farmers of the measures in the Intellectual Property Chapter of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership relating to the requirement for signatory countries to ratify the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants 1991.

Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The UK’s accession to CPTPP will not change the UK’s existing commitments under the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV).

The Government does not foresee any impacts on UK small farmers due to the UK’s legal obligations under CPTPP Article 18.7.2 because there will be no changes to the UK’s existing legislative framework in this area.

UPOV provides for plant breeders’ rights, aiming to encourage the development of new varieties of plants, with benefits such as food security and mitigating climate change.

Mechanisms are available within CPTPP to discuss issues raised by signatory countries.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what assessment his Department has made of the potential risks of (a) existing and (b) enhanced (i) security, (ii) defence, (iii) science and (iv) technology relationships with Israel under the 2030 roadmap.

Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)

We enjoy a close strategic partnership with Israel on a wide range of issues. The Memorandum of Understanding we signed in 2021 demonstrated our intent to deepen and expand cooperation across our mutual priorities for our mutual benefit. The subsequent 2030 roadmap outlines how this strategic partnership will continue to serve our collective interests, deepening UK-Israel cooperation across the breadth of our relationship, including science and tech, research and development and security, health, climate and gender.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment her Department has made of the legality of imports from illegal Israeli settlements.

Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The UK’s position on settlements is clear: they are illegal under international law and undermine the prospect of a two-state solution.

Under the existing UK-Israel trade agreement, goods originating from illegal Israeli settlements are not entitled to tariff and trade preferences under either the agreement between the UK and Israel, nor the agreement between the UK and the Palestinian Authority.

This will not change in the upgraded FTA with Israel. The UK will not compromise on any of our longstanding positions on the Middle East Peace Process throughout this negotiation, including with respect to settlements.

St Andrew's Secondary School fundraising

Culloden Academy and the Scottish Cup 2024

50th anniversary of St Mary’s Primary School, Maryhill

International Court of Justice Ruling on Gaza and the UK’s duties under the Genocide Convention

Referral of matters of 21 February 2024 to the Committee of Privileges

Found: ) Neil Coyle MP (Labour, Bermondsey and Old Southwark ) Marsha De Cordova MP (Labour, Battersea ) David

Found: Neil Coyle MP (Labour, Bermondsey and Old Southwark ) Marsha De Cordova MP (Labour, Battersea ) David

Found: Neil Coyle MP (Labour, Bermondsey and Old Southwark ) Marsha De Cordova MP (Labour, Battersea ) David

Found: ) Neil Coyle MP (Labour, Bermondsey and Old Southwark ) Marsha De Cordova MP (Labour, Battersea ) David

Found: Neil Coyle MP (Labour, Bermondsey and Old Southwark ) Marsha De Cordova MP (Labour, Battersea ) David

Found: ) Neil Coyle MP (Labour, Bermondsey and Old Southwark ) Marsha De Cordova MP (Labour, Battersea ) David