Debates between Esther McVey and Leo Docherty during the 2019 Parliament

British Council Contractors in Afghanistan

Debate between Esther McVey and Leo Docherty
Wednesday 11th January 2023

(1 year, 3 months ago)

Westminster Hall
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Leo Docherty Portrait Leo Docherty
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That is my firm expectation. I reiterate the fact that the constraint will be the highly unpredictable, regrettable and deplorable lack of security, and the actions of a regime entirely at odds with everything these people represent. That will be the constraint. I hope that is clear.

I do not know how many minutes I have left, Ms McVey.

Esther McVey Portrait Esther McVey (in the Chair)
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You have just under a minute left.

Leo Docherty Portrait Leo Docherty
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In that case, I reiterate my gratitude to my hon. Friend the Member for Basildon and Billericay and my thanks to the hon. Member for Rotherham (Sarah Champion), the Chair of the International Development Committee.

Suffice it to say that the lever we have is our considerable humanitarian spend. Clearly, the recent deplorable announcements by the regime about the role of women are deeply regrettable and will even more aggressively disadvantage the ability of women to access and provide humanitarian assistance. We will continue to make representations as best we can and we will seek to utilise our humanitarian spend to impact positively the lives of those adversely affected by the regime.

I am very grateful to other Members, particularly my hon. Friends the Members for Meon Valley (Mrs Drummond) and for Clacton (Giles Watling)—