Oral Answers to Questions

Karl McCartney Excerpts

Tuesday 3rd September 2013 Commons Chamber

[John Glen (Salisbury) (Con)]

11. What recent assessment he has made of the situation in Syria.

[Karl MᶜCartney (Lincoln) (Con)]

12. What recent assessment he has made of the situation in Syria.

[Guy Opperman (Hexham) (Con)]

14. What recent assessment he has made of the situation in Syria.

--- Later in debate ---

[Mr Hague]

To be brief, I join my hon. Friend in saluting the work of, and the example set by, our noble Friend Lord Bates, as we should refer to him in this House. It is another example of the generosity of the British people—generosity that is being fully called on, for the reasons that I have described. However, we shall have to be prepared to do even more in the months ahead, given the immense scale of the humanitarian crisis.

[Karl MᶜCartney]

It is truly regrettable that the House last week failed to vote for a motion condemning the use of chemical weapons, and to back an international response to the crisis in Syria. That was an outcome that neither the Government nor the Opposition and their leader should have wanted to see. That same evening saw reports that the Assad regime had firebombed a school. It seems that our inaction will possibly only embolden Assad and his forces. Will my right hon. Friend assure me, and the House, that the Government will continue to utilise diplomatic channels to push for a solution to the crisis?