Oral Answers to Questions Debate
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Sarah Dyke
Main Page: Sarah Dyke (Liberal Democrat - Glastonbury and Somerton)Department Debates - View all Sarah Dyke's debates with the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
(2 days, 1 hour ago)
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The Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Stephen Doughty)
I assure my hon. Friend that the UK’s commitment to international law does not depend on the outcome of elections. We have been clear that settlements are illegal under international law and that Israel must comply with its obligations. We have been clear that the occupation is unlawful.
Sarah Dyke (Glastonbury and Somerton) (LD)
Firms such as Thales in Templecombe, Needles and Pins Aerospace in Somerton and Leonardo in Yeovil are at the heart of a Somerset aerospace and advanced engineering sector, yet Britain remains outside the SAFE defence fund. Will the Minister commit to securing UK participation in SAFE and any successor fund on fair terms so that our defence firms and the communities that depend on them are not left behind?
Mr Falconer
I represent the great city of Lincoln, which also has an aerospace background. We are making important progress in our relationship with many of our European friends, including, notably, with the Italians, on the Global Combat Air Programme. As I said in my earlier answer, we will discuss security and defence co-operation as part of the summit on 20 November.