Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for the achievement of justice for the victims of flight MH17 of the alleged computer hacking by the Russian military of the investigation into that incident.

Prime Minister May and Prime Minster Rutte have issued a joint statement condemning the aggressive pattern of behaviour of the Russian Military Intelligence (GRU) and reaffirming our commitment to constrain their hostile activity. We are building a strong understanding of the GRU's activities in our countries, shining a light on them and exposing their methods. After the Salisbury attack, over 150 Russian intelligence officers, many serving with the GRU, were expelled from the UK, 27 countries and from NATO. As the Prime Minister has made clear, we are deploying the full range of our national security capabilities against the threat posed by the GRU. Further measures to counter wider malign state activity are now being carried forward through the G7, NATO and the EU.

We have not made a specific assessment of the impact of the GRU's activity on the achievement of justice for the victims of flight MH17. However, all organisations involved in the criminal investigation and the process of establishing international responsibility in this case are aware of the threat from cyber attacks. The UK will continue to offer its support to the efforts of the Joint Investigation Team, the Dutch and Australian authorities and other grieving nations, to deliver accountability for this terrible act and justice for all those who died. The interests of the families of the 10 British victims remain foremost in our minds.