Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps he is taking to help restrict the expansion of illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank.

We are clear that settlements are illegal under international law and undermine the prospects for peace. I have condemned the 22 new settlements announced by Israel on 29 May and we regularly urge Israel to halt settlement expansion in our diplomatic engagements. As I said to the House on 4 June, the viability of a two-state solution, and of the two states living side by side, is being undermined, and we will continue to take action to avert that.