Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they are making to the government of Israel following reports that plans will shortly be approved for 500 Israeli settlement units in the Ramat Shlomo neighbourhood and 200 in neighbouring Ramot.

While we have not raised these specific proposals with the Israeli authorities, when the Prime Minister met Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu on 2 November, she reiterated our opposition to illegal settlement activity and the absolute need for a peace agreement based on a two-state solution. We regularly raise our grave concerns on this issue with the Government of Israel and we urge it to reverse its policy of settlement expansion. On 20 October the Foreign Secretary issued a statement condemning advancement by the Israeli authorities of 2,900 settlement units across the West Bank.