Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they intend to take in response to the government of Israel's recent announcements of additional settlements on the West Bank and what representations they have made to that government about the impact of those announcements on the viability of a two-state solution.

On 5 July, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth East (Mr Ellwood), issued a Statement expressing deep concern about the announcement of new settlements units in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.

Whilst officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv have not yet raised this issue with the Israeli authorities, Mr Ellwood said in his statement "Settlements are illegal under international law. As noted in the report issued by the Middle East Quartet on 1 July, steps like this also make a two state solution more difficult to achieve."