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Tuesday Volume 621 21 February 2017 No. 111 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Tuesday 21 February 2017 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2017 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 847 21 FEBRUARY 2017 848 Executive order would make absolutely no difference to House of Commons any British passport holder, irrespective of their country of birth. Tuesday 21 February 2017 Thangam Debbonaire: I am pleased to hear the Foreign Secretary’s reports of the discussions he had with the The House met at half-past Eleven o’clock Secretary of State, but will he tell us a bit more about how he plans to manage the important tripartite relationship PRAYERS between the UK, the EU and the US, post-Brexit? Boris Johnson: The hon. Lady asks a good question. [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] Obviously, on some things we will differ from our American friends—we have just had an example of that—but on some areas we will perhaps wish to stiffen BUSINESS BEFORE QUESTIONS the spines of our European friends. I can think of issues such as sanctions over Ukraine, on which some EU NEW SOUTHGATE CEMETERY BILL [LORDS] members are not in quite the same space as we are. As (BY ORDER) would be expected, the policy of the United Kingdom Third Reading opposed and deferred until Tuesday would be to stick up for UK interests and values and—if 28 February (Standing Order No. 20). I can use a bit of jargon—to triangulate dynamically between the two. Bill Esterson: On standing up for British interests, Oral Answers to Questions Mr Trump’s track record suggests that any deals he agrees to are likely to be to our disadvantage. What will FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE the Foreign Secretary do to ensure that British businesses benefit from any deals with the United States, not just The Secretary of State was asked— American ones? US Administration: UK Foreign Policy Boris Johnson: If I may say so, it is important to be clear-eyed about American power and success in negotiating 1. Mr David Hanson (Delyn) (Lab): When he next trade agreements and to recognise that we will have to plans to meet the US Secretary of State. [908803] be on our mettle to get a good deal for this country. Nevertheless, I have absolutely no doubt that we will be 10. Thangam Debbonaire (Bristol West) (Lab): What able to do such a deal. It is a great shame that in assessment he has made of the implications of the 44 years of EU membership we have not been able to policies of the new US Administration for UK foreign secure a free trade deal with the United States. That is policy. [908812] now on the table. 12. Bill Esterson (Sefton Central) (Lab): What assessment Crispin Blunt (Reigate) (Con): In his discussions with he has made of the implications of the policies of the the American Secretary of State, did the Foreign Secretary new US Administration for UK foreign policy. [908814] discuss the best opportunity for a state visit by President Trump? Did he put forward my suggestion that the The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth 400th anniversary of the Pilgrim Fathers in 2020 would Affairs (Boris Johnson): I met Rex Tillerson in Bonn be a much better occasion for a state visit than one in last Thursday and Friday. We had some very good the course of the next few months, which is likely to be a conversations, and I am sure we will have many more rallying point for every discontent in the United Kingdom? meetings in the weeks and months ahead to entrench and deepen a relationship that has been part of the Boris Johnson: I thank my hon. Friend for his interesting foundation of global peace and prosperity for the past suggestion; I am afraid to say that it is not one I had 70 years. time to make to our American counterparts. Let us see how the matter of the state visit evolves. The invitation Mr Hanson: Could the Foreign Secretary confirm has been issued and accepted, and I am sure it will be a that when he met the Secretary of State last week he great success. said unequivocally that Her Majesty’s Government think the ban on travel proposed by President Trump for Sir Simon Burns (Chelmsford) (Con): Next time he Muslim countries is simply wrong? meets the Secretary of State, will my right hon. Friend tell him that if the current discussions between the US Boris Johnson: The right hon. Gentleman will know Department of Defence and the State Department lead very well that the Government did not support the to their recommending to President Trump that they travel measures that were introduced by the Executive put American ground troops in northern Syria to combat order. They were not something we would commend to ISIS, the British Government will not be following this House and it was not the kind of policy we would them? like to see enacted in this country, and we made that very clear to our friends in America. It was by engaging Boris Johnson: I have to tell my right hon. Friend that constructively with the White House and others that we I am not aware of any such proposal. Nor do I think, were able to secure the important clarification that the having listened quite attentively to the language being 849 Oral Answers 21 FEBRUARY 2017 Oral Answers 850 used by the White House and the State Department, state visit, but the invitation has been issued. It is a that we are going to see the imminent contribution of wholly appropriate thing for the British Government to ground troops in that theatre. Nevertheless, the advent do, and it will be a great success. of the Trump Administration does offer the possibility of new thinking on Syria and the hope of a new way Sir Julian Brazier (Canterbury) (Con): Does my right forward. hon. Friend agree that when there is fresh fighting in Ukraine and when Russia continues to carry out large-scale Anna Soubry (Broxtowe) (Con): Last week, the hon. exercises close to the borders of the Baltic state, some of Member for Tooting (Dr Allin-Khan) and I went to them with nuclear capable equipment, there has never Jordan as guests of Oxfam, and we met a number of been a time in recent years when our relationship with Syrian refugees, notably Khalid who lives in the Zaatari America and keeping NATO together have been so refugee camp. He was due to start a new life in America important for Europe as a whole? literally within the next few weeks. It is difficult to put into words his sense of despair that all his hopes and dreams for a new life have been shattered by President Boris Johnson: My hon. Friend is completely right, Trump’s decision to ban all refugees from going to which is why it was so important that our Prime Minister, America. When my right hon. Friend next gets the on her very successful recent visit to the White House, opportunity, will he please not hesitate to tell President secured from Donald Trump the 100% commitment to Trump that this ban on refugees brings great shame on our NATO alliance, which has been the guarantor of his country and that he should lift it immediately? peace in our times. Boris Johnson: My right hon. Friend will know full Ms Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh (Ochil and South Perthshire) well that we have already expressed our disagreement (SNP): We know that Trump’s Muslim ban adopts with the travel ban and the policy on refugees. I think Daesh’s narrative, which is that it is the west against she was in the House when I explained the Government’s Islam. In fact, the Home Secretary said that it would view on that policy. By contrast, this country can be bolster terrorists at home and abroad. What discussions extremely proud of the fact that it not only supports has the Foreign Secretary had with the Home Secretary that particular camp in Jordan—indeed, we have recently and the Secretary of State for Defence about the increased agreed another £30 million to support that individual threat to UK national security as a result of Trump’s operation—but is the second biggest contributor to the immoral and racist policies? humanitarian effort in the region, with £3.2 billion already pledged. Boris Johnson: We remain constantly vigilant against the terror threat as a result of all international policies, Alex Salmond (Gordon) (SNP): But has policy but, as I have said before, the seven countries in question triangulation not meant that the British Foreign Secretary were previously singled out by the Obama Administration is trying to anticipate what American policy will be and for particularly tough visa restrictions. The hon. Lady then to mimic it? Interpreting what American policy will be aware that this Government have already signalled will be or who will be implementing it must be very their disapproval of the ban to which Opposition Members difficult just now, so will he at least wait to see what the are rightly objecting. policy is before, for example, changing policies such as the two-state solution in the middle east? Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con): Did Mr Tillerson quantify the length of the queue of countries seeking to Boris Johnson: I am sure the right hon.