Tuesday Volume 655 26 February 2019 No. 259 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Tuesday 26 February 2019 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2019 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 143 26 FEBRUARY 2019 144 burden sharing is important. We have been making that House of Commons point with European partners—NATO partners in Europe —and I am pleased to say that there is progress, but Tuesday 26 February 2019 there is still more to be done. The House met at half-past Eleven o’clock Gareth Thomas (Harrow West) (Lab/Co-op): A strengthened transatlantic alliance could lead to more action in Sri Lanka to tackle human rights abuses. Will PRAYERS the Minister of State urge the Trump Administration to join him and the Foreign Secretary in putting pressure [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] on the Sri Lankan Government to tackle human rights abuses and to respect international calls for a war crimes inquiry? Oral Answers to Questions Sir Alan Duncan: As the hon. Gentleman appreciates, I do not personally cover Sri Lanka. However, I am confident that, across the world, we work very closely FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE together on all issues of human rights, and we will continue to do so in countries as appropriate. The Secretary of State was asked— Transatlantic Alliance Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield) (Lab/Co-op): The Minister knows that, after two world wars, we set up the United Nations, we set up NATO and we set up the 1. Mrs Sheryll Murray (South East Cornwall) (Con): European Community in an early form to stop our ever What recent progress he has made on strengthening the having wars again. Is he not concerned about some of transatlantic alliance. [909437] the words and some of the actions coming out of the White House under President Trump at the moment? 18. Mary Robinson (Cheadle) (Con): What recent progress he has made on strengthening the transatlantic alliance. [909454] Sir Alan Duncan: It is a strong pillar of our foreign policy that we believe in multilateral organisations and The Minister for Europe and the Americas (Sir Alan participate in them fully. Obviously, we will soon be Duncan): The UK works closely with Europe and the leaving one of them, but that will not diminish our US to promote a strong transatlantic partnership. It is co-operation with the EU27 thereafter. vital for our security and prosperity that we work with the Trump Administration to promote transatlantic Sir Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire) (Con): unity through NATO. Since July’s NATO summit, we What assessment has my right hon. Friend made of the have urged allies to increase defence spending and have impact on the transatlantic alliance of the recent talks encouraged the US to recognise the significant allied in Vietnam between North Korea and America? Does progress. this have the potential to strengthen our security in the west? Mrs Murray: May I welcome the efforts my right hon. Friend has made in his role to strengthen those ties Sir Alan Duncan: My understanding is that those and ask in particular what assessment he has made of talks are happening today, so it is not easy for me to the security and intelligence co-operation between our comment on something that has not quite yet taken two countries on which so much of our peace and place. However, my skills of foresight are well recognised security depends? in this House, as I well appreciate. I hope that these conversations and discussions will lead to a more peaceful Sir Alan Duncan: The intelligence co-operation between world and are as successful as we would wish. our two countries is enormously valuable. It proceeds regularly on a basis of complete trust and adds importantly to the security of the wider world. Helen Goodman (Bishop Auckland) (Lab): Yesterday, the International Court of Justice found that the UK’s Mary Robinson: Later this year, the UK will host a control of the Chagos islands is illegal and wrong. This NATO summit that will mark the 70th anniversary of damning verdict deals a huge blow to the UK’s global the organisation’s founding. Does my right hon. Friend reputation. Will the Government therefore heed the call agree that, as America’s closest ally in Europe, we need of the ICJ to hand back the islands to Mauritius, or will to be willing to make the argument to our European they continue to pander to the United States military? partners that the financial burden of defending our continent needs to be shared fairly and that other Sir Alan Duncan: The hon. Lady is labouring under a countries need to follow the UK’s example by meeting serious misapprehension: yesterday’s hearing provided the NATO defence spending pledge? an advisory opinion, not a judgment. We will of course consider the detail of the opinion carefully, but this is a Sir Alan Duncan: My hon. Friend is absolutely right— bilateral dispute, and for the General Assembly to seek indeed, that is exactly what my right hon. Friend the an advisory opinion by the ICJ was therefore a misuse Foreign Secretary has been doing over the past week in of powers that sets a dangerous precedent for other his travels around the capitals of Europe—and I fully bilateral disputes. The defence facilities in the British agree with her, as do Her Majesty’s Government, that Indian Ocean Territory help to keep people in Britain 145 Oral Answers 26 FEBRUARY 2019 Oral Answers 146 and around the world safe, and we will continue to seek very important that there is a proper plan to follow up a bilateral solution to what is a bilateral dispute with on some of the very successful royal visits overseas with Mauritius. a very well co-ordinated effort, particularly in soft power? UK Soft Power Mark Field: I thank my right hon. Friend. We have already had questions today on Shakespeare and the 2. Peter Heaton-Jones (North Devon) (Con): What BBC, but he is absolutely right that our royal family is steps he is taking to enhance UK soft power overseas. one of our greatest soft power assets, and we will do our [909438] level best, through the GREAT campaign and elsewhere, to ensure that strength continues. 16. James Morris (Halesowen and Rowley Regis) (Con): What steps he is taking to enhance UK soft Stephen Twigg (Liverpool, West Derby) (Lab/Co-op): power overseas. [909452] An important part of our soft power is our commitment to tackling global poverty and to international development. 23. Sir Nicholas Soames (Mid Sussex) (Con): What Will the Minister therefore take this opportunity to steps he is taking to enhance UK soft power overseas. reaffirm the Government’s commitment to 0.7% spending [909459] on overseas aid and to the Department for International Development as a stand-alone Department, independent The Minister for Asia and the Pacific (Mark Field): of the Foreign Office? We should be proud of the UK’s soft power and the contribution that independent institutions such as the Mark Field: I am hearing a lot of chuntering from my BBC and the British Council make to it. That is why left, as I have two DFID Ministers beside me— the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has trebled its investment in Chevening scholarships since 2015, helped The Minister for Europe and the Americas (Sir Alan to fund the biggest expansion of the BBC World Service Duncan): And a former one. in 70 years and provided additional funding for the British Council’s work in developed countries. It is also Mark Field: And a former DFID Minister, too. why my Department is developing a cross-Government soft power strategy to further project our values and I agree with the hon. Member for Liverpool, West advance our interests overseas. Derby (Stephen Twigg), and this is a matter not just of soft power, but of hard power. There is little doubt that Peter Heaton-Jones: The Minister rightly mentioned the 0.7% commitment has an important part to play. I the BBC World Service. Will he join me in celebrating see it in all parts of Asia, not least in Pakistan and the excellent work that that organisation does, given Bangladesh, which have the two single biggest DFID how important it is for expressing the UK’s soft power budgets. It is important for aid and development and, overseas, and in calling on the BBC to expand and indeed, for the prosperity fund, which will allow British enhance its reach? companies to prosper in the years to come. Mark Field: I am delighted to join my hon. Friend in Jo Swinson (East Dunbartonshire) (LD): Over the recognising the excellent work of the BBC World Service, past three years, this Government’s chaotic approach to which brings the UK and its values to the world at large. Brexit has shredded our international credibility and Since 2016, Her Majesty’s Government have been funding diminished our soft power. Whether Brexit goes ahead the World 2020 programme, which has seen the World or not, there is an important job to be done to repair Service undergo its biggest single expansion in the past our international standing in the world and build alliances, 70 years, with 12 new language services opened in so will the Minister have a word with the Defence 2017-18, and I have been very proud to watch some of Secretary and ask him to cut out the foolish rhetoric, that excellent work in India.