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Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) Wednesday Volume 603 2 December 2015 No. 80 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Wednesday 2 December 2015 £5·00 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2015 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 321 2 DECEMBER 2015 Business of the House 322 Members—in addition to the Front-Bench speeches, House of Commons during which right hon. and hon. Members will undoubtedly want to press Ministers on their argument Wednesday 2 December 2015 and on their case. I gather that you will be announcing soon that there will be a five-minute limit on Back-Bench speeches, and that will almost certainly be reduced to The House met at half-past Eleven o’clock four and three minutes. Even so, not all Members will be able to speak in the debate today. I gently say to the PRAYERS Prime Minister that this is no way to proceed if he really wants to take the House and the country with him. [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] 11.37 am Mr Speaker: Before I look to the Leader of the Pete Wishart (Perth and North Perthshire) (SNP): It House to move the business of the House motion—that is very important that we on the Scottish National party is to say, motion No. 1—it might be for the convenience Benches put forward our profound disappointment at of the House to know that no fewer than 157 colleagues this guillotine motion, following the rejection of all the are seeking to catch the eye of the Chair today. The calls and requests for a two-day debate. Tomorrow’s Chair will do his best to accommodate as many colleagues business could so easily have been postponed. The as possible. I would ask that colleagues please do not public expect us to clear the decks and get down to come to the Chair to inquire whether they are going to debating the important issues of the day. It is very likely, be called and, if so, when, or to inquire on behalf of a given that almost a quarter of the Members of this colleague, or to cause others to inquire on their behalf House want to speak today, that some will be disappointed. or that of others. I understand the interest. We have Every Member of Parliament has the right to represent done our best and will do our best. Please be patient their constituents on an issue of such importance, and and hope for the best. Needless to say, but for the our constituents have the right to listen to their MPs. benefit particularly of new Members: bear in mind that This is no way to do business and we remain very if you do wish to speak, it is imperative that you remain disappointed that the Government have not listened to until all of the Front-Bench speeches have been completed. the calls for more time for this debate. Thereafter, people must use their own judgment and come and go if they wish, but try to remain in the Chamber for as much of the debate as possible. 11.38 am The Leader of the House of Commons (Chris Grayling): Business of the House I want simply to say that, since 157 people are waiting Motion made, and Question proposed, to speak, it would be much better if we got on with the debate. That at this day’s sitting, the Speaker shall put the Questions necessary to dispose of proceedings on the Motion in the name of the Prime Minister relating to ISIL in Syria (United Nations Mr Speaker: I will not be making any announcements Security Council Resolution 2249) not later than 10pm; such soon about any time limit, and I have given absolutely Questions shall include the Questions on any Amendments selected no hon. or right hon. Member any reason to believe by the Speaker which may then be moved; proceedings may that I shall. If I have something to say, I will say it to the continue, though opposed, after the moment of interruption; and Standing Order No. 41A (Deferred divisions) shall not apply.— House. (Chris Grayling.) Melanie Onn (Great Grimsby) (Lab): On a point of 11.36 am order, Mr Speaker. There is an error on the Order Paper: my name has erroneously been added to an Chris Bryant (Rhondda) (Lab): We shall be dealing amendment. today with the security of our country, the safety of the people of Syria and the lives of our armed forces, which is why we asked two weeks ago for a two-day debate—a Mr Speaker: I am very grateful to the hon. Lady. Her request my right hon. Friend the Member for Islington name was apparently inadvertently added to an amendment. North (Jeremy Corbyn) repeated on Monday—so that I believe that she has indicated the desire for her name Members had a chance to make proper contributions to be withdrawn from that amendment, and that is and to reflect on the arguments between the two days. As noted. Perhaps, if she would be kind enough, we can you have just said, Mr Speaker, 157 Members have put leave it there. in to speak—87 Opposition Members and 70 Government Question put and agreed to. 323 2 DECEMBER 2015 ISIL in Syria 324 ISIL in Syria The Prime Minister: I could not have been clearer in my opening remarks: I respect people who disagree; I [Relevant documents: The Second Report from the Foreign respect the fact that Governments of all colours have Affairs Committee, on The extension of offensive British had to fight terrorism; and I respect the fact that we are military operations to Syria, HC 457, and the Prime all discussing how to fight terrorism, not whether to Minister’s response, published on the internet on 26 November; fight terrorism. the Seventh Report from the Defence Committee, Session 2014-15, on The situation in Iraq and Syria and the In moving this motion, I am not pretending— response to al-Dawla al-Islamiya fi al-Iraq al-Sham (DAESH), HC 690, and the Government’s response, Several hon. Members rose— Twelfth Special Report, Session 2014-15, HC 1126; and oral evidence taken before the Defence Committee on The Prime Minister: I shall make some progress— 1 December 2015, UK military operations in Syria and [Interruption.] Iraq, HC 657.] Mr Speaker: Order. The Prime Minister is clearly not Mr Speaker: Before I call the Prime Minister to move giving way at this stage. He has the floor. the motion, I should inform the House that I have selected amendment (b) in the name of Mr John Baron The Prime Minister: Mr Speaker, I will take dozens of and others. The amendment will be debated together interventions in the time that I have. I am conscious of with the main motion. At the end of the debate, Mr Baron not taking up too much time as so many people want to will be invited to move the amendment formally and the speak, but I promise that I will give way a lot during my questions will then be put, first on the amendment and speech. Let me make a bit of progress at the start. then on the main motion. In moving this motion, I am not pretending that the answers are simple. The situation in Syria is incredibly 11.40 am complex. I am not overstating the contribution our The Prime Minister (Mr David Cameron): I beg to incredible servicemen and women can make; nor am I move, ignoring the risks of military action or pretending that That this House notes that ISIL poses a direct threat to the military action is any more than one part of the answer. United Kingdom; welcomes United Nations Security Council I am absolutely clear that we must pursue a comprehensive Resolution 2249 which determines that ISIL constitutes an strategy that also includes political, diplomatic and ‘unprecedented threat to international peace and security’ and humanitarian action, and I know that the long-term calls on states to take ‘all necessary measures’ to prevent terrorist solution in Syria—as in Iraq—must ultimately be a acts by ISIL and to ‘eradicate the safe haven they have established Government that represents all of its people and one over significant parts of Iraq and Syria’; further notes the clear that can work with us to defeat the evil organisation of legal basis to defend the UK and our allies in accordance with the ISIL for good. UN Charter; notes that military action against ISIL is only one component of a broader strategy to bring peace and stability to Syria; welcomes the renewed impetus behind the Vienna talks on Alex Salmond (Gordon) (SNP): Will the Prime Minister a ceasefire and political settlement; welcomes the Government’s give way? continuing commitment to providing humanitarian support to Syrian refugees; underlines the importance of planning for post-conflict The Prime Minister: In a moment. stabilisation and reconstruction in Syria; welcomes the Government’s continued determination to cut ISIL’s sources of finance, fighters Notwithstanding all of that, there is a simple question and weapons; notes the requests from France, the US and regional at the heart of the debate today. We face a fundamental allies for UK military assistance; acknowledges the importance of threat to our security. ISIL has brutally murdered British seeking to avoid civilian casualties, using the UK’s particular hostages. They have inspired the worst terrorist attack capabilities; notes the Government will not deploy UK troops in against British people since 7/7 on the beaches of Tunisia, ground combat operations; welcomes the Government’s commitment and they have plotted atrocities on the streets here at to provide quarterly progress reports to the House; and accordingly supports Her Majesty’s Government in taking military action, home.
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