Tuesday Volume 579 8 April 2014 No. 150 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Tuesday 8 April 2014 £5·00 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2014 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 101 8 APRIL 2014 102 Mr Burns: Following the praise of the UK Independence House of Commons party on Russian-controlled television yesterday, will my right hon. Friend remind the House of the guiding Tuesday 8 April 2014 principles of British foreign policy towards Ukraine, namely that Ukraine has a democratic right to self- determination and that sending in the tanks and holding The House met at half-past Eleven o’clock a sham referendum in the Crimea under the shadow of the Kalashnikov is not only aggression but illegal in PRAYERS international law and a threat to the security of the world? [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] Mr Hague: My right hon. Friend makes an important point. The guiding principles for us are that the development BUSINESS BEFORE QUESTIONS of democratic institutions in Ukraine and a rules-based international system are in the national interest of the TRANSPORT FOR LONDON BILL [LORDS] United Kingdom. For any parties or leaders in Britain Second Reading opposed and deferred until Tuesday 29 to feed a Russian propaganda machine after the invasion April (Standing Order No. 20). of a neighbouring country is not a responsible position to take, particularly for anyone who professes to believe in the independence and sovereignty of nations. Oral Answers to Questions Kevin Brennan: The authorisation that President Putin obtained in February to use troops in Ukraine did not specify that it applied to Crimea only. What is our FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE policy in the event of such a Sudeten-like land grab in eastern Ukraine? The Secretary of State was asked— Mr Hague: The hon. Gentleman is quite right, and Ukraine that was of course one of the most alarming aspects of 1. Graham Stringer (Blackley and Broughton) (Lab): the authority that President Putin asked for in February— What recent reports he has received on the situation in that it covered the use of armed force in Ukraine in general. As he knows, the European Union and the Ukraine. [903573] United States have imposed certain sanctions, but the 8. Mr Simon Burns (Chelmsford) (Con): What recent European Commission has been asked by the European assessment he has made of the political situation in Council to draw up further far-reaching measures and Ukraine. [903582] economic and other sanctions to be implemented in the event of a further escalation and intensification of the 12. Kevin Brennan (Cardiff West) (Lab): What recent crisis by Russia. Any invasion of eastern Ukraine of assessment he has made of threats to the territorial course falls into that category. integrity of Ukraine. [903586] Sir Menzies Campbell (North East Fife) (LD): I The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth appreciate that this is not in my right hon. Friend’s gift, Affairs (Mr William Hague): We are gravely concerned but in the event of the situation deteriorating materially, about the situation in Crimea and in the east of Ukraine, will he at least support the notion that Parliament may where armed groups have seized Government buildings have to be recalled? When talking to other Foreign in Donetsk, Kharkiv and Lugansk. There can be no Ministers in the European Union, has he emphasised justification for this action, which bears all the hallmarks the importance of a concerted and determined approach of a Russian strategy to destabilise Ukraine. Russia to these issues and that any sign of disunity or lack of should be clear that the deliberate escalation of this commitment would undoubtedly be exploited by Moscow? crisis will bring serious political and economic consequences. Graham Stringer: In February, the Chancellor of the Mr Hague: Yes, absolutely.On the first point, Parliament Exchequer offered financial assistance to Ukraine. At must always be able to deliberate urgently, although I the start of this month, Gazprom put up the price of have always taken the view that before Parliament has gas to Ukraine. What safeguards has the Foreign Secretary gone into recess is too early to call for it to be recalled. put in place to stop any aid we give to Ukraine going However, I take my right hon. and learned Friend’s straight to Russia via increased gas prices? point about that. I absolutely agree with his second point. At the meeting of EU Foreign Ministers in Mr Hague: As the hon. Gentleman knows, the aid Athens over the weekend, I emphasised that the strength that he is speaking of is the International Monetary and unity of the European Union on this issue will be a Fund programme, and work continues on that programme. vital determinant of the ultimate outcome. The Ukrainian Government have been discussing the first stage of that with the IMF. To obtain that aid, Mr Jack Straw (Blackburn) (Lab): Although I fully Ukraine must meet the conditions set by the IMF, support the Foreign Secretary’s strategy, does he accept including on how that money is used. Of course Ukraine that the more the Ukrainian Government can reach out would enjoy a more successful and prosperous future if to the Russian speakers in eastern Ukraine, the less of Russia were to join the rest of the international community an excuse President Putin will have for taking provocative in supporting the economic future of Ukraine. action there? 103 Oral Answers8 APRIL 2014 Oral Answers 104 Mr Hague: Yes. I think that is an extremely important administrative buildings in Kharkiv appear to be back point and it is one that I have emphasised over the past under the control of the Ukrainian authorities. I think couple of weeks to both Prime Minister Yatsenyuk of we will have to assess the situation over the coming Ukraine and Foreign Minister Deshchytsia. We say days, but I say again that a deliberate escalation of the constantly to the Ukrainian authorities that it is important situation by Russia will bring serious political and that the Government in Kiev show that they represent economic consequences. all the regions of the country. It is of course important to discuss decentralisation in Ukraine without necessarily Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East) (Con): To what accepting an agenda of paralysis by federalism, as extent has the ability of our European allies to wage proposed by Russia. effective economic sanctions against Russia been undermined by their dependence on Russian gas sources Sir Peter Tapsell (Louth and Horncastle) (Con): and do we have a strategy for trying to persuade our Although all historical analogies tend to be misleading, allies to diversify their energy sources so that that can it be borne in mind that if we are looking back to dependence will be lessened in the future? the 1930s, as we are fully entitled to do, the occupation of the Crimea and Sevastopol bears more resemblance Mr Hague: I think the answer is that that has not to the Anschluss than to the invasion of Sudetenland? affected what we have done so far, but we have to be If the Russians were actually to invade Ukraine, that of very conscious of that point and the effect it could have. course would be an act of naked aggression. We are very active—I at meetings of Foreign Ministers and the Prime Minister at the European Council—in Mr Hague: I think there was a good deal of naked saying that it will be necessary to accelerate measures aggression in what happened in Crimea. Of course, my that reduce Europe’s dependence on Russian gas. The right hon. Friend is right about the great seriousness of G7 leaders discussed that at some length at the meeting any further encroachment into Ukraine. That is something in The Hague two weeks ago and my hon. Friend will be we should bear in mind, as well as his point that aware that we are convening a meeting of Energy Ministers historical analogies can always be misleading. in the G7 precisely to discuss that ahead of the G7 Heads of Government meeting. Mr Douglas Alexander (Paisley and Renfrewshire South) (Lab): As the Foreign Secretary’s earlier answers Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership show, the protests across the east of Ukraine, in cities including Donetsk, highlight the continued risk of violent escalation and further bloodshed in Ukraine. In his first 2. Ian Lavery (Wansbeck) (Lab): What recent answer, the Foreign Secretary spoke of recent events progress has been made on the transatlantic trade and bearing all the hallmarks of Russian involvement. Would investment partnership. [903574] he be willing to set out for the House in a little more detail his judgment of the form that the involvement of The Minister for Europe (Mr David Lidington): TTIP Russia has taken in recent days? is our top trade policy priority, worth up to £10 billion a year for the UK. The EU-US summit two weeks ago Mr Hague: Well, I said that it had the hallmarks of a re-emphasised political support for that agreement, and Russian strategy to destabilise Ukraine and that is our ambition remains to conclude the deal next year, something we must expect in the run-up to the Ukrainian with the fifth negotiating round due to take place next presidential elections on 25 May. It would be consistent month. with Russia’s strategy and behaviour over recent weeks to try to damage the credibility of those elections, to Ian Lavery: Will the Government use the options take actions that would make it appear less credible open to member states to exclude public services, most to hold the elections in eastern parts of Ukraine and to importantly the NHS, from the scope of the TTIP make it more difficult for Ukraine to operate as a agreement? democratic state.