Tuesday Volume 671 4 February 2020 No. 21 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Tuesday 4 February 2020 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2020 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 153 4 FEBRUARY 2020 154 Craig Williams: Does my right hon. Friend agree that House of Commons NATO is the cornerstone not only of UK security, but of Euro-Atlantic security? Will he prioritise it—I ask Tuesday 4 February 2020 on behalf of Montgomeryshire constituents who have been asking me—to strengthen that alliance, to deal with the malign Russian threat? The House met at half-past Eleven o’clock Dominic Raab: My hon. Friend is absolutely right. We need to use NATO, and it will require reform to PRAYERS adapt to meet new threats. The way to do that is to strengthen and reinforce NATO, so that it can deal with [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] state actors, including Russia, cyber, and all the modern threats. We are absolutely committed to doing that, and bringing our European and north American allies BUSINESS BEFORE QUESTIONS together. PATERSON INQUIRY Aaron Bell: With the American primary season upon Resolved, us, political tensions both within and between our NATO That an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty, That allies seem to be higher than ever. Does my right hon. she will be graciously pleased to give directions that there be laid Friend agree that that means we have a greater responsibility before this House a Return of a Paper, entitled Report of the than ever, here in the UK, to promote diplomacy between Independent Inquiry into the Issues raised by Paterson, dated our allies, and to speak judiciously when commenting 4 February 2020.—[Rebecca Harris.] on their internal politics? Dominic Raab: My hon. Friend is right. He knows, Oral Answers to Questions from the last NATO leaders’ meeting, which the Prime Minister hosted and chaired, that we take that very seriously. We contribute to every NATO mission. We are the top defence spender in Europe, the second-largest FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE in NATO as a whole, and the leading contributor to the NATO readiness initiative. The Secretary of State was asked— Mr Speaker: Philip Dunne—not here. NATO Allies LloydRussell-Moyle(Brighton,Kemptown)(Lab/Co-op): 1. Gagan Mohindra (South West Hertfordshire) (Con): During the recent NATO summit, there was a concerted What diplomatic steps he is taking to strengthen relations effort by President Erdog˘an of Turkey to block progress with NATO allies. [900585] unless fellow NATO members agreed to label our Kurdish heroes in northern Syria as terrorists. After my last visit 7. Craig Williams (Montgomeryshire) (Con): What to Syria, the Secretary of State dismissed me and my diplomatic steps he is taking to strengthen relations concerns to try and reach out on that point. So maybe, with NATO allies. [900591] if he refused to take advice from me and other members of the Opposition—and his two colleagues who came 18. Aaron Bell (Newcastle-under-Lyme) (Con): What with me on that trip—he might take a lead from the diplomatic steps he is taking to strengthen relations Belgian court case that said that the Kurds were not a with NATO allies. [900603] terrorist force; or the French, who objected publicly at the NATO council, as did Poland, the Baltic states, and The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth even Donald Trump. I ask the Foreign Secretary: why Affairs and First Secretary of State (Dominic Raab): did our own Prime Minister say nothing to defend the NATO protects nearly 1 billion people across 30 countries. British interest and our Kurdish allies? It is the most successful alliance in history, and we are proud to be a leading member. Dominic Raab: The hon. Gentleman is simply wrong. We have raised our concerns in relation to Turkey’s Gagan Mohindra: Does my right hon. Friend agree incursion into Syria, which obviously has affected some that NATO is the cornerstone of UK and Euro-Atlantic of our Kurdish partners in the region. We had a very security? Will he support all efforts to increase burden successful NATO summit, precisely because the Prime sharing across the alliance? Minister and the UK Government are focused on making NATO work, bringing all our allies together and making Dominic Raab: My hon. Friend is absolutely right. sure that our foes cannot exploit weaknesses or divisions Non-US defence investment has increased by £130 billion between us. between 2016 and 2020. It is expected to rise further, by £400 billion, by 2024, and that is progress, but allies need to Wayne David (Caerphilly) (Lab): Turkey’s relationship increase their defence spending in the way that he with its NATO allies is becoming ever more strained. described. Of course, the UK is one of nine NATO allies Turkey’s incursion into northern Syria, which we have meeting its 2% commitment, including a 20% increase just heard about, and an increasingly close relationship in investment in new capabilities. with Russia are two clear examples of how tension is 155 Oral Answers 4 FEBRUARY 2020 Oral Answers 156 being created within the alliance by Turkey. As we are a Mr Whittingdale: Will my right hon. Friend welcome leading member of NATO, how do the Government President Zelensky’s decision to extend the visa-free think NATO should respond to the situation? regime for UK citizens for another year? Does my right hon. Friend share his ambition for Britain and Ukraine Dominic Raab: As with all strong partnerships within to conclude a new framework agreement as soon as NATO, if we have issues we raise them candidly and possible, including possible liberalisation of the visa clearly, and the relationship has the depth and the regime for Ukrainian citizens? maturity to enable us to do so. We have expressed our disappointment, for example, that Turkey chose to acquire Christopher Pincher: My right hon. Friend is a doughty Russian S-400 air defence systems. None the less, Turkey champion of Ukraine’s determination to look westward remains a valued NATO ally, on the frontline of some and be a modern European country. We will certainly of our most difficult security challenges, and I raised welcome, as soon as we can, the ratification of such an with the Turkish Foreign Minister on 5 January the arrangement, and I congratulate the President on his positives and our concerns. announcement on visa-free access for UK nationals. That will certainly help trade with the UK, which we Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry) (DUP): want to ensure is successful, but we also need to protect The Minister rightly speaks of the success of NATO as our own borders. The Home Secretary is responsible for an international peacekeeping force. Does he agree that border control, but we keep our border policy under part of the problem is that it does not get the international constant review, and visas to and from Ukraine is recognition for being that successful alliance? What something I discuss with her regularly. more can we do to ensure that that is the case? Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP): On political Dominic Raab: The hon. Gentleman is right: a lot of development and the importance of having human the solid, steady work that NATO is doing, and the rights protected, including in Ukraine, I am aware of a work in bringing our allies together, goes unnoticed, as number of examples where Christians have been persecuted, is often the case in security. The most important thing injured and politically challenged for their beliefs. What the UK can do is continue to lead by example. We has been done in discussions with Ukraine to ensure contribute to every NATO mission. This includes: leading that human rights are protected and people have the the enhanced forward presence battle group in Estonia; right to express themselves? contributing to the US battle group in Poland; and working with our NATO allies on operations in Afghanistan Christopher Pincher: I am obliged to the hon. Gentleman and Iraq, and we will continue to do all those things. for his question. We of course discuss these matters with Ukraine. I am particularly concerned about the 17. [900602] Lilian Greenwood (Nottingham South) repression of fundamental human rights—the right to (Lab): What recent discussions he has had with his speak the Crimean language—in Crimea by the annexing European counterparts on future co-operation after the forces, and I raised that issue when I went to Kiev last UK leaves the EU. We learned this week that the year. We will always place these issues, be they in Foreign Secretary has instructed British ambassadors Ukraine or elsewhere, high on the agenda. around the globe that when they attend international meetings they are no longer allowed to sit near our Climate Change European allies, so that we can project the image of a “confident independent country”. Of course many of 3. Henry Smith (Crawley) (Con): What progress the our NATO allies are EU members. Does he honestly Government have made on tackling climate change believe that behaving like a moody teenager will help to through international co-operation. [900587] strengthen our alliances within NATO? 4. Siobhan Baillie (Stroud) (Con): What progress the Dominic Raab: Following the protocol at international Government have made on tackling climate change meetings to make sure that the UK is asserting its voice through international co-operation. [900588] confidently, and in tandem with but independently of our allies, is absolutely the right thing.