Speeches by Alexander.

“I can assure the House that we are determined to back our steel sector. The Minister for Industry will be at Sheffield Forgemasters tomorrow; as I say, she is meeting representatives of the steel industry today, and the Secretary of State will be meeting representatives over the next 24 hours. We have established a ste…”

“Tempting though it is to indulge in the hypothetical negotiating strategy ventriloquised through the right hon. Gentleman, consistent with the approach that we need to take a considered view of what is emerging—and is still emerging, in the case of aluminium—the responsible thing to do is leave those matters with the g…”

“I am very happy to give my hon. Friend the assurance that he seeks. We have a comprehensive plan for steel, which, sadly, we have not had in this country for a number of years. That plan is backed up by significant public resources, which again were not available under the previous Government, and we look forward to pu…”

“Exactly—and I am getting used to the challenges of being in government, as distinct from in opposition. First, in all seriousness, I thank the hon. Gentleman for what I anticipate will be his support for the measures. He is entirely right to recognise that the work was undertaken under the previous Government and he ca…”

“I beg to move, That the Committee has considered the draft Recognition of Professional Qualifications and Implementation of International Recognition Agreements (Amendment) (Extension to Switzerland etc.) Regulations 2024. The regulations were laid in draft before the House on 4 November 2024. I draw the Committee’s at…”

“The questions one always fears are the short ones that come with no thinking time, but I shall endeavour to answer the hon. Gentleman.”

“There is an established process in taking forward the Government’s discussions in relation to the mandate. On animal welfare standards, the Secretary of State has already alluded to how there was clearly considerable divergence during the previous attempts to conclude a free trade agreement with the United States. I as…”

“Our approach to trade deals considers the impact on and opportunities for the agricultural sector, along with other sectors of the economy, and, of course, our growth mission. The Government will publish impact assessments to aid the ratification process for new free trade agreements.”

“I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for bringing his considerable expertise in veterinary science to the Chamber today. We will not compromise on animal welfare standards as we take forward our programme of free trade agreements. Although we might well have approached the negotiations that the previous Government under…”

“It is not a matter of trumping one or the other; it is reading the complete statement offered by Minister Trevelyan to the Commons at the time, in which literally she used the phrase, “The application of these criteria will be without prejudice to the application of specific cases of specific measures as may be announc…”

“First, I applaud and recognise the sentiments you describe in terms of the importance of parliamentary scrutiny generally ahead of the debate on Monday, and the important work of this Committee in that regard. What we inherited on coming to office on 4 July was an imperfect system of data release, candidly, within the …”

“Yes, 2c continues to be the basis on which decisions are taken by—in the case of the Department for Business and Trade—the Secretary of State for Business and Trade.”

“Criterion 2c states that the Government will not issue export licences if there is a clear risk that the items might be used to commit or facilitate a serious violation of international humanitarian law. That is the basis on which the judgments have been reached.”

“The threshold and boundary that have been drawn are military use in Gaza, if your question is implicitly, “Are there open licences which could be facilitating and allowing military use?””

“Forgive me, is it Israel or Gaza?”

“If you like, there is a policy focus specifically on Gaza and, in that context, arms export licences and the operation of the SELC in relation to Israel. You are right in saying the international humanitarian law compliance assessment process, of which Minister Doughty spoke, while it sits within the FCDO, was set up t…”

“Yes, 2c sets out use in military operations in the current conflict in Gaza.”

“In the information that we have shared with the Committee today, over half the licences are non-military, and less than half of the extant military licences are for the IDF. Regarding the perception that the licences per se are open—notwithstanding the judgment of the Foreign Secretary and the decision of the Secretary…”

“For example, you are arguing about body armour for journalists that can be exported to Israel; I would not see that as being consistent with Government policy. In that sense, the risk of the blanket ban that you describe, in relation to the strategic arms export licence regime, would be that it would have unintended co…”

“No, the red lines have been established by a very clear sense that there is a risk of breach of international humanitarian law. That has had an identical effect in expression of those figures, as if similar criteria had been reached in relation to the conduct of the conflict. Far from there being no red lines, the Fore…”