Speeches by Anderson.

“On Tuesday, for the annual report.”

“Have you received legal advice on it, and are you considering the options?”

“Could another roll of the dice be to have a middle east envoy from the UK? We have had envoys on different things in the past; recently, envoys on different countries, areas and thematic aspects have been put in place. Envoys do not always work, but they have worked in other conflicts in the past. Have you had briefing…”

“I am going to ask a couple more questions about Israel and Palestine. I draw attention to my entry in the register of interests. I visited in 2023 and 2024 as well. In the urgent question last week we talked about the E1, but let me first ask about the ICJ. When you came before the Committee in March, you were still co…”

“If British companies do not seek to join the tender—if the signals work—it will still go ahead, because the Israeli Government will find other companies to do that. What do you think is the realistic prospect of the E1 project being stopped, and of the whole annexation of the west bank being stopped?”

“One more question from me. We heard last week from the leaders of the Episcopalian and the Greek Orthodox Churches. Two archbishops came to speak to the Committee about the really unreasonable restrictions on worshipper access to the holy places in Jerusalem; about widespread, persistent intimidation; about Christian c…”

“Has the international legal system failed in this regard? Has the UN failed? Is this whole situation a result of failure? Minister, you must have looked many times at what further steps could now be taken. Is something missing in the international system? Is there something else that should be there?”

“So it has not been cut as much. The UK Government are taking over the G20 at the end of the year. Will peace in the middle east and the work we have been discussing during this session feature among the areas of focus for the chairship of the G20?”

“At Easter, yes, and in Bethlehem.”

“Okay. Given what is happening in the west bank and East Jerusalem, and the annexation—”

“With regular visits to Parliament as well. There is the E1 plan—the increased annexation of the west bank. Two thirds of Gaza is occupied by Israeli forces, as you will know. When you appeared before this Committee in March last year, you talked about two scenarios: one was annexation of the west bank and East Jerusale…”

“I have joined other MPs in visiting the west bank and East Jerusalem. This mega-development, this zonal occupation, is huge in scale. It involves a massive city, a dual carriageway, universities and hospitals, and it is absolutely undermining the peace of the two nations. I ask the Minister: what more can be done at in…”

“As a Committee, we understand that there is the conflict in Gaza and the west bank, but there is also the contested area of the holy sites in Jerusalem. We are trying to understand both examples of what is happening now and also what you think should happen to the Status Quo. Is there a wider issue of destabilisation b…”

“To where?”

“I just want to declare my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests, where it can be seen that I visited Israel and Palestine, including different parts of Jerusalem, in 2023 and 2024 with cross-party groups. I went to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre both times. Can I ask about another example of the closu…”

“You are both nodding. Your Grace, is that correct?”

“Was it closed for 40 days of restrictions?”

“Q6. This morning, a mature street tree fell on my house. No one was hurt, but it is another reminder of the results of this extreme heat that we face. Today is the hottest June day ever on record. Extreme heat and flooding are becoming more normal, and the Government need to stay ahead of that in respect of our homes, …”

“I echo the Deputy Prime Minister’s praise for the Prime Minister’s success in restoring the UK’s standing in the world, including with the EU. My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister has welcomed the G7 commitment to accelerating humanitarian efforts for Gaza and ending violence on the west bank, and Putney resi…”

“I am grateful to my hon. Friend for celebrating such a great Labour achievement, led by a great Labour woman, Baroness Jennie Lee. Will he join me in congratulating the Open University and underlining its importance for people like me? I was looking after four children and was able to do a master’s at the Open Universi…”