Speeches by Whittingdale.

“Mr Hill, I will start with you. You have had a lot of experience in preparing for COPs. What do you believe should be the UK’s key diplomatic priorities for the forthcoming COPs?”

“The media have suggested that this COP is really the last chance to achieve change that will keep us within the target of a 1.5° rise. Is that your view too, and is what you have described enough?”

“I would only ask a more general question. On the back of Abtisam raising the US withdrawal, what do you hope will realistically come out of COP by the end of it? What are the achievable goals that you feel we should really aim to obtain?”

“Is it your experience that all the Departments of State are fully committed to contributing to this, and is proper work going on right across Whitehall?”

“That is a very helpful summary of all the challenges that this COP faces. On the UK’s specific contribution, I think that before previous COP meetings the Government made a statement setting out their view of the UK’s priorities. Would you expect the UK to make a similar statement this time? What work is going on to br…”

“The media have suggested that this COP is really the last chance to achieve change that will keep us within the target of a 1.5° rise. Is that your view too, and is what you have described enough?”

“Mr Hill, I will start with you. You have had a lot of experience in preparing for COPs. What do you believe should be the UK’s key diplomatic priorities for the forthcoming COPs?”

“He did not resign, so he was sacked.”

“Sir Chris and Sir Olly, I would like to move on to the new information that became available, which led to the departure of Lord Mandelson as ambassador. To be clear, did he resign or was he sacked?”

“How did that work?”

“Did the mitigations include ensuring that he was unaware of particular clients of Global Counsel or work being undertaken?”

“Just quickly on the question of avoiding conflicts of interest, why was he not asked to relinquish his shareholding in Global Counsel?”

“So the US Administration that had the emails had never made available any information to you—it was only through the media that you found out?”

“The new information was contained in emails that were made available to Bloomberg. Was that the first knowledge that you had of their existence?”

“Can I ask one last question of you, Sir Chris? You will be aware that there has been quite a lot of speculation about your own position. Do you expect to remain in post for the foreseeable future?”

“Did you meet Chinese officials while you were there?”

“I understand that, but did you talk to the Chinese?”

“But he was sacked, so is he still entitled, under his contract, to a payment?”

“Sir Olly, can I ask you a separate question? It has been recently reported that you have visited Beijing. Can you tell us what the purpose of the visit was, and did the subject of the embassy come up?”

“So what is the answer?”