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1. 8 Sep 2026·Parliament·Labour·Lisa Nandy

   Online Safety

   I pay tribute to my hon. Friend’s constituents, and thank him for being such an outstanding advocate for them. He will have heard what I said about ongoing discussions with tech companies. We ought to be moving quickly on this, and it ought not to require primary legislation, but given the lack of progress, I think it only right for the Government to step up. We do, however, want to see faster progress, and I think that many of the tech companies will have noted the strength of feeling throughout the House about their own responsibilities in this regard.

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2. 8 Sep 2026·Parliament·Labour·Lisa Nandy

   Online Safety

   We have been discussing that as a Department, and it is something that officials are currently exploring. I am very familiar with what the hon. Gentleman says: many children will be using older devices. We think there may be some solutions to this, but I am very keen to work with colleagues from across the House to address some of these issues. Although we will not hesitate to take the action that we need to take or to take action where it is needed, as I said to the Chair of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee, the hon. Member for Gosport (Dame Caroline Dinenage), we are trying to come at this issue from lots of different angles to ensure we close loopholes one by one, and close as many as we can at the same time. Part of that is about the action that we are taking not just on the taking of nude images—as my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham Yardley (Jess Phillips) said, that is the most central part—but on the sharing of nude images. Even if a child has an older device, the protections that we are bringing in around the sharing of nude images will take effect immediately.

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3. 8 Sep 2026·Parliament·Labour·Lisa Nandy

   Online Safety

   I strongly support that; frankly, there is no excuse. My hon. Friend mentions the anxiety that many families feel. I have worked with the outstanding organisation that is the NSPCC, and with Childline, for many years, as has the hon. Member for Twickenham (Munira Wilson)—we used to work together many years ago. This particular form of abuse is happening in families’ homes. It is often happening in children’s bedrooms while their parents are in the house, but it is not known to them. There is something particularly frightening about that for many parents. Speaking for myself, I find it particularly disturbing. Having worked with bereaved families for just a few weeks, I have been struck by how hard they have found it to come to terms with that element of this issue. They did not know that it was happening, even though at times it was happening under their own roofs. Once again, I pay tribute to all the families who have campaigned so long and hard to make this happen. I give them my commitment that we will work with them and not hesitate to continue to innovate and to take the steps that we need as the technology develops.

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4. 8 Sep 2026·Parliament·Labour·Lisa Nandy

   Online Safety

   I thank the hon. Lady for being such a long-standing campaigner on this issue, and I am sorry that it took many Secretaries of State before we were able announce this. I am really committed to looking at the issue seriously. I will go away after this statement and ask my officials to come back to me on it, and then I will reach out to her so that we can have a proper conversation about it.

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5. 8 Sep 2026·Parliament·Labour·Lisa Nandy

   Online Safety

   I would be very happy to meet my hon. Friend. We have talked a lot about the tech companies in relation to this, and it is right to do so because there are obligations that must be met, but there is also traditional law enforcement, and we need to ensure that we do not let the individuals causing harm to children off the hook. The Home Secretary has been incredibly supportive of working hand in glove to ensure we deal with this from every angle.

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6. 8 Sep 2026·Parliament·Labour·Lisa Nandy

   Online Safety

   We are not envisaging imposing penalties on parents. However, the right hon. Member is right that, as we are already anticipating, with any system we introduce there will be people who find ways to get around the safeguards we put in place. That is one lesson we have learned from the pioneering approach taken in Australia. When I say to the House that we intend to move more quickly and more decisively, it is precisely for those reasons. We will have to keep revisiting the safeguards for children in this space to ensure we close loopholes. On the highly effective age assurance, companies are already rolling this out, including through iOS 26. This requires someone to have a form of ID to prove their age. At the moment, as all parents will know, most of the apps and sites that children use just require them to either tick a box to say that they are over the age of 18, or to put in a birth date. They do not require them to show a form of ID—a credit card or some other form of ID. The new systems are requiring that, and one lesson we have learned from looking at what happened in Australia is that unless we do that, most children will find a way around.

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7. 8 Sep 2026·Parliament·Labour·Lisa Nandy

   Online Safety

   I think this is a personal decision, and all Members of the House should be free to decide how and where they communicate, but for my own part, I did not want to encourage more people to a site that I think has become more of a force for harm than for good.

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8. 8 Sep 2026·Parliament·Labour·Lisa Nandy

   Online Safety

   This is a live issue and it is very much at the front of my mind. Over the last few months, I have been working with campaigners and Members of this House and the other place to ensure we get this right. With some of the protections previously asked for, particularly in relation to offences involving creating AI companions and chatbots that fulfil particular functions, I think recent developments have shown that that approach may have its limitations. She will be aware of the recent case in which an AI system was able to escape its own sandbox and the parameters set for it, and caused damage. We are looking at strengthening our approach in this area, because at the moment there is a great big gap where there is no liability for the output from those AI systems. We urgently need to resolve that major gap in our child safety protection system. It is not straightforward to solve, but we are determined to get on the front foot on this. As I have said to other Members of the House—I say it particularly to the hon. Lady, given our history—I am very happy to talk about it with her further.

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9. 8 Sep 2026·Parliament·Labour·Lisa Nandy

   Online Safety

   We are moving as fast as possible, and I give my hon. Friend my word that we will not unduly delay. She will have heard the debates that I have just had with some hon. Members about some of the complexities, but complexity cannot be an excuse for inaction when children are being harmed now. I give her my word that we will move as fast as is humanly possible to resolve this. I support what she has just said about the obligations on technology companies. Far more could be done right now, and we would like to see them do it.

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10. 8 Sep 2026·Parliament·Labour·Lisa Nandy

    Online Safety

    I certainly commit to looking at that issue. I am concerned by what the hon. Lady said. I will take that away and make sure that we take the appropriate action to protect children from those sorts of images.

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11. 8 Sep 2026·Parliament·Labour·Lisa Nandy

    Online Safety

    I support what my hon. Friend says. We need to stop thinking about the online world as somehow distinct from the offline world. As someone who worked with children and young people for many years before I came into Parliament, I know that there are systems and protections in place for people to work with children and young people in the real world. It would be unthinkable not to have that. I find it astonishing that we do not have the same level of expectation for the online world. I very much support what he says.

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12. 8 Sep 2026·Parliament·Labour·Lisa Nandy

    Online Safety

    The hon. Lady raises an important point about some of the apps that exist. I commend my right hon. Friend the Member for Leicester West (Liz Kendall) for taking such quick and decisive action in this place on Grok. The hon. Lady is right to say that other forms of technology out there are a problem. The hon. Lady is also right to point to the fact that we need to be much better at supporting schools, parents and wider families to help protect children. When we developed the national youth strategy last year with young people across the country, one of the biggest concerns that both they and their parents had was that far too many young people growing up in this country do not have an adult they trust who can help them to navigate the online space. Many of us—I say us, Madam Deputy Speaker, because I am on a very steep learning curve as the mum of an 11-year-old—would welcome extra help and support. That is something we have been seeking to address through the national youth strategy, but I intend to put rocket boosters under it now.

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13. 8 Sep 2026·Parliament·Labour·Lisa Nandy

    Online Safety

    I pay tribute to my hon. Friend and her constituent for their campaign. I would be very happy to offer a meeting with the relevant officials and to discuss this issue personally with her. She is absolutely right to highlight the importance of tackling misinformation and disinformation. She will know that the House recently debated proposals to give more prominence to trusted sources of news online. One reason for doing so is that young people in particular consume broadcast media in a very different way from older generations. I personally believe that we are not doing enough to help them find accurate information and distinguish between truth and fiction.

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14. 8 Sep 2026·Parliament·Labour·Lisa Nandy

    Online Safety

    The hon. Gentleman gives an astonishing example. I am very happy to pick that up with the social media companies directly.

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15. 8 Sep 2026·Parliament·Labour·Lisa Nandy

    Online Safety

    We are coming at that from a number of angles. As well as the measures I have been outlining to colleagues today, we are looking at how we can develop gov.uk. We are pioneers when it comes to gov.uk, but we believe we could do even more to make it more relevant and to provide better avenues to trusted sources of news. My hon. Friend will also know that, along with the Minister of State, Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh South (Ian Murray), we produced the first ever local news strategy to support the incredible local news outlets that did such amazing work during the riots a few summers ago to tackle misinformation and disinformation and to do myth-busting on the ground. Colleagues will also know that we are about to embark on the BBC charter review, which is our opportunity to take what is perhaps our best weapon against misinformation and disinformation, and make sure we put it on a firm and secure footing for the foreseeable future.

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16. 8 Sep 2026·Parliament·Labour·Lisa Nandy

    Online Safety

    The hon. Gentleman is right to raise the issue of enforcement. As has already been mentioned, any legislation that we introduce is only as good as our ability to enforce it, so we take that extremely seriously.

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17. 8 Sep 2026·Parliament·Labour·Lisa Nandy

    Online Safety

    I have already discussed issues around VPNs with officials; device-level controls are one part of the answer but not the whole answer, so my hon. Friend is right to raise the issue. I will take up the issue of smart glasses as well.

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18. 8 Sep 2026·Parliament·Labour·Lisa Nandy

    Online Safety

    I support my hon. Friend in saying that it is the responsibility of all of us to keep children safe, and we would like to see the tech companies do more—and more quickly. Today’s statement also shows that the Government can do things to improve people’s lives. We are not powerless; we were elected to do that, and we intend to fulfil that promise.

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19. 8 Sep 2026·Parliament·Labour·Lisa Nandy

    Online Safety

    I saw my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham Yardley (Jess Phillips) nodding vigorously at that point. My hon. Friend the Member for Portsmouth North (Amanda Martin) is absolutely right, and I am working closely with the Home Secretary to ensure that we come at the issue from every angle and hold to account all who are responsible.

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20. 8 Sep 2026·Parliament·Labour·Lisa Nandy

    Online Safety

    My hon. Friend raises two linked and important points. First, we are the Government of the United Kingdom and are responsible to the people of this country. Although we have close friends and allies all over the world, we reserve the right to take our own view on technology. Particularly when it comes to keeping children safe, that is non-negotiable. Secondly, we have to be on the front foot in developing new forms of technology. I believe that tech, the online space and AI should be—and can be—a force for good in the world, but in order to help create that and be leaders in the field, we have to be on the front foot in developing forms of technology and having sovereign capability. I can reassure my hon. Friend on that point because I discussed it, this very morning, with the Business Secretary and the AI Minister.

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21. 8 Sep 2026·Parliament·Labour·Lisa Nandy

    Online Safety

    I think we have been living through a revolution in the way we interact with one another and with Government, compared with when I was growing up. I am going to sound incredibly old now, but I think I was 17 before I got my first email address, and Google was not a thing at that point—it was Ask Jeeves, if anyone remembers that. We have been living through this revolution for quite some time, and it is about time that Governments caught up. We have to ensure that we are on the front foot, helping to shape the society we want to have, not just allowing that to be relegated to the private sphere. My hon. Friend talks about the global consensus, and I think there is a global consensus forming on this. We are seeing more and more that states are prepared to step up and be on the front foot and taking action. We are working closely with our friends and allies around the world, trying to move in step so that this can be as effective as possible.

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22. 8 Sep 2026·Parliament·Labour·Lisa Nandy

    Online Safety

    My hon. Friend is absolutely right. As a rule, I think this Government have taken that approach; we want to have a much closer relationship with our closest friends and neighbours across Europe and to repair some of the needless damage that was done to that relationship under previous Governments. When it comes to tech and what happens online, it is absolutely essential that we work with other like-minded countries in order to move in step, so I can certainly reassure him on that point.

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23. 8 Sep 2026·Parliament·Labour·Lisa Nandy

    Online Safety

    I thank my hon. Friend for that point. I think the views of his constituents in Harlow are probably mirrored in every constituency across the country. I want to be really clear about our message today to parents who have been struggling with this matter for so long: you are not on your own. We believe that we are as responsible for keeping their children safe as they are, and we are stepping up to take the necessary action, whether that is through support, advice and training for parents and children, or through the reforms and measures that I have outlined today—we are the first country in the world to do so, and I strongly suspect that we will not be the last.

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24. 8 Sep 2026·Parliament·Labour·Lisa Nandy

    Online Safety

    Yes, of course; it would be a privilege to meet them. I have had the honour of getting to know some of these families—both bereaved families and families of survivors whose children have been harmed because of the lack of action in this space—and I gave them a commitment that I will do everything in my power to stop another family having to experience what they have gone through. I would be very happy to meet my hon. Friend and his constituents. Bill Presented Illegal Trading (Temporary Closure of Premises) Bill Presentation and First Reading (Standing Order No. 57) Gideon Amos presented a Bill to make provision about the temporary closure of premises connected to illegal trading; to make further provision relating to such closures; and for connected purposes. Bill read the first time; to be read a second time on Friday 27 November, and to be printed (Bill 141).

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25. 8 Sep 2026·Parliament·Labour·Liam Byrne

    Israel and Palestine

    I wholeheartedly welcome this well-rounded statement from the Foreign Secretary, and put on record my thanks to the new Prime Minister for the hard yards that I know he has put in over recent days and weeks. It is not enough to recognise the state of Palestine and then stand idly by while illegal settlers destroy the Palestinian state and the Palestinian economy. I have to correct the shadow Foreign Secretary: he did not give an accurate representation of the correspondence between Ministers and my Committee. But when Ministers came before us on 15 July, they did tell us that they lacked the legal power to fully implement the proposals that the Foreign Secretary has made today. Can he confirm to the House that he is taking on new legal powers in order to implement the full ban that he is proposing on goods, services and investment? That is what is needed to give the measures full effect, full force and real teeth, and we know that nothing less will do.

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26. 8 Sep 2026·Parliament·Labour·Lee Pitcher

    World Suicide Prevention Day

    I thank my hon. Friend for the amazing work that she continues to do day in, day out on this subject. I filmed a documentary last week called “Walking Men”—it will be out later this year—about how we support local groups to get men talking on a regular basis. Will she join me in saying thank you to all the people out there who do that? Does she agree that the Government need to get behind local groups, who know their area and their people and can make a massive difference?

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27. 8 Sep 2026·Parliament·Labour·Laura Kyrke-Smith

    World Suicide Prevention Day

    I commend my hon. Friend for her courageous work on this issue, and for introducing the debate today. Will she join me in thanking those organisations in my constituency, including Scott Grover’s work with his Men Walking and Talking group and the fantastic work of Steve and Talk Club? Talk Club has a lovely approach where they sit, talk and listen. They will not just ask whether people are okay; they will say, “On a scale of one to 10, how are you feeling today?”, and that opens up conversations about mental health and suicide in such a powerful way. Will my hon. Friend join me in thanking all my fantastic local groups for their efforts?

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28. 8 Sep 2026·Parliament·Labour·Kirsty McNeill

    Conflict in Sudan

    It is a real pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Dr Allin-Khan. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Gillingham and Rainham (Naushabah Khan) for securing this important debate, and for her recent visit to Egypt, alongside my hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow South (Gordon McKee). As they will have both heard, the conflict in Sudan is one of the most devastating and—I would argue—defining conflicts of the 21st century. For the millions of people living through it, the word “crisis” just does not do it justice. That is why I am grateful to my hon. Friend the Member for Gillingham and Rainham and others in the Chamber today for continuing to shine a light on this conflict, and I ask them to please pass on my sincere gratitude to all their constituents who have been in touch on this issue. It is incredibly inspiring to see their solidarity with people who they may never meet. I also want to pay tribute to my predecessors, my right hon. Friend the Member for Oxford East (Anneliese Dodds) and Baroness Chapman of Darlington, and the former Foreign Secretary, my right hon. Friend the Member for Pontefract, Castleford and Knottingley (Yvette Cooper), for their tireless efforts to strengthen the world’s response. My message today is simple: the UK stands with the people of Sudan, and this Government, the Foreign Secretary and I stand with them too. We have heard powerfully from all the speakers today about the current situation, not least from the shadow Minister, the right hon. Member for Aldridge-Brownhills (Wendy Morton). I will not rehearse all the statistics, but I would like to add two of my own: Sudan is now the deadliest place on earth to be a health worker, and it is the second deadliest place on earth to be an aid worker. There can be no justification, in any circumstance, for attacks on those who simply seek to serve humanity. When faced with suffering on this scale, our compassion is not enough, and our outrage is not enough. I know that Members want to hear about our action, so let me go through the points that have been raised in turn. This year, the UK has committed £146 million in support for Sudan, which will reach over 1.8 million people. Having been asked by my hon. Friend the Member for Barking (Nesil Caliskan), I am pleased to confirm that, as part of that work, we have launched a £20 million programme to support survivors of sexual and gender-based violence with medical and psychological care. To ensure that those closest to the crisis can deliver aid to the hardest-to-reach areas, we have more than doubled our support to local Sudanese responders, including to local emergency response rooms. I am proud of what we are doing on aid, but as my hon. Friend the Member for Gillingham and Rainham pointed out, aid alone is not enough, which is why she sought reassurance on arms sales.

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29. 8 Sep 2026·Parliament·Labour·Kirsty McNeill

    Conflict in Sudan

    I apologise for not addressing that in my remarks. Equality of access to aid is obviously incredibly important. I would be delighted to write to the hon. Member after the debate on particular questions about freedom of religion or belief and equitable distribution to all communities in Sudan. My hon. Friend the Member for Gillingham and Rainham asked for reassurance about our position on arms sales, and I want to confirm that the UK has one of the most robust and transparent export control regimes in the world. Every single licence is assessed for risk of diversion and kept under careful and continual review. We have so far reviewed over 3,000 export licences for destinations where there have been allegations of diversion or transit to Sudan, and we have thus far found no evidence of UK weapons or ammunition being used in Sudan. We will keep that under continual review. My right hon. Friend the Member for Oxford East also asked whether the UK supports expanding the arms embargo to the whole of Sudan. I am pleased to confirm that, as she will know, negotiations on the renewal of the UN embargo are currently under way, but the UK is full-throatedly supporting efforts to extend its scope. Last year, we worked closely with the United States and other UN SC members to secure its renewal, and the UK has a long-standing bilateral arms embargo in place for the whole of Sudan, sitting alongside a separate UN arms embargo on Darfur. Several hon. Members asked about the diplomatic priority of the conflict in Sudan in the new Foreign Office team. I want to be absolutely clear that it is central to everything that the Foreign Secretary and I are trying to achieve. We are committed to doing all we can to secure a ceasefire. In April, the UK hosted the international Sudan conference in Berlin to marshal the efforts of the 55 states present to press for a ceasefire. As the UN Security Council penholder for Sudan, we have secured eight resolutions and 12 press statements, galvanising global action towards a ceasefire. We regularly speak to members of the Quad, and others with influence, to co-ordinate efforts towards the US-led push for a truce to protect civilians and ensure that critical humanitarian aid can reach those who are most in need. Our special representative to Sudan also regularly engages with the warring parties, advocating for a ceasefire and a civilian-led transition. I have been asked today about the nature of the conversations that we have been having. I am pleased to confirm that I was recently in Addis Ababa and was able to raise the situation directly with the chairperson of the African Union. I can also confirm that FCDO Ministers including the Foreign Secretary have raised the situation in Sudan with Emirati counterparts and other members of the Quad. The Liberal Democrat spokesperson, the hon. Member for Esher and Walton (Monica Harding), spoke powerfully today, particularly about the need for atrocity prevention in El Obeid. I want to reflect for a moment on what we are doing there. The UK has lobbied at every level, including with the warring parties and those with influence over them. As the UN Security Council penholder, we have been advocating to highlight the risk of atrocities and push for an immediate ceasefire. On 3 July, we convened an urgent debate at the UN Human Rights Council on the situation in El Obeid, calling for urgent de-escalation, humanitarian access and safe passage for civilians. On 6 July, a UK-penned resolution urging the warring parties to agree an immediate ceasefire and comply with international law was adopted by consensus. The Liberal Democrat spokesperson also asked whether we would be extending the fact-finding mission’s mandate; I can confirm that we are indeed pushing for that, as we led for the mandate in the past. My hon. Friend the Member for York Central (Rachael Maskell) asked about our engagement with the Sudanese civil society and diaspora. Officials engage frequently with members of the Sudanese diaspora and civil society, including through a quarterly diaspora engagement forum that co-ordinates engagement across the UK and, indeed, in the region. My right hon. Friend the Member for Oxford East asked about the recent reports of chemical weapons use. As hon. Members might imagine, we are hugely concerned. All such allegations must be taken seriously and investigated, because any use of chemical weapons, by anyone anywhere, is utterly unacceptable. As Members will know, Sudan is a state party to the chemical weapons convention, and we expect all those in Sudan to abide by its obligations. The right hon. Member for Chingford and Woodford Green (Sir Iain Duncan Smith) brought to our attention the issue of Colombian mercenaries. I want to confirm that we have already sanctioned Colombian mercenaries suspected of involvement in atrocities in Sudan, as well as those suspected of supplying weapons to the RSF. We have recently targeted actors suspected of using the gold trade to bankroll Sudan’s brutal war from beyond its borders. I will say a little more about gold, because it was raised by my hon. Friend the Member for Alloa and Grangemouth (Brian Leishman) and my right hon. Friend the Member for Torfaen (Nick Thomas-Symonds). In July, we announced a fresh package of sanctions against illicit gold networks. That followed four rounds of designations targeting senior SAF and RSF commanders and those suspected of being complicit in the heinous atrocities committed during the assault on El Fasher last year. I have been asked to reflect on future sanctions. As Members will appreciate, we generally do not do that, because it limits their effectiveness, but I can assure them that their representations have been heard. We have also focused on this situation through our work in August on the UK-convened coalition for atrocity prevention and justice in Sudan, with a two-day conference in London at which we discussed innovative civilian-protection measures and heard directly from the independent fact-finding mission ahead of its vital report, which we have just been discussing. I am pleased to confirm that at the UN General Assembly later this month, the Foreign Secretary and I will continue to make the case that Sudan cannot, must not and will not be forgotten. As we all know so well, every single day that this conflict continues, the human cost grows, but so too does the need for dialogue, justice and peace.

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30. 8 Sep 2026·Parliament·Labour·Kirsty McNeill

    Conflict in Sudan

    I am delighted to confirm that I will be very proactive, yes. I am so moved by and appreciative of all Members who have come to speak today, their constituents and the work of the APPGs in which they are all involved. I happily confirm that, both to those Members with specialist knowledge and to those raising issues on behalf of constituents.

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31. 8 Sep 2026·Parliament·Labour·Kirsty McNeill

    Conflict in Sudan

    Yes, the UK is supporting documentation attempts so that there can be accountability. I am conscious of time, so I will draw to a close. We cannot and will not allow Sudan to slip down the agenda, globally or in this House, because Sudan matters: its people matter, their dignity matters and their future matters. The United Kingdom will continue to stand alongside them in their pursuit of peace, justice and a better future.

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32. 8 Sep 2026·Parliament·Labour·Kirsty McNeill

    Falkland Islands: Sovereignty

    As my right hon. Friends the Foreign Secretary and the Defence Secretary have made clear, the UK remains steadfast in its support for the Falkland Islanders’ right to self-determination. There can be no doubt that the Falkland Islands are British for as long as they want to be. Falkland Islanders have made their views very clear in a referendum in 2013, at the United Nations year after year and to anyone who makes the effort to engage directly with the community. The UK also supports the right of Falkland Islanders to develop their natural resources for their own economic benefit. That is an integral part of their right to self-determination. This is not the first time that an Argentine Government have made economic threats against the islanders, yet those threats have not prevented the community’s remarkable economic development over the years. The measures announced by President Milei will not change the UK’s unwavering commitment to the islanders. The UK wants to continue to maintain a modern and constructive relationship with Argentina across a range of shared interests. However, there can be no doubt about our commitment to the Falkland Islanders, their democratic rights and the UK’s sovereignty over the Falkland Islands. The Government will continue to work closely with the Falkland Islands Government to defend their rights now and into the future. The US is our closest ally. It, too, is in no doubt about our unwavering support for the islanders.

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33. 8 Sep 2026·Parliament·Labour·Kirsty McNeill

    Falkland Islands: Sovereignty

    The hon. Gentleman is completely right that we are in a volatile world, but one thing is absolutely unchanging: the United Kingdom’s position on the Falkland Islands, which is of long standing. The Falkland Islands are a British overseas territory and will remain so for as long as the islanders wish. As I stated in my opening remarks, we want a constructive relationship with Argentina, but we are absolutely clear, and they are in no doubt, about our position on this question. On defence spending more broadly, the Prime Minister and the Chancellor remain committed to fully funding the defence investment plan and to meeting our NATO commitment of 3.5% of GDP on defence by 2035.

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34. 8 Sep 2026·Parliament·Labour·Kirsty McNeill

    Falkland Islands: Sovereignty

    We completely and utterly reject the characterisation that my right hon. Friend describes. The UK supports the rights of the Falkland Islanders to develop their natural resources for their own economic benefit, because that is an integral part of their self-determination. The decision by the Falkland Islands Government to pursue hydrocarbon production is a commercial decision for them to make alongside the commercial companies involved.

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35. 8 Sep 2026·Parliament·Labour·Kirsty McNeill

    Falkland Islands: Sovereignty

    I share the right hon. Lady’s conviction that the sacrifices of British armed forces personnel should never be forgotten in relation to this matter. I share, too, her desire to see the UK Government stand up unequivocally for the Falkland Islanders’ right to self-determination, which is exactly what we have been doing. We are in regular ministerial and senior official engagement with Argentina, which is why I can say with such conviction that it is in absolutely no doubt—and no Member of this House should be in any doubt—about the UK Government’s position. The future of the Falkland Islands is for the Falkland Islanders to determine, and nobody else.

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36. 8 Sep 2026·Parliament·Labour·Kirsty McNeill

    Falkland Islands: Sovereignty

    I can reassure my hon. Friend that work is ongoing across Government to ensure that everyone in the British overseas territories retains the full support of the UK Government. We are in regular dialogue with their representatives, and of course we continue to ensure that their rights to health and education and the other matters that he mentioned are uppermost in our minds at all times.

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37. 8 Sep 2026·Parliament·Labour·Kirsty McNeill

    Falkland Islands: Sovereignty

    I am happy to confirm to the right hon. Gentleman that we are sending the most unequivocal message imaginable that the Falkland Islands are British for as long as they choose to be. It is also important to reassure the House that our forces in the south Atlantic are maintained at the appropriate level to ensure the defence of the Falkland Islands against any potential threat. The right hon. Member mentioned Diego Garcia, and I want to underscore for the House that that is a key strategic military asset for both the UK and the US. It has protected our shared security for nearly 60 years, and that is precisely why we did a deal to ensure that we could maintain the long-term operational control and security of Diego Garcia.

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38. 8 Sep 2026·Parliament·Labour·Kirsty McNeill

    Falkland Islands: Sovereignty

    I would like to thank my hon. Friend for his service. We are confident that the situation that we have in place with defensive capability is adequate for the threats faced.

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39. 8 Sep 2026·Parliament·Labour·Kirsty McNeill

    Falkland Islands: Sovereignty

    We are in ongoing conversation with our closest ally, as Members will appreciate, and the United States is crystal clear about our position. The right hon. Gentleman mentioned that we need to invest in our defence capabilities, and of course that is one of the primary responsibilities of the UK Government. I would gently remind him of the situation that we inherited. It is this Government that have made commitments to invest strongly in our armed forces, and we are proud to have done so.

    Hansard source
40. 8 Sep 2026·Parliament·Labour·Kirsty McNeill

    Falkland Islands: Sovereignty

    I am sure the whole House will join me in thanking my hon. Friend for his service. It was an extraordinary sacrifice by him and his family, and we are deeply grateful for it. I could not agree more that the wishes of the Falkland Islanders could not be more clear and must be respected.

    Hansard source