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1. 27 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Ed Miliband

   Foreign Interference in Democratic Processes

   Let me deal directly with the most substantive part of the hon. Member’s question. I think it is a view shared across the House that the ill-gotten gains of Russia and Russian oligarchs must be used for the right purposes, not the wrong purposes. On the question he raised about Chelsea, I will be careful what I say because of legal processes, but we are absolutely determined to take action on that. More broadly, we will be urging in the coming months that our EU partners, along with Britain, move on Russian sovereign assets more generally, because we know that one of the most important things we need to do is give proper support to Ukraine through this winter and beyond, and Russian sovereign assets are an ideal way to do that.

   Hansard source
2. 27 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Ed Miliband

   West Bank: Illegal Settlements

   On 8 September I announced new measures to tackle settlement expansion, including a sanctions regime to target those who support, facilitate or profit from illegal settlement activity. We are doing everything in our power to stop the prospect of a two-state solution being destroyed by the expansion of illegal settlements.

   Hansard source
3. 27 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Ed Miliband

   West Bank: Illegal Settlements

   My hon. Friend asks an important question. The UK has stepped in to support Palestinian farmers who lost their work permits in green line Israel, but her broader point is the most important one. I am very conscious that today is election day in Israel and that these are matters for the Israeli people. Whichever Government—it is their choice—are elected today, I hope that we can work with them to counter the settler terrorism that we see, because it is in nobody’s interests, not least in the interests of the security of Israel.

   Hansard source
4. 27 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Ed Miliband

   West Bank: Illegal Settlements

   Let me join you, Mr Speaker, in wishing my hon. Friend a happy birthday. May I say how well informed you are? I credit your staff, myself. In all seriousness, the situation in the west bank is horrifying. We are witnessing unprecedented levels of violence, including settler terrorism and ethnic cleansing in some areas. I am not going to speculate on future designations of specific individuals, but we have laid legislation this month to expand the global human rights sanctions regime to target those responsible for serious violations of international humanitarian law, and we will use those powers.

   Hansard source
5. 27 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Ed Miliband

   West Bank: Illegal Settlements

   My hon. Friend raises a really important issue that we have discussed in this House before. The E1 development is a direct threat to the prospect of a two-state solution. I want to be completely clear that those individuals and businesses that proceed with bids for E1 construction tenders risk facing the full force of UK sanctions—I said that on the day of the closing of the tenders. That is why what we are doing is about much more than symbolism; it is about substantively stopping the destruction of the prospect of a two-state solution.

   Hansard source
6. 27 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Ed Miliband

   West Bank: Illegal Settlements

   My hon. Friend speaks with great eloquence on these issues, and I agree with her. It is right to say that the very important finding we have made is that the occupation, not just the settlements, is illegal. Therefore, in furtherance of our policy of a two-state solution to the occupation of the west bank and Gaza, we will take action in relation to the economic relationships that we have. She is exactly right about this issue; this is about bringing peace to Palestinians and Israelis.

   Hansard source
7. 27 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Ed Miliband

   West Bank: Illegal Settlements

   Governments of both parties have had a general approach, which is not to speculate on sanctions and designations before we actually do them, but I am glad that the hon. Lady has raised this issue. Let me say very clearly to her that we are determined to do all we can to prevent the settlement building in E1 from happening. We have brought the sanctions regime—not the sanctions regime that is coming in the next six months, but the extension of the GHR sanctions regime—precisely so that we can take swift action.

   Hansard source
8. 27 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Ed Miliband

   West Bank: Illegal Settlements

   I am going to stick to my lane, as they say. We do not talk about specific companies in relation to sanctions before we take action, but the hon. Gentleman should be in no doubt about the purpose of our sanctions regime—to prevent the growth of illegal settlements, which is destroying the prospect of a two-state solution.

   Hansard source
9. 27 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Ed Miliband

   West Bank: Illegal Settlements

   In all honesty, I do not think that the response of the international community as a whole has been sufficient, which is why I made the statement I did on 8 September. In my Department and across Government, we are continuing to think about how we tackle the injustices we face across the world—not just in relation to the west bank—and we will use all the powers at our disposal, including conversations with whatever Government the people of Israel choose to elect, to say, “This settler terrorism must end.” I think that view is shared right across this House.

   Hansard source
10. 27 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Ed Miliband

    West Bank: Illegal Settlements

    I have seen that report, and I undertake to read it comprehensively. The reason we took the actions we did on 8 September was precisely to say that we will not stand by in silence as the suffering continues in Gaza and the west bank. We called out increasing evidence of war crimes in Gaza, and we called out ethnic cleansing by settler terrorists in the west bank. We are going to act, and we will work with the hon. Lady and others across this House to ensure we take the maximum possible action to achieve what we want to see, which is peace, security and dignity for Israelis and Palestinians.

    Hansard source
11. 27 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Ed Miliband

    West Bank: Illegal Settlements

    I am glad that my hon. Friend has raised this case, because we are obviously deeply concerned about the denial of entry to the west bank to two Members of Parliament and, I believe, one Member of the Scottish Parliament. Of course, we have raised this issue with the Israeli authorities and been in touch with those MPs to offer assistance. More broadly, it is very important that as Members of this House go about their business—not just in the UK, but internationally—they have free access, so that they can do their duties to this House.

    Hansard source
12. 27 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Ed Miliband

    West Bank: Illegal Settlements

    I can assure the hon. Gentleman that that work carries on. We have excellent civil servants who work on all these issues, including potential breaches of international humanitarian law, and we take these issues incredibly seriously as a Department and as a Government.

    Hansard source
13. 27 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Ed Miliband

    Defence and Security: European Partners

    In recent weeks I have been in Warsaw and Ukraine discussing defence and security with key allies. There is no bigger test of our values and our commitment to European security than Ukraine, and we will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Ukrainian people. We are also committed to building a stronger Europe in a stronger NATO as the ultimate guarantee of peace and security.

    Hansard source
14. 27 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Ed Miliband

    Defence and Security: European Partners

    We do have a defence and security partnership with the European Union, but my hon. Friend speaks eloquently about these issues. As I said in an earlier answer, we want to do more work with the European Union on questions of information, and we will say more about that in the coming weeks. My hon. Friend also raised wider issues. Hybrid warfare is not just about information and misinformation; as we know from the recent incident in Leipzig, it is about sabotage, espionage, cyber-attacks and a range of other issues, and we need to be extremely vigilant about it.

    Hansard source
15. 27 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Ed Miliband

    Defence and Security: European Partners

    The right hon. Gentleman speaks with enormous authority about these issues and has a proud record in that regard, and I could not agree with him more on the substantive part of his question about the role that international development plays. He may know that as part of our G20 presidency next year we have committed ourselves, in fiscally constrained times, to seeking to do more about the combination of the debt burden, climate breakdown, and the need to bring about growth and tackle poverty in developing countries. We must accept the fiscal constraints that we face, but that does not mean we cannot act through, for instance, the multilateral development banks. I look forward to working on these issues with the right hon. Gentleman, and with other Members on both sides of the House.

    Hansard source
16. 27 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Ed Miliband

    Defence and Security: European Partners

    My right hon. Friend always speaks a good deal of sense on these questions. In response to the fundamental point, let me repeat what I said in an earlier answer: we are determined to tackle the issue of Russian sovereign assets. As my right hon. Friend may know, there is a renewed push in the EU to take action <span id="161" class="column-number" data-column-number="161"></span>on it, and I have said to my EU counterparts that we are determined to act with them. That brings me to the broader point that she raised. Russia is seeking to test our resolve on Ukraine, and we must show that we will absolutely stand with the Ukrainian people until they prevail. There are a number of elements in that, but one of them is the financial question, and we are determined to act.

    Hansard source
17. 27 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Ed Miliband

    Defence and Security: European Partners

    I have great respect for the right hon. Gentleman, but he is wrong about that. We have actually introduced a phased ban on maritime services in relation to gas, and that licence expires in January—I reassure him on that point. Beyond that, I am constantly seeking ways in my Department, with colleagues across Government, to ratchet up the economic pressure on Russia. I say to all our allies, including the United States, that that must be our aim, because that is the way we get a successful outcome in this conflict.

    Hansard source
18. 27 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Ed Miliband

    Defence and Security: European Partners

    I will not get into the details of that attack today, but we are absolutely happy to name those who are engaging in information warfare, and I have talked a lot in this session about Russia and what it is doing. The Prime Minister could not have been more eloquent at the UN General Assembly in talking about the more than £1 billion a year that Russia spends on information warfare. I welcome the hon. Gentleman to his place, but I think there is cross-party agreement on this issue. We all want to tackle the information warfare that we face, and I look forward to working with Members from across the House in doing so.

    Hansard source
19. 27 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Ed Miliband

    Defence and Security: European Partners

    I am not going to go all the way with the hon. Gentleman—<em>[</em><em>Laughter.</em><em>]</em> Sorry; that was an unfortunate turn of phrase. In all seriousness, we have had 10 years of looking at the status quo and the Brexit deal we have at the moment. That Brexit deal is not serving our country well enough, so Members of this House have to make a decision: do they think that the status quo is right and that we should hang on to it, or can we do better? I think the most important date for us in Government at the moment is 20 November, the day of our EU summit, where we will do better on trade, on defence and security, and on all the other issues. Parties on all sides have to decide what they think about this. Do they think the status quo is right? We think we can do better, and that is what we are going to do.

    Hansard source
20. 27 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Ed Miliband

    Topical Questions

    I want to express my thanks to police and security services for their response to the incident at RAF Fairford, including the action that they have taken today. As the Prime Minister <span id="168" class="column-number" data-column-number="168"></span>has said, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps “almost certainly” directed this outrageous attempted attack. This Government have designated the IRGC, sanctioned individuals within it, and reimposed snap-back sanctions on Iran. Last Friday in Istanbul, I attended the first ever meeting of the E4 and R4 groups of Foreign Ministers. There was agreement that we must maximise the pressure on Iran to cease its reckless attacks on ships in the strait of Hormuz, and that a diplomatic way forward must be found to end the Iran war, which is having such a direct impact on the cost of living here at home.

    Hansard source
21. 27 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Ed Miliband

    Topical Questions

    The hon. Gentleman is right to raise this; Iran and its proxies are a direct threat to us; we need only look at the attempted attack at RAF Fairford to see that. We take this incredibly seriously. It is why we designated the IRGC and have sanctioned particular individuals. We use every channel to put pressure on Iran, including with our allies, such as last week in Istanbul, to cease its attacks, including attempted attacks—not just here, but elsewhere as well.

    Hansard source
22. 27 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Ed Miliband

    Topical Questions

    Let me add my congratulations and thanks to the Clerk of the House. On the Chagos islands, which the right hon. Gentleman is referring to, we have always sought to find a way forward that protects our base at Diego Garcia; that is the most important thing, and I would have thought that aim was shared by Members from across the House. As has become clear, under this US Administration, we will not get consent for the current arrangements, but we continue to work with the US and Mauritius to safeguard our security interests.

    Hansard source
23. 27 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Ed Miliband

    Topical Questions

    I gently remind the right hon. Gentleman that the House of Commons has primacy in our legislative arrangements. That is a long-standing convention, I would say. On his point about the courts, at a time when international law is under threat across the world, we should be defenders of international law, and we absolutely believe that maintaining a base at Diego Garcia is consistent with that.

    Hansard source
24. 27 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Ed Miliband

    Topical Questions

    My hon. Friend, as always, speaks a great deal of sense, as do her constituents. She is right, and the role of our G20 summit and—the right hon. Member for Sutton Coldfield (Sir Andrew Mitchell) made this point earlier—the work we do on debt, development and climate with our partners across the world is not just right for our values but right for our security, because failed states and climate breakdown are a threat to our security as well as to our values.

    Hansard source
25. 27 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Ed Miliband

    Topical Questions

    Our belief in the United Kingdom and in keeping our United Kingdom together is absolute and clear. The First Minister of Scotland can have his visits.

    Hansard source
26. 27 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Ed Miliband

    Topical Questions

    We do not engage in that way with the Russians and have not for a number of years. As I have said throughout this session, we are absolutely clear about the need to counter the Russian hybrid threat.

    Hansard source
27. 27 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Ed Miliband

    Topical Questions

    I think we have answered this question before. I do not have anything further to add to previous answers.

    Hansard source
28. 27 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Ed Miliband

    Topical Questions

    I think the answer came from Members in the right hon. Gentleman’s former party. The money that we spend on foreign aid is absolutely about preventing the problems from elsewhere in the world coming here—to his constituency and mine. At one and the same time, he complains about small boats, which is an issue partly caused by fragile states, and says that we should not be taking action to prevent it. I am afraid that I do not agree with him.

    Hansard source
29. 27 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Ed Miliband

    Topical Questions

    Yes, I do agree with the right hon. Gentleman. That is something that we are discussing with our UAE counterparts. Alistair Burt’s role will also be important in this. We absolutely want to see his release.

    Hansard source
30. 27 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Ed Miliband

    Topical Questions

    The issue of health and humanitarian access in Gaza is essential, and my hon. Friend is absolutely right that the blocking of aid is absolutely outrageous. I do not speculate on the sanctions regime, but it is important that we have it. We want to ensure that we unblock the aid.

    Hansard source
31. 27 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Ed Miliband

    Topical Questions

    The hon. Gentleman raises an important issue. The role we will play is to bring home some of the lessons we have learned from taking action with allies, for example in relation to disinformation in Moldova, to ensure that we learn those lessons here in the UK.

    Hansard source
32. 27 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Dr Simon Opher

    West Bank: Illegal Settlements

    Just over a year ago, I and my hon. Friend the Member for Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket (Dr Prinsley) were detained and then deported by Israeli authorities as we tried to enter the west bank. Yesterday, my hon. Friend the Member for Norwich South (Clive Lewis), the hon. Member for Arbroath and Broughty Ferry (Lara Bird), and the former MP Sam Tarry were similarly detained by Israeli authorities for eight hours while they tried to enter the west bank. Will the Secretary of State join me in condemning these cases and outline what steps the Government will take to ensure that MPs can visit the occupied west bank without obstruction or intimidation?

    Hansard source
33. 27 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Dr Rosena Allin-Khan

    West Bank: Illegal Settlements

    <Question HRSContentId="{B691AA80-090D-4E0C-A611-503EC91CC8F4}">16. <QuestionText HRSContentId="{01AAA3F8-FFA4-4026-BD33-3061A632E585}">What steps his Department is taking to oppose the expansion of illegal settlements in the west bank.</QuestionText> </Question>

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34. 27 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Dr Rosena Allin-Khan

    West Bank: Illegal Settlements

    As we speak right now, Israel is yet again pursuing its brutal policy of collective punishment in the west bank, with Hebron sealed off and more than 1,000 people due to have their homes demolished imminently. I welcome our Government boldly placing sanctions on illegal Israeli settlements. With Israelis going to the polls today, will the Secretary of State commit to maintaining the pressure until illegal settlement expansion ends once and for all and we can truly see the two-state solution that we all dream of?

    Hansard source
35. 27 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Dr Rosena Allin-Khan

    Topical Questions

    <Question HRSContentId="{BCD10683-F8D9-43ED-AFAE-876835B740FB}">T2. <QuestionText HRSContentId="{DAECC2D4-E76A-4BE5-A0D4-189916DC599E}"></QuestionText>Ten years on from the EU referendum, we are still seeing the negative impacts of Brexit. It has hindered trade, stunted growth and deprived young people of opportunity. I am grateful for the Prime Minister’s honesty with the public about that. With all that in mind, can the Minister please tell us what work is being done with our EU counterparts to improve ties with the EU, so that our economy and our young people can benefit?</Question>

    Hansard source
36. 27 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Dr Beccy Cooper

    Covid-19 Inquiry Module 4 Report: Government Response

    It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Stuart. I thank the hon. Member for Christchurch (Sir Christopher Chope) for securing this important debate. He focused on one particular aspect of module 4 on vaccines and therapeutics: the recompense scheme. I would like to broaden the conversation slightly. Alongside the learnings, the module contains a lot of positive narrative. As a public health consultant who worked during the pandemic, both here and with public health partners in other countries, I want to recognise the huge public value of the UK’s sustained investment in our NHS, public health and scientific research. Thanks to that investment, capabilities were in place prior to the pandemic that meant the UK was in a position to authorise and begin delivering effective covid-19 vaccines within a year of the first identified UK case. By September 2022, more than 150 million doses of the three principal vaccines had been administered in the UK, including the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, which was developed here in the UK thanks to years of scientific research. That research capacity is part of a wider global partnership that allows us to ensure that vaccine development can be undertaken swiftly and accurately, both during a pandemic and for other essential vaccinations, such as our flu response. I want to mention the Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation in South Africa. It is a key partner, which identified the omicron variant during the pandemic, and it is now critical in identifying influenza strains for the development of our influenza vaccination programme every year. It would be good to hear from the Minister a little more about how we are continuing to build the international scientific partnership for vaccine development and pandemic preparedness, particularly in respect of the 100-day mission, where we aim to work with global partners to make safe, effective and affordable diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines available within just 100 days of identifying a future pandemic threat. As well as the importance of ensuring that we have the capacity to develop vaccines swiftly and efficiently as part of a global response, the module highlighted the issue of equitable access to vaccines, and the role that existing health inequalities played in UK vaccination <span id="121WH" class="column-number" data-column-number="121WH"></span>coverage. The inquiry identified familiar themes regarding the reasons for lower uptake of the vaccine in some communities and groups of people. As the inquiry rightly highlighted, vaccine inequality is not simply an issue of individual behaviour; it is also a reflection of how services are designed, how communities experience public institutions and whether the health system can meet people where they are in their daily lives. There is also the issue of public trust in the system that is administering the vaccines. It should be noted that that cannot simply be manufactured through a national communication campaign at the moment of crisis; it must be earned over time through reliable services, honest information and meaningful relationships with communities. There is a useful distinction to be made between legitimate questions about vaccine safety and deliberate misinformation. We need to engage with this area proactively and positively, allow people to have their voices heard and ensure that all available facts and evidence are clearly communicated. Will the Minister please update us on how lessons learned from vaccine hesitancy and the health inequality patterns that were observed during the pandemic are now being used to inform our UK vaccination strategy, particularly in the light of worrying recent patterns in childhood vaccination for diseases such as measles and the dropping of the explicit World Health Organisation target of 95% coverage that was put in place to ensure population herd immunity? Finally, I want to acknowledge my public health, clinical and care colleagues who contributed so much to the pandemic response, some of whom tragically gave their lives in order to care for other people. Directors of public health, local authorities, primary care and community organisations should remain a central part of the solution to ensuring vaccine equity. We must ensure that the lessons learned from the inquiry allow us to support their essential work, so that we can respond swiftly to the next pandemic.

    Hansard source
37. 27 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Dr Allison Gardner

    Defence and Security: European Partners

    <Question HRSContentId="{B25C0F4F-47C4-4191-A756-B2BDD91BF34F}">6. <QuestionText HRSContentId="{2E413C7B-76FD-4CC4-A4C5-51DFF763FF1A}">What discussions he has had with European partners on defence and security. </QuestionText></Question>

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38. 27 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Dr Allison Gardner

    Defence and Security: European Partners

    The attack on the then British Prime Minister’s home last year was linked to Russian-backed proxies attempting to undermine our democracy, and it concerns me deeply that our nation has become so anaesthetised by online disinformation that we collectively shrugged and carried on doomscrolling. I commend the creation of a national centre for information defence to counter cognitive warfare, but given the continued threat of Russian cognitive warfare, may I ask the Foreign <span id="160" class="column-number" data-column-number="160"></span>Secretary how we can co-operate with European partners to counter disinformation, shut down the networks and hold technology companies to account?

    Hansard source
39. 27 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Dr Allison Gardner

    Services for Children in Care

    I have constituents who are foster parents of children with extremely complex needs. It is a laudable but very challenging vocation. Placements often fail because the foster parents do not get the wraparound support and respite that they need. Such breakdowns can be even more challenging if the children are from out of area and then end up getting moved again. Does my hon. Friend agree that all councils must provide the correct support and respite for our foster parents?

    Hansard source
40. 27 Oct 2026·Parliament·Labour·Douglas McAllister

    UK Nationals Detained Abroad

    <Question HRSContentId="{383A9E92-4EBD-4C5C-A055-4F6A2A798EBD}">8. <QuestionText HRSContentId="{274293FC-A83D-4833-800F-E1050C66B27C}">What diplomatic steps he is taking to support UK nationals arbitrarily detained abroad.</QuestionText> </Question>

    Hansard source