Shockat Adam MP: speeches

Speeches

• 27 Feb 2025 · Gaza: BBC Coverage · Hansard source

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  I thank the Secretary of State for her statement. We all agree that the BBC’s impartiality is imperative and that antisemitism is abhorrent, but is it not enough that we have stood by as 48,900 Gazans have been killed, including 17,400 Gazan children? Is it not enough that we have stood by as 320 aid workers and 162 journalists have been killed? Does the Secretary of State agree that children, and the narrator of this show specifically, cannot be held accountable for the actions of their parents, or is this just an extension of Netanyahu’s policy of collective punishment of the Gazan people?

• 25 Feb 2025 · Palestinians in Gaza: US Policy · Hansard source

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  Back on 17 October 2023, when the first hospital in Palestine was bombed, the al-Ahli Arab hospital, much conversation was had about who could have committed such a heinous crime. Since then, the Israeli army has destroyed all medical facilities in Gaza, and now we have a President of the United States using gangster-style intimidation to forcibly remove Palestinian people from their land. Will the Foreign Secretary—who has repeatedly refused to call out the Israeli Government for the war crimes they are committing, refused to ban all arms sales, refused to acknowledge that a genocide is happening and refused even to consider economic sanctions, because £6.1 billion is too high a price to pay—accept the reality of the situation and accept that Trump and Netanyahu’s plan proposes ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people in Gaza?

• 25 Feb 2025 · SEND Education Support · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Twigg. I congratulate the hon. Member for Suffolk Coastal (Jenny Riddell-Carpenter) on securing this vital debate. I refer Members to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests: I am an NHS optometrist. I rise to highlight two critical issues: the severe gap in transport provision for post-16 students, and the additional challenges faced by children with visual impairment in the SEND system. No parent of a SEND child willingly chooses to send them miles away for education. They do so because there is a lack of local provision. Until the age of 16, local authorities cover the cost of transportation, but beyond that, families are expected to finance it themselves —an expectation that is, frankly, unrealistic. I have spoken to parents who are on the brink of crisis, including Ruth and Esther from Still SEND 16+. Some are considering giving up their work to personally manage their child’s school commute, pushing them into benefits and ultimately costing the state more than simply providing transport would. A consultation has already shown that 29% of affected young people may be forced to abandon education. Will the Government consider making post-16 SEND transport statutory, ensuring that young people do not have to choose between education and affordability? I also wish to raise the additional challenge faced by children with a visual impairment within the SEND framework. Across the UK, 41,000 children and young people rely on specialist visual impairment education services. Half of them have additional SEND needs, yet local disparities in provision mean that many do not receive the support they require. The Royal National Institute of Blind People has called for urgent reforms. I echo that. The curriculum framework for children and young people with visual impairment must be embedded in all SEND policies. The Government commitment to recruit 6,500 expert teachers must include funding for additional registered qualified habitation specialists and qualified visual impairment specialist teachers, and all teacher training and special educational needs co-ordinator courses must include mandatory visual impairment awareness training to improve inclusivity in mainstream schools.

• 12 Feb 2025 · Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories · Hansard source

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  I thank the hon. Member for securing this important debate. He is making a passionate speech about the situation in Gaza. One of the biggest arguments made against the abolition of slavery was the financial cost to our country, so does he agree that the Foreign Secretary’s statement that we will not have economic sanctions against Israel because we have a £6.1 billion trade deal is abhorrent, and that we should reverse that statement as soon as possible?

• 11 Feb 2025 · Parkinson’s: Patient Care in Newcastle-under-Lyme · Hansard source

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  The eyes are not only the windows to the soul, but a window to our health. Last week I had the pleasure of meeting the team at Moorfields eye hospital who, alongside a team at University College London, have done some work on a simple retinal scan that can detect Parkinson’s disease seven years prior to any symptoms. Does the Minister agree that optometry, eye care and eye health should be at the forefront of NHS England’s plan for integrated care, and that we should bring forward a national eye health strategy?

• 10 Feb 2025 · Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill · Hansard source

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  There but for the grace of God go I. Like everyone in this House, I appreciate the need for security at our borders and the need for a sensible discourse around immigration, but we must be very careful and mindful of our approach, rhetoric and implementation. Our approach must always be guided by compassion, legality and an unwavering commitment to human rights. I appreciate that the Bill seeks to confront the increasingly sophisticated methods used by organised crime groups to facilitate irregular migration. However, global instabilities, be they conflict or the devastating impact of climate change, force desperate people to risk everything in search of security. Since August 2019, 138 people, including many children, have tragically lost their lives. They are not migrants who drown; they are not asylum seekers who drown. They are human beings. These losses are a stark reminder that people do not take such risks unless they are fleeing unimaginable atrocities. In our pursuit of security, we must take care not to conflate genuine asylum seekers with criminals or opportunists. Our language and policies must not inflame hatred or prejudice against those seeking sanctuary. In addressing irregular immigration, the Government have proposed the following four pillars: preventing, by disincentivising migrants; pursuing, by disrupting the operations of organised crime gangs; protecting; and preparing. I would like the Government to add one more: participating, to meaningfully resolve global conflict and address the root causes of migration, such as climate change, famine, conflict and human rights violations. We must increase our spending on overseas aid back up to 0.7% of GDP. By taking a proactive international role, we can help to create conditions that reduce the pressures driving desperate migration. We must not view this entire process through the prism of criminality. Particularly alarming is clause 18, which creates the criminal offence of “Endangering another during sea crossing”. This clause is aimed clearly at those inside the boats—the very individuals fleeing peril—and represents a dangerous escalation in the criminalisation powers under the Nationality and Borders Act 2022. Such measures risk penalising vulnerable people who are already caught in the midst of conflict, deprivation and despair. Worryingly, according to the European convention on human rights memorandum, “Although it is very unlikely, there is no absolute bar to prosecuting parents who have taken their children on journeys which come within the ambit of the Endangerment Offence, which could result in the break-up of families.” Furthermore, we must ask why the Bill excludes countries such as India, Albania and Georgia from its protections. Genuine survivors of torture, trafficking and persecution from those nations deserve our help, not our suspicion. The retention of sections 59 and 29 of the Illegal Migration Act 2023 would restrict or even criminalise asylum and human rights claims from those very countries. I call on the Government to address these pressing questions. How will we ensure that our measures do not criminalise those seeking asylum? Why are we excluding countries like those mentioned above? What steps will be taken to increase international aid? The Bill is a missed opportunity to demonstrate the Government’s stated commitment to human rights and the rule of law, and to “modernise the asylum and immigration system” —[ Official Report , 17 July 2024; Vol. 752, c. 40.] We all welcome the repeal of the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Act 2024, but I look forward to seeing some meaningful amendments in Committee.

• 6 Feb 2025 · Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories · Hansard source

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  I would like to thank the Minister for her update yesterday, which was greatly appreciated. Does she agree with me that we are standing on the precipice of a new and dangerous world order, leaving behind one that based global peace on global justices that we have recognised? Close to 48,000 Palestinian men, women and children have been killed, while hundreds of thousands are returning to the rubble that was once their homes and, as we speak, mothers are looking for their children in the rubble. At the same time, the most powerful man in the most powerful country in the world is behaving like a gangster. He is talking about displacing these people from their land, replacing their homes with beachfront properties, and creating casinos and a riviera. Is this not the time to categorically use the same words we use for other conflicts, and call this out for what it is: the ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people? We must immediately recognise a Palestinian state, and can we stand up to President Trump and tell him that Gaza is not for sale?

• 4 Feb 2025 · Apprenticeships · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Ms Jardine. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Peterborough (Andrew Pakes); I have a business in Peterborough, and I concur with everything he said. Let me begin by highlighting the remarkable return on investment that apprenticeships provide. I know from my time in Parliament that everything leads to the Treasury. Studies have shown that every £1 invested in level 2 and level 3 apprenticeship training will see a return of between £26 and £28. That is a big win not just for employers, but for apprentices. For many individuals who do not thrive in traditional academic environments, apprenticeships are a lifeline. I lost so many friends, colleagues and peers who were brighter by far than I was, but who just did not fit into the conventional education system. If they had had an apprenticeship model they would have been really successful, but unfortunately they are now without work after so many decades. That is especially the case in unconventional areas like ours. There are several challenges that employers and apprentices face. Among the most important is system complexity. For the employers I have spoken to, it is so complicated to employ apprentices. The system was meant to make things easier, but it has made things more complicated. We need to concentrate on making the levy system a lot simpler for employers. We may need to revisit the tax treatment of self-funded training. Employer-funded training benefits from broad tax exemptions, while self-funded training does not enjoy the same advantages. To encourage greater training uptake among the self-employed and smaller businesses, we should align the tax relief for self-funded training and employer-funded training, levelling the playing field and incentivising skills development. We must also improve administrative support and reduce the regulatory complex. The decline in apprenticeship numbers and the overall reduction in training participation are not just statistics; they are signals that our current system is too complex and that both employers and apprentices are facing real, tangible challenges. Before I conclude, I have a few questions for the Minister. How will the Government simplify the apprenticeship levy to ensure a uniform and effective subsidy rate for all employers, regardless of size? What measures will be introduced to ensure that public funding for adult education is increased and spent effectively to achieve outcomes? How do the Government plan to address the administrative burdens that discourage employers? Will the tax treatment of self-funded training be reviewed to create a level playing field for everybody?

• 4 Feb 2025 · Social Security Benefits · Hansard source

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  I could not agree more; that would be vital for pensioners. Ever since I was elected, emails from pensioners on that issue have been in the top three issues—it is a real issue. If alongside increasing pensions we could reverse the cuts to the winter fuel payment, that would save lives.

• 4 Feb 2025 · Social Security Benefits · Hansard source

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  It is a real honour to participate in this debate. I may not be as illustrious as previous contributors, but I will try my best to make whatever small impact I can. I start by commenting on a point made by the shadow Minister, the hon. Member for East Wiltshire (Danny Kruger) about believing in people and wanting the best for them. I wholeheartedly agree with that—we want the best for people and for them to be the best that they can—but simply believing is not enough. Simply believing that my children will achieve great grades at school without sending them to school or giving them the facilities and the tools is not enough. My team are in the relegation zone, and simply wanting them not to be relegated by belief will not be enough without investment in that football team. When we have had under-investment, especially in the mental health sector, we need more than just belief to achieve and to alleviate those problems. The semantics that we use specifically around our GPs, when we are sometimes questioning their credibility when they sign people off, are rather damaging. I welcome the increase in pensions announced by the Secretary of State, but at this moment in time, as colleagues have mentioned, 1.9 million pensioners in the UK are living in relative poverty. Pensioners are missing meals, having to shelter in libraries and are depressed due to the Government’s cuts to the winter fuel payment. Research conducted by Unite the union has shown that more than two thirds of its retired members are having to turn down their heating. A third are taking fewer baths and showers, and 16% have cut back on hot meals due to the increased costs of trying to stay warm. Heating or eating is a reality for many people; they are not just words that we utter in this Chamber. In addition, more than 63% of people have said that they have felt more cold, more often and 17% are reporting that the cut has resulted in their becoming ill or their symptoms becoming worse. That is burdening our NHS, which is already overstretched. We must find a way, if possible, to release the statistics for excessive deaths caused by the cold weather.

• 28 Jan 2025 · Extremism Review · Hansard source

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  Extreme misogyny associated with far-right ideology is a major factor in extremism. It should be dealt with, to counteract the one women killed every three days in this country, and to ensure that the horrendous Southport killings, the five killings by Jake Davison in Plymouth and the 51 massacred in Christchurch, New Zealand do not happen again. No one wants violence—ideological or political. Does the Minister agree that our obsession with focusing solely on Islamism has left repeated Governments blindsided to real threats facing us from elsewhere?

• 28 Jan 2025 · Sudan and Eastern DRC · Hansard source

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  I also thank the Foreign Secretary for his statement, for Sudan is indeed the forgotten conflict, despite 8 million internally displaced people and 24.5 million people on the verge of famine. I lend my sentiments and honour the three United Nations peacekeepers from Uruguay, South Africa and Malawi, the country of my birth. In the Foreign Secretary’s statement, he mentioned more deadly weapons entering the conflict. Who is providing those arms and weapons? What vested interests do they have in Sudan—are they in its natural resources, its gold or its port? What leverage are we using with those countries with whom we have good diplomatic relations who may be supplying those weapons?

• 27 Jan 2025 · Speech and Language Therapy · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Vickers. Not being able to articulate one’s thoughts verbally is, I suspect, not something that many of my parliamentary colleagues suffer with, but unfortunately it is the truth for hundreds of thousands of people in this country. Speech therapy is not limited to children, as was mentioned by the hon. Member for Lichfield (Dave Robertson), who I am grateful to for bringing this debate to the Chamber. There are countless adults in need of speech therapy services. Those include stroke survivors who are relearning how to speak—which is why it is such a pleasure to speak with Chris, who is here in the Public Gallery and is a true hero in the footballing world—as well as people with cleft conditions or those living with dementia. I thank the hon. Member for Lichfield for spotlighting long covid, because that is an issue that will be with us for many years to come. The need in the adult sector is significant, but today I will focus on children because they represent our future, and without intervention at a critical stage the challenge they face will only grow. I have not had the pleasure of meeting Mikey, but I would like to know if this resonates with him. Imagine a child starting school for the first time: friendship and bonds are made, and classmates are eagerly raising their hands, making friends and joining in chatter in the playground, but the child remains silent—not because they do not want to speak, but because they cannot. Their words are locked away and their thoughts are trapped. Thousands of children face that challenge daily and they are getting left behind, not because they lack potential but simply because they lack support. That is the silent struggle of thousands of children in our country. Speech, language and communication difficulties are not just a health issue but a life one—they affect mental health, academic success, employment, and relationships. They are a barrier to participating fully in our society. Over 369,000 pupils in England were identified as having speech, language and communication needs in 2023-24. That is a staggering 64% increase since 2015, and yet, as of November 2024, more than 65,000 children were waiting for speech and language therapy, with nearly half waiting for over 12 weeks. The impact of that delay cannot be overstated. Worryingly, in socially deprived areas, upwards of 50% of children start school with impoverished speech, language or communication. Those delays snowball, creating challenges in literacy, learning, and most importantly, social integration. It is concerning that research shows that more than 60% of young offenders have difficulties with speech. Is that the postcode lottery that the hon. Member for Lichfield talked about? The cycle of disadvantage starts with communication barriers, and it can end in exclusion, isolation or even worse. It is now a crisis. Speech and language therapists are overstretched, underfunded and working in systems that fail to meet the demand of local needs. However, there is a solution within reach. Speech and language therapy changes lives. It is not about helping children speak clearly; it is about unlocking their potential. It gives them tools to learn, connect and thrive. It breaks down barriers to education and opportunity, and with timely intervention children can overcome those difficulties and go on to succeed in school, work and life. In 2015, the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists commissioned research to estimate the benefits of speech and language therapy compared to the cost of not doing it. The results showed that for every £1 spent on speech and language therapy, £2.30 in healthcare savings was delivered. Speech therapy is not a cost; it is an investment in the future of our society. We need urgent action. First, we need increased investment to reduce waiting times and to ensure every child, no matter their background, gets the support they need. Secondly, we need improved workforce planning that addresses the shortages of speech and language therapists across all sectors—health, education, social care and justice. Thirdly, we need universal proactive provision, so that support is fully preventive, rather than reactive and limited. Those changes align with the Government’s stated priorities. Communication is fundamental to all areas of public policy—it touches economic growth, an NHS fit for the future, safer streets and breaking down barriers to opportunity. This is the moment to decide whether we will act. Will we allow those children to struggle in silence, or will we give them a voice? Lastly, I urge the Government to meet with Mikey Akers and the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists to discuss workforce retention and development. Let us invest in our future and ensure that every child has a chance to be heard, to succeed and to thrive.

• 23 Jan 2025 · Holocaust Memorial Day · Hansard source

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  Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. “Hate is the worst 4 letter word that exists”, said Holocaust survivor Mathilde Middleberg. I am deeply honoured to be called in the debate. As movingly articulated by the hon. Member for Hendon (David Pinto-Duschinsky), 80 years has passed since the liberation of Auschwitz, but it is heartbreaking to see acts of genocide, hate and evil still happening across the world and increasing threats from a new wind of far-right. The horrors of the camps must never be forgotten, and the testimonies of the survivors are still ringing in our ears and are as relevant today as they were 80 years ago, because what is 80 years in the history of the world but a blink of an eye? Yet, sadly, current events suggest that some people today need a reminder of the lessons of that horror. For the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Bergen-Belsen, the University of Leicester in my constituency published extracts from the east midlands oral history archive of an interview with Leicester nurse Erti Wilford. Erti treated the survivors of Belsen for two years after its liberation by the British Army. She spoke of approaching Bergen-Belsen and smelling the dreadful smells from as far away as five miles, saying that she had: “Never seen so much suffering and lice and filth. At Belsen they were just bag of bones and it was just dreadful, but some of them lived, it was quite incredible”. Erti recalls the excitement of a camp doctor finally being allowed to deliver a baby and return it back to its mother rather than hand it to a guard for execution. We must remember the names of Anne and Margot Frank, whose final resting place is Bergen-Belsen. They unfortunately died of typhus approximately a month before the liberation. One would hope that such experiences mean that hate and genocidal and Nazi actions are a thing of the past, but sadly that is not the case. As articulated by the hon. Member for Brigg and Immingham (Martin Vickers), in Bosnia, the trucks arrived and they said, “Men, young and old, tall and short—get on and we will transport you to safety.” Within two weeks, 8,000 Muslim men, women and children were executed.

• 23 Jan 2025 · Holocaust Memorial Day · Hansard source

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  I welcome that intervention. All the work being done is absolutely vital. We have seen genocide in Rwanda, where close to 1 million Tutsi were killed, and now, as we speak, in Sudan. If “never again” means anything, it means that the international community must take decisive action to pursue the perpetrators through the International Court of Justice. Instead, the far right is almost being indulged. Earlier this week, people who rioted on 6 January, who very much have far-right tendencies, were forgiven. Many of them were radicalised online. This year’s Holocaust Memorial Day theme is to take action “for a better future”. That is why I am delighted to hear from the Minister that education will remain a priority. If we do not learn the lessons of history, we will live them again. Inter-faith work is absolutely vital. That is why I am proud to have been part of a team that set up an inter-faith group so that religions can talk to each other, not point fingers, and build bridges, not burn them. We must also take action against and hold social media firms and publishers to account for far-right misinformation. I end with the words of Elie Wiesel: “We must take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.”

• 23 Jan 2025 · Rare Retinal Disease · Hansard source

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  What a pleasure it is to serve under your chairmanship, Dame Siobhan. In my time in the House I have written speeches for Westminster Hall that are five, six or seven minutes long, but by time I get here the Chair always tells me that I have a minute, so I only wrote a minute-long speech.

• 23 Jan 2025 · Rare Retinal Disease · Hansard source

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  The hon. Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon) said, “Do what I do and expand it.” This subject is extremely important, and I am so grateful for the hon. Gentleman for bringing it to this Chamber. Imagine a mother-to-be sitting on a consulting room chair. Her excitement at becoming a mother has been overshadowed by the news that she has been diagnosed with Stargardt disease. It is literally a race against time: will the child be born or will the sight be lost? Imagine a young boy who has expressed his ambition to become a rugby player for England, only for a cursory investigation at the back of the eye to detect retinitis pigmentosa. Unfortunately for me, that was my reality as an optometrist. I faced such heartbreaking cases regularly in my profession. Rare retinal diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa, Stargardt disease and Leber congenital amaurosis, among many others, are individually rare but collectively very significant. They devastate and destroy lives. The hon. Member for Strangford mentioned Chris, the victor of “Strictly Come Dancing”; he shows the potential of the majority of people with sight loss, but unfortunately that is not the reality for most—their lives are destroyed, their independence is taken and opportunities at work are limited. The UK Government have committed to tackling rare diseases through initiatives such as the UK rare diseases framework, which aims to improve diagnosis, raise awareness and enhance the access to specialist care. Additionally, a new action plan is set to be released in 2025, showing promise for further progress. But commitments need to translate into tangible action. Furthermore, we need regulatory bodies such as NICE to play a pivotal role. I fully appreciate NICE’s work to ensure that the quality and safety of treatments can never be compromised—those principles are non-negotiable —but to encourage innovation, NICE must proactively engage with pharmaceutical and medical companies to work collaboratively to establish best practices. Such dialogue will signal to companies that their commitment to researching rare diseases, which costs millions, will be met with the potential for reward. This will ensure that patients can benefit from cutting-edge advancements without delay. As the hon. Member for Strangford said, short-term investment in research and treatment for rare retinal diseases will deliver long-term financial benefits, to the tune of £600 million. It will also reduce lifelong healthcare costs and empower patients to live independent, productive lives. The eyes are indeed the window of the soul, but they are also the window to our health. So many health conditions are detected in the eyes, and rare retinal conditions can lead to the early detection of other health conditions, such as Behçet’s disease and so many others. We are thankfully on the brink of transformative breakthroughs. Gene therapies such as Luxturna, which is a virus vector-based medication, along with AI-driven early detection and advancements in stem cell research, offer real hope. By supporting those innovations with funding and adaptable regulations, we can bring life-changing treatments to those who need them most. This is about not just heath but equity and humanity. Without action, we will condemn families to live in the shadow of irreversible loss, because if a person has sight loss, it affects the whole family. With action, we can rewrite their stories and give them hope and vision. Let us act now for that mother, that young boy and the thousands like them. Sight is not a privilege: it is a right.

• 23 Jan 2025 · Rare Retinal Disease · Hansard source

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  The right hon. Member should not feel bad, as that is the most common reason for eye trauma—gardening is the most dangerous sport for eye health. I have met people who lost their sight from a branch scratching their cornea.

• 23 Jan 2025 · Rare Retinal Disease · Hansard source

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  Pigmentosa.

• 22 Jan 2025 · Listed Places of Worship Scheme · Hansard source

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  I agree wholeheartedly. They are our heritage and we must save them for our future generations. The scheme should not just be extended; it should be made permanent and accessible to many places of worship.

• 22 Jan 2025 · Listed Places of Worship Scheme · Hansard source

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  It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Western, and I congratulate the hon. Member for Bromsgrove (Bradley Thomas) on securing the debate. I come from a different angle as I was very much unaware of it, so I thank the Very Reverend Karen Rooms of Leicester cathedral for bringing it to my attention. Leicester cathedral is the cathedral where, when we found King Richard III in a carpark, we reinterred him, and many in our city believe that is what led to Leicester City winning the premiership the season after, so it is absolutely vital to us. Cathedrals are more than places of beauty, religion and art. I, as a Muslim, volunteer for a Sikh charity serving food in a Christian church for the whole community. Reflecting what has been said, churches and cathedrals are places of community cohesion. I also come from a culture in which we do not own places of worship; we are simply their custodians. We are custodians of our churches and cathedrals.

• 21 Jan 2025 · Southport Attack · Hansard source

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  I thank the Home Secretary for her statement. Despite the attacker’s three referrals to Prevent, five referrals to the local police force and multiple referrals to multiple hubs, we still did not protect Elsie, Alice and Bebe. We have failed them. We must ensure that this never happens again. Does the Home Secretary agree that whoever the perpetrator is, the victims are always terrorised, and that an obsession with ideology may have been an underlying factor in why we missed this perpetrator? Should we not look again at the Shawcross recommendations on ideology obsession?

• 20 Jan 2025 · UK-Ukraine 100-year Partnership · Hansard source

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  While the worst of humanity was being demonstrated with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, our nation was showing the best of humanity, in our rich tradition, by opening our doors to those displaced by war. One of those families is that of my constituent Professor Ivan Waddington, who has adopted a Ukrainian refugee family, whom he sees as his own. He has asked me to ask the Government whether they are planning to continue with the scheme, and will those Ukrainians who have assimilated and are making a positive contribution to our country have the right to remain in this country when the war ends?

• 16 Jan 2025 · Middle East · Hansard source

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  Yesterday on the streets of Gaza, mothers came out to celebrate the news of the impending peace deal. Today, many of those mothers were crouching over loved ones, as news came in of a further 73 Palestinians having been killed. That is 73 added on to the thousands and thousands who have already been killed, but when it comes to the number of Palestinians dead, that is all it seems to be—a number. Does the Foreign Secretary agree that no justice and no meaningful peace can be achieved if we continue to allow the cries of the oppressed to go unheard? I ask this not as a political rival, but as a fellow human being. The Palestinian people and, indeed, the families of the hostages have no more time for rhetoric, platitudes and words. What are we going to do to ensure that this peace deal goes ahead and justice is given beyond words, so that no more innocent blood is shed?

• 14 Jan 2025 · Gaza: Humanitarian Situation · Hansard source

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  While Gaza stands on the verge of absolute annihilation, the Israeli ambassador to the UK has repeatedly expressed opposition to a two-state solution, emphasising that that is not a feasible solution. Given that the UK has consistently expressed support for a two-state solution but does not yet recognise one of the states, will the Minister clarify any discussions she has had with the Israeli ambassador?