Foreign Secretary, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
Labour MP for Pontefract, Castleford and Knottingley
@yvettecooper-mp.bsky.social @YvetteCooperMP Facebook UK Parliament Profile
I stand and look at the shield to Jo Cox above us today, and I add my personal tribute to Jo. She was a fellow West Yorkshire MP and a passionate and committed internationalist, as well as somebody who brought communities together here at home. We think of Jo’s family and especially of her sister Kim who is keeping Jo’s legacy alive. The US is our deepest security and intelligence ally,...
The Prime Minister is discussing the importance of support for Ukraine at the G7 today, and the G7 has had meetings with President Zelensky about the importance of maintaining the economic pressure on Russia. The hon. Lady is right to highlight the risk that Russia will become a beneficiary from the conflict in Iran. It is crucial that we ensure that that is not the case and also maintain...
I thought for a second that we were not going to get to the mention of Harlow, but eventually we did, with my hon. Friend’s final word. I welcome his question. He is right: the UK took a different view from the US at the start of the Iran conflict, and I think we were right to do so, but our countries continue to engage in close security and economic co-operation—and, having met...
The shadow Foreign Secretary has made an immensely important point. I spoke to Secretary of State Rubio on Friday about the final stages of the discussions that were taking place before the memorandum of understanding was agreed. It is just the start of many further phases of work, negotiations and discussions, including discussions on nuclear power—we are clear about the fact that Iran...
The settlements in the west bank are a fundamental barrier to peace, and a flagrant breach of international law. We condemn the rising and incredibly disturbing settler violence that we have seen over the past year. Last week I announced a new wave of sanctions to target the networks that are supporting this violence, which is the fourth package of sanctions against extremist Israeli settlers...
Let me respond to my hon. Friend’s important point. We are clear that action is needed, and we are acting. This Government have done more on this issue in the last two years than any Government have done for many decades, because we are so concerned about settlement expansion and settler violence. We have not only had the recent sanctions against settler violence but sanctioned two Israeli...
Last week, we did take further action and set out a new wave of sanctions. On Friday, I went to Paris for a meeting with other Foreign Ministers, and also met civil society organisations and community organisations from across Israel and Palestine. Last week, we launched the international peace fund with Australia and Canada in order to support the community-level building of the foundations...
My hon. Friend is right to raise the plight of children in the west bank. I would add to that the terrible plight of children in Gaza, where there is still not sufficient humanitarian support—that has gone backwards too. He is also right to say that some of this is about the impact of violence. Some of the targeted and ideologically driven violence against Palestinians on their own land is...
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average processing time for a Homes for Ukraine Scheme visa was in the latest period for which data is available.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many visa applications under the Homes for Ukraine scheme have currently been outstanding for more than (a) one month, (b) three months and (c) six months.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to Statement by the Prime on Illegal Immigration of 13tDecember 202, Official Report column 885, what the total budget of the National Crime Agency for organised immigration crime was in (a) November 2022 and (b) January 2023.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum claims by Albanian nationals have been decided since 13 December 2022.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many returns there have been since 13 December 2022 arising from unsuccessful asylum claims made by Albanian nationals.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Joint Investigation Teams are currently in place to investigate people smuggling across the Channel by organised crime groups.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many joint investigations have been opened into people smuggling by organised crime groups in (a) the past 12 months and (b) each of the past five years.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many National Crime Agency staff are currently in roles tasked primarily with the disruption of (a) organised immigration crime and (b) people smuggling across the English Channel.
