Department for Business and Trade written question – answered at on 22 January 2026.
Tracy Gilbert
Labour, Edinburgh North and Leith
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that illegal settlements in the West Bank are covered by UK sanctions.
Chris Bryant
Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The UK government has a clear position that Israeli settlements in Palestine are illegal under international law. The UK has sanctioned individuals, illegal settler outposts and organisations supporting violence against Palestinian communities in the West Bank, as well as Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben Gvir, and Minister of Finance, Bezalel Smotrich, in their personal capacity for inciting violence towards Palestinians. Goods originating from illegal Israeli settlements are not entitled to tariff and trade preferences.
Yes0 people think so
No2 people think not
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Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.