Trade: Occupied Territories and Western Sahara
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has made an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of continuing to permit UK (a) businesses, (b) investment firms and (c) trading entities to (i) invest, (ii) trade and (iii) import goods from and within illegal settlements in (A) Western Sahara, (B) Occupied Palestinian Territories and (C) occupied territories.
Answered by Mr Douglas Alexander
The UK Government has a clear position that Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories are illegal under international law. Goods produced in these settlements are not entitled to benefit from preferential tariff treatment under the UK's current trade agreements with the Palestinian Authority and Israel. There are clear risks related to economic and financial activities in the settlements, and we do not encourage or offer support to such activity.
Similarly, it is for companies to take their own decisions on whether to do business in Western Sahara.The UK continues to support UN-led efforts to reach a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution.
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