Andrew Smith – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Smith on 2015-10-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what advice or guidance the Government provides on the potential risks associated with investing in or conducting business with Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

In December 2013, we placed advice online to raise awareness of the key security and political risks which UK businesses may face when operating abroad, including in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. This includes guidance on Israeli settlements (www.https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/overseas-business-risk-palestinian-territories)

We advise British businesses to bear in mind the British Government’s view on the illegality of settlements under international law when considering investments and activities in the region. This is voluntary guidance to British businesses. It is the decision of an individual or company whether to operate in settlements in the Occupied Territories, but the British Government would neither encourage nor support such activity.