Question
The Foreign Secretary pledged to take action against specific companies that provide services for settlement expansion in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Delek Group, which supports illegal settlements through the provision of refuelling services to Israeli military vehicles and the operation of fuel stations in East Jerusalem and the west bank, has been flagged by the UN for human rights concerns and could receive more than £200 million in revenue through its majority stake in Ithaca Energy if the Rosebank field is approved. Given that the Foreign Secretary has already said that approval of Rosebank would be “climate vandalism”, what does he have to say about profits from Scotland’s oil supporting illegal settlement expansion in the west bank?
Answer
I am going to stick to my lane, as they say. We do not talk about specific companies in relation to sanctions before we take action, but the hon. Gentleman should be in no doubt about the purpose of our sanctions regime—to prevent the growth of illegal settlements, which is destroying the prospect of a two-state solution.
Verdict: AMBER (25/100)
The reply responds to the question in part. It declines to name specific companies, citing the need to avoid pre-empting sanctions action, and restates the government's aim of preventing illegal settlement growth. It does not say whether profits from Scottish oil support settlement expansion, which was the core of the question, so a member of the public would likely need to ask again for a clear answer.
How we got there
| Question item | Coverage | Specificity | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| What is the Foreign Secretary's view on profits from Scotland's oil supporting illegal settlement expansion in the West Bank? | Partially Addressed | Hedged | The reply declines to discuss specific companies before sanctions action, which gives a reason, and restates that the sanctions regime aims to prevent illegal settlement growth. It never states a view on whether profits from Scottish oil support settlement expansion, so the specific question is only partly answered. |