Starting this session with the Liaison Committee with the Prime Minister on the last day of the house of commons. Thank you for giving us your time. We will do our utmost to keep the time, as i understand you have urgent appointments immediately following. It does mean that with the number of chairs we have got, we are limited to kind of 5. 5 minutes each, so if the questions are short, i can invite the Prime Minister to keep the answers short. It becomes more difficult if the question is not very long. I will start with the chairman on this matter, on this subject of global issues. It is approprio appoint members of the cabinet and house of commons and the house of lock, but there is concern about how elected members of the house of commons can properly scrutinize a state based in the house of locke, and we are talking about growth issues here, so i wonder how you think it might be most appropriate for the house of commons to criticize the work . Thank you. It is common practice to appoint secretaries in the house of laws , and that whole situation in 2008 and 2009, there was an established process to scrutiny, which has been in operation a long time. They do to appear before the house of commons yesterday and we have to increase the amount of time [indiscernible] but the last thing i would say is the Foreign Office also has another cabinet level minister, which is in the commons, obviously, it will not have the normal scrutiny there is another Foreign Office cabinet level minister that that estimate the appointments and taking questions, and again in a survey they express an interest in an appropriate forum for that level of detailed scrutiny. The secretary has agreed before the house of commons recommendations. My committee is looking into this. We have been reporting in the media in hopes that the government [indiscernible] Prime Minister, in a single word what would you say is the greatest strategic challenge facing the United Kingdom . The Prime Minister the increasingly complex and hostile International Environment is something that, over the past year, has occupied more of my time than one might have anticipated. You can see that not just in the situation in russia and ukraine, we have talked in the past in this forum about the risk posed by chinas activities, iran and now, most recently, in the middle east. In particular, the situation in the red sea is deeply concerning. As a maritime nation, we have always believed very strongly in free and open shipping lanes. That is now being threatened by malign actors. That is just further evidence that the International Picture is both complex and more challenging. Previously, we may have taken many of these things for granted. It is clear that we cannot. And we need to invest in our defense capability and strengthen our alliances to keep everyone at home safe and protect our economy, too. Where is russiaukraine in the ranking of the issues . P. M. Sunak very much uppermost in our minds. We have been very clear that for ukraine to be defeated is existential for euroatlantic security, which is why we have been at the forefront of the response to russias aggression. Ukraine would rightly consider us one of its closest allies. We have stood shoulder to shoulder with it from the beginning of this crisis. We have also been ahead of all our allies in providing particular capabilities at times that they most needed it, whether that is tanks or, most recently, longrange weapons and combat air training. Again that is all evidence of the uk being a step ahead of everyone and leading the global conversation. We will continue to do that because, as i said, it is existential for euroatlantic security that russia cannot succeed in its efforts. Illegally held territory for a long period . The Prime Minister as i said, it would be existential for euroatlantic security. There is a range of Different Countries that are already seeing the impact of hostile russian activity within and on their borders. It is important that a strong deterrent is sent to russia that this type of aggressionthis flagrant breach of the international rulesbased system of territorial integritywill not be tolerated. That is why we have taken a lead in providing support to ukraine and galvanized International Opinion behind it. I would also say it is broader than euroatlantic security, because, as i echoed earlier, the international rulesbased system more generally is under pressure in lots of different areas. It is important that we send a strong signal not just to russia, but to all those around the world who would seek to undermine that order, which we have spent decades building up, that their aggression will be met with a strong response. Chair we have been through the autumn statement. We know what we are spending on ukraine in 20232024, which i believe is 2. 3 billion. Why was no announcement made about 20242025 . When will the announcement be made, and how much will it be . The Prime Minister it will be made in due course. We are having active dialogue with the ukrainians. I spoke to president zelenskyy just the other week on this. That is to ensure that the aid that we are putting in place can be most effective in supporting them with their ambitions for next year. They are obviously in the process of developing their plans for next year. We are helping them to do that, together with our closest allies. Before we say exactly how, what quantum, and what we are going to do to support them, it is important that we work with them to have a clear, coherent and unified view of what they are planning on achieving next year. Those conversations are active. We have had people back and forth, and i spoke to president zelensky the other week. We will continue to support them very strongly next year. I can, of course, give you that assurance, but the precise form, detail and quantum will be outlined in due course once we have finalized those conversations with the ukrainians. Chair i call Sarah Champion. Sarah champion good afternoon, Prime Minister. The Prime Minister hi, sarah. If i may, sir bernard, just before we move on, the other thing is that it is not just about next year. This is an important point, because in february at the Munich Security Conference we called for longerterm multilateral security assurances for ukraine. That is an important part of building that deterrence. Many countries have signed a similar declaration, and we are also having conversations with ukraine about how to broaden the support that we give them, not just militarily but to bring them into the euroatlantic family with other economic assistance. So i think it is broader than just the military support, and we need to start thinking about the longer term, not just about one year at a time, in terms of a journey and a direction of travel. I think that was an important point to make. Sorry, sarah. Sarah champion i am interested. Do you consider yourself a leader on the global stage . The Prime Minister well, others will make that determination. I am very proud of the uks leadership in multiple areas over the past 12 months, ukraine being an obvious example. We were the leader in providing main battle tanks to ukrainethe ukraine the first country to do that. Sarah champion i am interested in you. Do you consider yourself the Prime Minister well, i stand here and these are things that i have done on behalf of the u. K. At the end of the day, these are things that we do as a country, as a government, but ultimately i am the one who takes the decisions. We were the first country to provide main battle tanks, the first country to provide longrange weapons, the first country to provide training for combat air pilots. All of those have now been copied by other countries, and rightly so, and we were the first country to call for multilateral longterm security assurances. And that is just in the ukraine space. Sarah champion well, that is just in the defence space. I want to talk to you about development and humanitarian. The Prime Minister i was just about to get on to that. Sarah champion thank you. If i could ask my question, yemen is in the news again. What has not been commented on yet is that since 2015, yemen is the worlds worst humanitarian crisis. Despite that, you made successive cuts to its aid as chancellor, and this year you cut u. K. Aid to yemen to a third of what it was in 20192020. As penholder at the un security council, and as it is a country in such desperate need, do you now regret those cuts that you made . The Prime Minister no. So, when it comes to the aid budget Sarah Champion im sorry. Your first answer was no, you dont regret them . The Prime Minister i dont regret the cuts to the overall aid budget, the decision that i made as chancellor that was actually approved by the house of commons in a vote. Obviously, i appreciate that the labour party opposed it. I guess the question for them for everyone who opposed it, in fact, is where would they have 5 billion from . Sarah champion but the question is not for the labour party. The question, Prime Minister, with respect, is whether you regret cutting aid to one of the worst humanitarian crises on the planet . The Prime Minister what i think was the right thing for the uk, given the fiscal situation that we face in recovering from the pandemic, was that we reduced our aid budget from 0. 7 to 0. 5 . Sarah champion and can you see a consequence. The Prime Minister i think that was the right thing to do. We remain this is an important point. You asked about leadership of one the largest aid spenders anywhere in the world. That is both as an absolute , we will spend around 12 billion this year and as a percentage of gdp out of large economies. We are one of the largest contributors to individual funds, whether that is the global fund or indeed the Green Climate fund. So across the board Sarah ChampionPrime Minister, i think this is the answer you gave me six months ago. The Prime Minister and the facts remain the same. They havent changed. Sarah champion but i am interested in your position on things. Do you see a correlation between what is happening in the red sea now and the fact that the u. K. And indeed the International Community has turned its back on yemen for a very long time . The Prime Minister no, i dont think that is right. When i have talked to my International Peers about this situation, as we are actively doing, not a single one of them has made that point. Sarah champion ok the Prime Minister and we are actively involved right now particularly with the u. S. , but there is a much broader coalition in standing up an operation to provide deterrence and protect our open seas. That is an incredibly important thing for the u. K. To be doing, given that it is something that we have always believed in. This is not about, actually, the situation in israel in israel in gaza. This is about malign forces, and the houthis in particular, taking advantage of the situation to try to escalate Sarah Champion thank you. Can i just the Prime Minister and that is having a real impact on the global economy, and we are playing our part as part of a broader international coalition. Sarah champion thank you, Prime Minister. Can i move you onto the Prime Minister but i think it is an important point. So what we are doing Sarah Champion you are not answering my point. The Prime Minister i am because i think you are Sarah Champion you are giving me a policy answer to something else. Could i turn to something the Prime Minister no, but i think it is important, because it is not just aid that will help the situation; it is also military deterrence. Sarah champion and leadership. The Prime Minister and again, we were the first country after the u. S. To send assets into the region. So, hms lancaster, hms diamond they are in the region ahead of any other countries. Sarah champion thank you, Prime Minister. Can i bring you back the Prime Minister that is leadership. And that is because we are providing deterrence for commercial shipping and also making sure that humanitarian maritime corridors remain open. Sarah champion thank you, Prime Minister. Can i bring you back to something that i hope we agree on, which is global education, particularly education for girls . I am enormously proud, as i am sure you are, of the uks investment in girls education, including the unled education cannot wait but the education of hundreds of thousands of girls will have to wait because you cut funds to the scheme by 87 . Why did you make that decision . The Prime Minister on all these questions of aid, i appreciate that you and others will disagree, but i thought it was the right thing, given the fiscal and Economic Situation that the u. K. Faced we , that temporarily reduced the aid budget from 0. 7 to 0. 5 . Obviously, that is going to have implications for lots of different projects. Sarah champion i accept that choice. It was the choices that you were then making on things like girls education. The Prime Minister i think its not fair to separate, because if you accept that choice but then do not agree with any of the subsequent choices that flow from that decision, it is hard to say that those things are consistent. I appreciate that you actually do not agree with the decision to reduce the aid budget. The labour party does not agree. I think that the 5 billion is that we need to spend on 5 billion domestic priorities right now. Chair we have to move on. The Prime Minister i do think that is an important distinction. Now, if you disagree with that, that is completely fine. Chair we have to move on. Sarah champion one final question. Chair no, im sorry, but we have run out of time. We have gone over already. Sarah champion unfortunately, thats the Prime Minister not answering my questions. My last one, Prime Minister, is on gaza. We have all been appalled at the loss of civilian lives. I am optimistic that the uk is going to sign up to the watereddown motion from the un. Is that correct . Is our longstanding practice the Prime Minister it the Prime Minister it is our longstanding practice not to comment on our votes beforehand, especially when there is an active dialogue going on at the un and when negotiations are under way as we speak. Sarah champion the minister did comment on it. The Prime Minister but our position on thisand i am sure we will come to ithas been crystal clear, about wanting this conflict not to last a moment longer than is necessary. We support israels right to defend itself, but that has to be done in accordance with international law. You asked about leadership earlier. Again, we have taken a lead in providing more humanitarian aid into gaza. Sarah champion thank you, Prime Minister. Chair i call Alicia Kearns, Foreign Affairs committee. Alicia kearns can you update us on progress in getting british hostages home from the terrorist group hamas, who currently hold them . The Prime Minister hopefully, everyone will understand that there is a limit to what i can say publicly about this, but what i can say is that we are working day and night to secure their safe release. That involves lots of conversations with lots of different people. We are doing that. We have had discussions in the past, with different peoples views on ceasefires and pauses. For us, those have to involve the release of hostages. It is clear that the last one of these that we had was broken, because hamas stopped releasing hostages, including, specifically, women. I dont think that was right. When i last spoke to the emir of qatar, i commended them for their efforts and was in dialogue with them in particular about trying to restart that process to secure the safe release of all hostages, including, obviously, british hostages. Alicia kearns your foreign secretary and you have used the phrase sustainable ceasefire. What are the conditions or criteria that need to be met for a sustainable ceasefire to come into place . The Prime Minister it is important for a ceasefire to be sustainable, and it is absolutely right to ask, what are those conditions so that it does not collapse . There isnt a perfect formula for peace, but what i can say is that a ceasefire is clearly not going to last if hostages are still being held that was your first question and if hamas, whose stated aim is to destroy israel, are still able to operate in underground tunnels and launch rocket attacks into israel. Those are importa