To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is on meetings between representatives of the Government and Hamas. (288495)

The UK position is clear: we do not believe it is productive to talk to Hamas directly. The military wing of Hamas is proscribed in the UK as a terrorist organisation: they fire rockets at innocent civilians and put ordinary Palestinians in harm’s way. We believe that to talk to Hamas directly at this time would simply undermine those Palestinians who are committed to peace.

The Arab League has mandated Egypt to communicate with Hamas. We are in regular contact with both the Arab League and Egypt.