Commons Unites on Ukraine as Treaty Talks Paused

High-Level Summary

The Commons day opened with the Speaker confirming he had referred information concerning Lord Mandelson to the Metropolitan Police and warning Members not to comment on a live case. Scotland questions covered inter‑governmental relations, veterans’ policy, defence manufacturing, the energy profits levy and support for hospitality, with ministers emphasising cooperation and funding while addressing areas of policy divergence. Prime Minister’s Questions centred on student loans, living costs, public services, and ongoing support for Ukraine alongside other domestic security and equality issues. Ministers then answered Urgent Questions on the Diego Garcia treaty—confirming a pause for talks with the US while parliamentary scrutiny continues—and on electronic travel authorisations for dual British nationals, setting out mitigations but no policy change. A Grenfell statement reported progress on inquiry recommendations and announced a memorial funding Bill; the House also marked four years since Russia’s full‑scale invasion of Ukraine, and an Adjournment debate secured commitments to prioritise access for ‘1066 country’ schools to the forthcoming Bayeux Tapestry exhibition.

Detailed Summary

Speaker’s statement on media reports relating to Lord Mandelson

The Speaker, Lindsay Hoyle, confirmed he had, in line with his duty, referred information to the Metropolitan Police and warned Members against commenting on a live investigation: “it would not be appropriate to make any further comment, and I caution Members from doing so.”. No decision or action was sought from the House.

Oral Answers: Scotland

Questions ranged across inter‑governmental relations, veterans, defence industry, oil and gas, travelling football fans and hospitality. On relations, the Secretary of State, Douglas Alexander, said the UK Government are working closely with the Scottish Government and had “provided the Scottish Government with a record budget settlement”. He criticised Scottish divergence on bovine electronic identification, saying he was “troubled… to learn that the Scottish Government have chosen to diverge” and citing an Office for the Internal Market report noting potential higher costs for larger livestock auctions. On HIV testing week alignment, he said the UK “support any initiatives that ensure that people across the United Kingdom get the testing they need,” while noting health is devolved.

On electric vehicle taxation and rural charging, he described the new vehicle excise duty as a “fairer approach” and said ministers “talk to the Scottish Government on a range of issues”. Political exchanges with the SNP were sharp; Alexander argued Scotland had faced “a difficult couple of decades under the SNP”.

On the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill, ministers said the Bill introduced in October aims to deliver “truth and accountability” and protections for veterans, and confirmed engagement with the Scottish Veterans Commissioner; “no veteran who properly carried out their duty should be forced to face an endless cycle of legal uncertainty”. A new veterans’ strategy includes “£50 million for Valour” to improve support pathways.

On defence manufacturing, Alexander highlighted “record orders worth £10 billion for the Clyde shipyards” and investment at Rosyth, Faslane and Leonardo in Edinburgh. He backed “the biggest sustained increase in defence spending since the cold war” and said the defence industrial strategy will “deliver a record boost for Scotland’s economy”.

On the energy profits levy and the North Sea, he confirmed the levy will end on 31 March 2030 and pointed to structural trends, including a “75% reduction in production between 1999 and 2024,” noting the UK has been a net importer since 2003 and job losses under the previous Government. He also cited UK intervention to secure the Methil and Arnish yards’ future, with new investment announced.

On travelling fans at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, he said the Government are working with partners “to provide guidance to supporters on travel, security and consular assistance”. On hospitality, ministers described the sector as an “engine” of Scotland’s economy and pressed the Scottish Government on business rates policy, contrasting UK support with closures under the previous Government: “7,000 pubs… lost under their watch”. No divisions were held; ministers committed to continued dialogue with the devolved administration.

Prime Minister’s Questions

The Prime Minister reaffirmed support for Ukraine—“That support will never falter”—and said he was “proud of our commitment to a two-state solution” in the Middle East. Exchanges with the Conservative Leader of the Opposition focused on student loan interest and the cost of living. The Prime Minister said, “We inherited their broken student loans system,” pointed to a fall in inflation “to 3%,” and highlighted reductions in energy bills. He added, “Under the Conservative Government, student loan thresholds were frozen for 10 years”.

Other topics included calls for transparency on Jeffrey Epstein flight logs, to which the Prime Minister responded that police investigations “have to go wherever the evidence takes it”; a commitment to protect the Equality Act—“I am proud of the Equality Act”; criticism of Green Party drugs policy—“a policy of legalising cocaine, heroin, ketamine and the date-rape drug GHB”; condemnation of the incident at Manchester Central Mosque—“we will not, and must not, relent in the fight against anti-Muslim hatred”; and confirmation that the next wave of Pride in Place will “invest in an additional 169 neighbourhoods”. The Prime Minister also noted steps on local priorities such as consultation on options to keep London Road open in Bicester, moving to replace animal testing “wherever possible”, and appointing Ofgem to regulate “third-party intermediaries” in business energy markets. No divisions occurred.

Urgent Question: Diego Garcia and the British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos)

Answering Nigel Farage, ministers said the Government’s “objective has been, and continues to be, to secure the long-term effective operation of the military base on Diego Garcia”. Hamish Falconer said the treaty with Mauritius emerged from earlier negotiations and had been supported by two US Administrations; he reiterated that it would only take effect after full parliamentary scrutiny, and confirmed a pause for talks with the US following recent comments: “the treaty is in force only once it has passed Parliament” and “we are pausing for discussions with our American counterparts”.

He affirmed that “the UK Government abide by international law” and said detailed questions—such as on UNCLOS article 298—would be answered in writing. He resisted calls to suspend all steps pending litigation, noted that unauthorised travel to the territory breaches rules, and said discussions with the US were ongoing: “we are discussing these questions with the Americans in the usual way”. Across the House, Members pressed on costs, possible payments under the treaty, safeguards for the nuclear deterrent, Chagossian rights and sanctions risks; no policy change was announced.

Urgent Question: Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) and dual British nationals

Minister Mike Tapp confirmed that, from the date of the statement, carriers must check that eligible passengers hold an ETA before travel. He stressed that British citizens, including those with dual nationality, “do not need and are not eligible for an ETA” and must travel on a British passport or a certificate of entitlement to the right of abode. Temporary mitigations allow carriers, at their discretion, to accept an “expired UK passport issued in 1989 or later” alongside a valid non‑visa national passport, with a carrier support hub available. “It is not the intention of the ETA scheme to penalise our citizens who choose to live abroad”.

Members raised cases of stranded travellers and called for a grace period and fee waivers. The Minister rejected suggestions of mishandling—“there has been no mishandling”—and pointed to communications since 2024, passport processing times of “around nine days,” and emergency travel documents where needed. He ruled out allowing ETAs for British citizens—“We cannot open ETAs to British citizens”—but offered a drop‑in for MPs to help with cases. No change to policy or timelines was announced.

Statement: Grenfell Tower annual report and memorial

The Secretary of State, Steve Reed, reported that the Government are “on target to complete 70% of the inquiry’s recommendations by the end of the year” and will “complete all the remaining recommendations during this Parliament”. He highlighted the construction products reform White Paper, leadership changes at the Building Safety Regulator, a new national college of fire and rescue, and new regulations requiring emergency evacuation plans “will come into force on 6 April”. On remediation, he stated work to remove and replace unsafe ACM cladding had “finished on 91% of high-rise residential and public buildings”.

Recognising the need for commemoration, he announced legislation to fund the Grenfell memorial commission: “introducing legislation to provide the spending authority required”. The House later gave First Reading to the Grenfell Tower Memorial (Expenditure) Bill. The Opposition welcomed cross‑party working and pressed for detailed plans and support for leaseholders; ministers committed to continued quarterly updates. No division was taken.

Ten Minute Rule: Chalk Streams (UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site) Bill

Pippa Heylings sought leave to bring in a Bill “to require the Secretary of State to take the necessary steps to nominate the UK’s chalk streams as a serial UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site”. She argued for protection of a rare habitat—“We in the UK are custodians of 85% of the world’s chalk streams”—and said UNESCO designation would galvanise conservation. Leave was granted without a division; the Bill was set down for Second Reading on 27 February.

General debate: Ukraine – four years after Russia’s full-scale invasion

Defence Secretary John Healey opened the debate, paying tribute to Ukrainian resilience and noting recent support: at the Ukraine Defence Contact Group he “announced a new package, worth half a billion pounds, of urgent air defence support,” with partners pledging nearly $40 billion. He confirmed that a multinational force for Ukraine would “deploy when peace is agreed” to secure skies and seas and regenerate forces, and that the MOD is “now leading a new joint operational taskforce” against Russia’s shadow oil fleet. He pledged: “We will keep up the pressure on Putin; we will stand by and support the Ukrainian armed forces”.

Opposition speakers affirmed cross‑party unity and pressed for tighter sanctions enforcement, the use of frozen Russian assets, action against the shadow fleet and support for abducted children. In closing, the Foreign Office Minister highlighted “nearly 300 new” sanctions announced the previous day and confirmed intent to introduce a maritime services ban on Russian LNG in lockstep with the EU, “phased in over 2026,” and to accelerate the return of abducted children via new tracing mechanisms that had identified over 600 additional cases. No division was held; the House signalled continued support “for as long as it takes.”

Adjournment: Bayeux Tapestry exhibition and access for ‘1066 country’

Helena Dollimore (Hastings and Rye) welcomed the planned British Museum exhibition and urged guaranteed access and travel support for local schools, asking the museum to “guarantee places for schoolchildren from Hastings and the surrounding area” and help with costs. The Minister said schools in her area would receive priority booking and that discussions with Southeastern aim to “offer at least 1,066 tickets, at heavily reduced rates, to London to schools in 1066 country”. He confirmed the exhibition will be “free to all under-16s with a paying adult” and that an “ambitious national programme of education and engagement” will accompany the loan. Next steps include a parliamentary briefing by the British Museum and continued local coordination; no division occurred.