Last December the UK Government, working alongside the Government of Gibraltar, reached agreement with the Spanish Government on a political framework to form the basis of a UK-EU treaty regarding Gibraltar. We are committed to delivering a treaty which safeguards the UK's sovereignty of Gibraltar and supports the prosperity of both Gibraltar and the surrounding region. Negotiations will begin once the EU has agreed its mandate and we are confident that a treaty between the UK and the EU can be agreed. However, if this does not prove to be the case, or the deal on offer is not the right one for the UK and Gibraltar, we are fully prepared to accept the implications. The UK will stand fully behind Gibraltar, its people and its economy in any scenario.

The UK stands by its assurances to Gibraltar that we will never enter into arrangements under which the people of Gibraltar would pass under the sovereignty of another state against their freely and democratically expressed wishes, nor enter into a process of sovereignty negotiations with which Gibraltar is not content.

The Royal Navy challenges all incursions. We make formal diplomatic protests to the Spanish authorities following every incursion. Incursions are a violation of sovereignty, not a threat to it. They do not weaken or undermine the legal basis in international law for British sovereignty over Gibraltar, including British Gibraltar Territorial Waters.

We make formal diplomatic protests to the Spanish authorities following every incursion. Our Ambassador in Madrid raised with the Spanish Government on 18 February 2019 our concerns about provocative actions and incursions by Spanish state vessels in British Gibraltar Territorial Waters (BGTW). Incursions are a violation of sovereignty, not a threat to it. They do not weaken or undermine the legal basis in international law for British sovereignty over Gibraltar, including British Gibraltar Territorial Waters.

We make formal diplomatic protests to the Spanish authorities following every incursion. Our Ambassador in Madrid raised with the Spanish Government on 18 February 2019 our concerns about provocative actions and incursions by Spanish state vessels in British Gibraltar Territorial Waters (BGTW). Incursions are a violation of sovereignty, not a threat to it. They do not weaken or undermine the legal basis in international law for British sovereignty over Gibraltar, including British Gibraltar Territorial Waters.

​The British Government remains very concerned about the detention of women's rights activists and allegations that they have been subject to torture during pre-trial detention in Saudi Arabia. We understand they also remain without formal charges. We have raised concerns a number of times about these cases at Ministerial level with the Saudi authorities and will do so again. We consistently and unreservedly condemn torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

We are monitoring the case of Israa al-Ghomgham closely and we understand that she has a trial scheduled. The British Government opposes the death penalty in all circumstances and in every country, including Saudi Arabia. We will continue to raise our concerns on human rights with the Saudi authorities in private.

​We are aware of media reports that a number of individuals remain in detention. We continue to raise our concerns about human rights in Saudi Arabia, including on the restrictions of freedom of expression.

The UK is very concerned about the arrests and detentions of the women's rights activists in Saudi Arabia. The Prime Minister, the former Foreign Secretary and the Chancellor have raised our concerns with the Saudi authorities. We continue to raise our concerns at all levels, most recently in July. The Minister for the Middle East and North Africa also raised our concerns during his recent visit to Saudi Arabia on 16 July.

The Government does not intend to provide a running commentary on official-level discussions. However, the UK's well-known and longstanding positions on a range of issues are clear, including support for the 2006 Cordoba Agreement.

The UK continues to engage constructively with the Government of Gibraltar and our European partners, including Spain, to address the practical implications arising from our EU exit. We are confident all sides are committed to finding a mutually agreeable resolution benefitting everyone living and working in the region.

We regularly raise our concerns with Saudi Arabia over alleged violations of international humanitarian law. The Foreign Secretary most recently raised the issue with the Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister on 26 April. Saudi Arabia has announced an investigation into the most recent incidents involving civilian casualties which took place in Taiz and Hajjah on 21 and 22 April.

On 7 March, the Prime Minister raised women's rights with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The UK is a firm supporter of the ongoing reforms in Saudi Arabia to allow women to participate more fully in Saudi society. These include the upcoming end on the ban on women driving and attending events in sports stadia. We regularly raise our concerns on the remaining barriers, including the guardianship system.

We regularly and robustly raise human rights cases with Saudi Arabia, including through the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Annual Human Rights Report in which Saudi Arabia is listed as a Human Rights Priority Country due to the death penalty, women's rights and the restrictions on freedom of expression and belief. We believe that, together with our international partners on human rights, we have been able to influence gradual but positive change in women's rights. We welcome recent developments such as the Royal Decree permitting women to obtain driving licenses from June 2018 and greater female participation in the workforce.

The UK takes allegations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) violations extremely seriously; when they occur, we encourage the Saudi-led Coalition to ensure they are thoroughly investigated. Saudi Arabia has publicly stated that it is investigating reports of alleged violations of IHL and that lessons will be acted upon.

We regularly raise the importance of compliance with International Humanitarian Law (IHL) with Saudi Arabia. The UK takes allegations of IHL violations extremely seriously; and we encourage the Saudi-led Coalition to ensure they are thoroughly investigated. Saudi Arabia has publicly stated that it is investigating reports of alleged violations of IHL, and that lessons will be acted upon. The Saudi-led Coalition has the best insight into its own military procedures and is able to conduct the most thorough and conclusive investigations. The Coalition Joint Incidents Assessment Team has since announced the findings of a total of 36 investigations with the most recent being released on 12 September 2017.

Foreign and Commonwealth ​Ministers and officials regularly raise human rights with their Saudi Arabian counterparts, most recently in September. The Saudi Arabian Government are well aware of our views on the death penalty, women's rights and the restrictions on freedom of expression and belief as set out in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Annual Human Rights Report.

We regularly raise the importance of compliance with International Humanitarian Law with the Saudi Arabian Government. Saudi Arabia has publicly stated that it is investigating reports of alleged violations of International Humanitarian Law through the Coalition’s Joint Incidents Assessment Team (JIAT), and that lessons will be acted upon.

Currently there is no evidence to suggest that continuous monitoring of aircraft cabin air would be worthwhile. The Government concluded in 2014, after a research programme on cabin air quality lasting for several years, that an international approach to any further research into the issue would be most appropriate. The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has launched a programme of research into this issue in 2015.

In terms of monitoring individual events, the Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) Mandatory Occurrence Reporting Scheme (CAP382) ensures that an event that is considered by crew to be a “safety-related event which endangers or which, if not corrected or addressed, could endanger an aircraft, its occupants or any other person” is reported and investigated.

Network Rail will be responsible for undertaking works on their network where they interact with the HS2 network. The materials used for such works will be subject to future procurements. However, currently, around 95% of Network Rail’s total aggregated demand for steel is procured from Tata steel.

It is estimated that HS2 will need approximately 2 million tonnes of steel over the next 10 years. The procurement for the main civil engineering works between Euston and Birmingham is now underway with procurements for the stations and rail systems expected to commence later this year and for rolling stock in early 2017. Subject to Royal Assent, the project will start construction in 2017.

As with the rest of the materials for construction, steel is procured by the supply chain. We positively encourage bids from British companies and are already holding discussions with UK suppliers to make sure they are in the best possible position to win contracts for the steel that will be needed for track, concrete reinforcements, overhead wires and other structures. This Government has put rules in place for all its departments to ensure we can buy the right quality steel, produced under the right conditions - which will be of clear benefit to UK bidders.

HS2 provides an excellent opportunity for businesses across the UK with 25,000 jobs created during construction and 3,000 when up and running.