Sir Charles Walker chaired a packed debate in Westminster Hall to consider the case of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and the other British dual nationals being held in Iran and announced at the outset that the usual sub judice rule will not apply in order to allow full reference to those proceedings as they concern issues of national importance.
The debate was led by Richard Ratcliffe's local MP Tulip Siddiq and the Minister for the Middle East and North Africa, James Cleverly MP, responded to the debate on behalf of the Government.
Sir Charles Walker (in the Chair)
Before I call Tulip Siddiq, I wish to make a short statement about the sub judice resolution. I have been advised that there are active legal proceedings in the High Court between International Military Services Ltd and Iran’s Ministry of Defence. I am exercising the discretion given to the Chair in respect of the resolution on matters sub judice to allow full reference to those proceedings as they concern issues of national importance.
Colleagues, it will not have escaped your attention that the debate is massively over-subscribed. Many of you will be disappointed, but you are here showing your support, so thank you. If you intervene on colleagues and you are down to speak, you may be moved off the speakers list, because we will only get to 15 or 16 of you. There will be a three-minute limit on speeches after Tulip Siddiq has spoken.