The last few weeks have been characterised by yet more tragic news from conflict zones all over the world. Amidst all the bad news, however, recently we saw one significant step into the right direction – as the UK Government announced it will endorse the Safe Schools Declaration.

I firmly believe that the sale of arms internationally should only take place under a robust licencing framework. This should track the eventual destination of arms to the end user and ensure that weapons do not end up in the hands of rogue states or terrorist groups. In my opinion, the UK Government’s current policy on arms export controls adequately provides this framework.

The first responsibility of any government is to defend the national security of this country. I believe that Trident plays an important role in that. That is why I have always voted in favour of renewal of our nuclear deterrent, but I am mindful of the concerns that have been raised.

The refugee crisis is the biggest challenge facing Europe since the Second World War. Millions of people have fled the conflicts in the Middle East and many are now in Europe. Dealing with this crisis will require international coordination, with all European countries playing their part.

There is no doubt that Isil poses a serious threat to our national security. They have carried out terrorist atrocities in France, Turkey, and against many of our other allies. Our intelligence agencies have foiled a number of planned attacks on the UK in recent years. That is why it is right that we are acting, along with our international partners, to confront this barbaric organisation.