Dr Julian Lewis: Given that Syria and Iran are joined at the hip, is it not clear that no such agreement would have been reached had the plan for an Anglo-American military attack on Syria gone ahead? So while we are busy conferring praise on Governments past and present, can we at least have a pat on the back for Parliament for its role in preventing such an ill-considered move?

[The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr William Hague): I always want to pat Parliament on the back, even when I disagree with it, but I do not agree with my hon. Friend’s analysis. I agree – not with him, but with others – that the contemplation by the United States of military action produced a very important breakthrough on the dismantling of Syria’s chemical weapons.]