Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to facilitate and ensure provision, transport and access to mobile units for temporary dwellings for residents in Gaza, in particular ensuring delivery across the border with Israel.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The UK is providing £81 million for humanitarian and early recovery support for Palestine this financial year. Last month, supplies of UK-funded tents entered Gaza, providing urgent shelter for 12,000 vulnerable civilians, and we will continue to push for the entry of further UK-funded aid, including tents and shelter kits, which have so far been unable to reach those in need. On 30 December 2025, the Foreign Secretary issued a joint statement alongside a number of international partners calling on the Government of Israel to remove restrictions hindering the delivery of essential humanitarian aid.
The UK is supporting the US-led plan for Gaza's post-conflict stability, as well as exploring the mobilisation of private-sector finance to support Palestinian-led reconstruction of Gaza. We have also deployed UK civilian and military experts to support the Civil-Military Coordination Centre that aims to coordinate reconstruction efforts in Gaza. In addition, the UK has announced £4 million of funding for the United Nations Mine Action Service to help clear rubble, protect civilians and aid workers, and enable the safe delivery of aid. In total, the UK is providing £116 million for Palestine this financial year for humanitarian aid, support for Palestinian economic development, and strengthening Palestinian Authority governance and reform.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what action they are taking to facilitate and encourage the delivery across the borders with Israel and Egypt of accommodation shelters for people in Gaza.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The UK is providing £81 million for humanitarian and early recovery support for Palestine this financial year. Last month, supplies of UK-funded tents entered Gaza, providing urgent shelter for 12,000 vulnerable civilians, and we will continue to push for the entry of further UK-funded aid, including tents and shelter kits, which have so far been unable to reach those in need. On 30 December 2025, the Foreign Secretary issued a joint statement alongside a number of international partners calling on the Government of Israel to remove restrictions hindering the delivery of essential humanitarian aid.
The UK is supporting the US-led plan for Gaza's post-conflict stability, as well as exploring the mobilisation of private-sector finance to support Palestinian-led reconstruction of Gaza. We have also deployed UK civilian and military experts to support the Civil-Military Coordination Centre that aims to coordinate reconstruction efforts in Gaza. In addition, the UK has announced £4 million of funding for the United Nations Mine Action Service to help clear rubble, protect civilians and aid workers, and enable the safe delivery of aid. In total, the UK is providing £116 million for Palestine this financial year for humanitarian aid, support for Palestinian economic development, and strengthening Palestinian Authority governance and reform.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what provision they are making to provide temporary accommodation structures or housing shelters to people in Gaza.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The UK is providing £81 million for humanitarian and early recovery support for Palestine this financial year. Last month, supplies of UK-funded tents entered Gaza, providing urgent shelter for 12,000 vulnerable civilians, and we will continue to push for the entry of further UK-funded aid, including tents and shelter kits, which have so far been unable to reach those in need. On 30 December 2025, the Foreign Secretary issued a joint statement alongside a number of international partners calling on the Government of Israel to remove restrictions hindering the delivery of essential humanitarian aid.
The UK is supporting the US-led plan for Gaza's post-conflict stability, as well as exploring the mobilisation of private-sector finance to support Palestinian-led reconstruction of Gaza. We have also deployed UK civilian and military experts to support the Civil-Military Coordination Centre that aims to coordinate reconstruction efforts in Gaza. In addition, the UK has announced £4 million of funding for the United Nations Mine Action Service to help clear rubble, protect civilians and aid workers, and enable the safe delivery of aid. In total, the UK is providing £116 million for Palestine this financial year for humanitarian aid, support for Palestinian economic development, and strengthening Palestinian Authority governance and reform.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with Arab states about the reconstruction of Gaza.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The UK is providing £81 million for humanitarian and early recovery support for Palestine this financial year. Last month, supplies of UK-funded tents entered Gaza, providing urgent shelter for 12,000 vulnerable civilians, and we will continue to push for the entry of further UK-funded aid, including tents and shelter kits, which have so far been unable to reach those in need. On 30 December 2025, the Foreign Secretary issued a joint statement alongside a number of international partners calling on the Government of Israel to remove restrictions hindering the delivery of essential humanitarian aid.
The UK is supporting the US-led plan for Gaza's post-conflict stability, as well as exploring the mobilisation of private-sector finance to support Palestinian-led reconstruction of Gaza. We have also deployed UK civilian and military experts to support the Civil-Military Coordination Centre that aims to coordinate reconstruction efforts in Gaza. In addition, the UK has announced £4 million of funding for the United Nations Mine Action Service to help clear rubble, protect civilians and aid workers, and enable the safe delivery of aid. In total, the UK is providing £116 million for Palestine this financial year for humanitarian aid, support for Palestinian economic development, and strengthening Palestinian Authority governance and reform.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what capital funding they have allocated to support housing reconstruction in Gaza.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The UK is providing £81 million for humanitarian and early recovery support for Palestine this financial year. Last month, supplies of UK-funded tents entered Gaza, providing urgent shelter for 12,000 vulnerable civilians, and we will continue to push for the entry of further UK-funded aid, including tents and shelter kits, which have so far been unable to reach those in need. On 30 December 2025, the Foreign Secretary issued a joint statement alongside a number of international partners calling on the Government of Israel to remove restrictions hindering the delivery of essential humanitarian aid.
The UK is supporting the US-led plan for Gaza's post-conflict stability, as well as exploring the mobilisation of private-sector finance to support Palestinian-led reconstruction of Gaza. We have also deployed UK civilian and military experts to support the Civil-Military Coordination Centre that aims to coordinate reconstruction efforts in Gaza. In addition, the UK has announced £4 million of funding for the United Nations Mine Action Service to help clear rubble, protect civilians and aid workers, and enable the safe delivery of aid. In total, the UK is providing £116 million for Palestine this financial year for humanitarian aid, support for Palestinian economic development, and strengthening Palestinian Authority governance and reform.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what capital funding they are providing to support people in Gaza.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The UK is providing £81 million for humanitarian and early recovery support for Palestine this financial year. Last month, supplies of UK-funded tents entered Gaza, providing urgent shelter for 12,000 vulnerable civilians, and we will continue to push for the entry of further UK-funded aid, including tents and shelter kits, which have so far been unable to reach those in need. On 30 December 2025, the Foreign Secretary issued a joint statement alongside a number of international partners calling on the Government of Israel to remove restrictions hindering the delivery of essential humanitarian aid.
The UK is supporting the US-led plan for Gaza's post-conflict stability, as well as exploring the mobilisation of private-sector finance to support Palestinian-led reconstruction of Gaza. We have also deployed UK civilian and military experts to support the Civil-Military Coordination Centre that aims to coordinate reconstruction efforts in Gaza. In addition, the UK has announced £4 million of funding for the United Nations Mine Action Service to help clear rubble, protect civilians and aid workers, and enable the safe delivery of aid. In total, the UK is providing £116 million for Palestine this financial year for humanitarian aid, support for Palestinian economic development, and strengthening Palestinian Authority governance and reform.
Asked by: Lord Roberts of Llandudno (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, in the light of the statement by Caroline Quinn, UK deputy political coordinator, at the United Nations Security Council meeting on 8 January, what technical assistance they provided to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons' Syria missions in 2025.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
In 2025, the UK committed over £2.8 million to the OPCW to support Syrian led operations to identify and verifiably destroy Assad's legacy chemical weapons programme. The UK has also provided technical support to joint OPCW and Syrian government efforts to develop comprehensive destruction plans.
More broadly, we welcome the adoption of important OPCW decisions that will provide the procedural underpinning to enable the UK to support Syria meet its obligations to the Chemical Weapons Convention, and we continue to engage the OPCW and Syria to support these efforts.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many diplomats from (1) the Russian Federation, (2) the People's Republic of China, and (3) the Islamic Republic of Iran, are accredited in the UK.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The number of accredited diplomats to the UK at these three embassies are: 1) Russia – 30; 2) China – 143 and 3) Iran - 15. This information is publicly available on the London Diplomatic List at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/foreign-embassies-in-the-uk
UK citizens who are members of the Embassies and Consulates of the United Kingdom in (1) the Russian Federation (2) the People’s Republic of China, and (3) the Islamic Republic of Iran are notified to relevant offices of each Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in line with Article 10 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (VCDR 1961) and Article 19 of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations (VCCR 1963).
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many UK diplomats are accredited to (1) the Russian Federation, (2) the People's Republic of China, and (3) the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The number of accredited diplomats to the UK at these three embassies are: 1) Russia – 30; 2) China – 143 and 3) Iran - 15. This information is publicly available on the London Diplomatic List at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/foreign-embassies-in-the-uk
UK citizens who are members of the Embassies and Consulates of the United Kingdom in (1) the Russian Federation (2) the People’s Republic of China, and (3) the Islamic Republic of Iran are notified to relevant offices of each Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in line with Article 10 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (VCDR 1961) and Article 19 of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations (VCCR 1963).
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many British citizens were murdered in overseas countries in each of the last five years by country .
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Since 2021 we have supported bereaved families in approximately 250 cases of the murder or manslaughter of British nationals abroad. To protect the privacy of the bereaved, we do not publish country‑level figures where fewer than five cases are recorded. Fifteen countries recorded more than five such cases since 2021: Pakistan, Spain, the United States, South Africa, Israel, Australia, Jamaica, France, Thailand, Kenya, New Zealand, Mexico, Turkey, Barbados, and Trinidad & Tobago. All other countries recorded fewer than five cases individually over that time period.