Asked by: Richard Burgon (Labour - Leeds East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, how many foreign officials have been granted special mission status to visit the UK in each year since 2011; and if he will list the (a) names and (b) country of origin of those officials.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
As set out in 2013 by the former Foreign Secretary William Hague, a special mission is a 'temporary mission, representing a state, which is sent by one state to another with the consent of the latter, in order to carry out official engagements on behalf of the sending state'. Since starting to issue special mission status (SMS) certificates in 2013, the FCDO has given consent for 57 special mission status visits to the UK for the following officials and their delegations:
2013 | Israel | · Maj. Gen. (res) Amos Yadlin, Former Chief of Military Intelligence DMI; Deputy Commander of Air Force · Maj. Gen. (res) Doron Almog Senior Adviser on Beduoin Issues (cancelled) · Lt. Gen. Benjamin Gantz, Chief of Defence Staff, Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) · Dr. Yuval Steinitz, Minister of International Affairs, Strategy and Intelligence |
2014 | Egypt | · Dr. Mohamed Mahmoud Abdul Nasr, Minister of Education (cancelled) · Mr Mounir Faqhry Abdel Noor, Minister for Foreign Trade and Investment · Ambassador Yasser Atef, Deputy Assistant Minister for European Affairs · Dr Sherif Mohamed Ali Hammad, Minister of Scientific Research · Lt. Gen. Mahmoud Hegazy, Chief of Staff of Egyptian Armed Forces · Mr Sameh Shoukry, Minister for Foreign Affairs · Dr Mahamoud Aboel Nasr, Minister of Education |
Israel | · Ms Tzipi Livni, Minister for Justice · Ms Tzipi Livni, Minister for Justice | |
Iran | · Mr Ebrahim Rahimpour, Deputy Foreign Minister for Asia and Oceania | |
2015 | Egypt | · Dr Mahmoud Abdoul Nasr, Minister of Education · Mr Ashraf Salman, Minister of Investment · Mr Ashraf Salman, Minister of Investment · Dr Hany Kadry Demain, Minister of Finance · Prof. Dr SHerif Hammad, Minister of Scientific Research · Sheikh Dr Ahmed Al-Tayyeb, Grand Imam · Mr Sameh Hassan Shoukry, Foreign Minister · Lt. Gen. Mahmoud Hegazy, Chief of Defence Staff · Mr Tarek Kabil, Minister of Trade and Industry · Mj. Gen. Mohamed Elkeshky, Assistant to the Minister of Defence for International Relations · Mr Khaled Fawzy, Chief of General Intelligence · Dr Ahmed Emad Eldin Rady, Minister for Health · President Sisi's Advance Delegation · President Sisi's Delegation · Major General Mohammad Farag Elshahat, Head of Military Intelligence |
Israel | · Ms Tzipi Livni, Member of the Israeli Knessett · Delegation of Former Security Officials · Mr Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister · Maj. Gen. Herzi Halevi, Chief of Military Intelligence | |
Qatar | · H.E, Dr. Ali bin Fetais Almarri, Attorney General | |
2016 | Egypt | · Mr Ashraf El Sheihy, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research · Mr Saad Elgyoushi, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research · Mr Sameh Hassan Shoukry, Foreign Minister |
Qatar | · H.E, Dr. Ali bin Fetais Almarri, Attorney General. | |
Israel | · Ms Tzipi Livni, Member of the Israeli Knessett · Maj. Gen. (ret) Amos Yadlin, Director, Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) · Mr Shaul Mofaz, Former CDS and Minister of Defence · Mr Avi Dichter, Member of the Israeli Knessett | |
Rwanda | · Mr James Kararebe, Minister of Defence | |
2017 | Egypt | · Lt. Gen. Mahmoud Ibrahum Mahmoud Hegazy, Chief of Staff of the Egyptian Armed Forces. · Eng. Sherif Ismail, Prime Minister · Mr Sameh Shoukry, Minister of Foreign Affairs |
2018 | Saudi Arabia | · Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia |
2019 | Egypt | · Mr Mahmoud Sharawy, Minister of Local Development · Mr Kamel El-Wazer, Minister of Transport |
2020 | Egypt | · Mr Abdel Fattah Alsisi, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt · Mr Kamel El-Wazer, Minister of Transport |
Saudi Arabia | · Colonal Turki Al Maliki, Coalition Spokesman and Joint Head of Delegation | |
2021 | Egypt | · Mr Kamel El-Wazer, Minister of Transport |
2022 | Egypt | · Mr Kamel El-Wazer, Minister of Transport · Mr Sameh Shoukry, Minister of Foreign Affairs |
Saudi Arabia | · Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. (cancelled) | |
2024 | Israel | · Mr Benny Gantz, Minister of the State of Israel |
Asked by: Dan Carden (Labour - Liverpool, Walton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the news release from the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights entitled Attacks on the humanitarian aid distribution system, published on 22 March 2024.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
It is imperative that those doing life-saving work are properly protected. The Foreign Secretary has called on Israel to reform its deconfliction mechanism to ensure the safety of aid workers and to make progress on the UN's minimal operating requirements, including more visas and driver approvals granted, as well as more trucks permitted to cross into Gaza.
Asked by: Dan Carden (Labour - Liverpool, Walton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what diplomatic steps his Department is taking to help ensure the protection of (a) Palestinians and (b) humanitarian workers during the distribution of aid in Gaza.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
It is imperative that those doing life-saving work are properly protected. The Foreign Secretary has called on Israel to reform its deconfliction mechanism to ensure the safety of aid workers and to make progress on the UN's minimal operating requirements, including more visas and driver approvals granted, as well as more trucks permitted to cross into Gaza.
Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, if he will make representations to the Israeli government on the potential merits of enabling a neutral humanitarian organisation to (a) conduct checks on aid and (b) facilitate the opening of more land routes.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
We have set out very clearly the steps that Israel needs to take, including an immediate humanitarian pause to get more aid in and the hostages out; increased capacity inside Gaza and fully enabling the UN's minimal operating requirements, including by allowing visas, telecommunications equipment, armoured vehicles, trucks and personal protective equipment; as well as increased access for aid through land routes, including the scaling up of the Jordan corridor, with a streamlined screening and delivery process, the opening of a crossing in northern Gaza, Ashdod Port fully open for aid delivery and increased screening capacity at Kerem Shalom and Nitzana to seven days a week and extended hours.
We also need to see an expansion of the types of aid allowed into Gaza and the provision of electricity, water and telecommunications, to both the north and the south of Gaza.
Asked by: Dan Carden (Labour - Liverpool, Walton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, which arms export licences are for end-use by Israeli (a) military and (b) security forces.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
HM Government publishes data on export licensing decisions on a quarterly basis in the Official Statistics, including data on outcome, end user destination, overall value, type (e.g. military, other) and a summary of the items covered by these licences. This data is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/strategic-export-controls-licensing-data. The most recent Official Statistics cover the period 1 April - 30 June 2023.
Information regarding export licensing decisions made between 1 October - 31 December 2023 will be published after April 2024 and information regarding export licensing decisions made between 1 January - 31 March 2024 will be published later this year.
Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what recent progress his Department has made on helping to secure the release of hostages in Gaza.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The UK Government has been working with partners across the region to secure the release of hostages, including British nationals and their families.
We have been clear that the release of all the hostages is one of the vital elements for a lasting peace and the Foreign Secretary has reiterated that we want to see the safe release of all hostages unconditionally.
The Government continues to call for an immediate humanitarian pause now to allow for the release of hostages.
Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, pursuant to the Answer of 25 March 2024 to Question 19633 on Gaza: Humanitarian Aid, if he will publish a detailed plan on the alternative routes the UK has planned for ensuring aid gets into Gaza; and what contingencies he has in place should aid not be delivered.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
On 5 April, Israel committed to significant steps to increase the amount of aid getting to Gaza. The UK has urged Israel to take these steps for a long time and they are welcome. We are working to get aid through these new humanitarian routes as soon as possible.
To date, UK funding has supported the work of partners including the British Red Cross, World Food Programme, UNICEF and Egyptian Red Crescent Society (ERCS) to deliver vital supplies.
We continue to call for an immediate pause to get aid in and hostages out, then progress towards a sustainable, permanent ceasefire, without a return to destruction, fighting and loss of life.
Asked by: Rosena Allin-Khan (Labour - Tooting)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the situation at al-Shifa hospital in Gaza in relation to the ongoing Israeli military operations in the area.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
We have been clear that all parties must afford civilians the protection that is their right under international law. That includes respecting the sanctity of hospitals, so that doctors can continue to care for the sick and injured. Israel must take all possible measures to ensure the safety of medical personnel and facilities.
Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, if he will make representations to the Israeli government on (a) publishing an official list of aid that is restricted to Gaza and (b) ensuring that nutritional and medical aid needed to treat starvation are not restricted.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The Foreign Secretary has been clear that we need to see increased access for aid through land routes, increased capacity inside Gaza, an expansion of the types of aid allowed into Gaza, and the provision of electricity, water and telecommunications to both the north and the south of Gaza.
We are doing all we can to get as much food into Gaza as possible. On 20 March, the Foreign Secretary announced that the UK has funded WFP to provide 2000 tons of food aid, enough to feed 275,000 people in Gaza.
A field hospital, provided by UK Aid funding to UK-Med, has arrived in Gaza. This facility, staffed by UK and local medics, will be able to treat over 100 patients a day, ensuring those with health issues have access to vital aid.
Asked by: Greg Smith (Conservative - Buckingham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether he has had discussions with (a) relevant stakeholders and (b) his international counterparts on reported terror activity within and near United Nations Works and Relief Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) facilities in Gaza.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The UK takes allegations of neutrality violations extremely seriously, including any incidents related to UN installations. The FCDO also monitors this closely through our annual assessment of UNRWA. When violations have been identified, UNRWA has taken action, including raising the issue with relevant parties.
We are aware that the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services and Catherine Colonna have now provided their interim reports to the UN Secretary-General. Their independent investigations include assessment of the policies and systems UNRWA has in place to ensure neutrality.