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Written Question
Gaza: Uranium
Thursday 8th February 2024

Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the article in the Nature Scientific Reports journal Radiological hazard assessments of radionuclides in building materials, soils and sands from the Gaza Strip and the north of Sinai Peninsula, published on 1 December 2021, what assessment they have made of the likely cause of the 24 samples from Gaza containing enriched uranium.

Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Nature Scientific Reports article does not provide sufficient information to make a qualified determination as to the potential source of the enriched uranium traces it reports were found. The dose rates and level of radiological hazard of the samples referred to in the article are stated as being within recommended global limits. The UK has not tested the samples referenced in the article.


Written Question
Gaza: Uranium
Thursday 8th February 2024

Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the article in the Nature Scientific Reports journal Radiological hazard assessments of radionuclides in building materials, soils and sands from the Gaza Strip and the north of Sinai Peninsula, published on 1 December 2021, what assessment they have made of the discovery of enriched uranium in Gaza.

Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Nature Scientific Reports article does not provide sufficient information to make a qualified determination as to the potential source of the enriched uranium traces it reports were found. The dose rates and level of radiological hazard of the samples referred to in the article are stated as being within recommended global limits. The UK has not tested the samples referenced in the article.


Written Question
Iran: Poisoning
Thursday 30th March 2023

Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they will take to work with international partners to establish a UN investigation into the mass poisoning of school children in Iran.

Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We continue to monitor closely reports of mass poisonings of school girls across Iran. On 3 March 2023 I, as Minister for the Middle East, called on the Iranian authorities to investigate these incidents urgently. I underlined it is essential that all girls can exercise their human right to education without fear. The authorities have announced a number of arrests in connection the incidents; we expect Iran to now be transparent about what has happened and show it is holding those genuinely responsible to account. The UK will continue working alongside our international partners to ensure the facts are established.


Written Question
Afghanistan: Electricity and Food Supply
Wednesday 25th January 2023

Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what recent steps they have taken to address famine and food insecurity in Afghanistan; and what plans they have to provide resources to help mitigate the electricity shortage in that country.

Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK is taking a leading role in the humanitarian response to support the people of Afghanistan. Over 28 million people are estimated to be in humanitarian need in 2023, including an estimated 19.9 million people who are acutely food insecure. Since April 2022, we have disbursed £228 million in aid for Afghanistan. This includes £95 million to the World Food Programme (WFP). Through WFP, the UK aims to support over 4 million people with food assistance this financial year. UK aid is prioritised in line with the UN's Humanitarian Response Plan.


Written Question
Tigray: Armed Conflict
Thursday 29th April 2021

Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the attack by Eritrean troops in Adwa in the Tigray region of Ethiopia.

Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. The Minister will write directly to the Member with a response shortly.
Written Question
Egypt: Human Rights
Tuesday 24th January 2017

Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to make representations to the government of Egypt to investigate allegations of enforced disappearance and torture, including the  case of Italian student Giulio Regeni, and to bring to justice all those suspected of criminal responsibility for such abuses.

Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns

We raised our concerns around enforced detentions and torture in our national statement at the UN Human Rights Council (UNRHC) in September 2016 under our Item 4 statement (human rights situations that require the UNHRC's attention). We look to the Egyptian Government to implement the rights guaranteed in Egypt's constitution and investigate all reports of abuses, including enforced disappearances and torture.

In April 2016, in response to a public petition, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office outlined the steps the Government has taken to encourage a full investigation into Giulio Regeni's death. We have continued to offer our support to Italy and urge the Egyptian Government to cooperate fully with the Italian investigators to bring Mr Regeni's killers to justice as soon as possible. Her Majesty's Ambassadors to Cairo and Rome have raised Mr Regeni's case with the Egyptian and Italian authorities. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth East (Mr Ellwood) has raised Mr Regeni's case with the Egyptian Ambassador to London and discussed the case with representatives of Cambridge University, where Mr Regeni was studying. The Prime Minister, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May) also discussed Mr Regeni's case with former Prime Minister Renzi in July 2016.