Asked by: Lord Roberts of Llandudno (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many British nationals have died in Gaza since 7 October 2023.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The deaths of four British nationals in Gaza since 7 October 2023 have been reported to the FCDO.
Asked by: Lord Roberts of Llandudno (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what are the criteria for an individual to be designated a perpetrator of sexual violence in another country.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
UK Global Human Rights sanctions regime designations target perpetrators oppressing fundamental freedoms across the world. Designations have targeted actors for their involvement in gender-based violence, including conflict-related sexual violence. We consider targets guided by the objectives of the relevant sanctions regime and evidence. We keep all evidence and potential designations under review.
The UK has announced four packages of sanctions containing conflict-related sexual violence sanctions - in December 2022, March and June 2023 and February 2024.
Asked by: Lord Roberts of Llandudno (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of concerns expressed by United Nations experts, as set out in a press release dated 18 April 2024, that Israel is systematically destroying the education system in Gaza.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
We are alarmed by the disproportionate impact of the conflict on children in Gaza, including the severe disruption of education. Even with this welcome ceasefire, the impacts of the conflict remain devastating: we understand from the Education Cluster that all students in Gaza have not had access to school since 7 October 2023 and at least 88% of school buildings will need full or major reconstruction. Education for children is a right and is crucial for protection, health, and future prospects for peace. The UK is supporting the restoration of education services in Gaza, including through the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). The UK opposes the Knesset legislation preventing UNRWA from operating and urges Israel to ensure a responsible transition after its implementation on 30 January, to ensure vital UNRWA services, including education, can continue without interruption.
Asked by: Lord Roberts of Llandudno (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Collins of Highbury on 23 December 2024 (HL3321), which individuals have been designated as perpetrators of sexual violence in Syria since 2023.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
In March 2023, Amjad Youssef was sanctioned, for involvement in repressing the civilian population in Syria, including through systematic rape and killing of civilians, as a member of '227 Region Branch'. In June 2023, Abdel Karim Mahmoud Ibrahim, former Chief of the General Staff of Syrian Army, was sanctioned. He was involved in the repression of the Syrian population through commanding military forces where there was systematic use of rape. Ali Mahmoud Abbas, former Syrian Minister of Defence, was also sanctioned in June 2023, for his commanding role of the Syrian armed forces who have systematically used rape against civilians.
Asked by: Lord Roberts of Llandudno (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Collins of Highbury on 23 December 2023 (HL3321), what assistance was provided by the Global Survivors Fund to the 800 Syrian survivors of sexual violence and over what timeframe.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The impacts of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) on survivors, their families and communities are varied and long-lasting. The UK is committed to tackling CRSV globally and, since 2019, has committed up to £7.85 million to the Global Survivors Fund (GSF) to enhance access to holistic redress for thousands of survivors, including in DRC, Iraq, and Turkey. In Turkey, since 2022, the UK has supported the provision of medical, psychosocial, legal and financial support to over 800 Syrian survivors. Projects are delivered by civil society organisations and survivor networks and are developed with survivors of CRSV to reflect their needs.
Asked by: Lord Roberts of Llandudno (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the amount of land in Syria that Israel has occupied since 8 December 2024.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Israel have said their presence in the buffer zone in the Golan Heights will be limited and temporary, and we have been clear that we expect them to adhere to this commitment. Israel's presence in the buffer zone must not become permanent.
The UK's position on the Golan Heights remains clear: they are occupied territory, and we do not recognise Israel's annexation. We continue to call on Israel and all actors to uphold their obligations to peace, stability, and security under international law.
Asked by: Lord Roberts of Llandudno (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the current level of starvation in Yemen.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Yemen continues to face huge levels of severe food insecurity and malnutrition. In 2025 17.1 million people (49% of the population) are estimated to be severely food insecure, (a slight reduction from 17.6 million people in 2024), and 8.6 million of those will need nutritional support, (an increase from 7.7 million in 2024). An estimated 3.5 million children aged under 5 years, and pregnant and lactating women, face acute malnutrition due in many cases to insufficient purchasing power to buy available food. Nearly half of Yemen's children under five suffer from moderate to severe stunting. The 2025 UN led Humanitarian Response Plan launched last week requires $2.47 billion to address these challenges and wider humanitarian needs in Yemen.
Responding to Yemen's humanitarian crisis is a priority for the UK. This year, the UK will contribute £144 million in humanitarian aid to Yemen which includes supporting 864,000 people with cash transfers to buy food, and support 718 health facilities with the medicines, vaccines, and nutritional supplements they need to treat 700,000 severely malnourished children. The UK invests in responses that integrate health, nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and food security in areas in need through our two flagship programmes Women and Children (W&C) and Food Security Safety Nets (FSSN).
Asked by: Lord Roberts of Llandudno (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many humanitarian lorries were allowed into Gaza in (1) 2020, (2) 2024, and (3) 2025 to date.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
In 2020, data from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs showed 12,492 humanitarian and 93,901 commercial trucks entered Gaza. In 2024, data from UNRWA showed that 32,763 humanitarian and 10,638 commercial trucks entered Gaza. In 2025, data from UNRWA shows that 523 humanitarian trucks have entered Gaza to date. The 2025 data from UNRWA is still subject to updates, and does not currently show commercial trucks. The UK continues to push for an immediate surge of aid into Gaza.
Asked by: Lord Roberts of Llandudno (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what work the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative will undertake in Syria, especially in relation to recently released prisoners.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
We unequivocally condemn the use of sexual violence, including in detention, and are resolute in our determination to prevent and respond to it. Through the Global Survivors Fund - which works with governments and local organisations to provide redress for survivors of conflict-related sexual violence - the UK has provided medical, psychosocial, legal and financial support to over 800 Syrian survivors of sexual violence in Turkey. We have also designated 3 perpetrators of sexual violence in Syria since 2023.
The UK has emphasised the importance of protecting civilians as part of Syria's political transition and will continue to engage closely with Syrian contacts, international and regional partners to support a peaceful transfer of power.
Asked by: Lord Roberts of Llandudno (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to assist in the rebuilding of civil society in Syria, including the judiciary and the police.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The UK has long supported the voices of Syrian civil society, a community that has stood ready to support a Syrian political process, accountability efforts and humanitarian work for years. During its Presidency of the UN Security Council, the UK invited a Syrian civil society briefer to share their views and experiences with the Council.
We support a Syrian-led process to bring stability and peace to the country, based on the principles set out in UN Security Council Resolution 2254. That includes compliance with international law, the protection of civilians, including minorities, access to humanitarian aid, a nationwide ceasefire, action against terrorism and disposal of chemical weapons - among other measures.