Asked by: Alison Taylor (Labour - Paisley and Renfrewshire North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to support Taiwan's security.
Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK has a clear interest in peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and has repeatedly stated this alongside our G7 partners. Without it, the prosperity and security interests of both the UK, and our global partners, would suffer. We consider the Taiwan issue one to be settled peacefully by the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait through constructive dialogue, and do not support any unilateral attempts to change the status quo. We continue to engage with Taiwan across a wide range of areas as part of our unofficial relationship.
Asked by: Alison Taylor (Labour - Paisley and Renfrewshire North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of (a) the adequacy of infrastructure in Gaza and (b) its capacity to support access to essential services for children.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The September 2024 UN Satellite Centre (UNOSAT) damage assessment shows two-thirds of all buildings in Gaza have been damaged or destroyed since October 2023. Schools, warehouses and offices run by UN agencies have been severely affected along with much of the civilian infrastructure in the Gaza Strip, hindering efforts to preserve access to basic services - safe drinking water, shelter and healthcare. We are deeply alarmed by the disproportionate impact of the conflict on children in Gaza. Tailored approaches will be required for early recovery and reconstruction efforts in Gaza to integrate the needs of children. The Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary continue to press Israeli leaders to take all steps to avoid civilian casualties, and to emphasise the importance of upholding International Humanitarian Law. The Foreign Secretary stated that he was appalled by the tragic loss of life as a result of the Israeli military strike on the al-Tabeen school. The UK supports humanitarian agencies such as the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, to provide education services to civilians in Gaza, including through UK funding to Education Cannot Wait, which delivers education to children in crisis.