Oral Answers to Questions

Alison Thewliss Excerpts

Wednesday 17th July 2019 Commons Chamber

[Clive Lewis (Norwich South) (Lab)]

3. What recent assessment he has made of the humanitarian situation in Yemen.

[Alison Thewliss (Glasgow Central) (SNP)]

4. What recent assessment his Department has made of the effect of restricted humanitarian space on the work of NGOs in Yemen.

[The Minister for the Middle East (Dr Andrew Murrison)]

Yemen remains the world’s largest humanitarian crisis, with 80% of the population requiring humanitarian assistance, which is not helped by the fact that the operating environment for humanitarian organisations is exceptionally difficult. We call on both parties to the conflict to comply with UN Security Council resolution 2451 by facilitating safe, rapid and unhindered humanitarian access.

[Dr Murrison]

The hon. Gentleman will know that our checks and balances on the export of arms are among the world’s finest—he must know that. He also knows that we apply the EU consolidated criteria rigorously. He will also, I hope, have noted the Divisional Court’s view that our process was “rigorous, robust, multi-layered” and that those advising Ministers were “keenly alive” to the possible violation of international humanitarian law. He will also know that the UK Government intend to appeal against the judgment.

[Alison Thewliss]

Women and children have been disproportionately affected by the conflict, so what is the Minister doing to involve women in the process? Further, what work is he doing with organisations such as the Mothers of Abductees Association, which points out that 1,496 people in Yemen have been forcibly disappeared, which causes people huge concern about the whereabouts of their relatives?