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Written Question
St Helena: Development Aid
Thursday 16th November 2023

Asked by: Andrew Gwynne (Labour - Denton and Reddish)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of providing a multi-year aid funding settlement to Saint Helena.

Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK Government is providing multi-year funding of up to £30 million between 2019-2026 for long-term infrastructure development on St Helena. Up to a further £33.06 million of financial aid will be provided in 2023/24 to support the delivery of public services and access to the island. This is an increase of 4 per cent on the previous year. The level and structure of financial aid settlements are set following detailed annual discussions with St Helena Ministers and officials; and take into consideration the potential merits of providing a multi-year aid funding settlement.


Written Question
Kashmir: Human Rights
Wednesday 7th June 2023

Asked by: Andrew Gwynne (Labour - Denton and Reddish)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department made an assessment of the human rights situation in Jammu and Kashmir before agreeing to attend the G20 Tourism Working Group meeting in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir.

Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The G20 Third Tourism Working Group Meeting in Srinagar was attended by a delegation of UK officials based in India. This decision was in line with the high priority the UK places on the G20 as a forum to address pressing global challenges. Prior to attending, all relevant factors were taken into account.

The UK Government's position is clear that any allegation of human rights abuses should be investigated thoroughly, promptly, and transparently. The UK's participation in this meeting does not change our longstanding position, which is that it is for India and Pakistan to find a lasting political resolution to the situation in Kashmir, considering the wishes of the Kashmiri people.


Written Question
Kashmir: Human Rights
Wednesday 7th June 2023

Asked by: Andrew Gwynne (Labour - Denton and Reddish)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his department made an assessment of the implications for his policies of participation in the G20 Tourism Working Group Meeting in Indian-administered Kashmir.

Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The G20 Third Tourism Working Group Meeting in Srinagar was attended by a delegation of UK officials based in India. This decision was in line with the high priority the UK places on the G20 as a forum to address pressing global challenges. Prior to attending, all relevant factors were taken into account.

The UK Government's position is clear that any allegation of human rights abuses should be investigated thoroughly, promptly, and transparently. The UK's participation in this meeting does not change our longstanding position, which is that it is for India and Pakistan to find a lasting political resolution to the situation in Kashmir, considering the wishes of the Kashmiri people.


Written Question
Kashmir: Peace Negotiations
Wednesday 7th June 2023

Asked by: Andrew Gwynne (Labour - Denton and Reddish)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to facilitate a peaceful resolution in Jammu and Kashmir acceptable to the population of that area .

Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

India and Pakistan are long-standing, important friends of the UK. We encourage both to engage in dialogue to find a lasting political resolution on Kashmir that considers the wishes of the Kashmiri people and supports regional stability.


Written Question
International Fund for Israeli-Palestinian Peace
Monday 24th April 2023

Asked by: Andrew Gwynne (Labour - Denton and Reddish)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 21 March 2023 to Question 167057, on International Fund for Israeli-Palestinian Peace, for what reason his Department has not to date discussed the potential creation of an international fund for Israeli and Palestinian peace with other countries besides the United States.

Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The funds in question were established by the Middle East Partnership for Peace Act, passed by the US Congress.


Written Question
International Fund for Israeli-Palestinian Peace
Monday 24th April 2023

Asked by: Andrew Gwynne (Labour - Denton and Reddish)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 21 March 2023 to Question 167053, on International Fund for Israeli-Palestinian Peace, when he expects his Department to make a decision on UK collaboration in the International Fund for Israeli-Palestinian Peace.

Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We stand ready to collaborate and coordinate further with the US Government on the Middle East partnership for Peace Act, including regarding the fund's advisory board, as additional plans and priorities become available. Any decisions will be made once we have a fuller understanding of those plans and priorities.


Written Question
International Fund for Israeli-Palestinian Peace
Thursday 23rd March 2023

Asked by: Andrew Gwynne (Labour - Denton and Reddish)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, on what date he last discussed UK involvement in the International Fund for Israeli-Palestinian Peace with his American counterparts.

Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I [Minister Rutley] refer the honourable member to the comments made by my noble colleague, Lord Goldsmith in the House of Lords on 7 March. The UK government remains in close contact with the US Government about the US Middle East Partnership for Peace Act and how existing peace-building projects and funding can better support the goals of this Act. UK officials last met US counterparts to discuss the fund on 24 February. We share the objective of advancing economic, social, and political connections, and peaceful co-existence between Israelis and Palestinians. We stand ready to collaborate and coordinate further, including regarding the fund's advisory board, as additional information about its plans and priorities become available.


Written Question
International Fund for Israeli-Palestinian Peace
Thursday 23rd March 2023

Asked by: Andrew Gwynne (Labour - Denton and Reddish)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to his oral contribution of 14 March 2023 on Israel and Palestine, Official Report, column 672, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of using alternatives to the International Fund for Israeli-Palestinian Peace to ensure the most effective use of funding allocated towards people-to-people links.

Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

There is already a range of UK aid-funded development programming in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, outside of what the UK may do in the future with this fund, which works to preserve the prospect of a negotiated two-state solution. It supports stability and the development of a capable and accountable Palestinian Authority that can act as an effective partner for peace with Israel.


Written Question
International Fund for Israeli-Palestinian Peace
Tuesday 21st March 2023

Asked by: Andrew Gwynne (Labour - Denton and Reddish)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to his oral contribution of 14 March 2023 on Israel and Palestine, Official Report, column 672, with which international counterparts other than the US he has discussed the potential creation of an international fund for Israeli and Palestinian peace.

Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

To date, we have only discussed the creation of an international fund with the US.


Written Question
International Fund for Israeli-Palestinian Peace
Tuesday 21st March 2023

Asked by: Andrew Gwynne (Labour - Denton and Reddish)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to his oral contribution on 14 March 2023, Official Report, column 671, by what metric he measures whether UK support for the International Fund for Israeli-Palestinian Peace would be the most effective use of funding allocated towards people-to-people links.

Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The FCDO aid budget is allocated in accordance with UK strategic priorities against a challenging financial climate. The UK remains a long-standing supporter of the Middle East Peace Process. There is a robust framework in place for allocating Official Development Assistance (ODA). Data on ODA spend in the Occupied Palestinian Territories is available on DevTracker.