Asked by: Andy McDonald (Labour - Middlesbrough and Thornaby East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make representations to his Israeli counterpart calling for the immediate unconditional release of Dr Hussam Abu Safiya from custody.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I remain deeply disturbed by the ongoing detention of Dr Hussam Abu Safiya and other medical staff from Gaza. We continue to call on Israel to clarify the reasons for the detention of Dr Abu Safiya and other medical personnel, and to allow the International Committee of the Red Cross unfettered and immediate access to detention facilities.
I have specifically raised Dr Hussam Abu Safiya's case with both the Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister and Israel's ambassador to the UK. We are urging Israel to clarify the reasons for his detention, to allow medical workers to carry out their work safely and without hindrance, and to provide detainees with access to legal representation.
Asked by: Andy McDonald (Labour - Middlesbrough and Thornaby East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what information he holds on the (a) status and (b) health of Dr Hussam Abu Safiya.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I remain deeply disturbed by the ongoing detention of Dr Hussam Abu Safiya and other medical staff from Gaza. We continue to call on Israel to clarify the reasons for the detention of Dr Abu Safiya and other medical personnel, and to allow the International Committee of the Red Cross unfettered and immediate access to detention facilities.
I have specifically raised Dr Hussam Abu Safiya's case with both the Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister and Israel's ambassador to the UK. We are urging Israel to clarify the reasons for his detention, to allow medical workers to carry out their work safely and without hindrance, and to provide detainees with access to legal representation.
Asked by: Andy McDonald (Labour - Middlesbrough and Thornaby East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the oral statement of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of 4 June 2025 on Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Official Report, Column 338, who will carry out an independent investigation into mass casualty incidents at aid sites in Gaza; and when that independent investigation will be completed.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are appalled by repeated reports of mass casualty incidents at Gaza Humanitarian Foundation aid sites. On 2 June, the UN Secretary-General called for an immediate and independent investigation into these incidents. We have echoed this call, including during a meeting of the UN Security Council on 4 June. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) has stated it is conducting investigations into some incidents. We continue to push for any investigations to be thorough, transparent and for perpetrators to be brought to account. We are unaware of any other investigations underway at present. The UK does not support any aid mechanism that seeks to deliver political or military objectives or puts vulnerable civilians at risk.
Asked by: Andy McDonald (Labour - Middlesbrough and Thornaby East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the oral statement of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of 4 June 2025 on Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Official Report, Column 338, (a) how and (b) when his Department will review the impact of actions announced on 20 May 2025; and whether he has a deadline for Israel to cease military action in Gaza before further action is taken.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We continue to review our policy in relation to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. On 20 May 2025, the UK sanctioned three individuals, two illegal outposts and two organisations that have supported, incited and promoted violence against Palestinian communities in the West Bank. On 10 June the UK, acting alongside Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Norway, went on to sanction Israeli government ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, in their personal capacities, in response to their repeated incitements of violence against Palestinian communities. As I have been clear, we urgently need to see a return to a ceasefire and a rapid and unimpeded flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza, and I continue to press Israeli counterparts on this.
Asked by: Andy McDonald (Labour - Middlesbrough and Thornaby East)
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 4 June 2025, Official Report, column 338, if he will make an estimate of the value of the humanitarian relief funded by his Department that has reached Palestinians in Gaza in the 2025-26 financial year.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is doing all we can to alleviate suffering. On 28 April, the UK announced a package of support for the Occupied Palestinian Territories, including £101 million for humanitarian aid, support for Palestinian economic development, and strengthening Palestinian Authority governance and reform. Our aid has supported over 465,000 patient consultations, provided at least 647,000 people with food and almost 300,000 people have improved access to water, sanitation and hygiene services. Due to the complex operating environment and limited real-time data, it is difficult to quantify the volume of aid that has been supplied and aid that is currently awaiting entry.
Asked by: Andy McDonald (Labour - Middlesbrough and Thornaby East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of introducing a cap on chief executive pay in the school sector.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
The department sets out our expectations on senior pay for academies and academy trusts in the Academy Trust Handbook, which is published on GOV.UK here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66a3909aab418ab055592dda/Academy_trust_handbook_2024_FINAL.pdf.
The handbook requires that:
In addition, the department’s ‘Setting executive salaries’ guidance published on GOV.UK outlines the key contextual factors that trusts should be considering when setting or reviewing executive salaries. The guidance can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/setting-executive-salaries-guidance-for-academy-trusts/setting-executive-salaries-guidance-for-academy-trusts.
Asked by: Andy McDonald (Labour - Middlesbrough and Thornaby East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of establishing a national energy contract for the school sector.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department has assessed the potential benefits of establishing a national energy contract for the schools sector. We did this because many schools had been impacted when the war in Ukraine pushed prices to an all-time high in September 2022. Many had energy contracts due to be renewed at the time and ended up locked into long-term, fixed price contracts at peak prices. We recognised this would seriously impact future budgets.
The department undertook research to understand the energy options available to schools, the challenges and complexities faced and how we could help.
The research showed schools experienced difficulty in determining whether they had received a good deal, relying on brokers to get a better rate from energy providers than they could directly and frequently being expected to make quick decisions on energy deal proposals. Furthermore, the volatility of energy prices meant schools were often locked into expensive energy contracts which were hard to exit.
The three key objectives of the pilot were to simplify the buying of energy, reduce risk, and secure best value for schools.
During the pilot, the department identified if those benchmarked had used Crown Commercial Service’s V30 energy contract, mandated for central government, they would have saved an average of 36% on energy costs. This contract is flexibly priced, rather than fixed: some of the energy is bought up front, during the 30 months prior to delivery and also during the delivery period itself. This helps level out the peaks and troughs in market price variances.
The service also offers wrap around contract management and simplifies the energy buying process for schools, reducing administrative and time burdens.
Asked by: Andy McDonald (Labour - Middlesbrough and Thornaby East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs' oral contribution of 4 June 2025 in response to a question from the hon. Member for Eltham and Chislehurst, Official Report, column 344, what recent discussions he has had with his Canadian counterpart on Israel's access to the F-35 Global Supply Pool.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Conversations with F-35 partners occur regularly and cover a range of issues, however we are unable to disclose details of confidential conversations held within an international programme.
Asked by: Andy McDonald (Labour - Middlesbrough and Thornaby East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the oral statement of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of 4 June 2025 on Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Official Report, Column 338, what steps his Department is taking to deter Israel from supporting further settlement building in the West Bank.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is clear that settlements are illegal under international law and undermine the prospects for peace. We have condemned the 22 new settlements announced by Israel on 29 May 2025 and we regularly urge Israel to halt settlement expansion in our diplomatic engagements. This government is committed to a two-state solution. It remains the only viable framework for a just and lasting peace.
Asked by: Andy McDonald (Labour - Middlesbrough and Thornaby East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs' oral contribution of 4 June 2025 in response to a question from the hon. Member for Eltham and Chislehurst, Official Report, column 344, what recent discussions he has had with his Norwegian counterpart on Israel's access to the F-35 Global Supply Pool.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Conversations with F-35 partners occur regularly and cover a range of issues, however we are unable to disclose details of confidential conversations held within an international programme.