Oral Answers to Questions

Anum Qaisar Excerpts

Wednesday 24th January 2024 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

Can I start by thanking my right hon. Friend, and indeed the right hon. Member for Knowsley (Sir George Howarth), for their important work on this issue? I know that both speak from personal experience. As my right hon. Friend says, it is important that people get the treatment they need. The Health Secretary will of course consider the report, and the NHS has already been piloting services to support those with this condition, as she will be aware. I understand that the NHS is now also expanding pilot sites to every region of the country so that even more people can benefit from the appropriate integrated care.

[Ms Anum Qaisar (Airdrie and Shotts) (SNP)]

Q8. We entered 2024 with starvation and famine as acute as ever across the globe, much of it caused by the climate crisis, yet at present the world’s worst hunger crisis is in Gaza, created by Israel’s ongoing siege. The integrated food security phase classification has found that of the 600,000 people facing starvation globally, 95% are in Gaza. Starvation used as a weapon of war is a war crime. The Israeli Government have the power to end this starvation crisis by ending the siege of Gaza and opening all crossings—do they not, Prime Minister?

[The Prime Minister]

I have been absolutely clear that we are incredibly concerned about the devastating impact of the situation in Gaza on citizens. That is why we have tripled our humanitarian aid for this financial year to the region and, as I said in the statement yesterday, we are working with partners such as Jordan and the United States to open up new aid corridors so that we can increase the supply of aid getting to those who desperately need it.