Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion Preseli)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Israeli counterpart on upholding the human rights of healthcare workers from Gaza detained in Israel.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK has consistently raised concerns about the impact of this conflict on Gaza's healthcare systems and medical staff, including reiterating the requirement for all parties to uphold International Humanitarian Law. We are also deeply concerned by reports of the mistreatment of Palestinian detainees in Israel. I raised our concerns about healthcare workers in Gaza with Israel and urged Israel to clarify the reasons for detention of medical staff from Gaza who are detained in Israel, including cases such as Dr Hussam Abu Safiya. We have consistently called on Israel to allow the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) unfettered and immediate access to detention facilities and will continue to do so.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion Preseli)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he has made to his Israeli counterpart on allowing independent monitors to access detention centres housing prisoners from Gaza.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are deeply concerned by reports of the mistreatment of detainees. The UK has raised this with the Israeli Government as a priority and continues to reiterate calls for Israel to allow the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) unfettered and immediate access to detention facilities. We believe it is critical that the ICRC is given regular access to detainees to deliver on their independent visiting role, as enshrined within the 1949 Geneva Conventions.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion Preseli)
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 the potential implications for his policies of the (a) arrest and (b) detention of Dr Hussam Abu Safiya in Israel.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are concerned by the reports of the detention of Dr Hussam Abu Safiya and others. I have raised this case with both Israel's Ambassador to the UK, and Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Haskel. Israel must allow medical staff to carry out their work unimpeded, and to travel around Gaza as needed.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion Preseli)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to ensure the interests of viewers in Wales are represented in her Department's future of TV distribution stakeholder forum.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government’s project on the future of TV distribution is seeking to understand how people receive their television now and in the next decade. As part of this process, a wide range of views are being sought. Membership of the Stakeholder Forum includes a range of broadcasters active in Wales, including the Welsh-language broadcaster S4C, the BBC and ITV. The forum also benefits from the perspectives of a number of groups representing the interests of Welsh and UK-wide audiences, such as Voice of the Listener and Viewer, Digital Poverty Alliance and Silver Voices.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion Preseli)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, whether she has had discussions with Cabinet colleagues on the future of terrestrial TV distribution in Wales.
Answered by Jo Stevens - Secretary of State for Wales
I have regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues on a range of matters.
DCMS, as the lead department, are seeking to understand how people receive their television now and in the next decade. As part of this process, DCMS has established a stakeholder forum which will take views on this topic from a range of broadcasters active in Wales, including S4C, the BBC and ITV. The forum also benefits from the perspectives of a number of groups representing the interests of Welsh and UK-wide audiences, such as Voice of the Listener and Viewer, Digital Poverty Alliance and Silver Voices.