Asked by: Beth Winter (Labour - Cynon Valley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his department is supplying funding for (a) United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and (b) other aid organisations requiring humanitarian supplies, in Sudan's neighbouring countries following the start of military action in that country on 15 April 2023.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
Before the onset of violence nearly 16 million people throughout Sudan required humanitarian aid. The situation has deteriorated significantly since then with conflict displacing hundreds of thousands and relief operations largely at a standstill owing to insecurity. The UK is working in concert with our international partners to improve humanitarian access and to scale-up aid delivery. On 4 May the UK announced an initial £5 million allocation which will help to provide urgent assistance to tens of thousands of refugees and returnees in South Sudan and Chad fleeing violence in Sudan. We will share details about implementing agencies in due course. The UK provides financial support to the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) and the Red Cross' Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF). Both mechanisms are responding to the crisis. The UK is a committed donor in Sudan, having spent over £250 million in humanitarian aid in the last five years.
Asked by: Beth Winter (Labour - Cynon Valley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many (a) British nationals, (b) UK passport holders and (c) NHS employees were evacuated from Sudan on US Navy Ship Brunswick on 30 April 2023.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
We are currently aware of 28 British nationals who departed Sudan on the USNS Brunswick on 30 April 2023, alongside a number of other nationalities. As this was not a UK-run evacuation, we are in the process of reconciling the information we hold on eligible persons in Sudan, including NHS employees, who may have departed on the Brunswick.
Asked by: Beth Winter (Labour - Cynon Valley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department records how many (a) British nationals, (b) UK passport holders and (c) NHS employees still wish to be evacuated from Sudan following the end of flights from Wadi Seidna air base on 30 April 2023.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
Since 25 April we have assisted the departure of 1,243 British nationals through flights to Cyprus. Anyone still in Sudan should sign up for Travel Advice alerts. We continue to communicate with British nationals through our Travel Advice and other targeted communications with those who have registered with us.
Asked by: Beth Winter (Labour - Cynon Valley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many (a) British nationals, (b) UK passport holders and (c) NHS employees have registered their presence in Sudan following the start of military action in that country on 15 April 2023.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
As of 24 April, over 2,500 people had contacted the FCDO to either register their presence in Sudan or request assistance from there.
Since 25 April the UK has supported the departure of 2,450 people, including British nationals, dependants, Sudanese NHS medical staff and other eligible nationals.
Asked by: Beth Winter (Labour - Cynon Valley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what his policy is on the making of a request to the International Court of Justice to provide an opinion on the legal consequences of the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The UK is a strong supporter of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), and we respect the independence of the Court. The UK believes that the latest ICJ referral on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict represents an inappropriate recourse to the advisory opinion mechanism as this undermines the efforts to achieve a settlement through direct negotiations between the parties, which remains the only viable path to a lasting peace.
Asked by: Beth Winter (Labour - Cynon Valley)
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 on Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories on 23 March 2023, Official Report, whether he has had recent discussions with his Israeli counterpart on the impact of unilateral action by that country on the potential for peace talks.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The UK's position on settlements is clear. They are illegal under international law, present an obstacle to peace, and threaten the physical viability of a two-state solution. We are disappointed with the recent repeal of the 2005 Disengagement Plan Implementation Law by the Israeli Knesset. The Foreign Secretary met Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen on 21 March, and in his phone calls with him on 10 January and 7 March, he also emphasised the need for de-escalation and the need for both sides to refrain from unilateral actions that make it harder to secure a sustainable and just peace based on a two-state solution.
Asked by: Beth Winter (Labour - Cynon Valley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent representations his Department has made to his Israeli counterpart on the Government of Israel's proposals to advance and develop settlement in the West Bank.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are clear that settlements are illegal under international law and threaten the viability of a two-state solution. The UK urges the Government of Israel to permanently end its settlement expansion and settlement activity in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Israeli outposts in the West Bank are also illegal under international and Israeli law, and should be removed entirely. The Minister for the Middle East, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon reinforced this message during a visit to a UK donor funded school facing demolition on 12 January.
Asked by: Beth Winter (Labour - Cynon Valley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent representations his Department has made to the Government of Israel on the withholding from the Palestinian Authority of approximately $150million in tax revenue, collected on its behalf.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK regularly engages the Government of Israel on deductions from the clearance revenue transfer to the Palestinian Authority and related losses. The UK chairs a working group covering this issue at the regular Ad Hoc Liaison Committee attended by both parties. Addressing losses and deductions from the transfer of Palestinian Authority tax revenues is critical to managing the current fiscal crisis.
Asked by: Beth Winter (Labour - Cynon Valley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent representations he has made to his Israeli counterpart to oppose the expulsion of Palestinians from the Masafer Yatta area of the West Bank.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is clear that in all but the most exceptional of circumstances, demolitions and evictions are contrary to International Humanitarian Law. Our opposition to the demolition of Palestinian property and the evictions of Palestinians from their homes is long-standing. The practice causes unnecessary suffering to Palestinians and is harmful to efforts to promote peace. The Minister for the Middle East, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon reinforced this message during a visit to a UK donor funded school facing demolition on 12 January.
Asked by: Beth Winter (Labour - Cynon Valley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what estimate her Department has made of the number of (a) homes and (b) healthcare centres that were (i) damaged and (ii) destroyed during the hostilities between Islamic Jihad and Israel in Gaza between 5 and 7 August 2022.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
We have not made this assessment. We continue to monitor the ongoing humanitarian situation in Gaza. All countries, including Israel, have a legitimate right to self-defence, and the right to defend their citizens from attack. In doing so, it is vital that all actions are proportionate, in line with International Humanitarian Law, and are calibrated to avoid civilian casualties. We unequivocally condemn the firing of over 1,100 rockets at civilians by Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and the ongoing campaign of terror attacks by the group, which has resulted in the deaths of innocent civilians, Israelis and Palestinians alike.