Asked by: Blair McDougall (Labour - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the use of sexual violence by extremist groups in the north east and north west of Nigeria.
Answered by Anneliese Dodds - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is committed to preventing sexual gender-based violence (SGBV) and to supporting victims in Nigeria. We welcomed Nigeria's endorsement of both the Call to Action and the Murad Code as crucial steps for greater practical action to tackle Conflict Related Sexual Violence (CRSV). Through the UK-Nigeria Security and Defence Partnership (SDP), the UK is supporting the Nigerian police and military in the conflicted-affected North East of Nigeria to respond to sexual and gender-based violence. In the Financial Year of 2023/24, over 5000 Nigerian security personnel received training on Human Rights and preventing gender-based violence (GBV). The UK's Humanitarian and Resilience Programme (HARP) also provided support to 551 women and girls facing gender-based violence with comprehensive treatment and case management. The UK is also committed to ensuring the rights and inclusion of women and girls in North West Nigeria are protected. In the Financial Year of 2023/24, the ISF Nigeria Stability Programme (NSP) funded 52 sessions on preventing sexual gender-based violence (SGBV) and 6 Mixed Observer Teams (MOTs) which are actively supporting communities to address GBV prevention and response.
Asked by: Blair McDougall (Labour - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with his Nigerian counterpart on the risk of famine in (a) north west and (b) north east Nigeria.
Answered by Anneliese Dodds - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Insecurity in North-East and North-West Nigeria has contributed to worsening food security as people are unable to plant, harvest and trade safely. The UK is therefore already providing support to tackle malnutrition in north-east Nigeria through the Humanitarian and Resilience Programme (HARP). HARP reduces mortality and increases resilience for people with the most severe humanitarian needs by (i) addressing food insecurity and malnutrition and (ii) protecting vulnerable people from harm. Through HARP, the UK has funded UNICEF to support the prevention and treatment of malnutrition aiming to reach 500,000 children with life-saving support.
Asked by: Blair McDougall (Labour - East Renfrewshire)
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 the government of Azerbaijan on territorial claims made by President Aliyev for territory within Armenia.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK fully recognises the sovereignty and territorial integrity of both Armenia and Azerbaijan. We welcome the progress on the delimitation of their borders and support the efforts of both sides to agree a lasting settlement to their decades' long conflict. I called Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov on 31 October and met with the Azerbaijani Ambassador to the UK on 13 January, where I reiterated the UK's support to secure a long-lasting peace deal. We regularly urge all sides to refrain from any rhetoric which could undermine the important dialogue and prospects for a deal.
Asked by: Blair McDougall (Labour - East Renfrewshire)
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 on the case of Habiba Al Askari.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The case of Habiba Al Askari is tragic and underlines why we need to see more medical evacuation routes open during the first phase of the ceasefire. While we have not discussed this individual case with Israel, we engage routinely on the importance of addressing health needs within Gaza and enabling medical evacuations for all patients needing medical care not available in Gaza.
The UK has announced £1 million for the Egyptian Ministry of Health and Population, delivered through World Health Organization Egypt, to support medically evacuated Palestinians from Gaza. The UK is also supporting provision of essential healthcare to Palestinians including funding UK-Med to operate field hospitals in Gaza, where they have established an operating theatre and an emergency department for urgent care.
Asked by: Blair McDougall (Labour - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help support British citizens who have experienced trauma due to events in Gaza and Israel since October 2023.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We welcome the announcement of an agreement to end the fighting in Gaza. We have continually pressed for a resolution to secure a ceasefire and see the return of hostages. We welcome the release of seven hostages in Gaza, including British national Emily Damari, and thank Qatar, Egypt and the US for their support in bringing these individuals' and their families' horrific ordeal to an end. We are clear the agreement must be implemented in full with all hostages returned. We continue to support families who have been bereaved through the October 7 attacks. The Foreign Secretary has met with or spoken to all families of UK and UK-linked hostages cruelly detained by Hamas and has heard first-hand the suffering those families have endured, most recently on 13 January. A team of experts from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office are providing ongoing support to family members in the UK and Israel. The UK Government has additionally supported 505 British nationals and eligible persons to leave Gaza since October 2023.
Asked by: Blair McDougall (Labour - East Renfrewshire)
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 secure the medical evacuation of gravely (a) ill and (b) injured children in Gaza.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
An immediate ceasefire is just the first step towards a lasting solution to this crisis. The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains catastrophic, with many in need of urgent medical assistance. It is vital that Israel ensures that there is a sustained passage for patients who need treatment not available in Gaza.
We have announced £1 million for the Egyptian Ministry of Health and Population, delivered through World Health Organisation (WHO) Egypt, to support medically evacuated Palestinians from Gaza., to support medically evacuated Palestinians from Gaza. The UK is also supporting the provision of essential healthcare to civilians in Gaza, including support to UK-MED for operating their field hospitals. The Government is keeping our humanitarian programme and existing policies on medical evacuations and visa pathways under review in response to events in Gaza.
Asked by: Blair McDougall (Labour - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Pakistani counterpart on the role of that country’s Islamic Council in the persecution of Uyghur Muslims.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK remains deeply concerned by the discrimination faced by marginalised religious communities around the world. In Pakistan, we work to promote the rights of religious minorities through diplomatic engagement and programme funding. I raised the issue of religious tolerance when I met with Pakistan's Human Rights Minister when I visited this year. The UK also stands firm on human rights in China, including in Xinjiang, where China continues to persecute and arbitrarily detain Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim minorities. We raise our concerns with China at the highest levels - the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary both raised human rights recently with their Chinese counterparts.
Asked by: Blair McDougall (Labour - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of recent incursions by the Coastguard of the People's Republic of China into the restricted waters of the Kinmen islands.
Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK's longstanding position on Taiwan has not changed. The UK has a clear interest in peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. We consider the Taiwan issue one to be settled peacefully by the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait through constructive dialogue, without the threat or use of force or coercion. We do not support any unilateral attempts to change the status quo, including increased Chinese assertiveness towards Taiwan.
Asked by: Blair McDougall (Labour - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the statement by the Chinese Embassy to the UK entitled Embassy Spokesperson on a Taiwan-related motion concocted by a handful of British MPs, published on 29 November 2024, what the Government's policy is on whether Taiwan is a province of China.
Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK's longstanding position on Taiwan, as set out in the 1972 Communiqué, has not changed and remains the position of this government.
Asked by: Blair McDougall (Labour - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help protect the Falun Gong community in China.
Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The environment for freedom of religion or belief across China is restrictive, which includes the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners.
This Government will champion freedom of religion or belief for all abroad. We will work to uphold the right to freedom of religion or belief through our position at the UN, G7 and other multilateral fora, and through bilateral engagement. For example, the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary both raised human rights recently with their counterparts, President Xi and Foreign Minister Wang, respectively.