Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many alcohol industry representatives Ministers in his Department have met since July 2024.
Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Details of ministers' meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK. Data for the period of July to September 2024 will be published in due course.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he plans to take to use the UK's position as penholder for Sudan at the UN Security C Council to press for (a) a ceasefire before peace talks in August, (b) adherence to international humanitarian law and (c) the free flow of humanitarian aid.
Answered by Anneliese Dodds - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
On 13 June, the UK successfully led a UNSC resolution calling for an immediate de-escalation in El Fasher and full, unimpeded humanitarian access, including the reopening of the Adre border crossing. It also requested that the Secretary-General provide recommendations on the protection of civilians. On 6 August, the UK called a UNSC session to urgently discuss the Famine Review Committee's findings and the need for the obstruction of aid by the warring parties to stop. The UK intervention re-iterated our support for UN efforts in Sudan, including through the recommendations set out by the UN Secretary White Note, released on 15 March 2024 under UNSC Resolution 2417. We continue to put pressure on the parties to ensure the recent move to re-open Adre is honoured in full and without excessive restrictions. The Foreign Secretary publicly welcomed the ceasefire talks co-hosted by the US, Saudi Arabia, and Switzerland in August and urged the warring parties to participate.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
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 with humanitarian groups and partners in Sudan to provide (a) humanitarian aid and (b) support for (i) food systems and (ii) local agriculture in Sudan; and if he will take steps to increase the level of aid for refugees from Sudan.
Answered by Anneliese Dodds - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is working with international partners, including UN agencies, other donors and NGOs, to improve and increase the delivery of aid into Sudan. UK ODA to Sudan nearly doubled this year to £97m, with the vast majority of this funding going to humanitarian assistance. This aid will also provide additional support for food systems and local agriculture. As part of this, I recently announced an additional £15m to increase support for Sudan refugees fleeing to Chad and South Sudan. We will also continue to push for the best data and evidence to inform our policy and programming.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, pursuant to the Answer of 22 July 2024 to Question 210, whether he has had discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the fiscal circumstances within which the level of the Official Development Assistance budget will be raised to 0.7% of gross national income.
Answered by Anneliese Dodds - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign Secretary and Chancellor regularly discuss a wide range of issues. This Government is committed to restoring ODA spending at the level of 0.7 per cent of GNI as soon as fiscal circumstances allow and will set out its approach to the House in due course.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
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 counterparts on the welfare of people with disabilities in Gaza.
Answered by David Rutley
While the UK has not made specific representations on the welfare of people with disabilities in Gaza, we have been clear about the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza for all civilians there. The UK is steadfast in its position that all states should uphold international humanitarian law and we call on our friends and partners to do so. Israel has the right to defend itself proportionately and its military operations must be conducted in accordance with international humanitarian law. Civilians must be respected and protected. Both the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary have, in their discussions with their Israeli counterparts, emphasised the importance of taking all possible measures to protect innocent civilians.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he is making to his Israeli counterparts on the protection of Palestinian (a) healthcare and (b) civilians in the West Bank from Israeli military operations.
Answered by David Rutley
Israel must abide by its obligations under international humanitarian law, including the principles of proportionality, distinction and necessity. The British Embassy in Tel Aviv regularly raises the importance of regularised access to healthcare with the Israeli authorities. Israel, as the occupying power, has a duty to ensure and maintain public health to the fullest extent possible. During his call on 4 July with the Israeli chargé d'affaires in London, the Minister of State for the Middle East, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, urged Israel to safeguard access to healthcare and take proactive steps to guarantee the safety of civilians during Israeli operations in the West Bank. The Foreign Secretary emphasised the importance of the proactive protection of civilians during his call with Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen on 5 July.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
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 implications for his policies of the adequacy of the treatment of Palestinian children detained by the Israeli military.
Answered by David Rutley
We repeatedly call on Israel to abide by its obligations under international law and have a regular dialogue with Israel on legal issues relating to the occupation, including the treatment of Palestinian children. We continue to monitor Israel's extensive use of administrative detention which, according to international law, should be used only when security makes this absolutely necessary rather than as routine practice and as a preventive rather than a punitive measure. We remain committed to working with the Israeli Government to secure improvements to the practices surrounding children in detention and continue to raise this with the Israeli Ministry of Justice through our embassy in Tel Aviv. The Minister of State for the Middle East, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, also frequently meets with charities and NGOs regarding issues relating to the occupation. He most recently discussed child detention in a meeting with representatives of Save The Children, Oxfam GB, Medical Aid for Palestinians, and Christian Aid on 4 July.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
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 ensure that funding for climate adaptation is directed to countries that need it most.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan
At COP27 the UK committed to triple its adaptation climate finance from £500 million in 2019 to £1.5 billion a year by 2025, building on £2.4 billion of International Climate Finance spent from 2016-2020 on climate adaptation. The UK also committed to helping climate vulnerable countries to better access finance through a new approach being pioneered by the UK co-led Taskforce on Access to Climate Finance. These investments are helping the most vulnerable adapt and build resilience to climate change.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
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 implications for his policies of the use of administrative detention by Israel against Palestinians.
Answered by David Rutley
We remain concerned about Israel's extensive use of administrative detention which, according to international law, should be used only when security makes this absolutely necessary. We continue to call on the Israeli authorities to comply with their obligations under international law. The UK is a constructive partner to Israel and we will continue to raise these issues with the Israeli authorities at every opportunity.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
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 adequacy of the treatment of Palestinian political prisoners in Israeli prisons.
Answered by David Rutley
We remain concerned about Israel's extensive use of administrative detention which, according to international law, should be used only when security makes this absolutely necessary. We continue to call on the Israeli authorities to comply with their obligations under international law. The UK is a constructive partner to Israel and we will continue to raise these issues with the Israeli authorities at every opportunity.