Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee Central)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many applications for Pension Credit were received between (a) 29 July 2024 and 30 November 2024, (b) 29 July 2023 and 30 November 2023 and (c) 29 July 2022 and 30 November 2022.
Answered by Emma Reynolds - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
On 28 November we published Pension Credit applications and award statistics. This publication provides application volumes up to 17 November 2024. Pension Credit applications and awards: November 2024 - GOV.UK, which is the nearest available data to the 30 November.
This information is updated quarterly and the next update, which will include end of November data is due around the end of February 2025. This release will cover data up to week commencing 10 February 2024.
Please note, the figures presented are from DWP’s Pension Credit system which has previously been collected for internal departmental operations use only and has not been quality assured to Official Statistics publication standards.
Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee Central)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 4 December 2024 to Question 16506 on Israel Defence Forces, whether (a) UK-Israel military cooperation and (b) the sale of arms was discussed during the meeting between the Chief of the Defence Staff and his Israeli counterparts on 25 November 2024.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The topics mentioned in the hon. Member's question were not raised during the meeting between Lieutenant General Halevi and the Chief of the Defence Staff on 25 November.
In terms of the subject of discussions, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to him on 27 November 2024, to Question 16506.
Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when his Department received the report of the United Nations General Assembly Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories (A/79/363), and whether he had made an assessment of the potential implication for his policies of that report before his oral statement on the Middle East of 28 October 2024, Official Report, columns 545-547.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government has been clear since day one that International Humanitarian Law (IHL) must be upheld, and civilians protected. The UK supports Israel's right to self-defence, but it must do so in accordance with IHL. On his first day in office, the Foreign Secretary instigated a review of Israel's compliance with international law, and updated the House on 2 September 2024 on its conclusions and the actions the UK was taking in response. The death and destruction in Gaza is intolerable. Too many civilians have been killed and we need to prevent further bloodshed. What is urgently needed is an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages, the upholding of international law, protection of civilians including a rapid increase of aid into Gaza and a pathway to a two-state solution. The UK received the Report of the Special Committee upon its publication, alongside other UN Member States.
Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has granted any Special Mission Immunity certificates to any (a) visitor or (b) prospective visitor since 1 January 2024.
Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Government officials from any country can apply for and be granted special mission certificates as part of official visits to the UK. As set out in a Written Ministerial Statement by the former Foreign Secretary dated 4 March 2013, a special mission is a temporary mission, representing a State, which is sent by one State to another with the consent of the latter, in order to carry out official engagements on behalf of the sending State. Since 1 January 2024, the FCDO has given consent and issued certificates to two special mission status visits to the UK for the following officials and their delegations:
· Mr Benny Gantz, Minister of the State of Israel on 6 March, visiting the then Foreign Secretary.
· Lieutenant General Herzl Halevi, Chief of the General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces.
Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the decision by the International Criminal Court of 21 November 2024 to issue arrest warrants for (a) Benjamin Netanyahu and (b) Yoav Gallant, if the Government will (i) impose sanctions on (A) Benjamin Netanyahu, (B) Yoav Gallant and (C) other senior Israeli officials, (ii) end arms transfers to Israel and (iii) suspend the trade deal with Israel.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We respect the independence of the International Criminal Court (ICC) which is the primary international institution for investigating and prosecuting the most serious crimes of international concern. We will comply with our legal obligations. This government has been clear that Israel has a right to defend itself, in accordance with international law. There is no moral equivalence between Israel, a democracy, and Hamas and Lebanese Hizballah, which are terrorist organisations.
Since February 2024, the UK has announced three packages of settler violence-related sanctions, targeting those responsible for inciting and perpetrating human rights abuses against Palestinian communities in the West Bank under our Global Human Rights Sanctions regime. The UK Government does not speculate about future sanctions designations as to do so could reduce their impact. The UK considers targets guided by the objectives of the relevant sanctions regime and the evidence.
We continue to review export licences to Israel and assess, following the 2 September decision to suspend export licences for items for military operations in Gaza, that there are no extant licences that might be used to commit or facilitate a serious violation of International Humanitarian Law. This is subject to the specific measures set out before Parliament excluding exports to the global F-35 programme from the scope of the suspension. Israel is an important trading and bilateral partner for the UK and remains part of our trade negotiation programme. In parallel, the UK Government continues to use our range of diplomatic tools and bilateral dialogues with Israel to discuss issues of concern, including in relation to the Israel/Gaza conflict. The UK will maintain its long-standing foreign policy positions throughout the FTA negotiations, including with respect to settlements.
Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee Central)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he met the Chief of the General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces during his visit to the UK in November 2024.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
As part of the concerted UK effort, along with allies and partners, to reach a peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflicts in Lebanon and Gaza, the Chief of the Defence Staff hosted his counterparts from Israel and other international partners on Monday 25 November. The Secretary of State did not meet with Lieutenant General Halevi.
Discussions recognised Israel’s right to security, as well as including the UK calls for an immediate ceasefire in both Lebanon and Gaza, the need for greater humanitarian access into Gaza, the release of all hostages, and the requirement for all parties to comply with international humanitarian law.
We continue to work with international partners to encourage de-escalation and promote long-term peace and security in the Middle East.
Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee Central)
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 Report of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories, A/79/363, published on 20 September 2024.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We did not make an assessment of the Report of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories (A/79/363). However, the Government has been clear since day one that International Humanitarian Law (IHL) must be upheld, and civilians protected. The UK supports Israel's right to self-defence, but it must do so in accordance with IHL. The death and destruction in Gaza is intolerable. Too many civilians have been killed and we need to prevent further bloodshed. What is urgently needed is an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages, the upholding of international law, protection of civilians including a rapid increase of aid into Gaza and a pathway to a two-state solution.
Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee Central)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she take steps to increase Official Development Assistance above 0.5% of gross national income.
Answered by Darren Jones - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The government has set departmental budgets for 2024-25 and 2025-26 to enable the UK to spend 0.5% of GNI on ODA in calendar years 2024 and 2025. On current forecasts, this will mean spending £13.7bn on ODA in 2024. The government remains committed to restoring ODA spending to 0.7% of GNI as soon as fiscal circumstances allow. As set out at Budget, the OBR’s latest forecast shows that the ODA fiscal tests are not due to be met within the Parliament. The government will continue to monitor future forecasts closely, and each year will review and confirm whether a return to spending 0.7% GNI on ODA is possible against the latest fiscal forecast. These plans strike an appropriate balance between fiscal responsibility at home and our responsibility to support the most vulnerable, and ensure that the UK remains one of the most generous global donors of development assistance, using ODA resources to save lives whilst tackling key global challenges such as climate change, conflict, and epidemics.
Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee Central)
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 UK's obligation under Article 1 of the Genocide Convention to prevent genocide in Gaza.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK government's long-standing policy is that any formal determination of genocide should be based on the judgment of a competent national or international court. The Foreign Secretary spoke to his Israeli counterpart on 27 October, and reiterated that Israel must do much more to bring about an end to hostilities and get aid into Gaza. We have continued to use all diplomatic avenues to push for an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages, the upholding of international humanitarian law, protection of civilians including a rapid increase of aid into Gaza, respect for the UN mandate in Gaza and greater stability across the West Bank.
Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee Central)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department plans to allocate funding to support (a) refugees and (b) asylum seekers from budgets other than Official Development Assistance.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The UK reports ODA spending consistent with internationally agreed OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) rules, which includes certain basic support costs for refugees and asylum seekers. The Home Office uses non-ODA funding for all other costs not permitted by the DAC rules.