Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what (a) steps her Department plans to take and (b) investment her Department has committed in relation to helping to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals on neglected tropical diseases.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The UK has made a substantial contribution to global progress on neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) and will continue to fund multilateral organisations which contribute to global progress on NTDs, such as the World Health Organisation. Our investments will continue to support countries, including those affected by NTDs, to strengthen their health systems to deliver essential health services. We will also continue to invest in research and innovation in new drugs and diagnostics through world-leading Product Development Partnerships (public private partnerships that are highly successful in developing health technologies) and other research organisations. This will include research on NTDs and other diseases.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will provide details of what items in respect of the Northern Ireland Protocol have been discussed in technical meetings between representatives of the Government and EU since October 2021.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The Foreign Secretary, as UK Co-chair of the Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee, and her predecessor Lord Frost met their EU counterpart, Vice President Maroš Šefčovič on 26 occasions since September 2021 to discuss the Northern Ireland Protocol. This also includes one meeting of the Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee on 21 February 2022. These discussions were supported by approximately 300 hours of negotiations over 6 months by UK and EU officials, covering sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS), customs, VAT and excise, goods, subsidy control, medicines, and governance.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many technical meetings representatives of the Government have attended with the EU on the Northern Ireland Protocol since October 2021.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The Foreign Secretary, as UK Co-chair of the Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee, and her predecessor Lord Frost met their EU counterpart, Vice President Maroš Šefčovič on 26 occasions since September 2021 to discuss the Northern Ireland Protocol. This also includes one meeting of the Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee on 21 February 2022. These discussions were supported by approximately 300 hours of negotiations over 6 months by UK and EU officials, covering sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS), customs, VAT and excise, goods, subsidy control, medicines, and governance.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the (a) fatal shooting of Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh in the West Bank and (b) attack on pallbearers as they carried her coffin; and what steps the Government is taking in response to these events.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
On 11 May, I publicly expressed my sadness upon hearing news of the tragic death of veteran Palestinian Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Aqleh, and called for a thorough investigation. The Foreign Secretary also made this clear in a statement on 12 May. We were also deeply disturbed by the scenes in Jerusalem at her funeral. Her death was a tragedy and those mourning must be treated with respect and dignity. We call for urgent steps to de-escalate tensions and for restraint in the use of force. The UK Ambassador to Israel has reiterated the importance of an investigation with the Israeli authorities. The safety of journalists across the globe is vital and they must be protected when carrying out their critical work.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of resetting the UK's official overseas aid budget at pre-covid-19 levels.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The difficult decision to temporarily reduce Official Development Assistance spend from 0.7% of Gross National Income to 0.5%, was a necessary response to the economic impacts of the COVID19 pandemic. The UK economy faced the worst economic contraction in over 300 years. In 2020-21 our borrowing was the highest it has been outside of wartime. We will return to 0.7% when the UK's fiscal situation allows; when on a sustainable basis we are not borrowing to support day-to-day spending and when underlying debt is falling.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she had with the US administration on Saudi Arabia’s combat actions in Yemen.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
UK Ministers and officials have regular dialogue with the US administration on Yemen, including during monthly briefings at the UN Security Council, to encourage progress towards a political solution to the conflict. On 26 January, I [Minister Cleverly] discussed the recent military escalation and our ongoing support for UN-led peace efforts with US Special Envoy Tim Lenderking.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment her Department has made of the humanitarian situation in Yemen.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The humanitarian situation in Yemen remains dire, with deteriorating food security, an economic crisis and increased levels of displaced people. The UK is spending £87 million in aid in Yemen this financial year, which feeds around 240,000 of the most vulnerable Yemenis every month, supports 400 healthcare clinics and provides clean water for 1.6 million people. A negotiated political settlement is the only way to bring long-term stability to Yemen and end the humanitarian suffering.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions her Department has had with its Saudi counterparts on the recent airstrikes in Yemen.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The UK raises regularly the importance of protecting civilians and complying with International Humanitarian Law with members of the Saudi-led Coalition. Most recently, I discussed the escalating violence in Yemen and its impact on civilians with the Saudi Ambassador to Yemen on 26 January. We urge all parties to exercise restraint and avoid further civilian casualties and suffering.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether arms sales granted an export licence by the Government have been used by Saudi Arabia and their coalition partners in recent bombings which have resulted in civilian casualties in Yemen.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
We are looking into recent reports of the impact of airstrikes on civilians in Yemen. We urge all parties to the Yemen conflict to exercise restraint and avoid further civilian impact and suffering. The Government takes its strategic export control responsibilities very seriously. The Government will not grant an export licence if to do so would be inconsistent with the Strategic Export Licensing Criteria, including respect for human rights and international humanitarian law. All licences are kept under careful and continual review as standard.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the findings of the independent Uyghur Tribunal announced on 9 December 2021; and what steps she plans to take in response to those findings.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
We have followed the Uyghur Tribunal's work closely, and will study its conclusions carefully. We welcome the Tribunal's contribution to building international awareness and understanding of the human rights violations occurring in Xinjiang. The UK has led international efforts to hold China to account at the UN, imposed sanctions on senior Chinese government officials, and announced measures to help ensure no UK organisations are complicit in these violations through their supply chains. We will continue to work with international partners to increase the pressure on China to change its behaviour.