Asked by: Colum Eastwood (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 3 October 2025 to Question 85934, if HMRC utilised or was given access to passenger name records as part of the Data Usage Agreement with the Home Office.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
HMRC did not directly access passenger name records held by the Home Office as part of its efforts to reduce Child Benefit non-compliance. The process involves HMRC sharing a data set with the Home Office, which includes the Child Benefit claimant’s name. Matches returned by the Home Office also include the Child Benefit claimant’s name. Both data sets were assessed and agreed for data minimisation purposes.
Asked by: Colum Eastwood (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to support Palestinian refugees in Lebanon.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK plays a leading role in responding to the humanitarian needs of vulnerable groups across Lebanon.
This year, the UK has provided £15.5 million in programming budget support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). UNRWA programming supports Palestinians in Lebanon, Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, and Syria. The UK's funding contributes to UNRWA's delivery of basic education, health, relief services, and humanitarian aid to Palestinians.
This financial year, the UK has also spent £33.5 million in humanitarian support focussed on Lebanon's most vulnerable and marginalised populations. This support includes a partnership with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), which supports 'Makani' community centres across Lebanon, including in 11 Palestinian camps and gatherings. These centres provide Early Childhood Education and Retention Support to 1,200 vulnerable Palestinian children.
Asked by: Colum Eastwood (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
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 statement of 14 November 2025 by the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon that Israel’s wall in southern Lebanon has crossed the Blue Line and made 4000sq metres of Lebanese territory inaccessible to Lebanese people.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is concerned by reports of escalating strikes by Israel on Lebanon, and of United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) peacekeepers being affected by Israeli military activity. All necessary measures must be taken to protect UNIFIL personnel and premises and allow them to fulfil their mandate.
The UK continues to call for the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and the Cessation of Hostilities agreement between Israel and Lebanese Hizballah. On my recent visit to Southern Lebanon, I repeated those calls, and reiterated the UK's support for Lebanon's plan to disarm non-state actors, including Lebanese Hizballah.
Asked by: Colum Eastwood (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
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 Department’s policies of the Israel Defense Forces statement that it fired at two UN peacemakers.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is concerned by reports of escalating strikes by Israel on Lebanon, and of United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) peacekeepers being affected by Israeli military activity. All necessary measures must be taken to protect UNIFIL personnel and premises and allow them to fulfil their mandate.
The UK continues to call for the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and the Cessation of Hostilities agreement between Israel and Lebanese Hizballah. On my recent visit to Southern Lebanon, I repeated those calls, and reiterated the UK's support for Lebanon's plan to disarm non-state actors, including Lebanese Hizballah.
Asked by: Colum Eastwood (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with her Israeli counterpart about the continued Israeli bombing in south Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is concerned by reports of escalating strikes by Israel on Lebanon, and of United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) peacekeepers being affected by Israeli military activity. All necessary measures must be taken to protect UNIFIL personnel and premises and allow them to fulfil their mandate.
The UK continues to call for the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and the Cessation of Hostilities agreement between Israel and Lebanese Hizballah. On my recent visit to Southern Lebanon, I repeated those calls, and reiterated the UK's support for Lebanon's plan to disarm non-state actors, including Lebanese Hizballah.
Asked by: Colum Eastwood (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment the government has made of how the parties have respected the November 2024 ceasefire in Lebanon.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is concerned by reports of escalating strikes by Israel on Lebanon, and of United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) peacekeepers being affected by Israeli military activity. All necessary measures must be taken to protect UNIFIL personnel and premises and allow them to fulfil their mandate.
The UK continues to call for the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and the Cessation of Hostilities agreement between Israel and Lebanese Hizballah. On my recent visit to Southern Lebanon, I repeated those calls, and reiterated the UK's support for Lebanon's plan to disarm non-state actors, including Lebanese Hizballah.
Asked by: Colum Eastwood (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with her Israeli counterpart about Israel’s occupation of parts of south Lebanon.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is concerned by reports of escalating strikes by Israel on Lebanon, and of United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) peacekeepers being affected by Israeli military activity. All necessary measures must be taken to protect UNIFIL personnel and premises and allow them to fulfil their mandate.
The UK continues to call for the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and the Cessation of Hostilities agreement between Israel and Lebanese Hizballah. On my recent visit to Southern Lebanon, I repeated those calls, and reiterated the UK's support for Lebanon's plan to disarm non-state actors, including Lebanese Hizballah.
Asked by: Colum Eastwood (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps the Government is taking to help ensure a ceasefire in Lebanon.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is concerned by reports of escalating strikes by Israel on Lebanon, and of United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) peacekeepers being affected by Israeli military activity. All necessary measures must be taken to protect UNIFIL personnel and premises and allow them to fulfil their mandate.
The UK continues to call for the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and the Cessation of Hostilities agreement between Israel and Lebanese Hizballah. On my recent visit to Southern Lebanon, I repeated those calls, and reiterated the UK's support for Lebanon's plan to disarm non-state actors, including Lebanese Hizballah.
Asked by: Colum Eastwood (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of Ministers travelling to settlements deemed illegal under international law.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office did not provide support. UK Government Ministers do not visit Israeli-run institutions in the West Bank.
Asked by: Colum Eastwood (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department provided support to Paul Givan MLA on his recent official visit to the Ofek school in Jerusalem.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office did not provide support. UK Government Ministers do not visit Israeli-run institutions in the West Bank.