Asked by: Dan Tomlinson (Labour - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 9 September 2024 to Question 3369 on Iran: Political Prisoners, whether his Department has taken steps to hold Iran accountable following the executions of (a) Behrouz Ehsani, (b) Mehdi Hassani and (c) other people.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK opposes the death penalty in all circumstances as a matter of principle. We have repeatedly called on the Islamic Republic to establish a moratorium on executions, including through a Human Rights Ambassadors joint statement at the Human Rights Council in October 2024. The UK also helped deliver a resolution on the human rights situation in Iran at the UN Third Committee in November 2024. In January, the Foreign Secretary raised human rights directly with his Iranian counterpart. We will continue to raise human rights issues directly with the regime, including through our Ambassador in Tehran.
Asked by: Dan Tomlinson (Labour - Chipping Barnet)
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 continued funding for GAVI.
Answered by Anneliese Dodds - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is one of the largest donors to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, committing £1.65 billion from 2021-2025. This funding supports their mission to immunise 300 million children and save up to 8 million lives from vaccine-preventable diseases over this period. The UK is working with international partners to ensure sustainable resources for the upcoming global health replenishments. These are being considered together to ensure we are best placed to deliver for the global health challenges ahead. Funding decisions will be taken following the conclusion of the Spending Review in 2025.
Asked by: Dan Tomlinson (Labour - Chipping Barnet)
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 merits of providing £100 million to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative for the 2025-26 financial year.
Answered by Anneliese Dodds - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is a longstanding supporter of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), having contributed £1.4 billion since 1995. Flexible UK funding enables the GPEI to be responsive. UK funding was used to facilitate the two rounds of poliovirus vaccination campaigns recently completed in Gaza. The UK is working with international partners to ensure sustainable resources for upcoming global health replenishments. These are being considered together to ensure we are best placed to deliver for the global health challenges ahead. Funding decisions will be taken following the conclusion of the Spending Review in 2025.