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Written Question
Gaza: Civilians
Tuesday 28th November 2023

Asked by: Diana Johnson (Labour - Kingston upon Hull North)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what steps his Department is taking to help support relatives of UK citizens to leave Gaza.

Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

he safety of all British nationals and their immediate family members (spouse/partner and children under 18, if the British national is a child under 18 then their parents and siblings under 18) continues to be our utmost priority. We are doing everything we can to support them in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. We are working closely with Israeli counterparts and international partners, as well as signposting British nationals and their dependents to our travel advice, online pages for advice: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/support-for-british-nationals-abroad and www.gov.uk/apply-to-come-to-the-uk. Over 200 British nationals and their dependents have crossed into Egypt, with onward support to Cairo, and we are continuing to offer support to those that are yet to cross. The Prime Minister has also met, in the UK and Israel, several families of those believed to have been taken hostage.


Written Question
Saudi Arabia: Detainees
Thursday 20th July 2023

Asked by: Diana Johnson (Labour - Kingston upon Hull North)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent representations he has made to his counterparts in Saudi Arabia on the cases of (a) Manahel al-Otaibi, (b) Salma al-Shehad and (c) Fatima al-Shawarbi.

Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Saudi Arabia remains a Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office human rights priority country, in part due to continued restrictions on freedom of expression. We regularly raise these issues with the Saudi authorities, including through Ministers. The Minister of State for the Middle East and Human Rights, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, raised freedom of expression, including individual cases of concern, with the President of the Saudi Human Rights Commission as recently as 5 July. We continue to monitor all three cases.


Written Question
Saudi Arabia: Women's Rights
Thursday 20th July 2023

Asked by: Diana Johnson (Labour - Kingston upon Hull North)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his counterparts in Saudi Arabia on the male guardianship system in that country.

Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We continue to monitor developments relating to gender equality in Saudi Arabia. We welcome the 2022 Personal Status Law, improving the rights of women on a range of issues, including marriage, divorce and custody rights. Regardless, no aspect of our relationship with Saudi Arabia prevents us from speaking frankly about human rights, including matters concerning gender equality. We regularly discuss women's rights with Saudi authorities including through Ministers.


Written Question
Overseas Students: Women
Thursday 20th July 2023

Asked by: Diana Johnson (Labour - Kingston upon Hull North)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many scholarships his Department has given to enable study in the UK to women from (a) Afghanistan, (b) Bahrain and (c) Saudi Arabia in the last year.

Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)

The FCDO continues to support higher education for Afghans, offering Afghan candidates resident outside of Afghanistan the opportunity to apply for a Chevening scholarship.

Under the Chevening Scholarship programme, seven Afghan women studied in the UK during the academic year 2022/23 (out of a total cohort of 19). Scholarships have been offered to 13 Afghan women (out of a total cohort of 24) for 2023/24.

Chevening does not offer awards for citizens of Saudi Arabia or Bahrain.


Written Question
Pakistan: Poverty
Tuesday 23rd May 2023

Asked by: Diana Johnson (Labour - Kingston upon Hull North)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps is his Department taking to help alleviate poverty in Balochistan.

Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

Since 2014 the UK has provided support to the most vulnerable people in Pakistan affected by conflict, including in Balochistan, through the Multi-Year Humanitarian Programme. The £120 million programme covers both immediate relief and early recovery interventions for shelter, food and non-food items, water and sanitation, and livelihood and protection needs.


Written Question
Pakistan: Human Rights
Tuesday 23rd May 2023

Asked by: Diana Johnson (Labour - Kingston upon Hull North)

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 Pakistani counterparts on (a) allegations of continuing serious human rights violations committed by the security forces and other armed actors and (b) impunity for those violations in the province of Balochistan in Pakistan.

Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

We regularly discuss the security situation and human rights in Pakistan at a senior level with the relevant Pakistani authorities. On 30 January, Minister of State for South Asia, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, discussed Pakistan's human rights situation with Minister for Human Rights Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada. In June 2022, the British High Commissioner to Pakistan discussed the issue of enforced disappearances in Balochistan with Minister Pirzada. Where there are credible allegations of human rights violations, we expect these to be fully investigated in line with due process.


Written Question
Pakistan: Human Rights and Security
Tuesday 23rd May 2023

Asked by: Diana Johnson (Labour - Kingston upon Hull North)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the (a) security and (b) human rights situation in the province of Balochistan in Pakistan.

Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

We regularly discuss the security situation and human rights in Pakistan at a senior level with the relevant Pakistani authorities. On 30 January, Minister of State for South Asia, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, discussed Pakistan's human rights situation with Minister for Human Rights Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada. In June 2022, the British High Commissioner to Pakistan discussed the issue of enforced disappearances in Balochistan with Minister Pirzada. Where there are credible allegations of human rights violations, we expect these to be fully investigated in line with due process.


Written Question
Israel: Palestinians
Friday 22nd July 2022

Asked by: Diana Johnson (Labour - Kingston upon Hull North)

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 impact of the blockade of Gaza on children’s ability to access vital health and education services in that country.

Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

We are aware of Save the Children's report into the wellbeing of Gazan children. The UK continues to urge the parties to prioritise progress towards reaching a durable solution for Gaza and to take the necessary practical steps to ensure Gaza's reconstruction and economic recovery. We repeatedly call on Israel to abide by its obligations under international law and have a regular dialogue on legal issues relating to the occupation, including the treatment of Palestinian children. In 2021, the UK provided £2 million to United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund to help them provide child-sensitive grants to vulnerable households in Gaza reaching 4,311 boys and girls. This support enabled families to meet the essential needs of their children, with the majority of the support spent on food, education, and healthcare. Through our annual support to United Nations Relief and Works Agency, the UK supports their Mental Health and Psychosocial Support interventions, especially for children, which included summer school activities targeting 98,595 children (52,236 girls and 46,359 boys) in Gaza in 2021.


Written Question
Gaza: Mental Health
Friday 22nd July 2022

Asked by: Diana Johnson (Labour - Kingston upon Hull North)

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 policies of Save the Children’s report entitled Trapped: The impact of 15 years of blockade on the mental health of Gaza’s children, published 15th June 2022.

Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

We are aware of Save the Children's report into the wellbeing of Gazan children. The UK continues to urge the parties to prioritise progress towards reaching a durable solution for Gaza and to take the necessary practical steps to ensure Gaza's reconstruction and economic recovery. We repeatedly call on Israel to abide by its obligations under international law and have a regular dialogue on legal issues relating to the occupation, including the treatment of Palestinian children. In 2021, the UK provided £2 million to United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund to help them provide child-sensitive grants to vulnerable households in Gaza reaching 4,311 boys and girls. This support enabled families to meet the essential needs of their children, with the majority of the support spent on food, education, and healthcare. Through our annual support to United Nations Relief and Works Agency, the UK supports their Mental Health and Psychosocial Support interventions, especially for children, which included summer school activities targeting 98,595 children (52,236 girls and 46,359 boys) in Gaza in 2021.


Written Question
Israel: Palestinians
Friday 22nd July 2022

Asked by: Diana Johnson (Labour - Kingston upon Hull North)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has made representations to her Israeli counterpart on steps toward lifting the 15-year blockade of Gaza.

Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

The UK continues to urge the parties to prioritise progress towards reaching a durable solution for Gaza and to take the necessary practical steps to ensure Gaza's reconstruction and economic recovery. We repeatedly call on Israel to abide by its obligations under international law and have a regular dialogue on legal issues relating to the occupation, including the treatment of Palestinian children.