Asked by: Gill Furniss (Labour - Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough)
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 effect of the reduction of overseas aid spending from 0.7% to 0.5% of gross national income on the UK’s humanitarian work in Yemen.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The UK is committed to delivering our £200 million aid pledge to Yemen this financial year (2020/21) and we will have disbursed 87 per cent of this funding by the end of November. Our funding aims to support at least 600,000 vulnerable people each month to help buy food this financial year (2020/21) and treat 55,000 children for malnutrition.
The funding for next financial year (2021/22) will enable the UK to deliver humanitarian support in current and emerging crises, such as in Yemen, and to tackle the combined threats of coronavirus and famine.
Country specific financial allocations for the new financial year (2021/22) will be taken in due course.
Asked by: Gill Furniss (Labour - Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Saudi Arabian counterpart on the airstrikes in Washah in Yemen; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
We are deeply concerned by reports of civilian deaths in Washah. Whenever the UK receives reports of alleged violations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL), we routinely seek information from all credible sources, including from Non-Governmental Organisations and international organisations. We use every opportunity to raise the importance of complying with IHL with the Saudi Arabian Government and other members of the Coalition, including requesting investigations into alleged incidents of concern. The UK continues to call on all parties to the conflict in Yemen to exercise restraint, comply fully with IHL and engage constructively with the peace process led by the UN Special Envoy, which is the only way to end the cycle of violence.
Asked by: Gill Furniss (Labour - Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough)
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 effect of the recent alleged downing of a US-operated AeroVironment RQ-20 Puma drone by Houthi rebels in Yemen on (a) the Yemeni civil war and (b) relations between Iran and the West.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
We are aware of reports that the Houthis recently downed a US drone, but we have seen no evidence to corroborate these reports. We are clear that continued Houthi violence only makes a peaceful resolution to the Yemeni civil war less likely. We continue to urge all parties to de-escalate, participate in positive dialogue and engage with the peace process led by UN Special Envoy, Martin Griffiths.
We are also deeply concerned by the findings of the UN Panel of Experts on Yemen that military equipment of Iranian origin was introduced into Yemen after the imposition of the targeted arms embargo. This puts Iran in non-compliance with Security Council Resolution 2216 (2015) and reaffirms our concerns about destabilising Iranian activity in Yemen and the wider region. We have raised these concerns with the Iranian Government.
Asked by: Gill Furniss (Labour - Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to his Department's press release entitled, UK warns of catastrophic environmental threat from hazardous Yemeni oil tanker, what diplomatic steps he is taking to tackle the (a) humanitarian, (b) environmental and (c) economic threat posed by a potential an oil spill from the FSO Safer oil tanker in the Red Sea.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The FSO SAFER oil tanker is an environmental disaster waiting to happen. Unless UN experts are allowed to access it, we are facing a catastrophic environmental threat. The Houthis cannot continue to hold the environment and people's livelihoods to ransom. It is in everyone's interests, especially the suffering people of Yemen, that this tanker is made safe immediately. In support of UN efforts, we have raised this directly with the Houthis and with other leaders to try avert an avoidable crisis. We are also working with the UN and other donors to ensure there is sufficient funding and that contingency plans are in place should a spill occur in the interim.
Asked by: Gill Furniss (Labour - Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the level of risk to Yemen of the covid-19 pandemic.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
Modelling funded by the Department for International Development predicts that Yemen could suffer up to 85,000 COVID-19 deaths in a worst case scenario. In response, the UK is disbursing its £160 million commitment to Yemen promptly this financial year to help the UN to tackle the spread of COVID-19. We expect our funding to provide over 700,000 medical consultations for a range of health conditions, train 1,500 healthcare workers to work safely in a COVID-19 environment and provide a much-needed boost to nearly 600 health centres to continue providing existing health services.
Asked by: Gill Furniss (Labour - Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions his Department has had with the UN and regional partners in Yemen with the aim of a repatriation flight for British nationals in Yemen who wish to return to the UK.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) suspended its operations in Yemen in 2015. Since then our ability to offer consular assistance to British nationals in Yemen has been extremely limited. Since March 2011, the FCO has consistently advised against all travel to all parts of Yemen, and advised British nationals to leave the country. However, where possible, the FCO remains committed to doing what it can for those British nationals who remain in Yemen. Our consular team continues to work around the clock to provide support, advice and information. British travellers needing to speak to a consular officer should call the FCO in London on +44(0)20 7008 1500.
In light of the challenges following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, and subsequent restrictions put in place by the authorities in Yemen, FCO officials have been in contact with 29 British nationals who have expressed a wish to return to the UK since the start of the outbreak. These British nationals are spread across Yemen, but most are located in Aden and Seiyun. Officials have worked with the UN and regional partners to arrange departures to neighbouring countries, from where onward flights to the UK have then been secured. To date, seven British nationals have successfully left Yemen.
Asked by: Gill Furniss (Labour - Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when his Department first became aware of British nationals in Yemen who wished to return to the UK during the covid-19 pandemic; and where in Yemen those British nationals are.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) suspended its operations in Yemen in 2015. Since then our ability to offer consular assistance to British nationals in Yemen has been extremely limited. Since March 2011, the FCO has consistently advised against all travel to all parts of Yemen, and advised British nationals to leave the country. However, where possible, the FCO remains committed to doing what it can for those British nationals who remain in Yemen. Our consular team continues to work around the clock to provide support, advice and information. British travellers needing to speak to a consular officer should call the FCO in London on +44(0)20 7008 1500.
In light of the challenges following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, and subsequent restrictions put in place by the authorities in Yemen, FCO officials have been in contact with 29 British nationals who have expressed a wish to return to the UK since the start of the outbreak. These British nationals are spread across Yemen, but most are located in Aden and Seiyun. Officials have worked with the UN and regional partners to arrange departures to neighbouring countries, from where onward flights to the UK have then been secured. To date, seven British nationals have successfully left Yemen.
Asked by: Gill Furniss (Labour - Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent steps he has taken to provide repatriation flights for UK citizens in Yemen.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) suspended its operations in Yemen in 2015. Since then our ability to offer consular assistance to British nationals in Yemen has been extremely limited. Since March 2011, the FCO has consistently advised against all travel to all parts of Yemen, and advised British nationals to leave the country. However, where possible, the FCO remains committed to doing what it can for those British nationals who remain in Yemen.
In light of the challenges following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, and subsequent restrictions put in place by the authorities in Yemen, FCO officials have been in contact with 27 British nationals who have expressed a wish to return to the UK. Officials have worked with the UN and regional partners to arrange departures to neighbouring countries, from where onward flights to the UK have then been secured. To date, six British nationals have successfully left Yemen.
Asked by: Gill Furniss (Labour - Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, when she plans to publish the LGBT Action Plan: Annual progress report for 2019-2020.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
Due to the response to the COVID-19 outbreak our work in this area has been delayed. The Government will provide an update and next steps in due course.
Asked by: Gill Furniss (Labour - Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he is taking steps in the UN Security Council to secure sustainable arrangements for emergency flights into Yemen’s main airports; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The UK is concerned at continued access restrictions within Yemen, including the closure of Sana'a airport. We are pressing the authorities to facilitate better access through ports and airports to ensure Covid experts and humanitarian personnel and supplies are able to enter Yemen, alongside food and fuel. This will be imperative to facilitate an effective international Covid-19 response. We support the UN Special Envoy's efforts to find a lasting solution to the airport issue with the parties.