Oral Answers to Questions

Hamish Falconer Excerpts

Tuesday 24th June 2025 Commons Chamber

[Laura Kyrke-Smith (Aylesbury) (Lab)]

19. What steps he is taking to help ensure that humanitarian aid is delivered to Gaza.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs (Mr Hamish Falconer)]

Israel must immediately allow rapid and unhindered aid into Gaza. The Foreign Secretary raised the humanitarian situation with Israeli Foreign Minister Sa’ar on Sunday. We recently announced £4 million of further UK humanitarian support for Gazans, and we will continue to urge Israel to lift restrictions on humanitarian aid to allow the UN and other aid organisations to operate safely and independently.

[Dr Opher]

This morning I heard from my medical colleague, Dr Rebecca Inglis, of Healthcare Workers Watch, that a GP in Gaza was killed by Israeli soldiers—shot in the head, Mr Speaker. He is just one of 1,200 healthcare workers who have been murdered by Israeli forces. Countless others have been unlawfully detained and tortured. Israel is deliberately destroying the Palestinian healthcare system. Will the Minister please raise these issues with his Israeli counterpart?

[Mr Falconer]

I can confirm that I have raised these issues with my Israeli counterpart. It is appalling that hundreds of healthcare workers have reportedly been killed since the start of the conflict. We continue to urge the Israeli authorities to ensure that incidents are investigated transparently and that those responsible are held to account and lessons learned. Healthcare workers, premises and facilities must be protected, allowing medical staff to do their work.

[Gill Furniss]

More than 450 Palestinians have been killed in recent weeks as Israeli forces have opened fire on those attempting to collect aid from the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. The people of Gaza not only face daily risks from bombs and bullets, but the ever-present danger of man-made drought and famine. Will the Government commit to using all resources at their disposal, including further sanctions and an arms embargo to ensure that aid is delivered to Gaza under the auspices of the UN and other suitably qualified bodies?

[Mr Falconer]

The killing of civilians at aid distribution centres in Gaza is horrifying. Israel must fulfil its obligations under international law to ensure unhindered humanitarian assistance. I will not speculate about future sanctions or arms embargoes, but we continue to engage with our partners and will not hesitate to take further action if the Government of Israel do not change course.

[Laura Kyrke-Smith]

Mussa Abu Darabi is just one of hundreds of Palestinians who have been killed trying to access food from the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation in recent weeks. Fifteen international human rights organisations have now warned that the GHF may face legal consequences for

“aiding and abetting, or otherwise being complicit, in crimes under international law, including war crimes, crimes against humanity, or genocide.”

Will the Minister join me in condemning the murder of desperate and starving people? What assessment does he make of the GHF’s legality?

[Mr Falconer]

No one should risk death or injury to feed their family. As I said in this House on 4 June, Israel’s aid delivery measures are inhumane. We will not support any mechanism that endangers civilians. We have continually called on Israel, including most recently on Sunday, immediately to allow the UN and aid partners to safely deliver all types of aid at scale.

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

On three occasions in answering this question the Minister has said that “Israel must”. What will he do if Israel does not?

[Mr Falconer]

As the right hon. Gentleman knows, this Government have taken a series of actions in response to developments in Gaza. We will continue to take such actions until the situation changes.

[Alex Easton (North Down) (Ind)]

What is the Government’s assessment of how effectively medical aid can be delivered to those in need in Gaza, including the remaining Israeli hostages?

[Mr Falconer]

Aid can be delivered effectively into Gaza. There are established mechanisms through the United Nations and its partners, and we want to see those mechanisms in place. The hon. Gentleman raises the vital question of ensuring that the hostages themselves get sufficient access to food. Both my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and I have heard directly from Eli Sharabi, a released hostage, who has talked about Hamas’s deprivation of food from the hostages. That must stop, and they must immediately release all hostages.

[Wera Hobhouse (Bath) (LD)]

My constituents have watched in horror as Israeli forces have reportedly killed more than 400 Palestinians and injured thousands more at aid distribution centres in Gaza. Over the weekend, dozens more Palestinians were killed while trying to access humanitarian aid. Why are the Government still permitting the transfer of F-35 components to Israel through the international pool, knowing that these aircrafts may be used in operations causing mass civilian casualties?

[Mr Falconer]

We have set out the reasons why the Government have had to take special measures to ensure that the F-35 programme continued to operate, which includes our continued role in the global spares pool in the United States. However, I agree with the sentiments of the hon. Lady’s constituents; the deaths around aid distribution centres are clearly horrifying, and there needs to be a full investigation and action taken. Vitally, aid must get into Gaza at the scale required and from enough distribution centres in order to avoid the horrifying scenes that we have seen.

[Mr Speaker]

I call the Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee.

[Emily Thornberry (Islington South and Finsbury) (Lab)]

We must not forget Gaza. Despite the eyes of the world now being turned to the Iran-Israel war, it is important that we continue to remember the suffering of the Gazans and continue to move on it. As a witness from Médecins Sans Frontières said to my Committee, there is “lethal chaos” in Gaza. There is one read-across from the Iran-Israel war that I think we should learn from: the clear closeness between Israel and America, and the fact that America can influence Israel. I ask the Minister to ensure that we continue to say in our conversations with the Americans not to give up on Gaza, and to use their influence to ensure that the Israelis do the right thing. There must be peace and the hostages must come home.

[Mr Falconer]

This Government will not give up on Gaza. I can confirm that the Foreign Secretary has raised Gaza in his engagements with the US. I have not forgotten about Gaza, and was speaking to Palestinian counterparts just last night. The situation in Gaza will remain a top priority for this Government.

[Mark Pritchard (The Wrekin) (Con)]

Israel dealing with Hamas and Hezbollah is to be welcomed, but the continuing blockage on medical and humanitarian aid going into Gaza is not welcome. As we continue to talk, children continue to die. I hope that the Foreign Secretary will make it very clear that the continuation of children dying every single day is unacceptable, and that he will stand up to the White House, the State Department and the Pentagon and to the Knesset and the current Israeli Government of Netanyahu. These deaths are just going on and on and on. How many more children need to die before something changes?

[Mr Falconer]

As I have said, the Foreign Secretary has raised these issues with both his American and Israeli counterparts, and I have done the same. We remain steely in our focus on the situation in Gaza, including the tragic scenes around the deprivation of aid and the impact that is having on civilians right across the strip, including children. We are trying to take every measure we can to reduce that suffering. That includes aid where it can be brought in; aid into the region, where that is the most appropriate way to reach the medically vulnerable; and in a few small cases ensuring that Gazan children can access medical assistance here.

[Mr Speaker]

I call the shadow Secretary of State.

[Priti Patel (Witham) (Con)]

The humanitarian situation in Gaza simply cannot continue. We have spent a lot of time in this House discussing the extent of that situation and the fact that food and essential supplies are not getting through to support innocent victims. What proposals has the Minister put to Israel about the opening of specific crossing points for aid delivery into Gaza? Will he give his assessment of why the Israeli Government may not be listening to this country and our Government on this particular issue?

[Mr Falconer]

The disagreement that the Israeli Government have is not simply with the British Government; it is with a wide range of their partners. As the right hon. Lady is aware, we signed a statement with 26 partners about the humanitarian situation. We made a leader-level statement with France and Canada. There is wide disagreement with the approach that the Israeli Government are taking in relation to aid distribution. At the weekend, the Foreign Secretary discussed these matters, including entry points, with the Foreign Minister of Israel. We would like to see the Israeli Government shift position. It is clear, for the reasons that she says, that that shift must come urgently.

[Mr Speaker]

I call the Liberal Democrat spokesperson.

[Mr Falconer]

The hon. Gentleman shares with the House a heartbreaking story. I know that it is one of thousands of such stories about lives lost in Gaza. The situation is intolerable, and we will continue to take further action. As I have said, my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary raised this matter with the Foreign Minister on Sunday. Clearly, there have been significant developments in the middle east since 10 June. This is now the time for Israel to implement a ceasefire and to allow aid in; for Hamas to release hostages; and for us to try to draw a line under the horrifying suffering of Mohammed and many others like him.

[Edward Morello (West Dorset) (LD)]

2. What recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the UK’s involvement in the Security Action for Europe initiative.

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[Brian Leishman (Alloa and Grangemouth) (Lab)]

7. What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the Government’s policy on arms trade with Israel.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs (Mr Hamish Falconer)]

The UK operates one of the most robust export control regimes in the world. One of our first acts in government was to review and suspend export licences that could be used by the Israel Defence Forces in Gaza. We have successfully implemented that suspension and have continued to refuse relevant licence applications. All export licences are kept under careful and continual review, and we can suspend, refuse or revoke licences as required.

[Brian Leishman]

The war criminals of Benjamin Netanyahu’s Government are carrying out the most vile human rights abuse and genocide. At the same time, the UK carries out the training of Israeli military personnel and facilitates almost daily spy flights that provide intelligence, and there is continued exporting of military equipment to Israel. With all that, will the Government support an independent public inquiry into UK involvement in Israeli military operations in Gaza?

[Mr Falconer]

It is important to be focused on the facts at issue. We do not support spy flights; we have a limited presence to try and find hostages in Gaza, for reasons that the whole House would understand and support. There are fewer than 10 IDF personnel receiving any training in the UK, and that training is academic and non-military in nature. We are not arming Israel’s war in Gaza. We categorically do not export any bombs or ammunition for use in military operations in Gaza.

My hon. Friend asks about an independent inquiry. The Government welcome scrutiny and I welcome my time in this Chamber. On the questions at issue on arms sales, including on the F-35 programme, there is a judicial review on which we will hear findings shortly. There is plenty of scrutiny of this Government.

[Andrew George (St Ives) (LD)]

Will the Government let us know what assessment they have made of Israel’s stockpile of nuclear weapons?

[Mr Falconer]

The hon. Gentleman will understand why I will not comment on those issues from the Dispatch Box.

[Brian Mathew (Melksham and Devizes) (LD)]

8. What assessment he has made of the contribution of water, sanitation and hygiene projects to achieving the Government’s international development objectives.

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[Lewis Atkinson (Sunderland Central) (Lab)]

12. What steps his Department is taking to provide assistance to British nationals impacted by conflict in the middle east.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs (Mr Hamish Falconer)]

The safety of British nationals is our first priority. We are providing support and advice to more than 1,000 British nationals as they seek to leave the region by land and air. We have deployed teams to Israel, Cyprus, Egypt and Jordan. Our embassy in Tehran has been temporarily withdrawn but continues to provide support to British nationals in Iran remotely. We have bolstered teams in neighbouring countries to support British nationals seeking to get to safety. When Israeli airspace opened yesterday, we ran our first RAF evacuation flight, and I can confirm to the House now that we will fly another today.

[Lewis Atkinson]

British nationals in Israel, including the daughter of my constituents, remain concerned about their safety. The advice has been for British citizens to make their way to Egypt via the border, but there have been some reports that the Israeli Government have suggested those journeys would be unsafe. Can the Minister clarify the advice to British citizens in that situation?

[Mr Falconer]

Travel advice is the best source of advice for British nationals in Israel. There are options for leaving by land, as my hon. Friend’s constituents are aware. There are now options for leaving by air as well, but, as he and the whole House will understand, the flow of flights out of Israel remains limited. British nationals in Israel will want to make their own judgments about whether they want to wait for a flight or make a land journey, and my officials are available to advise every constituent on the options before them.

[Josh Babarinde (Eastbourne) (LD)]

Two of my constituents are currently in Tehran, but they say that fuel shortages, long queues and poor internet access, as well as closed airspace, have made it almost impossible for them to leave Iran. They urgently need clear guidance, they need a way to formally register their presence, and they need consular support, which they are struggling to access. Will the Minister urgently meet me to ensure that my constituents get the assistance they need from the Government to come home safely to Eastbourne?

[Mr Falconer]

I am, of course, very happy to meet the hon. Gentleman. The whole House knows that we have advised against all travel to Iran for some time, and we have been clear that our ability to provide consular assistance in Iran is very limited for those reasons, particularly given the temporary withdrawal of our embassy. We would encourage those in Iran to be in touch with the Foreign Office, and we will provide what advice and support we can.

[John Milne (Horsham) (LD)]

13. What assessment he has made of the potential merits of recognising the state of Palestine.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs (Mr Hamish Falconer)]

We are committed to recognising a Palestinian state at a time that has the most impact and is most conducive to long-term prospects for peace. UK bilateral recognition is the single most important action we can take towards Palestinian statehood, which is why it is important to get the timing right, so that it creates genuine momentum and is not simply a symbolic gesture.

[John Milne]

What is happening in Gaza is hard enough to watch, but if we are to prevent the west bank from going the same way in a few years’ time, we must act today. Does the Minister agree that recognising the principle of a Palestinian state, without making any judgment for the moment on its borders, is the strongest and most effective way to reaffirm the UK’s long-standing commitment to a two-state solution, while there is still territory left to form it with?

[Mr Falconer]

The hon. Gentleman makes important points about the situation in the west bank—points that we have discussed in this Chamber before. We have condemned the violence and the expansion of illegal settlements in the west bank. There are a range of issues on which we profoundly disagree with the Israeli Government in relation to their approach to the west bank, and we will continue to raise those issues with force. I refer him to my previous answer about recognition.

[Debbie Abrahams (Oldham East and Saddleworth) (Lab)]

Can my hon. Friend update me on the conference that was due to be held at the weekend but was postponed following the bombing of Iran by Israel, at which the potential for recognition was to be discussed?

[Mr Falconer]

I think my hon. Friend refers to the two-state solution conference that was due to take place in New York last week. It has been suspended for understandable reasons, given events in the region, by its French and Saudi co-hosts. We expect that it will be rearranged, and I have been in conversation with my Saudi colleagues about when that might be.

[Ms Stella Creasy (Walthamstow) (Lab/Co-op)]

15. What recent progress he has made on securing the release of Alaa Abd el-Fattah.

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[Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North) (Ind)]

16. Whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of supporting Pious Projects’ paediatric hospital in Gaza.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs (Mr Hamish Falconer)]

We are clear that Israel must immediately allow rapid and unhindered aid into Gaza, including desperately needed medical supplies. The UK continues to support the delivery of medical assistance through trusted partners, including UK-Med, which has completed over 500,000 patient consultations in Gaza since January 2024. We will continue to assess how we can best support those in need.

[Jeremy Corbyn]

The Foreign Secretary will understand my question, because I wrote to him on 18 June asking if he would meet Dr Mohammed Mustafa, who has assembled a children’s hospital in prefabricated form in Jordan and is ready to go into Gaza. It will be able to help the 400,000 children in northern Gaza who have no access to any medical facilities at all at the moment. This is desperately urgent. Will the Minister meet Dr Mustafa to familiarise himself with the opportunity here of doing something practical and good to help desperate children in northern Gaza?

[Mr Falconer]

I thank the right hon. Gentleman for his continued engagement on these questions. We have discussed across the Dispatch Box many times the restrictions on aid getting into Gaza, including in relation to construction materials. I am very happy to take a further look at this specific proposal and see if there is anything that we can do.

[Marsha De Cordova (Battersea) (Lab)]

The al-Ahli hospital in Gaza, which is run by the Anglican church in Jerusalem, has repeatedly been bombed. Earlier this month the hospital compound was hit, killing five people, including a father escorting his son to surgery. The Minister has spoken much about the need for aid to get in, but will he set out what concrete action he is going to take now? Saying that Israel must do something does not mean that it is going to act, so what action he is going to take to ensure that the attacks on hospitals, medics and patients ends?

[Mr Falconer]

I want nothing more than for the attacks on hospitals, medical personnel and aid workers to end. My hon. Friend is right that I have said many times from this Dispatch Box that I want that to be the case, yet these strikes have continued. We continue to raise these issues with the Israeli Government. We have taken a series of actions, many of which we have discussed already over the course of this morning, and we will continue to take action until things change. Until things change, this Government will not be satisfied.

[Daniel Francis (Bexleyheath and Crayford) (Lab)]

T1. If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities.

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[Vikki Slade (Mid Dorset and North Poole) (LD)]

T2. The UN children in conflict report showed that violence against children increased by 25% last year, and that does not even include what is going on this year. The Israeli Government are listed as the most prolific perpetrator of grave violations against children for the second year running, making Gaza the most dangerous place on earth to be a child. What specific steps is the Foreign Secretary taking to protect children in conflict in Gaza and elsewhere, such as in Somalia and Haiti?

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs (Mr Hamish Falconer)]

The hon. Lady raises vital questions about the status of children in Gaza. In response to one of her colleagues, I set out some of the measures that we have taken already. Clearly, children in Gaza, like all civilians there, are under the most enormous pressure at the moment, and aid getting in is a vital next step. Where children from Gaza are outside the region, in particular in Egypt and Jordan, we have provided support to them there. In a very limited set of cases where specialist medical attention is possible only from the UK, we have brought children from Gaza to the UK.

[Catherine Fookes (Monmouthshire) (Lab)]

T5. Almost daily we hear reports of Israeli forces opening fire near aid distribution sites in Gaza. People cannot even access basic food supplies without risking their lives. Given the horrific level of suffering that we can all see taking place, is it not time to end all arms sales to Israel and to recognise the state of Palestine?

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[Graham Leadbitter (Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey) (SNP)]

T10. Ministers have collectively restated their commitment to a two-state solution in the Israel-Palestine conflict, but only one of those states is currently recognised. I believe there is support in this House for recognition of Palestine, and that if the matter were put to a vote, that support would be expressed. Would that not strengthen Ministers’ hand, and will they bring the issue to a vote?

[Mr Falconer]

We have discussed these issues many times. Earlier, an hon. Friend asked me why, when Ministers say things at the Dispatch Box, they do not happen. The view of this House on the question of a two-state solution is clearly very important, but it is the job of Foreign Office Ministers to try to make it a reality in practice, through diplomacy.

[Gregor Poynton (Livingston) (Lab)]

T7. Does the Minister join me in welcoming the ceasefire between Israel and Iran announced by President Trump, and although the situation clearly remains fragile, does he see an opportunity to restore stability and develop a diplomatic solution to Iran’s nuclear programme—one that ensures that Iran never has access to nuclear weapons?

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[Melanie Ward (Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy) (Lab)]

T8. I pay tribute to the Foreign Secretary and his team for all their diplomatic efforts on de-escalation in the middle east. With the rules-based order under enormous strain, upholding international law and multilateral institutions matters more than ever. It is almost a year since the International Court of Justice handed down its judgment on the illegality of Israel’s occupation of Palestine. Given that senior Government Ministers received advice last year on the implications of that judgment for the UK, when can we expect the Government’s response?

[Mr Falconer]

I recognise the appetite in the Chamber to hear more about the ICJ advisory opinion. It was a far-reaching and complex judgment, and we are taking our time with our response.

[Sir Julian Lewis (New Forest East) (Con)]

What practical steps can the Government take to support women and girls in Afghanistan who, after a period of being encouraged to liberate themselves, are now cast back into domestic servitude?

[Mr Falconer]

This is an incredibly important question. As I think some in the House know, I negotiated with the Taliban when I was an official. It is a source of incredible personal frustration to me that the situation in Afghanistan for women has got worse and worse as the months have drawn on. The Taliban need to change course, not just on the rights of women, but for the viability of their economy and their country.

[Jim Dickson (Dartford) (Lab)]

T9. I thank the Minister for the Indo-Pacific, my hon. Friend the Member for Hornsey and Friern Barnet (Catherine West), for her support for the family of Simone White, who tragically died last year after drinking a free vodka shot in Laos. I hear worrying reports that the hostel where that happened is due to reopen shortly under another name. What assurance can the Minister give me and the family that everything is being done to hold those involved accountable, and to keep travellers safe from the dangers of methanol poisoning?

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[Llinos Medi (Ynys Môn) (PC)]

Holyhead Towing in my constituency has vessels in the middle east, specifically in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE. The company is keeping its crew updated to the best of its knowledge. What official advice or guidance is available for UK maritime operators working in the region?

[Mr Falconer]

As I have said before, travel advice is the surest and most regularly updated advice for British nationals in the region. We changed the travel advice yesterday for Qatar, as my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary announced in the House. We hope, as he has said this morning, that there will now be greater stability in the region, that the ceasefire will hold, and that British nationals in the region will not be so concerned. Travel advice is the best place to look.

[Dame Chi Onwurah (Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West) (Lab)]

The all-party parliamentary group for Africa, which I chair, recently published its report on Africa’s just energy transition to accessible and renewable clean energy. What assessment has the Minister made of the report’s nine recommendations, including the recommendation on reforming carbon markets so that they work in Africa’s interests, and the recommendation on ensuring that international development funding is blended with private sector funding for investment in that transition?

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[Andy Slaughter (Hammersmith and Chiswick) (Lab)]

The postponed French-Saudi conference on a two-state solution may take place as early as next month. Does the Minister think it will provide the significant opportunity that he seeks for us to recognise Palestine as a state, alongside UK allies?

[Mr Falconer]

We are talking to the French and the Saudis about their plans. Obviously events in the middle east are moving quickly, but I recognise the force of what my hon. Friend has said.

[Mr Richard Holden (Basildon and Billericay) (Con)]

Cousin marriage is often used as a cover for forced marriage. Have the Government raised the issue of the incredibly high rate of first-cousin marriage with the Pakistani Government, given that so many of those marriages are between UK and Pakistani nationals?