Asked by: Karen Bradley (Conservative - Staffordshire Moorlands)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of Iran's financial support for Hezbollah.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government regularly assesses the impact of Iran's destabilising activity throughout the region, including its political, financial and military support to several militant and proscribed groups, including Hizballah. Such activity compromises the region's security, its ability to prosper and escalates already high tensions, with consequences for the international community. It is for this reason that we currently have over 300 sanctions in place against Iran, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in its entirety and support the enforcement of UN prohibitions on the proliferation of weapons to non-state actors in the region, including to Lebanese Hizballah (UNSCR 1701).
Asked by: Karen Bradley (Conservative - Staffordshire Moorlands)
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 potential merits of pairing British towns and cities with those in Ukraine and surrounding countries, to help support humanitarian efforts and to rebuild destroyed infrastructure.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The UK remains committed to supporting Ukraine, and we will continue to explore all available options to support Ukraine's humanitarian and reconstruction needs. Whilst twinning is a matter for councils themselves, the Government has recently used the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities' daily local government bulletin to highlight the Cities4Cities initiative; an on-line platform, sponsored by the Council of Europe's Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, that matches the demands and needs of Ukrainian cities with the capacity and know-how of local authorities across Europe, including those in the United Kingdom.
Asked by: Karen Bradley (Conservative - Staffordshire Moorlands)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has held with her US counterpart on the establishment of an International Fund for Israeli-Palestinian Peace.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
UK officials remain in close contact with the US Government regarding the Middle East Partnership for Peace Act (MEPPA) and we look forward to hearing more about their objectives and the projects it will support. Once more information is available, we will consider options for collaboration.
We are also in contact with the Alliance for Middle East Peace (ALLMEP) organisation regarding their concept of an International Fund. I spoke at ALLMEP's Annual Gala on 13 December and reiterated the UK's support for increasing understanding and dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians.
Asked by: Karen Bradley (Conservative - Staffordshire Moorlands)
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 that UK aid is being used to promote the values of human rights, democracy and press freedom in (a) the West Bank and (b) Gaza.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
Every Israeli and Palestinian has the right to live in freedom, prosperity, and security. UK Aid helps promote the values of human rights by providing humanitarian and protection assistance in Gaza, including support to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees. The UK is working with the Palestinian Authority (PA) - and with Palestinian civil society - to make the security sector more accountable to its citizens, ensuring complaints of mistreatment or arbitrary detention are properly investigated. Our Transparency and Accountability programme is working to help the PA become more accountable to its citizens. Our Conflict Security and Stability Fund is supporting women and girls and people with disabilities to advocate for their rights and provided services to support victims of gender based violence. We work only with implementers and partners that have strong safeguards in place, which reduces risk and ensures the maximum impact of UK aid for Palestinians.
Asked by: Karen Bradley (Conservative - Staffordshire Moorlands)
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 International Atomic Energy Agency’s ability to verify and monitor Iran’s nuclear activities.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
On 23 February Iran suspended its application of the Additional Protocol and the transparency measures under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA). The Foreign Secretary, alongside his E3 partners, has made clear that Iran must reverse these restrictions and co-operate fully with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The UK has also repeatedly stated that Iran must co-operate on all issues related to the IAEA's separate safeguards investigation. We are currently engaged in intensive discussions in Vienna with JCPoA participants and the US, aimed at returning Iran back into full compliance with its JCPoA commitments, and restoring the benefits of the deal for all.
Asked by: Karen Bradley (Conservative - Staffordshire Moorlands)
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 potential bias against Israel at the UN Human Rights Council.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The UK has stood up for Israel when it faces bias and unreasonable criticism, and has been clear that the existence of a dedicated agenda item ('Item 7') damages the prospect for a two-state solution and does little to advance dialogue, stability or mutual understanding. As such, at the 40th session of the Human Rights Council in March 2019 we moved to voting against all resolutions under Item 7. However, the UN and its member states have every right to address issues of concern in a measured, balanced and proportionate way. We will continue to support scrutiny of Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories in the Human Rights Council, so long as it is justified, proportionate, and not proposed under Item 7.
Asked by: Karen Bradley (Conservative - Staffordshire Moorlands)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make it his policy that resolutions disproportionately focusing on Israel at the UN are damaging to the prospects for peace; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The UK has stood up for Israel when it faces bias and unreasonable criticism, and has been clear that the existence of a dedicated agenda item ('Item 7') damages the prospect for a two-state solution and does little to advance dialogue, stability or mutual understanding. As such, at the 40th session of the Human Rights Council in March 2019 we moved to voting against all resolutions under Item 7. However, the UN and its member states have every right to address issues of concern in a measured, balanced and proportionate way. We will continue to support scrutiny of Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories in the Human Rights Council, so long as it is justified, proportionate, and not proposed under Item 7.