Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool, Riverside)
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 additional funding for (a) child protection and (b) other projects through the Yemen Humanitarian Response Plan.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
In February, the Minister for Europe, Leo Docherty, stated that the UK will pledge up to £88 million in aid to Yemen over the 2023/24 financial year. This will feed at least 100,000 Yemeni people every month, provide lifesaving health care and nutrition services through 400 health care facilities and treat 22,000 severely malnourished children. The inaugural UK-Saudi Arabia Aid Dialogue in February identified the need to improve humanitarian access and encourage greater funding commitments by regional partners. On 23 February, Minister Mitchell launched the BRIGHTLY consortium, a government-NGO partnership to deliver the UK's flagship food security programme in Yemen.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool, Riverside)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support the renewal of the truce in Yemen.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
A political settlement is the only way to bring long-term stability to Yemen and to address the humanitarian crisis. There is no military solution to the conflict. We encourage all parties to continue engaging with UN Special Envoy Hans Grundberg to find a peaceful solution. We use our role as penholder on Yemen at the UN Security Council and work with our international partners to help move the Yemen peace process forward. On February 15, the Minister of State for the Middle East, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon met Mohammed al-Jabr, Saudi Arabia's Ambassador to Yemen and the Yemeni Prime Minister, Maeen Abdulmalik Saeed on 28 April.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool, Riverside)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Government is taking in its role as penholder on Yemen at the UN Security Council to support the creation of an international mechanism to ensure accountability for human rights violations and war crimes.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Yemen is a human rights priority country for the UK. In the latest FCDO human rights report published in December 2022, covering 2021, we highlighted our concerns over women's rights, the recruitment of child soldiers, arbitrary detention, attacks on freedom of religion or belief and on freedom of speech and association. We call upon all parties to the conflict in Yemen to comply with their obligations under international human rights law and international humanitarian law. We regret that the mandate of the UN Group of Eminent Experts on Yemen was not renewed in October 2021, the UK voted in favour of the mandate renewal. We are discussing with international partners the potential for a follow-up mechanism to support human rights accountability in Yemen. Justice and accountability are key for inclusive and durable peace.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool, Riverside)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support Palestinian (a) civil society and (b) human rights organisations in (i) Israel and (ii) the Palestinian Territories.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Civil society organisations play an important role in upholding human rights and democracy, and they must be able to operate freely in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs). Officials at the British Embassy in Tel Aviv continue to call upon the Government of Israel to fully respect the fundamental rights and freedoms of human rights defenders and organisations and to allow them to freely operate in Israel and OPTs. The Minister for the Middle East, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, reinforced this message during his visit to Israel and the OPTs on 10-13 January.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool, Riverside)
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 Israeli counterpart on the provision of military support by that country to (a) outposts and (b) farms built in the West Bank by settlers without formal Government authorisation.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK urges the Government of Israel to permanently end its settlement expansion and settlement activity in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. We are also clear that Israeli outposts in the West Bank are illegal under international humanitarian law and should be removed entirely. We repeatedly call on Israel to abide by its obligations under international law and have a regular dialogue with Israel on legal issues relating to the occupation. The Minister for the Middle East, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon reinforced this message during his visit to the Occupied Palestinian Territories on 12 and 13 January.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool, Riverside)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department assesses the legality of (a) official and (b) unofficial Israeli settlements in the Palestinian Territories under international law.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK urges the Government of Israel to permanently end its settlement expansion and settlement activity in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. We are clear that Israeli outposts in the West Bank are also illegal under international humanitarian law and should be removed entirely. We repeatedly call on Israel to abide by its obligations under international law and have a regular dialogue with Israel on legal issues relating to the occupation. The Minister for the Middle East, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon reinforced this message during his visit to the Occupied Palestinian Territories on 12 and 13 January.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool, Riverside)
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 Israeli counterpart on the evictions of Palestinians in Masafer Yatta.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK urges the Government of Israel to permanently end its settlement expansion and settlement activity in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. We are clear that Israeli outposts in the West Bank are also illegal under international humanitarian law and should be removed entirely. We repeatedly call on Israel to abide by its obligations under international law and have a regular dialogue with Israel on legal issues relating to the occupation. The Minister for the Middle East, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon reinforced this message during his visit to the Occupied Palestinian Territories on 12 and 13 January.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool, Riverside)
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 legality of the evictions of Palestinians from Masafer Yatta.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK urges the Government of Israel to permanently end its settlement expansion and settlement activity in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. We are clear that Israeli outposts in the West Bank are also illegal under international humanitarian law and should be removed entirely. We repeatedly call on Israel to abide by its obligations under international law and have a regular dialogue with Israel on legal issues relating to the occupation. The Minister for the Middle East, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon reinforced this message during his visit to the Occupied Palestinian Territories on 12 and 13 January.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool, Riverside)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with LGBT activists and organisations from the (a) Cayman Islands and (b) Bermuda where the right to marriage for same-sex couples is refused by their respective Governments.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The inhabited British Overseas Territories are separate, largely self-governing jurisdictions with their own democratically elected representatives. The relationship with the Overseas Territories is based on partnership. Policy on marriage law is an area of devolved responsibility.
The majority of Overseas Territories have legal recognition and protection for same sex relationships, either through marriage or through civil partnerships as is the case in Bermuda. In 2020 the Governor of the Cayman Islands enacted civil partnership legislation to recognise same-sex partnerships in order to comply with the Cayman Islands Court of Appeal. The UK Government continues to engage with and encourage remaining Territories that have not put in place arrangements to recognise and protect same sex relationships, to do so.
The UK Government remains open to further engagement with LGBT+ activists and organisations across the Overseas Territories to support increased recognition and protections for same-sex relationships in the Overseas Territories.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool, Riverside)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will take steps to increase the £50M of aid pledged to help alleviate famine in Somalia, in the context of recent droughts.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The humanitarian crisis in East Africa continues to worsen. UK supported humanitarian activities are making a difference and saving lives. In Somalia, to alleviate the impact of drought and address the risk of famine, since 1 April 2022, the UK has allocated £52.8 million in humanitarian, health and nutrition support.
The FCDO is prioritising spending that is vital to protect against immediate threat to life and wellbeing, will prevent people falling into humanitarian need, or will prevent delays to accessing healthcare, primary education, sanitation and clean water. Ministers will make any adjustments and final aid prioritisation decisions based on additional Official Development Assistance pressures this autumn.