Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Cabinet Office

Oral Answers to Questions

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park Excerpts
Wednesday 23rd May 2018

(6 years, 6 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Alistair Burt Portrait Alistair Burt
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The UK is well aware of the circumstances surrounding the issues in Gaza and calls for a transparent and independent inquiry, but we are providing humanitarian aid through UNRWA to the Palestinian people and looking at further possibilities of providing direct aid to the medical situation in Gaza.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park Portrait Zac Goldsmith (Richmond Park) (Con)
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The horn of Africa has been hit by a devastating tropical cyclone and Somaliland has been particularly hard-hit, with devastation to lives and livelihoods. Somaliland is already a progressive democratic country in an otherwise very troubled part of the world and, as a former British protectorate, it has strong ties to the UK, but because we do not formally recognise Somaliland, any aid we provide must pass through Somalia, which is much less stable. Will my hon. Friend reconsider that policy and consider working directly through Somaliland?

Harriett Baldwin Portrait Harriett Baldwin
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I invite my hon. Friend to the meeting of the all-party group on Somaliland later today.