Asked by: Mark Logan (Conservative - Bolton North East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, what the Government's policy is on whether Palestine should be granted full United Nations membership.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
As the Prime Minister made clear, the UK supports a two-state solution that guarantees security and stability for both the Israeli and Palestinian people.
We agree that the people of the West Bank and Gaza must be given the political perspective of a credible route to a Palestinian state and a new future. And it needs to be irreversible.
We believe that recognition of Palestinian statehood should not come at the start of a new process, but it does not have to be at the very end of the process.
We must start with fixing the immediate crisis in Gaza. Gaza is Occupied Palestinian Territory and must be part of a future Palestinian state. However, Hamas is still in control of parts of Gaza and Israeli hostages remain in captivity - this shows that we are still at the start of the process.
Ensuring Hamas is no longer in charge of Gaza and removing Hamas' capacity to launch attacks against Israel are essential and unavoidable steps on the road to lasting peace; as is working together to support the new Palestinian government as it takes much-needed steps on reform and resumes governance in Gaza as well as the West Bank.
We abstained on the vote at the UN Security Council because we must keep our focus on securing an immediate pause in order to get aid in and hostages out; then making progress towards a sustainable ceasefire without a return to destruction, fighting and loss of life.
Asked by: Mark Logan (Conservative - Bolton North East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, if he will make an assessment of the (a) effectiveness of aid distribution in Gaza and (b) potential merits of reinstating funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
Allegations that UNRWA staff were involved in the events that took place on 7 October in Israel are appalling, which is why we took decisive action to pause future funding to the organisation.
The Prime Minister has been clear that the UK will set out its position on future funding to UNRWA following careful consideration of Catherine Colonna's final report, UNRWA's response and the ongoing UN Office for Internal Oversight Services investigation into these allegations.
We have seen an increase in the number of aid trucks getting into Gaza and some aid has now moved from Ashdod Port into Gaza, but more needs to be done. We need progress on the UN's minimal operating requirements, including more visas and driver approvals granted, as well as more trucks permitted to cross into Gaza. We also need to see an expansion of the types of aid allowed into Gaza and the provision of electricity, water and telecommunications, to both the north and the south of Gaza.
Ministers continue to press these points with Israeli counterparts.
Asked by: Mark Logan (Conservative - Bolton North East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, what plans he has to collaborate with Israel on expediting the opening of the (a) Erez crossing and (b) Ashdod Port for humanitarian aid shipments to Gaza.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The UK has long urged Israel to take these steps and welcomes these commitments. We want to see Israel fulfil these commitments swiftly and in full. The Foreign Secretary discussed this with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu on 17 April.
The Foreign Secretary and Foreign Minister Baerbock urged Israel to deliver on its promises of delivering more aid into Gaza through as many routes possible by land, sea and air.
We have also announced £3 million of additional funding for equipment to support the UN and aid agencies to get more aid into Gaza through new and existing land crossings. The UK's contribution will include trucks, forklifts, generators, fuel stores and lighting towers.
Asked by: Mark Logan (Conservative - Bolton North East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether the Government is taking steps to assess the level of compliance with international humanitarian law of Israel’s recent actions in Gaza.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
Israel has endured the worst terrorist attack in its history at the hands of Hamas. We support Israel's right to defend itself against Hamas, but it must comply with International Humanitarian Law (IHL). We keep under continuous review whether they are abiding by their obligations. We continue to call for IHL to be respected and civilians to be protected.
Asked by: Mark Logan (Conservative - Bolton North East)
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 the level of uranium enrichment achieved by Iran.
Answered by David Rutley
On 4 September 2023, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported that Iran continues to accumulate enriched uranium at 5%, 20% and 60%. Under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA), Iran is permitted to enrich uranium up to 3.67%. Iran possesses almost three IAEA 'significant quantities' of high enriched uranium (HEU), which is almost three times the amount of HEU from which the IAEA cannot exclude the possibility of a nuclear device being manufactured. There is no credible civilian justification for Iran producing HEU. Iran's nuclear activities threaten international peace and security and undermine the global non-proliferation system. We remain determined that Iran must never develop a nuclear weapon.
Asked by: Mark Logan (Conservative - Bolton North East)
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 BBC World Service broadcasts into North Korea.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan
The FCDO strongly values the BBC World Service's role in bringing high-quality and impartial broadcasting to audiences in need, particularly where free speech is limited.
The BBC has provided assurance that it will continue to serve audiences in countries lacking media freedom and a free press, such as North Korea. Through the World2020 programme, the FCDO provides support to the BBC Korean service which is aimed at audiences across the Korean Peninsula, including inside North Korea where access to international media sources is extremely limited.
The UK is committed to media freedom, and to championing democracy and human rights around the world.
Asked by: Mark Logan (Conservative - Bolton North East)
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 (a) raise awareness of and (b) commemorate the Holodomor in the UK, in the context of the war in Ukraine.
Answered by Leo Docherty
The Holodomor was a horrific, man-made disaster. The UK remembers this event annually, as the Prime Minister did by lighting a candle at the Holodomor memorial in Kyiv in November 2022. Our officials in Ukraine regularly attend similar commemoration events. The UK is committed to holding to account those responsible for committing atrocities in Ukraine, by supporting the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine and the International Criminal Court (ICC) to ensure allegations of war crimes are fully and fairly investigated by independent and robust legal mechanisms. Since the start of the invasion we have provided £2 million in additional contributions to the ICC.
Asked by: Mark Logan (Conservative - Bolton North East)
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 (a) establish and (b) help ensure the safety of UK nationals in Israel.
Answered by David Rutley
The safety of all British nationals continues to be our utmost priority and we urge everyone to continue to follow our travel advice which is kept under continual review. We are working around the clock to support British Nationals wishing to leave and remain committed to assisting their safe passage out of the country. The government has facilitated a number of commercial flights from Tel Aviv to the UK to help British nationals wanting to leave Israel. The Royal Air Force was also instrumental in evacuating British nationals from Israel. British nationals who want to leave Gaza and can do so safely are advised to check the status of the Rafah crossing into Egypt. We are advising all British nationals currently in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, including Gaza, to register your presence with the FCDO.
https://www.register.service.csd.fcdo.gov.uk/israel-20231009/tell-the-uk-government-youre-in-israel-or-the-occupied-palestinian-territories
Asked by: Mark Logan (Conservative - Bolton North East)
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 progress Israel-Saudi Arabia normalisation talks.
Answered by David Rutley
The UK continues to support diplomatic efforts to normalise relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia. The UK is a firm supporter of Israel's normalisation agreements, including the Abraham Accords. We continue to encourage close regional cooperation in order to tackle regional challenges and we encourage those countries with whom Israel does not yet have diplomatic relations to recognise the economic, cultural and security benefits of cooperation with Israel.
Asked by: Mark Logan (Conservative - Bolton North East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his (a) French and (b) German counterparts on Iran’s decision to withdraw the designation of several IAEA inspectors.
Answered by David Rutley
As stated by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General, Iran's decision to withdraw accreditation from several experienced IAEA inspectors, including experts with unique knowledge of uranium enrichment technology, affects in a direct and severe way the ability of the IAEA to effectively conduct its inspections in Iran. This action highlights Iran's increasing lack of cooperation with the IAEA - this cooperation is vital to provide assurances that Iran's nuclear programme is exclusively peaceful. France, Germany and the United Kingdom continue to stand in strong support of the IAEA and the international safeguards verification regime. In a joint statement published on 18 September 2023 by the UK, France, Germany and the United States we set out that Iran must immediately reverse these inspector de-designations and fully cooperate with the IAEA to enable them to provide assurances that Iran's nuclear programme is exclusively peaceful.