Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, if he will make it his policy to call for an immediate moratorium on the (a) arrest, (b) detention and (c) prosecution of Palestinian children by Israeli military authorities.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We remain concerned about Israel's extensive use of administrative detention which, according to international law, should be used only when security makes this absolutely necessary. We continue to call on the Israeli authorities to comply with their obligations under international law and either charge or release detainees. We continue to make representations to the Israeli authorities on the troubling high number of Palestinian children who are not informed of their legal rights, in contravention of Israel's own regulations.
Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what steps he is taking to support (a) humanitarian access into and (b) adequate levels of fuel entering Gaza.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The FCDO is actively engaging with international partners and those operating on the ground to do all we can to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary engage regularly and closely with regional counterparts including Israel and Egypt on the humanitarian response. However, the flow of aid into and through Gaza continues to be insufficient and we are urgently exploring all diplomatic options to increase this, including urging Israel to open other existing land border crossings such as Kerem Shalom. Fuel remains a critical component, without sufficient aid, fuel cannot be distributed by humanitarian organisations and hospitals, bakeries as well as desalination plants cannot operate. We are also actively exploring other routes for aid to get into Gaza. The UK Government has already announced £60 million in humanitarian funding and has sent more than 74 tonnes of emergency relief for civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. This funding will help support the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in responding to critical food, fuel, water, health, shelter and security needs in Gaza.
Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what assessment he has made of the potential implications of food insecurity for his policies on the health and wellbeing of children in Gaza.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The World Food Programme (WFP) has reported that only 10% of necessary food supplies have entered Gaza since the beginning of the conflict. The UK is increasingly concerned over the growing food insecurity in Gaza. We continue to call for immediate, unimpeded and safe humanitarian access for lifesaving aid to reach civilians including food. The FCDO is actively engaging with international partners and those operating on the ground to do all we can to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The UK Government has already announced £60 million in humanitarian funding and has sent more than 74 tonnes of emergency relief for civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. This funding will help support the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in responding to critical food, fuel, water, health, shelter and security needs in Gaza.
Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham East)
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 calling for a cessation of hostilities in Israel and Gaza.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Since the Hamas terrorist attacks on 7 October, the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary have spoken with counterparts from almost 20 countries as part of extensive diplomatic efforts to sustain the prospect of peace and stability in the Middle East. On 19 October, the Foreign Secretary travelled to the region where he met leaders in Egypt, Turkey and Qatar to help prevent the conflict spreading across the region and to seek a peaceful resolution. The UK Government is actively monitoring the conflict in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and we maintain regular dialogue with international counterparts. We will continue to use all the tools of British diplomacy to sustain the prospects of peace and stability in the region.
Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham East)
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 his counterpart in India on the death of Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign Secretary is in regular contact with his Indian and Canadian counterparts about the serious allegations raised in the Canadian Parliament. We have raised this matter with the Government of India and we encourage them to cooperate fully with Canada's investigation. It is important the investigation runs its course, with the perpetrators brought to justice.
Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has held with his counterparts in Iran on the (a) incarceration of (i) Mahvash Sabet, (ii) Fariba Kamalabadi and (iii) Afif Naeimi and (b) medical reports about the health of (A) Mahvash Sabet and (B) Afif Naeimi; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The continued restrictions on freedoms of religion and belief in Iran are deeply worrying, as is Iran's discrimination against religious minorities. In June, the Prime Minister's Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) publicly condemned the sentencing of Baha'i leaders in Iran, in particular the continuing imprisonment of Mahvash Sabet and Fariba Kamalabadi. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office will continue to monitor the cases of Mahvash Sabet, Fariba Kamalabadi and Afif Naeimi and to challenge Iran on its human rights record.
Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has had recent discussions with its US counterpart on British citizens who are stranded at the Burning Man festival.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The FCDO has not received any requests for consular assistance from British nationals related to the Burning Man Festival. If British nationals abroad are in need of support, they can contact the FCDO on +44 (0)20 7008 5000 or visit [https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/support-for-british-nationals-abroad] for further information.
Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham East)
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 implications for his policies of the (a) prevalence and (b) impact of violence by settlers towards (i) Palestinians and (ii) their property in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
All Israelis and Palestinians deserve to live in peace and security. As the occupying power, we urge Israel to fulfil its responsibilities, including ensuring the protection of the civilian population, including from acts of violence by Israeli settlers. In response to incidents of settler violence, we urge Israel to thoroughly investigate, to bring those responsible to justice, and end the culture of impunity. The Minister of State for the Middle East, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon made this clear most recently in his phone call with the Israeli chargé d'affaires on 4 July . The Rt Hon Anne-Marie Trevelyan MP also condemned settler violence in the House in a debate on violence in the West Bank on 4 July.
Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham 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 implications for his policies of inter-communal violence in the Middle Belt of Nigeria.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The UK recognises that security is fundamental to Nigeria's stability and growth, and we are committed to helping the Government of Nigeria to address insecurity across the country, including in the Middle Belt. In April 2023, we launched the Strengthening Peace and Resilience in Nigeria programme to help Nigeria to tackle interlinked root causes of intercommunal conflict, including security, justice, and natural resource management challenges. The FCDO has also funded peacebuilding initiatives in the Middle Belt states of Plateau, Kaduna, and Benue. Our Security and Defence Partnership, which is refreshed annually, allows us to tailor our support to Nigeria's security needs and to monitor progress. At our 2022 dialogue, we enhanced our cooperation in civilian policing and promoting accountable and responsive police conduct.
Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham 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 help support Palestinian health workers in the West Bank, in the context of recent violence.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We strongly condemn all forms of violence and incitement to violence. Israel must abide by its obligations under international humanitarian law, including the principles of proportionality, distinction and necessity. The British Embassy in Tel Aviv regularly raises the importance of regularised access to healthcare with the Israeli authorities. Israel, as the occupying power, has a duty to ensure and maintain public health to the fullest extent possible. During his call on 4 July with the Israeli chargé d'affaires in London, the Minister of State for the Middle East, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, urged Israel to safeguard access to healthcare and take proactive steps to guarantee the safety of civilians during Israeli operations in the West Bank. The Foreign Secretary also emphasised the importance of the proactive protection of civilians during his call with Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen on 5 July. The wounded and ill in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories should be able to access the urgent medical care they need.