Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool Wavertree)
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 to fulfil its (a) duty to prevent and (b) other obligations under the Genocide Convention with respect to Gaza, with reference to (i) the International Court of Justice’s order of provisional measures in South Africa v Israel (2023), (ii) paragraph 431 of the International Court of Justice's judgment in Bosnia and Herzegovina v. Serbia and Montenegro (2007) and (iii) the Articles on Responsibility of States for Internationally Wrongful Acts (2001).
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
It is the UK's long-standing policy that any determination as to whether genocide has occurred is a matter for a competent national or international court, and not for governments or non-judicial bodies. This approach ensures that any determination is above politics, lobbying, and individual or national interest. The Government is clear in our commitment to international law. This includes our obligations under the Genocide Convention and the Arms Trade Treaty. This Government is profoundly concerned about the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza. The Foreign Secretary has raised our grave concerns with Israeli Minister Dermer and Minister Katz in his recent bilateral meetings. At a multilateral level, the UK is using its presidency of the United Nations Security Council, to call for an immediate ceasefire, the immediate release of all hostages held since 7 October 2023, and urgent action to address the humanitarian crisis. On 2 September 2024, the Foreign Secretary announced the decision to suspend export licences for items that could be used in military operations in Gaza, exempting the F-35 components.
Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool Wavertree)
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 international counterparts on the collective measures available to ensure the implementation of treaty obligations to prevent genocide and other atrocity crimes in the occupied Palestinian territories.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
It is the UK's long-standing policy that any determination as to whether genocide has occurred is a matter for a competent national or international court, and not for governments or non-judicial bodies. This approach ensures that any determination is above politics, lobbying, and individual or national interest. The Government is clear in our commitment to international law. This includes our obligations under the Genocide Convention and the Arms Trade Treaty. This Government is profoundly concerned about the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza. The Foreign Secretary has raised our grave concerns with Israeli Minister Dermer and Minister Katz in his recent bilateral meetings. At a multilateral level, the UK is using its presidency of the United Nations Security Council, to call for an immediate ceasefire, the immediate release of all hostages held since 7 October 2023, and urgent action to address the humanitarian crisis. On 2 September 2024, the Foreign Secretary announced the decision to suspend export licences for items that could be used in military operations in Gaza, exempting the F-35 components.
Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool Wavertree)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will hold discussions with his international counterparts on taking steps to help prevent a polio outbreak in Gaza.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK has been at the forefront of efforts to drive urgent action on polio vaccination in Gaza, including by convening an emergency session of the UN Security Council in August. The UK supported delivery of the vaccination campaign through our funding to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI). The final phase of the polio vaccination rollout has now ended, but an estimated 6,800 to 13,700 children in North Gaza were not reached, because of intense IDF activity there. This is deplorable. Delaying the vaccination of any child puts them at risk and is unacceptable. As winter takes hold, we are urgently pressing Israel to ensure sufficient aid, including vital medical treatment, reaches civilians in Gaza. The Foreign Secretary reiterated this in his 14 November call with Israeli Foreign Minister Sa'ar.
Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool Wavertree)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will reaffirm support for the International Criminal Court; and if he will publish an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the arrest warrants issued by that Court for (a) Benjamin Netanyahu and (b) Yoav Gallant.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We confirm our support and respect for the independence of the International Criminal Court (ICC). Whilst we do not have plans to publish an assessment, we remain focused on pushing for an immediate ceasefire, to bring an end to the devastating violence in Gaza. This is essential to ensure the release of hostages, the upholding of international law and to increase humanitarian aid into Gaza.
Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool Wavertree)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will take steps to help ensure the (a) arrest and (b) surrender to the International Criminal Court of (i) Benjamin Netanyahu and (ii) Yoav Gallant.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The issue of enforcing an arrest warrant would only arise if the indicted individual were to visit the UK. There is a domestic legal process set out in the ICC Act 2001 which would be followed in such a situation.
Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool Wavertree)
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 establishing a UN Investigative Team to (a) collect high-quality evidence on and (b) promote accountability for crimes committed in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories during the UK's Presidency of the UN Security Council.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The International Criminal Court (ICC) is the primary international institution for investigating and prosecuting the most serious crimes of international concern and prosecuting their perpetrators. The UK respects the independence of the ICC in its extant investigation of the situation in Israel and the OPTs. As we have consistently made clear, all parties must comply with International Humanitarian Law and take every possible step to minimise harm to civilians.
Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool Wavertree)
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 Israeli counterpart on allowing medical aid into Gaza.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The humanitarian situation in Gaza is intolerable, and we remain deeply concerned by the impact of the conflict on access to medical facilities and healthcare. We are clear that Israel can and must do more to get aid into Gaza. The Prime Minister stressed this in a call with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu on 19 October; the Foreign Secretary reiterated this in his call with Foreign Minister Katz on 27 October. The UK is committed to alleviating the suffering in Gaza and we provide significant funding to partners, including support to UK-Med to run field hospitals in Gaza. On 17 October we announced the UK will match up to £10 million of public donations to the Disasters Emergency Committee's Middle East humanitarian appeal.
Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool Wavertree)
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 promote LGBT rights across the Commonwealth.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is strongly committed to championing LGBT+ human rights and activists across the Commonwealth. This work is enabled by our £40 million LGBT+ Rights Programme, which supports the vital work of organisations such as The Commonwealth Equality Network (TCEN) to end violence and discrimination, reform discriminatory legislation, and uphold the human rights and freedoms of all LGBT+ people. Lord Collins, Minister responsible for the Commonwealth, will be meeting TCEN and other Civil Society organisations at CHOGM (Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting) in Samoa next week.
Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool Wavertree)
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 promote civic reconciliation in Bangladesh.
Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government is supporting the Interim Government in Bangladesh as it works to restore peace and order, ensure accountability and create a peaceful pathway to an inclusive democratic future. We support the work of the United Nations as it works to conduct an impartial and independent fact-finding to identify human rights violations. The UK Government is providing up to £27 million over five years (March 2023 to February 2028) under the Bangladesh Collaborative, Accountable and Peaceful Politics programme for protecting civic and political space, fostering collaboration, reducing corruption, and mitigating tensions that lead to violence.
Asked by: Paula Barker (Labour - Liverpool Wavertree)
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 ensure the UK responds adequately to the humanitarian crisis of the collapsed healthcare system in Gaza.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government is concerned about the worsening humanitarian context in Gaza. The FCDO is closely monitoring the impact of the conflict, including on health. We recently announced £5.5 million for UK-Med to support the ongoing work of its field hospitals and the rehabilitation of the emergency department at Nasser Hospital in Gaza. Since the start of the 2024/25 Financial Year we have also provided additional funding to humanitarian agencies including the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) (£21 million) and UNICEF (£6 million) for their activities, which include healthcare. We welcome the news that the UN's polio vaccine campaign is now underway, and that the UK's funding to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative is supporting delivery. We continue to press Israel to increase humanitarian access, including health and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) relief items.