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Written Question
UNRWA: Finance
Tuesday 12th March 2024

Asked by: Philippa Whitford (Scottish National Party - Central Ayrshire)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether the Government plans to resume funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in the context of the interim investigation by the UN into allegations against UNRWA staff and the resumption of funding by other nations.

Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)

We are appalled by allegations that the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) staff were involved in the 7 October attack against Israel, a heinous act of terrorism that the UK Government has repeatedly condemned.

As we have set out, we are pressing the UN Office of Internal Oversight and Catherine Colonna, who is leading the independent Review Group appointed by the UN Secretary-General, to produce a rapid interim report. We want UNRWA to give detailed undertakings about changes in personnel, policy and precedents to ensure this can never happen again. We are working with allies to try to bring this situation to a rapid conclusion not least because UNRWA have a vital role to play in providing aid and services in Gaza.

Any future funding decisions will be taken after UNRWA's review has concluded.


Written Question
UNRWA: Finance
Thursday 8th February 2024

Asked by: Philippa Whitford (Scottish National Party - Central Ayrshire)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the pause of future funding for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) on the emergency treatment and rehabilitation of wounded civilians in Gaza.

Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

The UK is appalled by allegations that the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) staff were involved in the 7 October attack against Israel, a heinous act of terrorism that the UK Government has repeatedly condemned. The UK's pause in any future funding of UNRWA will remain in place until we review the allegations, and we are looking to our partners in the UN to carry out a robust and comprehensive investigation. Further questions on the investigation are a matter for the UN.

However, we remain committed to getting humanitarian aid to the people in Gaza who desperately need it, and our decision to pause future funding to UNRWA has no impact on the UK's contribution to the humanitarian response. Our commitment to trebling aid to Gaza still stands, and we are getting on with aid delivery through funding multiple implementing partners including other UN agencies and international and UK NGOs. This support is helping people in Gaza get food, water, shelter and medicines. The UK is providing £60 million in humanitarian assistance to support partners including the British Red Cross, UNICEF, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) and Egyptian Red Crescent Society (ERCS) to respond to critical food, fuel, water, health, shelter and security needs in Gaza.

We are currently supporting NGOs and UN partners to deliver medical aid and care in the Gaza Strip. This includes support for primary healthcare, trauma and emergency care services, disease surveillance and outbreak response, and deployment of Emergency Medical Teams. We are also exploring further options to help meet the medical needs of Palestinians.


Written Question
UNRWA: Finance
Thursday 8th February 2024

Asked by: Philippa Whitford (Scottish National Party - Central Ayrshire)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of suspending funding for UNRWA on access to (a) food, (b) clean drinking water and (c) healthcare and medical supplies for children in Gaza.

Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

The UK is appalled by allegations that the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) staff were involved in the 7 October attack against Israel, a heinous act of terrorism that the UK Government has repeatedly condemned. The UK's pause in any future funding of UNRWA will remain in place until we review the allegations, and we are looking to our partners in the UN to carry out a robust and comprehensive investigation. Further questions on the investigation are a matter for the UN.

However, we remain committed to getting humanitarian aid to the people in Gaza who desperately need it, and our decision to pause future funding to UNRWA has no impact on the UK's contribution to the humanitarian response. Our commitment to trebling aid to Gaza still stands, and we are getting on with aid delivery through funding multiple implementing partners including other UN agencies and international and UK NGOs. This support is helping people in Gaza get food, water, shelter and medicines. The UK is providing £60 million in humanitarian assistance to support partners including the British Red Cross, UNICEF, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) and Egyptian Red Crescent Society (ERCS) to respond to critical food, fuel, water, health, shelter and security needs in Gaza.

We are currently supporting NGOs and UN partners to deliver medical aid and care in the Gaza Strip. This includes support for primary healthcare, trauma and emergency care services, disease surveillance and outbreak response, and deployment of Emergency Medical Teams. We are also exploring further options to help meet the medical needs of Palestinians.


Written Question
UNRWA: Finance
Thursday 8th February 2024

Asked by: Philippa Whitford (Scottish National Party - Central Ayrshire)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the pause of future funding for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) on the provision of emergency shelter for internally displaced civilians in Gaza.

Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

The UK is appalled by allegations that the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) staff were involved in the 7 October attack against Israel, a heinous act of terrorism that the UK Government has repeatedly condemned.

We are pausing any future funding of UNRWA while we review the concerning allegations. Gaza still stands. This support is helping people in Gaza get food, water, shelter and medicines. The UK is providing £60 million in humanitarian assistance to support partners including the British Red Cross, UNICEF, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) and Egyptian Red Crescent Society (ERCS) to respond to critical food, fuel, water, health, shelter and security needs in Gaza.

We are currently supporting NGOs and UN partners to deliver medical aid and care in the Gaza Strip. This includes support for primary healthcare, trauma and emergency care services, disease surveillance and outbreak response, and deployment of Emergency Medical Teams.


Written Question
Israel: Palestinians
Wednesday 10th January 2024

Asked by: Philippa Whitford (Scottish National Party - Central Ayrshire)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether he has made representations to the Israeli authorities on the (a) shelling of the maternity department at Nasser Hospital on 17 December 2023, (b) detention of healthcare staff from Kamal Adwan hospital on 13 December 2023 and (c) International Committee of the Red Cross access to those detained.

Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)

We are aware of reports of attacks against healthcare facilities and infrastructure. Healthcare workers, emergency services personnel, civilian buildings including hospitals and medical facilities that are not used for military purposes must not be targeted. We support Israel's right to defend itself against Hamas, but Israel must protect civilians in Gaza and comply with International Humanitarian Law. We are aware of reports over Israeli detention practices. We are particularly concerned over reports about Israel's extensive use of administrative detention, which should be used only where it is justified in accordance with international law. Those under detention should either be charged or released. The UK is committed to working with Israel to secure improvements in its detention practices and repeatedly calls on Israel to abide by its obligations under international law. The safety of humanitarian personnel and healthcare workers in Gaza is critical to enable aid to reach those who need it most. The Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary continue to make this clear in engagements with their Israeli counterparts.


Written Question
Israel: Palestinians
Tuesday 9th January 2024

Asked by: Philippa Whitford (Scottish National Party - Central Ayrshire)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what discussions he has had with his counterpart in Israel on the location of the four Palestinian health workers who have been detained since 22 November 2023.

Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)

We are aware of reports over Israeli detention practices. We are particularly concerned over reports about Israel's extensive use of administrative detention, which should be used only where it is justified in accordance with international law. Those under detention should either be charged or released. The UK is committed to working with Israel to secure improvements in its detention practices and repeatedly calls on Israel to abide by its obligations under international law. This has been repeatedly raised by both the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary with Prime Minister Netanyahu. The safety of humanitarian personnel and healthcare workers in Gaza is critical to enable aid to reach those who need it most. 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.


Written Question
Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance
Tuesday 24th October 2023

Asked by: Philippa Whitford (Scottish National Party - Central Ayrshire)

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 implications for his Department's policies of the international work undertaken by Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance; and what steps his Department is taking to help support their work.

Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)

The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically impacted global health and immunisation. The UK Government is supporting efforts to get routine immunisation back on track and has committed £1.65 billion to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance from 2021-2025 to support their mission to immunise 300 million children and save up to 8 million lives from vaccine preventable diseases over this period. The UK has supported Gavi since its inception in 2000, during which time Gavi has vaccinated more than 1 billion children in 78 lower-income countries, saving over 17 million lives. Alongside our Gavi investment, we are working with countries to build stronger primary health care systems as a core part of restoring immunisation services.


Written Question
Developing Countries: Vaccination
Tuesday 24th October 2023

Asked by: Philippa Whitford (Scottish National Party - Central Ayrshire)

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 global (a) immunisation and (b) vaccination efforts; and if he will make a statement.

Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)

The UK Government has pledged £1.65 billion to Gavi, the Vaccines Alliance from 2021-2025 to support their mission to immunise 300 million children and save up to 8 million lives from vaccine-preventable diseases over this period. The UK has supported Gavi since its inception in 2000, during which time Gavi has vaccinated more than 1 billion children in 78 low-income countries, saving over 17 million lives. Alongside our Gavi investment, we are working with countries to build stronger primary health care systems to further bolster immunisation services.


Written Question
Developing Countries: Health Services
Wednesday 13th September 2023

Asked by: Philippa Whitford (Scottish National Party - Central Ayrshire)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he is taking steps with his international counterparts to include older people from developing countries in consultations on the development of Universal Health Coverage in low and middle-income countries.

Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)

The UK is committed to championing universal health coverage (UHC). In the 2019 Political Declaration on UHC, United Nations Member States committed to promote healthy and active ageing and to respond to the needs of ageing populations. We are working with other Member States to retain and build on that commitment at the 2023 UN High-Level Meeting. We continue to work with country partners and global organisations such as the World Health Organization on integrated and equitable approaches to strengthening health systems and achieving UHC that meets the needs of people of all ages and promotes their participation and inclusion.


Written Question
Developing Countries: Older People
Wednesday 6th September 2023

Asked by: Philippa Whitford (Scottish National Party - Central Ayrshire)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he plans to take to include older people in developing countries in his Department’s White Paper on International Development.

Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)

The UK will produce a White Paper in late 2023 which sets out a vision for global development that delivers on the UN Sustainable Development Goals, poverty reduction, economic growth and tackling climate change.

The precise content of the White Paper will be determined by consultation across the UK government, civil society, those in the sector (and outside it) in the UK and our international partners.  The open call for evidence will close on 16 September. In parallel, UK government officials are undertaking targeted outreach to stakeholders and partners in different areas of development policy, and the FCDO global network are consulting around the world with partner organisations and countries. External engagement has involved consultations looking at inclusion as part of the White Paper development.