Asked by: Rachel Blake (Labour (Co-op) - Cities of London and Westminster)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps he is taking to help secure the release of Jimmy Lai.
Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We call on Hong Kong authorities to end their politically motivated prosecution of Jimmy Lai. The Prime Minister raised his case with President Xi at last week’s G20 Summit; the Foreign Secretary raised with China’s Foreign Minister last month; and I raised with Hong Kong officials earlier this month. Diplomats from our Consulate-General in Hong Kong are attending his court proceedings on a regular basis. We continually press for consular access and progress on broader human rights concerns.
Asked by: Rachel Blake (Labour (Co-op) - Cities of London and Westminster)
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 potential impact of Israeli legislation on the (a) status and (b) operation of UNWRA on the humanitarian situation in (i) Gaza and (ii) the West Bank.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
As the Foreign Secretary said in his statement to the House on 28 October, the UK is gravely concerned at legislation against United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) passed by Israel's Knesset. This risks making UNRWA's essential work providing humanitarian aid to Palestinians impossible, jeopardising the entire international humanitarian response in Gaza and delivery of essential health and education services in the West Bank. We have joined with our partners in expressing our concerns, issuing a joint statement with partners on 27 October. The Foreign Secretary reiterated his deep concern to Israel's Foreign Minister Katz on 27 October. We will continue working with our international partners and through the UN to press Israel to ensure that UNRWA can continue its vital operations.