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Written Question
France: Foreign Relations
Tuesday 30th January 2024

Asked by: Stephen Crabb (Conservative - Preseli Pembrokeshire)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, with reference to the Answer of 24 October 2023 to Question 203456 on France: Foreign Relations, what recent steps his Department has taken to prepare for the commemoration of the 120th anniversary of the signing of the Entente Cordiale with France.

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

On 23 January, the British Embassy in Paris and the French Embassy in London launched celebrations for the Entente Cordiale 120th anniversary year. The two embassies are collaborating on a range of events this year reflecting the breadth of the UK-France relationship. They will showcase our longstanding cooperation on issues including climate change, science, sport, culture, defence, education, and trade.


Written Question
Gaza: Fuels
Friday 1st December 2023

Asked by: Stephen Crabb (Conservative - Preseli Pembrokeshire)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what recent assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of reports that Hamas are withholding fuel from civilians in Gaza.

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

We are aware of Israel's concerns about the stockpiling of fuel by Hamas terrorists. However, this does not negate the need for fuel to urgently get to those who do need it in Gaza. Fuel is necessary to allow humanitarian organisations to deliver assistance, power hospitals and operate desalinisation plants and bakeries. We urge the Government of Israel to allow sufficient aid and fuel into Gaza to meet the needs of civilians. Incremental progress has been made, but significantly more is needed. The UK was outraged at Hamas' terror attacks in Israel on 7 October, and supports Israel's right to defend itself proportionately, in line with International Humanitarian Law.


Written Question
Iran: Uranium
Wednesday 1st February 2023

Asked by: Stephen Crabb (Conservative - Preseli Pembrokeshire)

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 Iran’s nuclear breakout time in light of reports of its increased production of High Enriched Uranium.

Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Iran's nuclear programme has never been more advanced than it is today. In November 2022 Iran announced it would take further steps to expand its nuclear programme, including increasing its production of High Enriched Uranium (HEU) at its underground facility at the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant. This step, which further advances its programme, and carries significant proliferation-related risks, has no credible civilian justification.

Iran's continued escalation of its nuclear activities is threatening international peace and security and undermining the global non-proliferation system. We are considering next steps with our international partners.


Written Question
Iran: Uranium
Wednesday 1st February 2023

Asked by: Stephen Crabb (Conservative - Preseli Pembrokeshire)

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 reports that Iran has increased production of High Enriched Uranium at the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant.

Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Iran's nuclear programme has never been more advanced than it is today. In November 2022 Iran announced it would take further steps to expand its nuclear programme, including increasing its production of High Enriched Uranium (HEU) at its underground facility at the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant. This step, which further advances its programme, and carries significant proliferation-related risks, has no credible civilian justification.

Iran's continued escalation of its nuclear activities is threatening international peace and security and undermining the global non-proliferation system. We are considering next steps with our international partners.


Written Question
Palestinians: Terrorism
Friday 30th December 2022

Asked by: Stephen Crabb (Conservative - Preseli Pembrokeshire)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with the Palestinian Authority on the payment of salaries to Palestinians convicted of terror offences.

Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK remains resolute in its commitment to Israel's security. Our clear and long-standing message to the Palestinian Authority (PA) is that the prisoner payments system should be reformed so that it is needs based, transparent and affordable. We continue to raise this with the highest levels of the PA, most recently the British Consulate General Jerusalem raised the matter with the Palestinian Prime Minister's Office in December 2022. We also have robust safeguards in place to ensure that no UK aid is used for payments to Palestinian prisoners, or their families or the Martyrs Fund and will continue to raise this at the highest level.


Written Question
Philippines: Storms
Monday 17th January 2022

Asked by: Stephen Crabb (Conservative - Preseli Pembrokeshire)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with her counterpart in the Philippines on emergency relief following Typhoon Rai.

Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

The UK was saddened to see the devastation wrought by Typhoon Rai on the Philippines on 16 and 17 December. We offer our deepest sympathies to those who have been affected.

The UK has committed £1 million to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) emergency appeal, launched on 18 December 2021. This will go towards supporting the immediate and early recovery needs of affected people in areas including water, sanitation and hygiene; shelter; and protection of the most vulnerable. The UK is also one of the top contributors to the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) which is contributing £9 million to the UN's Humanitarian Response Plan for Typhoon Odette.

I discussed the situation with the Philippines Ambassador to the UK on 20 December 2021.


Written Question
Philippines: Storms
Monday 17th January 2022

Asked by: Stephen Crabb (Conservative - Preseli Pembrokeshire)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assistance her Department is providing to the Philippines following Typhoon Rai.

Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

The UK was saddened to see the devastation wrought by Typhoon Rai on the Philippines on 16 and 17 December. We offer our deepest sympathies to those who have been affected.

The UK has committed £1 million to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) emergency appeal, launched on 18 December 2021. This will go towards supporting the immediate and early recovery needs of affected people in areas including water, sanitation and hygiene; shelter; and protection of the most vulnerable. The UK is also one of the top contributors to the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) which is contributing £9 million to the UN's Humanitarian Response Plan for Typhoon Odette.

I discussed the situation with the Philippines Ambassador to the UK on 20 December 2021.


Written Question
Iran: Nuclear Power
Thursday 10th June 2021

Asked by: Stephen Crabb (Conservative - Preseli Pembrokeshire)

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 on Iran’s nuclear activities with his counterparts in (a) Israel, (b) United Arab Emirates and (c) Bahrain.

Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary

The Foreign Secretary has been clear that Iran must never develop a nuclear weapon. Our immediate priority is working with Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA) participants to return the US to the deal, bring Iran back into compliance with its commitments and restore the benefits of the deal for all. The Government has also long been clear about its concerns over Iran and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) continued destabilising activity.

We regularly discuss regional issues with the Governments of Israel, United Arab Emirates and Bahrain including their policy towards Iran, and continue to support the security of our allies. The Foreign Secretary was in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories over 25-26 May for talks with Ministers following the Israel-Gaza ceasefire, including on regional security. I [Mr Cleverly] discussed regional security with HE Khalifa Shaheen al Marar, Minister of State with responsibility for Arab Affairs at the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 28 March.


Written Question
Middle East: Peace and Security
Thursday 10th June 2021

Asked by: Stephen Crabb (Conservative - Preseli Pembrokeshire)

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 on the potential effect of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on regional peace and security with his counterparts in (a) Israel, (b) United Arab Emirates and (c) Bahrain.

Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary

The Foreign Secretary has been clear that Iran must never develop a nuclear weapon. Our immediate priority is working with Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA) participants to return the US to the deal, bring Iran back into compliance with its commitments and restore the benefits of the deal for all. The Government has also long been clear about its concerns over Iran and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) continued destabilising activity.

We regularly discuss regional issues with the Governments of Israel, United Arab Emirates and Bahrain including their policy towards Iran, and continue to support the security of our allies. The Foreign Secretary was in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories over 25-26 May for talks with Ministers following the Israel-Gaza ceasefire, including on regional security. I [Mr Cleverly] discussed regional security with HE Khalifa Shaheen al Marar, Minister of State with responsibility for Arab Affairs at the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 28 March.


Written Question

Question Link

Monday 17th May 2021

Asked by: Stephen Crabb (Conservative - Preseli Pembrokeshire)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if the Government will join the United States, Canada and Australia in opposing events to make the twentieth anniversary of the 2001 World Conference Against Racism in Durban.

Answered by Nigel Adams

The United Kingdom is committed to combatting all forms of racism, including anti-Semitism, both at home and abroad. We believe that one of the most effective ways to tackle injustices and advocate respect among different religious and racial groups is to encourage all states to uphold their human rights obligations. Some of the anti-Semitic actions and speeches in and around the Durban conference and its various follow-up events gave rise to serious concerns. We will consider UK attendance in the light of developments between now and the commemoration event, including the likelihood of any recurrence.

The Foreign Secretary recently reaffirmed the UK's condemnation to anti-Semitism during a debate in the House of Commons on 20 April 2021, and I raised my opposition to anti-Semitism during a Westminster Hall Debate on 26 November 2020. We also delivered a statement at the United Nations General Assembly in November expressing concern about the rise of anti-Semitism and other forms of discrimination in the wake of Covid-19.