Oral Answers to Questions

Stephen Hammond Excerpts
Wednesday 3rd September 2014

(10 years, 2 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Desmond Swayne Portrait Mr Swayne
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We continually make representations to the Israelis with respect to making access easier. The hon. Lady is quite right: many of those children have life-changing injuries. The NGOs who have to negotiate access to Gaza currently incur costs of some £6 million a year to do so, and that is not acceptable.

Stephen Hammond Portrait Stephen Hammond (Wimbledon) (Con)
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13. Although I recognise that both the Israelis and the Egyptians have offered humanitarian aid during the crisis, I am keen to press the Minister on what his Department could do immediately to ensure supplies of medicine and medical aid to the people of Gaza.

Desmond Swayne Portrait Mr Swayne
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We have supplied emergency aid to the International Committee of the Red Cross, to which we gave £3 million, and through our rapid reaction facility to other NGOs.