Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Independent - Coventry South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether Tomer Bar was granted special mission immunity to visit the UK in July 2025.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Government officials from any country can apply for and be granted special mission certificates as part of official visits to the UK. As set out in a Written Ministerial Statement to the House on 4 March 2013, Official Report, volume 559, column 55WS, a special mission is a temporary mission, representing a State, which is sent by one State to another with the consent of the latter, in order to carry out official engagements on behalf of the sending State. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office gave consent for special mission status for the visit to the UK on 17-18 July for Tomer Bar, Head of the Israeli Air Force, and a member of their delegation.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Independent - Coventry South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many foreign officials have been granted special mission immunity to visit the UK since March 2024; and what the (a) names and (b) country of origin are of those officials.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The purpose of special missions is a 'temporary mission, representing a state, which is sent by one state to another with the consent of the latter, in order to carry out official engagements on behalf of the sending state'. All visitors granted a special mission status would have had bilateral engagements with UK ministers and officials during their visit, pertinent to the individual bilateral relationship.
Since 1 March 2024, special mission status has been granted to four delegations:
Benny Gantz, Chairman of The National Unity Party & War Cabinet Minister of the State of Israel and two delegates, March 2024;
Lieutenant General Herzl Halevi, Chief of the General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces and four delegates, November 2024;
Major General Oded Bassiuk, Head of the Operations Directorate J3 of the Israel Defense Forces and five delegates, January 2025;
Major General Tomer Bar, Head of the Israeli Air Force, July 2025.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Independent - Coventry South)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 18 June 2025 to Question 50563 on Israel: Military Aid, what gifts of controlled military equipment were provided to Israel between 7 October 2023 and 17 July 2024.
Answered by Maria Eagle
While I am unable to comment on specific capabilities, equipment gifted to Israel by the UK Government since 7 October 2023 has been non-lethal.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Independent - Coventry South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress her Department has made in reviewing the pause on decision-making for (a) asylum and (b) indefinite leave to remain applications from Syrian nationals; and what her planned timetable is for resuming the processing of such claims.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Following the fall of the Assad regime, the Home Office has withdrawn the Country Policy Information Notes and Guidance relating to Syria and has temporarily paused all asylum interviews and decisions. However, we continue to register new claims from Syrians in the UK who wish to claim asylum. Settlement Protection applications from Syrian nationals who are trying to obtain indefinite leave to remain in the UK are also subject to the pause.
The Country Policy and Information Team (CPIT) are continuing to monitor and review the situation in Syria. CPIT are gathering evidence from a wide range of reliable sources, including reputable media outlets; local, national and international organisations, including human rights organisations; and information from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
The pause is being kept under constant review and when there is a clear basis upon which to make decisions, we will resume the processing of them.
We will not remove anyone to their own or any other country where they would face persecution or serious harm.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Independent - Coventry South)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Government has made any gifts of controlled military equipment to Israel since 7 October 2023.
Answered by Maria Eagle
In the aftermath of 7 October 2023 the UK Government has provided non-lethal military equipment including medical equipment; nothing has been gifted in this Parliamentary session.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Independent - Coventry South)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he plans to answer Question 50563, tabled by the hon. Member for Coventry South on 7 May 2025.
Answered by Maria Eagle
I will respond to the hon. Member shortly.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Independent - Coventry South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many times the International Humanitarian Law Compliance Assessment Process Cell has submitted assessments on Israel's compliance with international humanitarian law since July 2024.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has carried out regular International Humanitarian Law assessments since the beginning of the conflict on 7 October 2023. To date we have undertaken 14 assessments. Further information on the assessment process can be found on Gov.uk:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/summary-of-the-international-humanitarian-law-ihl-process-decision-and-the-factors-taken-into-account/summary-of-the-ihl-process-decision-and-the-factors-taken-into-account
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Independent - Coventry South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the International Humanitarian Law Compliance Assessment Process Cell has requested access to footage from the Royal Air Force's surveillance missions over Gaza.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Our International Humanitarian Law (IHL) assessments include information from a wide range of sources, including a third-party contractor specialising in geolocation verification and consider analysis from a wide range of sources including the UN, Non-Governmental Organisations, media and organisations on the ground.
The UK's operational mandate has been narrowly defined to focus on securing the release of the hostages only. These Royal Air Force surveillance flights are unarmed and do not have a combat role. We will not comment further on detailed intelligence matters to protect operational security.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Independent - Coventry South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has used contractors to provide (a) information and (b) analysis to the International Humanitarian Law Compliance Assessment Process Cell.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Our International Humanitarian Law (IHL) assessments include information from a wide range of sources, including a third-party contractor specialising in geolocation verification and consider analysis from a wide range of sources including the UN, Non-Governmental Organisations, media and organisations on the ground.
The UK's operational mandate has been narrowly defined to focus on securing the release of the hostages only. These Royal Air Force surveillance flights are unarmed and do not have a combat role. We will not comment further on detailed intelligence matters to protect operational security.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Independent - Coventry South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many and what proportion of the potential violations of international humanitarian law that have been assessed by the Government in relation to Israel’s actions in Gaza involved (a) F-35 jets and (b) 2000lb bombs.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
On 2 September 2024 we suspended export licences to Israel for use in military operations in Gaza, following a review into Israel's compliance with International Humanitarian Law (IHL) which concluded there was a clear risk that some UK exports might be used to commit or facilitate a serious violation of IHL. It was necessary to exclude exports to the F-35 programme from the suspension, as previously set out to Parliament. This is due to the F-35 programme's broader strategic role in North Atlantic Treaty Organization and wider implications for international peace and security.
Our ongoing IHL assessments continue to raise concerns about possible breaches of IHL in the areas of humanitarian access and in the treatment of detainees. The lack of sufficient verifiable evidence means that we have not been able to reach a determination regarding Israel's IHL compliance in the conduct of hostilities. Our assessment findings give cause for concern about Israel's commitment to IHL generally, including in the conduct of hostilities.