Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to increase the flow of humanitarian aid into the north of Yemen.

The UK is providing £205 million of UK aid to Yemen in the financial year 2017/18; and also pressing other countries to take steps to increase the flow of aid to Northern Yemen. In Saudi Arabia in December last year, the Secretary of State underscored requests made by the Prime Minister the previous month for unhindered access for imports of commercial and humanitarian food, fuel and medical supplies throughout the country. The Saudi-led Coalition recently extended their window for food and fuel imports into the important ports of Hodeidah and Saleef for another 30 days (until 22 February) and we continue to monitor the situation closely.

In the North of Yemen we are working with UN and NGO delivery partners who are operating under very difficult circumstances to reach the most vulnerable Yemenis. The UK is the 2nd largest donor to the UN Humanitarian Appeal for Yemen, which for 2018/19 is the biggest in the world, with an estimated cost of £2.96 billion intended to reach 22.2 million people in need of humanitarian assistance. This includes 11.3 million in acute need.