Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to use the UK’s penholder status on Yemen at the UN Security Council to bring a new resolution forward on ending the armed conflict in Yemen.

The UK continues to fulfil its role as penholder on Yemen in the UN Security Council by coordinating sessions with the Security Council President that respond to developments in Yemen and the will of the Council as a whole. On Monday 19 November, the UK circulated a draft UN Security Council resolution calling for a cessation of hostilities, steps to improve the humanitarian situation, and support for the work of the UN Special Envoy Martin Griffiths. Both the Foreign Secretary and I have recently visited the Middle East to have constructive discussions with the Saudi-led Coalition on pathways to achieve de-escalation and reduce tensions. The Foreign Secretary was clear that both sides would need to play their part in confidence-building measures.​