Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to open direct talks with the Houthi leadership in Sana’a to find a solution to the conflict in Yemen; and if he will make a statement.

We consistently urge all parties, including the Houthis, to engage constructively with the UN Special Envoy. A nationwide ceasefire will only have an effect on the ground if it is underpinned by a political deal between the conflict parties. A political solution is the only way to bring long-term stability to Yemen and to address the worsening humanitarian crisis. The Yemeni parties must engage constructively and in good faith with the UN Special Envoy to overcome obstacles to progress and find a political settlement to end the conflict.