Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Egypt concerning its reported plans for the forced eviction and demolition of homes of the population of Rafah.

We are aware of the extension of the buffer zone in North Sinai and are concerned by reports of the effect of this on the civilian population. We have raised on a number of occasions with the Government of Egypt the need for a human rights compliant approach to countering terrorism in this area, which addresses socioeconomic development as well as security needs.