Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assurances, if any, they have received from the government of Saudi Arabia that, in response to the statement by the UN Security Council of 15 March 2016, that government will negotiate directly with Houthi leaders in Yemen without preconditions and in a way that ensures the participation of women and other under-represented groups at all levels of society.

A negotiated political settlement through inclusive intra-Yemeni dialogue is the only way to end the Yemeni conflict and address the ongoing humanitarian crisis, and we continue to work with all our Yemeni, regional and international partners in support of this goal. As the 15 March UN Security Council Presidential Statement made clear, this will require the full involvement of women and other under-represented groups to ensure that the process goes beyond politics and reflects the aspirations of all Yemenis.

The imperative of reaching a political solution to the conflict in Yemen was agreed in the Joint Declaration by the UK and Saudi Arabia during the visit of the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia in March. The Joint Declaration expressed the UK's and Saudi Arabia's strong support for the UN Special Envoy for Yemen, and our resolve to work together closely to achieve a political solution.