Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps his Department is taking to ensure the border between the UK and Republic of Ireland is secure against the passage malign foreign actors.
Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security)
We continue a high level of cooperation on border security with Ireland; working closely together to identify and tackle those who seek to abuse arrangements from entering the Common Travel Area.
Schedule 3 to the Counter-Terrorism and Border Security Act 2019 allows a Counter-Terrorism Police Officer to stop, question and, when necessary, detain and search, individuals and goods travelling through UK ports and the “border area” for the purpose of determining whether the person (or the goods) appears to be someone who is, or has been, engaged in hostile activity.
In Northern Ireland, a place is within the “border area” if it is no more than one mile from the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland or it is the first place at which a train travelling from the Republic of Ireland stops to let passengers off.
Individuals who seek to abuse the Common Travel Area arrangements are liable to be detained, and if unlawfully entering the UK, removed.
Asked by: Mary Kelly Foy (Labour - City of Durham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of efforts to encourage other countries to ratify the Biodiversity beyond National Jurisdiction Agreement.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The implementation and ratification of the Biodiversity beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement is the subject of active and positive discussions at international meetings, such as the Our Ocean Conference that was held in Greece on 15-17 April, the Commonwealth Ocean Ministers Meeting held in Cyprus on 18-19 April, and the upcoming High Level Ocean Action event in Costa Rica on 7-8 June. The government has also been actively engaging with other interested States and international organisations to exchange current policy thinking on BBNJ Agreement implementation and ratification. The FCDO is funding a project by the Commonwealth Secretariat to provide technical assistance to smaller Commonwealth members. The UK is aware that a substantial number of States are actively working to implement and ratify the BBNJ Agreement and encourage other States. A draft UN General Assembly Resolution (A/78/L.41) to establish a Preparatory Commission for the BBNJ Agreement will be voted on shortly. Once the Preparatory Commission is established it will prepare for the first Conference of the Parties to take place within the first year after entry into force of the Agreement (with entry into force taking place 120 days after the 60th ratification). The UK aims to ratify in time for the UN Ocean Conference in June 2025 and to play an active part in the first Conference of the Parties.
Asked by: Neil Hudson (Conservative - Penrith and The Border)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, what steps his Department is taking to help increase humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
We have welcomed recent commitments from Israel to increase the amount of aid getting in to Gaza, including allowing the delivery of humanitarian aid through the Port of Ashdod and the Erez crossing - steps we have long urged Israel to take. We want to see Israel fulfil these commitments swiftly and in full. The Foreign Secretary discussed this with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu on 17 April.
During that visit, the Foreign Secretary urged Israel to deliver on its promises of delivering more aid into Gaza through as many routes as possible by land, sea and air.
The UK has announced a £9.7 million package of military and civilian support to set up a maritime aid corridor to Gaza, including the deployment of a Navy ship, and £3 million of additional funding for equipment to support UN and aid agencies at new and existing land crossings to get more aid into Gaza. The UK's contribution will include trucks, forklifts, generators, fuel stores and lighting towers.
Asked by: Seema Malhotra (Labour (Co-op) - Feltham and Heston)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, whether he has had recent discussions with his Israeli counterpart on injuries received by (a) children and (b) civilian men of working age in Gaza hit by Israeli drone fire.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The British Government has underlined the need for Israel to ensure effective deconfliction in Gaza. We want to see Israel take greater care to limit its operations to military targets, avoid harming civilians, in particular children, and destroying homes. Too many civilians have been killed.
We are calling for an immediate pause to get aid in and hostages out, then progress towards a sustainable, permanent ceasefire, without a return to destruction, fighting and loss of life.
The Foreign Secretary reiterated these points during his visit to Israel on 17 April, where he met Israeli President Isaac Herzog, Prime Minister Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Israel Katz.
Asked by: Seema Malhotra (Labour (Co-op) - Feltham and Heston)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, whether he has had recent discussions with his Israeli counterpart on the potential merits of the resumption of the supply of fresh water in Gaza.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The situation in Gaza is desperate. Too many Palestinian civilians have been killed and there is an urgent need to get more aid to the people of Gaza to prevent a famine. Israel has made some progress in allowing more aid into Gaza, but more needs to be done.
The Foreign Secretary visited Israel on 17 April. During his visit he met with Prime Minister Netanyahu and Foreign Affairs Minister Katz and reiterated the need to maintain focus on getting more aid into Gaza and getting hostages out. He also stressed the need to see an expansion of the types of aid allowed into Gaza and the provision of electricity, water and telecommunications, to both the north and the south of Gaza.
Asked by: Helen Grant (Conservative - Maidstone and The Weald)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, what steps he is taking to help increase the amount of aid getting into Gaza.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
We trebled our aid commitment in the last financial year and are doing everything we can to get more aid in as quickly as possible by land, sea and air.
Israel has committed to significant steps to increase the amount of aid getting into Gaza, including allowing the delivery of humanitarian aid through the Port of Ashdod and the Erez crossing.
The UK has long urged Israel to take these steps and welcomes these commitments, and we have urged Israel to deliver on implementation. The Foreign Secretary discussed this with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu on 17 April. We are resolved that the international community will work with Israel to see these vital changes fully implemented.
We have announced £3 million of additional funding for equipment to support UN and aid agencies at new and existing land crossings to get more aid into Gaza. The UK's contribution will include trucks, forklifts, generators, fuel stores and lighting towers.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, when he plans to respond to Question 22306 tabled by the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne Central on 17 April 2024 for answer on 22 April.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
I responded to Question 22306 on 25/04/2024.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, what recent discussions he has had with his allied counterparts on how to tackle the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The Foreign Secretary discussed getting aid into Gaza with G7 counterparts on 19 April and at the World Economic Forum in Riyadh on 29 April.
In addition, the passing of UN Security Council Resolution 2728 on 25 March reflected international consensus behind the UK's position that we need an immediate pause in the fighting to get aid into Gaza and get hostages out, then progress towards a permanent, sustainable ceasefire.
The Government has reiterated these points in recent engagements with counterparts and partners. The Foreign Secretary also made these points during his 17 April visit to Israel, where he met with Israeli President Isaac Herzog, Prime Minister Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Israel Katz.
Asked by: Alistair Carmichael (Liberal Democrat - Orkney and Shetland)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of opening a coronial inquest into the killing of three British nationals working with the World Central Kitchen by an Israeli drone strike in Gaza.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The Prime Minister spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu on 2 April and made clear that the UK was appalled by the killing of seven World Central Kitchen aid workers, including three British Nationals, in an Israeli airstrike. The Prime Minister called for a thorough and transparent investigation into what happened. We are reviewing the initial findings of Israel's investigation of the incident.
Guaranteed deconfliction for aid convoys and other humanitarian work is essential.
The Government mourns the loss of these brave humanitarian workers, and our thoughts remain with their families at this time.
Asked by: Anum Qaisar (Scottish National Party - Airdrie and Shotts)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, whether he has had discussions with his Israeli counterpart on the alleged use of artificial intelligence software in the conflict in Gaza.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
Ministers and senior officials regularly raise with their Israeli counterparts a range of issues related to the conflict.