Asked by: Lyn Brown (Labour - West Ham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether he has had recent discussions with the UN on the potential merits of taking further steps to help protect (a) members of expert panels mandated by the Security Council and (b) other UN (i) investigators and (ii) researchers from reprisals for their work.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The UK Mission to the UN regularly engages with the UN regarding personnel issues, including the general safety and wellbeing of its staff. This engagement includes frequent contact with Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on safeguarding procedures against reprisals for those who cooperate with the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and the UN more broadly. Concerning individual cases, the UK Mission to the UN has held recent discussions with the Security Council Affairs Division regarding the safety of Panel of Expert members.
Asked by: Tommy Sheppard (Scottish National Party - Edinburgh East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of The Technical Report for the United Nations Secretary-General, published on 22 April 2024.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
Allegations that UNRWA staff were involved in the events that took place on 7 October in Israel are appalling, which is why we took decisive action to pause future funding to the organisation.
We will set out our position on future funding to UNRWA following careful consideration of the final report of the Independent Review Group led by Catherine Colonna, UNRWA's response and the ongoing UN Office for Internal Oversight Services investigation into these allegations.
We remain absolutely committed to getting humanitarian aid to people in Gaza who desperately need it, including through other UN agencies and British charities.
Mar. 11 2024
Source Page: Correspondence regarding United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA): FOI releaseFound: Correspondence regarding United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA): FOI release
Nov. 28 2009
Source Page: United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF): UK institutional strategy 2009-2011. 20 p.Found: United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF): UK institutional strategy 2009-2011. 20 p.
Jun. 05 2024
Source Page: It is essential that UNITAD evidence retained by the United Nations remains fully accessible: UK statement at the UN Security CouncilFound: It is essential that UNITAD evidence retained by the United Nations remains fully accessible: UK statement
Found: COP28: The 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference
Oral Evidence Dec. 04 2023
Inquiry: The UK’s engagement with the Middle East and North AfricaFound: United Nations Oral Evidence
Sep. 06 2011
Source Page: United Nations convention against torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment: 5th report by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. 230 p.Found: United Nations convention against torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment: 5th report
Apr. 10 2024
Source Page: Scottish Government Aid towards the United Nations Relief and Works Agency’s (UNRWA) in Gaza: FOI releaseFound: Scottish Government Aid towards the United Nations Relief and Works Agency’s (UNRWA) in Gaza: FOI release
Jun. 19 2024
Source Page: International Alliance on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict (PSVI) statement responding to United Nations Secretary-General's report on conflict-related sexual violenceFound: International Alliance on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict (PSVI) statement responding to United