Asked by: Alistair Carmichael (Liberal Democrat - Orkney and Shetland)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, with reference to the Oral Statement of the Minister of State of 29 January 2024, on Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Official Report, columns 620-622, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the temporary pause in funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), announced on 27 January 2024, on Palestinian refugees in (a) Jordan, (b) Lebanon, (c) Syria, (d) East Jerusalem, (e) West Bank and (f) Gaza.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
We remain committed to getting humanitarian aid to the those who desperately need it, and our decision to pause future funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) has no impact on the UK's contribution to the humanitarian response, whether in Gaza or the wider region. Our commitment to trebling aid to Gaza still stands, and we are getting on with aid delivery to the region through funding multiple implementing partners including other UN agencies and international and UK NGOs. This support is helping people get food, water, shelter and medicines. The UK is providing £60 million in humanitarian assistance to support partners including the British Red Cross, UNICEF, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) and Egyptian Red Crescent Society (ERCS) to respond to critical food, fuel, water, health, shelter and security needs in Gaza. We will continue to support and have supported the United Nations World Food Programme to deliver a new humanitarian land corridor from Jordan into Gaza. 750 tonnes of life-saving food aid arrived in the first delivery and 315 tonnes in the second delivery.
Asked by: Nicola Richards (Conservative - West Bromwich East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what information his Department holds on the alleged construction of cross-border tunnels into Israel by Hezbollah.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The UK has repeatedly condemned Hizballah's destabilising activity in the region, including the construction of tunnels and the stockpiling of weapons, in breach of UN Security Council Resolutions 1559 and 1701. Such activity presents a threat to the security of both Israel and Lebanon and risks an escalation that is in nobody's interests.
Asked by: Marquess of Lothian (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what action they are taking, together with international partners, to prevent an expansion of hostilities between the government of Israel and Hezbollah, following recent airstrikes in Lebanon which killed Saleh al-Arouri, deputy chair of Hamas’s political bureau, and the Hezbollah senior commander, Wissam al-Tawil.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We remain in close contact with key international and regional partners, including to urge all sides to avoid further escalation in Lebanon; the situation is fragile and an escalation in violence, including on Lebanon's southern boundary with Israel, is not in anyone's interests. The UK is committed to its longstanding support to the Lebanese Armed Forces which helps maintain Lebanon's security.
Asked by: Stewart Malcolm McDonald (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what assessment he has made of the potential risk to civilians of a closure of Hudaydah port.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Yemen is almost entirely reliant on imports for food, importing approximately 90 per cent of food staples such as wheat. Hodeidah Port is key to food security in Yemen, as it receives 40 to 50 per cent of the country's food imports, as well as essential food aid.
The disruption to shipping in the Red Sea caused by Houthi attacks, risks driving up costs of supplies of food and humanitarian aid in the region, including to Yemen, Sudan, Somalia, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Sudan, and Lebanon.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what discussions he has had with political leaders in Lebanon on civilian and child casualties in their country since 7 October 2023.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
We are in close contact with the Lebanese government. We are urging all sides to avoid further escalation in Lebanon. The situation is fragile and an escalation in violence, including on Lebanon's southern border with Israel, is not in anyone's interests. The Foreign Secretary spoke to the Lebanese Prime Minister on 28 December and discussed the situation on the Lebanese/Israeli border and the need for full implementation of UNSCR 1701.
Asked by: Maria Eagle (Labour - Garston and Halewood)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many UK personnel have served in UN peacekeeping missions in each year since 2019.
Answered by James Heappey
Since 2019, the UK has contributed to the following UN Peacekeeping missions: MINUSMA (Mali), MONUSCO(DRC), UNFICYP(Cyprus), UNIFIL(Lebanon), UNMISS (South Sudan), UNSMIL(Libya), UNSOM(Somalia).
The total number of UK personnel who have served on these missions in each year since 2019 is outlined below.
2019: 2,284
2020: 1,115
2021: 1,844
2022: 1,978
2023: 1,211
The figures provided capture those directly employed on the UN Missions. Where the UK deployed at Unit level and above, the figures also include those who served as part of the National Support Element.
The figures do not include the UK troops training and mentoring partner forces in advance of their deployment on UN operations.
Asked by: Lord Patten (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the safety of the Christian Aramaean communities on the Israel–Lebanon border.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is actively monitoring the Blue Line boundary between Israel and Lebanon, and engaging closely with partners across the region. We are a strong supporter of Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) and call for places of worship to be respected. Israel and Lebanon have made clear their commitment to freedom of religion, and we encourage both Governments to do all that they can to uphold the values of equality for all enshrined in their laws. Our Embassies in Tel Aviv and Beirut, and our Consulate General in Jerusalem regularly raise issues of religious freedom with the Israeli and Lebanese Governments.
Asked by: John Healey (Labour - Wentworth and Dearne)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 27 November 2023 to Question 2760 on Middle East: Armed Forces, how many UK troops were present in (a) Jordan, (b) Lebanon, (c) Oman, (d) Bahrain and (e) Cyprus in each year since 2010.
Answered by James Heappey
Additional time is required to access this information from the MOD archives. I will write to the right hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.
Asked by: Dan Carden (Labour - Liverpool, Walton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether he made an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of reports by (a) Human Rights Watch and (b) Amnesty International alleging the use of white phosphorus in (i) Lebanon and (ii) Gaza.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are aware of reports from Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International alleging the use of white phosphorus in Lebanon and Gaza. HMG will not provide a running commentary on possible violations of International Humanitarian Law. The Government keeps policy regularly under review to ensure it meets our obligations and needs at the time. While it is the responsibility of the parties themselves to ensure respect for International Humanitarian Law, the UK Government is scrupulous in ensuring that its own actions do not in any way assist or support the violation of international law.
Asked by: John Healey (Labour - Wentworth and Dearne)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his oral contribution of 20 November 2023, Official Report, column 4, how many UK troops are in (a) Jordan, (b) Lebanon, (c) Oman, (d) Bahrain and (e) Cyprus as of 21 November 2023.
Answered by James Heappey
The UK maintains a presence in each of these locations
a) There are approximately 30 members of the UK Armed Forces in Jordan.
b) There are approximately 40 members of the UK Armed Forces in Lebanon.
c) There are approximately 1,000 members of the UK Armed Forces in Oman.
d) There are approximately 400 members of the UK Armed Forces in Bahrain.
e) There are approximately 3,000 members of the UK Armed Forces in the Sovereign Base Area on the island of Cyprus.