Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, what steps he is taking to support UN-led Yemeni peace talks; and what progress he has made towards achieving an inclusive political settlement in Yemen.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Minister for the Middle East and North Africa, Lord Ahmad, spoke with the new Yemeni Foreign Minister Al-Zindani on 17 April. He reiterated the UK's commitment to an intra-Yemeni peace process under UN auspices.
We continue to champion the vital role of the UN Special Envoy to Yemen, Hans Grundberg, and welcomed his formal launch of the UN-led Roadmap in December. This was enabled following years of HMG's diplomatic support. An inclusive political settlement is the only way to bring sustainable peace and long-term stability to Yemen, and to address the worsening humanitarian crisis.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of recent regional military action on the peace process in Yemen.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is deeply concerned by the humanitarian situation in Yemen, which remains dire. We are committed to provide continued humanitarian assistance to help alleviate the dire conditions faced by millions of Yemenis.
We have played a leading role in responding to the humanitarian crisis, committing over £1 billion in aid since the conflict began in 2014.
In both 2022-23 and 2023-4 we committed £88 million in aid to Yemen, which has contributed to providing food to at least 100,000 people every month, delivering lifesaving health care through 400 facilities, and treating 22,000 severely malnourished children.
Asked by: Baroness Hodgson of Abinger (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what support they are providing, and what practical steps they are are taking, to ensure civil society, including women's rights organisations, women’s human rights defenders and youth organisations, are involved in Yemen's peace process.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Yemen is a focus country in the new HMG national action plan on Women, Peace, and Security for 2023-27 and is one of our human rights priority countries.
We champion and support the important role women, youth and civil society can play in securing lasting peace in Yemen, recognising the need for an inclusive peace process and consideration for marginalised groups.
As a global leader on the Women Peace, and Security agenda, the UK funds projects supporting the work of grassroots women leaders and civil society organisations in communities across Yemen. For example, we supported the Yemeni Women's Pact for Peace and Security (through UN Women), which aimed to increase female leadership and inclusion in the peace processes.
We continue to support the UN Special Envoy, who is actively engaging women in the peace process and involving a wide range of Yemenis. We fund a Senior Gender Adviser position and an Economist position in his office. Complementing the UN's efforts to deliver a durable and sustainable peace deal, the UK's Conflict Stability and Security Fund (CSSF) has supported a range of Track II (Influential Figures) and Track III (Civil Society and Local Groups) initiatives which promote a more inclusive political dialogue, including at the subnational level.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool, Riverside)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support the renewal of the truce in Yemen.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
A political settlement is the only way to bring long-term stability to Yemen and to address the humanitarian crisis. There is no military solution to the conflict. We encourage all parties to continue engaging with UN Special Envoy Hans Grundberg to find a peaceful solution. We use our role as penholder on Yemen at the UN Security Council and work with our international partners to help move the Yemen peace process forward. On February 15, the Minister of State for the Middle East, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon met Mohammed al-Jabr, Saudi Arabia's Ambassador to Yemen and the Yemeni Prime Minister, Maeen Abdulmalik Saeed on 28 April.
Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent steps he has taken to work with his international counterparts to support work towards a lasting peace in Yemen.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are clear that a political settlement is the only way to bring long-term stability to Yemen and to address the worsening humanitarian crisis. There is no military solution to the conflict. We encourage all parties to continue engaging with UN Special Envoy Hans Grundberg to find a peaceful solution. We use our role as penholder on Yemen at the UN Security Council, alongside our international partners, to help move the Yemen peace process forward. On February 15, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon met Mohammed al-Jabr, Saudi Arabia's Ambassador to Yemen and there are further ministerial engagements being held in the coming days and weeks.
Asked by: Tim Loughton (Conservative - East Worthing and Shoreham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the truce in the Yemen conflict which expired on 2 October 2022, what steps his Department is taking to support a further truce.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK plays a leading diplomatic role in Yemen, we continue to encourage the parties to engage in the UN-led peace process and maximise our role as the penholder at the UN Security Council to extend the truce. We are providing technical advice, engaging with regional actors and the UN and supporting discussions on the economic, security and political future of Yemen. Yemenis experienced significant tangible benefits from the truce and the UK urges all parties to refrain from provocations, engage with the Special Envoy on his proposals and protect progress so far.
Asked by: Lord Hylton (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support negotiations to extend the truce in Yemen before it expires, to release relief supplies.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK welcomes the two-month truce in Yemen, brokered by the UN on 1 April and the creation of a Presidential Leadership Council on 6 April. After over seven long years of conflict, a negotiated political settlement is the only way to bring long-term stability to Yemen and end the humanitarian suffering. The UK will continue to use its diplomatic relations and role as penholder on Yemen in the UN Security Council to support efforts towards political dialogue and peace. The UK continues to encourage the conflict parties to engage constructively with UN-led peace efforts. As part of the truce agreement, there has been an increase in the number of fuel ships entering Yemeni ports, bringing much needed relief to the Yemeni population.
Asked by: Gill Furniss (Labour - Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the peace talks in Yemen; and what steps she is taking to help secure lasting peace in that country.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The UK welcomes the two-month truce in Yemen, brokered by the UN on 1 April, and the creation of a Presidential Leadership Council on 6 April. After over seven long years of conflict, a negotiated political settlement is the only way to bring long-term stability to Yemen and end the humanitarian suffering. The UK will continue to use its diplomatic relations and role as penholder on Yemen in the UN Security Council to support efforts towards political dialogue and peace. The UK continues to encourage the conflict parties to engage constructively with UN-led peace efforts.
Asked by: Patrick Grady (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Government is taking in its role as penholder on Yemen at the UN Security Council to help secure international support for an end to violence in that country.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The UK welcomes the UN-brokered two-month truce in Yemen, which began on 2 April, and the creation of a Presidential Leadership Council in Yemen on 6 April. After seven long years of conflict, a negotiated political settlement is the only way to bring long-term stability to Yemen and end the humanitarian suffering. The UK will continue to use its diplomatic relations and role as penholder on Yemen in the UN Security Council to support efforts towards political dialogue and peace, including through coordinated statements, regular briefings of the UN Special Envoy and through the targeted use of sanctions. The UK continues to encourage the conflict parties to engage constructively with UN-led peace efforts.
Asked by: Patrick Grady (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help secure a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Yemen.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The UK welcomes the UN-brokered two-month truce in Yemen, which began on 2 April, and the creation of a Presidential Leadership Council in Yemen on 6 April. After seven long years of conflict, a negotiated political settlement is the only way to bring long-term stability to Yemen and end the humanitarian suffering. The UK will continue to use its diplomatic relations and role as penholder on Yemen in the UN Security Council to support efforts towards political dialogue and peace, including through coordinated statements, regular briefings of the UN Special Envoy and through the targeted use of sanctions. The UK continues to encourage the conflict parties to engage constructively with UN-led peace efforts.