Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, if he will make representations to the Israeli government on the potential merits of enabling a neutral humanitarian organisation to (a) conduct checks on aid and (b) facilitate the opening of more land routes.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
We have set out very clearly the steps that Israel needs to take, including an immediate humanitarian pause to get more aid in and the hostages out; increased capacity inside Gaza and fully enabling the UN's minimal operating requirements, including by allowing visas, telecommunications equipment, armoured vehicles, trucks and personal protective equipment; as well as increased access for aid through land routes, including the scaling up of the Jordan corridor, with a streamlined screening and delivery process, the opening of a crossing in northern Gaza, Ashdod Port fully open for aid delivery and increased screening capacity at Kerem Shalom and Nitzana to seven days a week and extended hours.
We also 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: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what recent progress his Department has made on helping to secure the release of hostages in Gaza.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The UK Government has been working with partners across the region to secure the release of hostages, including British nationals and their families.
We have been clear that the release of all the hostages is one of the vital elements for a lasting peace and the Foreign Secretary has reiterated that we want to see the safe release of all hostages unconditionally.
The Government continues to call for an immediate humanitarian pause now to allow for the release of hostages.
Asked by: Nick Thomas-Symonds (Labour - Torfaen)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, when his Department was first informed of Boris Johnson's meeting with Venezuelan government officials; and whether enquiries were made on the nature of this visit.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Boris Johnson was visiting entirely in a personal capacity and not acting on behalf of the UK Government. His trip was not funded by the UK Government. As part of his visit, Mr Johnson paid a courtesy call on the British Residence in Caracas. The UK does not accept the legitimacy of the administration put in place by Nicolás Maduro following the 2018 presidential election.
Asked by: Nick Thomas-Symonds (Labour - Torfaen)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether his Department provided a briefing to Boris Johnson in advance of his meeting with the Venezuelan President.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Boris Johnson was visiting entirely in a personal capacity and not acting on behalf of the UK Government. His trip was not funded by the UK Government. As part of his visit, Mr Johnson paid a courtesy call on the British Residence in Caracas. The UK does not accept the legitimacy of the administration put in place by Nicolás Maduro following the 2018 presidential election.
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, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the news release from the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights entitled Attacks on the humanitarian aid distribution system, published on 22 March 2024.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
It is imperative that those doing life-saving work are properly protected. The Foreign Secretary has called on Israel to reform its deconfliction mechanism to ensure the safety of aid workers and to make progress on the UN's minimal operating requirements, including more visas and driver approvals granted, as well as more trucks permitted to cross into Gaza.
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, what diplomatic steps his Department is taking to help ensure the protection of (a) Palestinians and (b) humanitarian workers during the distribution of aid in Gaza.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
It is imperative that those doing life-saving work are properly protected. The Foreign Secretary has called on Israel to reform its deconfliction mechanism to ensure the safety of aid workers and to make progress on the UN's minimal operating requirements, including more visas and driver approvals granted, as well as more trucks permitted to cross into Gaza.
Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, pursuant to the Answer of 25 March 2024 to Question 19633 on Gaza: Humanitarian Aid, if he will publish a detailed plan on the alternative routes the UK has planned for ensuring aid gets into Gaza; and what contingencies he has in place should aid not be delivered.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
On 5 April, Israel committed to significant steps to increase the amount of aid getting to Gaza. The UK has urged Israel to take these steps for a long time and they are welcome. We are working to get aid through these new humanitarian routes as soon as possible.
To date, UK funding has supported the work of partners including the British Red Cross, World Food Programme, UNICEF and Egyptian Red Crescent Society (ERCS) to deliver vital supplies.
We continue to call 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.
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, with reference to the news story by the UN entitled Israel tells UN it will reject UNRWA food convoys into northern Gaza, published on 24 March 2024, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the Israeli government's decision to no longer approve the passage of any UNRWA food convoys into northern Gaza.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
We want to see Israel increase capacity inside Gaza and fully enable the UN's minimal operating requirements, including by allowing visas, telecommunications equipment, armoured vehicles, trucks and personal protective equipment.
In addition, we have called on Israel to increase access for aid and expand the types of aid allowed into Gaza.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether his Department issues guidance to UK nationals on volunteering with the Israeli Defence Force.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The UK recognises the right of British nationals with more than one nationality to serve in the legitimately recognised armed forces of their additional nationalities. This includes the Israel Defence Force.
Our travel advice for those considering travel to all countries, including Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, is updated regularly and available online.
Asked by: Daniel Kawczynski (Conservative - Shrewsbury and Atcham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing funding for projects to support agricultural businesses in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
DRC's fertile land has enormous agricultural potential, but production is hampered by a number of factors. Improving food security, including through the rehabilitation of agriculture, has a central role in building peace, while contributing to food rural development. The UK contributes to food security, protection and resilience through our £98 million 3-year humanitarian programme for the East of DRC which delivers life-saving emergency assistance to over 1.1 million people.