Asked by: Lord Bishop of Southwark (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what progress has been made in correcting the errors in the Person Centric Data Platform and Atlas system, which have led to the merging of different immigration records.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The Person Centric Data Platform (PCDP) holds millions of identities that have been submitted or otherwise provided in support of immigration applications to the UK over many years. The Home Office is aware of issues around ‘merged identity’ - where a single ‘identity island’ has been formed with data belonging to two or more individuals within the PCDP. This is not an issue with Atlas - which provides caseworking capabilities supporting business processing of applicants.
Through detailed analysis of PCDP data, the Home Office has identified around 46,000 records with an identity issue, of which over 13,000 have already been resolved. We have a dedicated team working to resolve the remainder as quickly, and as carefully, as possible.
The Home Office takes data security and accuracy very seriously. Substantial changes have been made to our IT systems to improve data quality, user experience, and caseworking productivity across multiple applications.
Where customers identify an issue with their data, we encourage them to contact the UK Visas and Immigration Contact Centre to enable this to be investigated and resolved.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Southwark (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report of the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, IPC Global Initiative - Special Brief, published 19 March, that famine in Gaza is imminent; and what steps they are taking in response.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Palestinians are facing a devastating and growing humanitarian crisis.
On 20 March, the Foreign Secretary announced the UK has funded WFP to provide 2000 tons of food aid, enough to feed 275,000 people in Gaza.
On 25 March, the Royal Air Force airdropped 10 tonnes of food aid - including water, rice and baby food - directly to civilians in Gaza.
We have trebled our aid commitment this financial year and we are doing everything we can to get more aid in as quickly as possible by land, sea and air.
We continue to call for an immediate stop in fighting 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: Lord Bishop of Southwark (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to reinstate funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, and, if so, when.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK provided £35 million to UNRWA this financial year, including an uplift of £16 million for the Gaza humanitarian response, all of which was disbursed before the recent allegations came to light. No more British funding is due this financial year and we have paused any future funding of UNRWA. I met with Commissioner-General Phillipe Lazzarini on 4 April to discuss the steps they are taking in response to the interim findings.
We want UNRWA to give detailed undertakings about changes in personnel, policy and precedents to ensure this can never happen again. We are working with allies to try to bring this situation to a rapid conclusion - not least because UNRWA have a vital role to play in providing aid and services in Gaza.
We are aware that the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services and Catherine Colonna have now provided their interim reports to the UN Secretary-General.
Our decision to pause future funding to UNRWA has no impact on the UK's contribution to the humanitarian response. We remain committed to getting humanitarian aid to the people in Gaza who desperately need it, including through other UN agencies and British charities.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Southwark (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that weapons manufactured in the UK and sold under export licences are not being used to commit or facilitate violations of international human law in Gaza and in contravention of the Arms Trade Treaty ratified by the UK on 2 April 2014.
Answered by Lord Offord of Garvel - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
All export licence applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis against the Strategic Export Licensing Criteria.
The Criteria provide a thorough risk assessment framework and the Export Control Joint Unit will not issue an export licence to any destination where to do so would be inconsistent with the Criteria.
The Government continues to monitor closely the situation in Israel and Gaza. We can and do respond quickly and flexibly to changing international circumstances. All licences are kept under careful and continual review as standard. We are able to amend, suspend or revoke extant licences and refuse new licence applications as circumstances require.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Southwark (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the extent to which the government of Israel is depriving the civilian population in Gaza of objects indispensable to their survival, including by inhibiting of relief supplies.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
As an occupying power in Gaza, Israel has a responsibility to ensure aid is made available for civilians.
We have set out the action that must be taken to allow more aid into Gaza, including: an immediate humanitarian pause and stop in fighting to get more aid in and the hostages out; increased capacity for aid distribution inside Gaza; increased access for aid through land routes and a fully open Ashdod Port; an expansion of the types of humanitarian assistance allowed into Gaza, such as shelter and items critical for infrastructure repair; and the provision of electricity, water and telecommunications.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Southwark (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will undertake a review of existing and pending licences of arm sales to Israel.
Answered by Lord Offord of Garvel - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government continues to monitor closely the situation in Israel and Gaza. The Government can and does respond quickly and flexibly to changing international circumstances.
All export licences are kept under careful and continual review as standard. We are able to amend, suspend or revoke extant licences and refuse new licence applications as circumstances require.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Southwark (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they have taken, together with allies, to persuade those holding Israeli citizens hostage in Gaza to release them without delay.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government has been working with partners across the region to secure the release of hostages. The Foreign Secretary met with hostage families on 18 March, reaffirming the UK's commitment to see the release of all hostages.
We have been clear that the release of all hostages is one of the vital elements for a lasting peace. The Government continues to call for an immediate humanitarian pause to allow for the release of hostages.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Southwark (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reported allegations by the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East of widespread abuse of Gazans detained by Israel during the war with Hamas.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We have expressed our grave concern about the shocking reports of ill-treatment of Palestinian detainees in Israeli military detention. The UK Government is clear that administrative detention should only be used when it is justified in accordance with international law. Those under detention should either be charged or released. We ask Israel to secure improvements in its detention practices.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Southwark (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have made representations to the government of Israel concerning the land dispute at Cows' Garden in the Armenian Quarter of Jerusalem in the Occupied Palestinian Territories; and if so, what the outcomes of those representations were.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
British officials met Armenian Community leader Hagop Djernazian in January 2024. The UK is monitoring the situation and is clear on the need to avoid any further rise in tensions. The UK's position on the status of Jerusalem is clear and long-standing: it should be determined in a negotiated settlement between the Israelis and the Palestinians, and Jerusalem should ultimately be the shared capital of the Israeli and Palestinian states. The UK is a strong supporter of Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) and an advocate for the integrity of culturally important areas to be respected. The UK continues to take a strong stance against settler violence and urges Israel to take stronger action to stop settler violence and hold the perpetrators accountable.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Southwark (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have held with the government of Israel regarding the latter's plans to create a national park on the Mount of Olives; and what assessment they have made of the impact of these proposals on the Christian holy sites.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We recognise that Jerusalem holds particular significance for many groups around the globe, especially the three Abrahamic faiths of Christianity, Islam and Judaism. We are committed to the Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) for all and an advocate for the integrity of culturally important areas to be respected. A final determination of the status of Jerusalem should be sought as part of a negotiated settlement between Israelis and Palestinians. It must ensure Jerusalem is a shared capital of the Israeli and Palestinian states, with access and the religious rights of all peoples respected.