Asked by: Lord Turnberg (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on the mental health of medical practitioners of withdrawing NHS Practitioner Health services for new applicants.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
We recognise that the NHS Practitioner Health service is valued by many doctors. NHS England is reviewing the service as part of a wider review of its mental health and wellbeing offer to National Health Service staff. It was confirmed on 15 April 2024 that the service will continue to accept new patients from primary and secondary care whilst this review is undertaken over the next 12 months. NHS England will confirm future arrangements once the review has been completed.
Asked by: Lord Turnberg (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have any evidence that UNRWA is inciting hatred of Jews in the textbooks it provides in its schools in Gaza.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We regularly discuss issues related to the school curriculum and textbooks with the Palestinian Authority (PA) and UNRWA. The UK-supported 2021 review of the PA curriculum found improvements in content, with previously flagged materials removed. But it also indicated that problematic content remains in Palestinian textbooks: we therefore need to see further curriculum reform from the PA, and we continue to raise this with them regularly. UNRWA and the PA are engaging seriously on this issue.
Antisemitism is abhorrent and has absolutely no place in any society, and we are committed to tackling it in all its forms.
Asked by: Lord Turnberg (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of allegations of rape of Israeli women by members of Hamas in its attack on 7 October 2023, and the implications for international law.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Reports of sexual violence perpetrated by Hamas on 7 October 2023 detail abhorrent acts of violence against Israeli women and girls. The UK stands in solidarity with all of the victims and survivors.
We condemn sexual violence unequivocally and without exception. These reports must be fully investigated to ensure justice for survivors and victims.
The international community should be clear in condemning sexual violence wherever it occurs, including in Israel.
Conflict-related sexual violence is an abuse of human rights and when perpetrated in the context of an armed conflict, can constitute a violation of international humanitarian law such as a war crime.
Asked by: Lord Turnberg (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that Hamas is seeking to prevent airdrops of aid provided by the UK and others.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We continue to carry out air drops, including most recently on 9 April. We are using the A400M, a highly capable tactical and strategic airlift platform, with drop zones surveyed before and during the airdrop to ensure aid is delivered safely to civilians.
Asked by: Lord Turnberg (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have any evidence that Hamas is diverting aid meant for Gazan civilians for its own use.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
All UK aid undergoes rigorous oversight. Our programmes in the Occupied Palestinian Territories operate with enhanced sensitivity with additional safeguards to protect against any possibility of aid diversion. They include measures to verify and map downstream partners, non-payment of local taxes and enhanced due-diligence processes. We constantly review the due-diligence assessments in place with all partners involved in delivering aid in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. No funding goes to Hamas and we have no information to indicate that UK aid sent to Gaza over the last five years has been used for unintended purposes.