Middle East Update

Lord Turnberg Excerpts

Wednesday 7th May 2025 Lords Chamber

[Lord Collins of Highbury (Lab)]

The noble Baroness is absolutely right. We have been focused on ensuring that agencies are allowed to deliver aid. When we last considered this matter, I made it clear that we were ready and willing—with all agencies, not just UNRWA—to ensure that we can get aid in when this block by Israel is lifted. We are ready to do that, but we are also working very hard diplomatically to ensure that Israel allows aid to get to the people who are most in need.

I did not address the question raised by the noble Baroness, Lady Northover, on the export of arms and international humanitarian law. This Government have suspended relevant licences for the IDF that might be used to commit or facilitate serious violations of international law in Gaza. Of the remaining licences for Israel, the vast majority are not for the Israeli Defense Forces but for civilian purposes or re-export and are therefore not used in the war in Gaza. The only exception is the F35 programme, due to its strategic role in NATO and the wider implications for international peace and security. Any suggestion that the United Kingdom is licensing other weapons for use by Israel in the war in Gaza is misleading.

[Lord Turnberg (Lab)]

My Lords, the situation in Gaza is truly horrendous, but Hamas must bear some responsibility for that. Indeed, the Gazan population is rising up against Hamas saying just that. I will briefly address the situation regarding aid. In view of the suggestion that Hamas purloined much of the aid that used to go in and sold it off to the suffering citizens at a profit, what is the Government’s view of Israel’s proposal—which must be taken seriously—to deliver the aid through aid hubs, arranging for it to be delivered directly to the people who really need it? That, surely, must be a way forward and should be greeted positively rather than negatively, if it can be expanded.

[Lord Collins of Highbury (Lab)]

I thank my noble friend for his question, which I tried to address in my opening comments to the Front Benches opposite. The scale of the problem is such that it requires all agencies and NGOs to get in and deliver the aid needed—it is huge. As I said, the United Nations itself has said that it is hard to see how, if implemented, the new Israeli plan to deliver aid through private companies would be consistent with humanitarian principles and, most importantly, meet the scale of need. By the way, I say to my noble friend that I am absolutely clear about Hamas’s responsibility and the criminal acts it has committed, and that is why we see no role for it in a future Gaza.

Gaza: Ceasefire

Lord Turnberg Excerpts

Tuesday 18th March 2025 Lords Chamber

[Lord Collins of Highbury (Lab)]

There is no doubt that the ceasefire agreement provided for exactly that. We have renewed our call to all parties to return urgently to dialogue and to ensure that the ceasefire agreement is implemented in full, most notably through hostage releases and the humanitarian scale-up becoming permanent. As I have said, it is ultimately in everyone’s interest for this deal to hold. The Prime Minister has made it clear that we are appalled by Israel blocking aid, which is needed in greater volume and spend than ever before. But I repeat that there is a solution: return to the ceasefire agreement, release the hostages and let aid into Gaza.

[Lord Turnberg (Lab)]

My Lords—

[Lord Singh of Wimbledon (CB)]

My Lords—

[Lord Kennedy of Southwark (Lab Co-op)]

My Lords, we will hear from the noble Lord, Lord Turnberg, next and then from the noble Lord, Lord Singh.

[Lord Turnberg (Lab)]

I am afraid it is the case that Hamas is busily redigging its tunnels, rearming and preparing to attack Israel again. It makes that very clear and at the same time it has 58 or 59 men, women and children held hostage in terrible conditions, as we have heard from the report that we will receive later today. Should we not be pressing Qatar and Egypt to impress on Hamas that it really must come to the table? We must have some peace and some resolution and it is Hamas that is preventing it. Can we not press them to ensure that Hamas will agree to release hostages and cease its aggressive actions?

[Lord Collins of Highbury (Lab)]

I agree with my noble friend. I must sound like I am constantly repeating myself, but I think this is worth repeating. We had on the table an agreement that provided for the release of hostages and for there to be a return to full aid going into Gaza. That is the solution: get back to the table and implement the ceasefire agreement. I stress that we are in diplomatic contact with all our allies in the region and we are certainly urging them to ensure that all sides, particularly Hamas, deliver on their commitments in that ceasefire agreement.

Antimicrobial Resistance

Lord Turnberg Excerpts

Tuesday 23rd July 2024 Lords Chamber

[Lord Collins of Highbury (Lab)]

I may have to follow through in writing. By the way, when we first worked together the noble Baroness was in government and I was in opposition, but despite that we worked collaboratively then. ODA is spent on AMR. I mentioned the Fleming Fund, and I think the previous Government spent £400 million on that support. But broadening it out to other aspects of research—they are not exclusive, as other research can benefit the fight against AMR— I will write to the noble Baroness with more detailed information.

[Lord Turnberg (Lab)]

My Lords, one area where we should focus our research efforts is on veterinary practice, where much of the resistance arises. Can my noble friend give some indication of what efforts are being made in that regard?

[Lord Collins of Highbury (Lab)]

That is why I said at the beginning that we want to take a holistic approach to this issue, because it is not just medical overprescription; these chemicals are also able to get into the environment through animals, and we have been focused on ensuring that our strategy and the high-level panel meetings address that issue. It is not just veterinary and the issue is not just about our practices in this country; it is about spreading the word across the world, because it is amazing how these things can get into the food system far more widely spread than you could ever imagine, so it is a high priority.