Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to request the removal of Hungary from EUFOR following reports of the deployment of Hungarian paramilitary police to Bosnia and Herzegovnia.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Europe's security is critical to our own and we recognise the contribution of the European Union's (EU) military operations and missions to regional security. This includes the EU Force Bosnia and Herzegovina (EUFOR), which the UK recognises as vital for maintaining peace and security in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). We continue to support EUFOR's role in upholding the military aspects of the Dayton Agreement, and engage regularly with EUFOR and the EU Delegation in BiH. The composition of EUFOR and the nature of support provided in EU Common Security and Defence Policy missions remains a matter for the EU.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with his Hungarian counterpart on Hungarian government meetings with Milorad Dodik.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign Secretary met his Hungarian counterpart in January, and I most recently met Deputy Foreign Minister Levente Magyar on 19 June. In both meetings, the Foreign Secretary and I raised wider European security and emphasised the importance of unity from all partners. Locally, our Embassy in Budapest has raised, with senior officials, the Hungarian government's engagement with the Republika Srpska entity's President Dodik. We encourage de-escalation, the need to uphold peace in accordance with the Dayton Agreement, and support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of reports of the deployment of Hungarian paramilitary police to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK remains steadfast in our commitment to the stability, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). Any security sector support to BiH should focus on upholding peace, stability and the rule of law across the whole of BiH. We engage with all regional partners, including Hungary, to work constructively to strengthen domestic institutions, to use their influence positively with BiH's leaders, and to uphold the constitutional framework in BiH. We urge all partners to refrain from any actions that could undermine sovereignty and territorial integrity of BiH.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has settled on the title of Consular Envoy for the new position dealing with complex consular cases and arbitrary detention.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is committed to strengthening support for British Nationals overseas, including through the appointment of an Envoy for complex consular detention cases. Further details will be announced in due course.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the role and responsiblites of the incoming Arbitrary Detention and Complex Consular Cases Envoy have been finalised.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is committed to strengthening support for British Nationals overseas, including through the appointment of an Envoy for complex consular detention cases. Further details will be announced in due course.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has concluded investigations into how British doctors working with Medical Aid for Palestine were bombed by Israel in January 2024.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We expect Israel to investigate all attacks against humanitarians and medical staff fully and transparently. We also expect that those responsible are meaningfully held to account.
Attacks on hospitals and medical facilities are deeply distressing. We remain gravely concerned by the lack of adequate medical care in Gaza; nearly all Gaza's hospitals are damaged or partly destroyed according to the World Health Organisation. We have made clear that this is unacceptable.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when Ministers from his Department last raised the bombing of British doctors working with Medical Aid for Palestine with their Israeli counterparts.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office will continue to raise aid worker safety in Gaza with our Israeli counterparts. Last month, the Foreign Secretary drew attention to the deadly situation on the ground for humanitarians with Israel's Foreign Minister Sa'ar. Gaza is the deadliest place to be an aid worker with at least 430 humanitarians killed since the start of the conflict.
On 23 April, working alongside France and Germany the UK urged Israel to protect medical personnel and premises in the course of their military operations. They must allow the urgent healthcare needs of the population to be met. More recently on 13 May at the United Nations Security Council, the UK called a meeting on the humanitarian situation in Gaza and expressed outrage at recent attacks on humanitarians and medical staff.
Israel must do all they reasonably can to prevent harm to medical personnel and premises in the course of their military operations. Through our engagements, we will continue to press Israel to protect medical staff and premises.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, on what date a Minister from his Department last discussed the killing of British aid workers by an Israeli drone in April 2024 with their Israeli counterparts.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign Secretary and I regularly raise the status of Israel's Military Advocate General's consideration of the Israeli strike that killed three British aid workers in April 2024. We continue to press Israel at the highest levels for the Military Advocate General's consideration to be completed swiftly, including determining whether criminal proceedings will be initiated. We expect those responsible to be meaningfully held to account.
Last month the Foreign Secretary raised the World Central Kitchen incident and the status of the Military Advocate General's consideration with Israel's Foreign Minister Sa'ar. The Foreign Secretary pressed Minister Sa'ar to provide a response.
We will continue to urge Israel to swiftly conclude the Military Advocate Generals' consideration of the incident.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when the investigation into the killing of three British aid workers in April 2024 by an Israeli drone will conclude.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The strike on the World Central Kitchen convoy killing British citizens John Chapman, James Henderson, and James Kirby was an appalling injustice. In November last year, the Foreign Secretary met with their families and was moved by their dedication to serving others.
We continue to press Israel to swiftly conclude the Military Advocate General's consideration of events on 1 April 2024, including determining whether criminal proceedings should be initiated. We expect those responsible to be meaningfully held to account. Israel must ensure lessons are learned to deliver lasting safety improvements for aid workers on the ground.
Gaza is the deadliest place for humanitarians. It is completely unacceptable that at least 430 aid workers have been killed since the conflict began.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what progress his Department has made on negotiations on Gibraltar-EU relations.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government is working with the Government of Gibraltar to conclude a UK-EU Treaty in respect of Gibraltar which protects sovereignty and UK military autonomy, and which secures Gibraltar's future prosperity. The Foreign Secretary and I are working side by side with Gibraltar's Chief Minister and are in close and regular contact with our negotiating counterparts. The Foreign Secretary met EU Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič on 19 May. They reiterated their determination to agree a Treaty. The UK Government is steadfast in its support for Gibraltar and will only agree to terms with which the Government of Gibraltar is content.