Asked by: Alison Thewliss (Scottish National Party - Glasgow Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had on the reported Houthi offer of direct talks in Sanna with representatives of Saudi Arabia, UAE, the US and the UK; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by James Cleverly - Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government
A negotiated political settlement is the only way to bring long-term stability to Yemen. The UK supports fully the efforts of the UN Special Envoy, Hans Grundberg, to drive forward the political process in Yemen. The Foreign Secretary and Ministers continue to lobby the parties to engage constructively with the Special Envoy.
Asked by: Alison Thewliss (Scottish National Party - Glasgow Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has made an estimate of the number of seriously ill people who are unable to leave Yemen for treatment by air from Sana’a International Airport since the war in Yemen began and Saudi Arabia closed the airspace.
Answered by James Cleverly - Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government
We are aware that information about individuals wishing to leave Yemen via Sana'a International Airport has in the past been shared by the Houthis with the UN. However, due to restrictions in place, it is not possible to verify the accuracy of the information. The UK continues to lobby the parties to end restrictions on humanitarian access across Yemen.
Asked by: Alison Thewliss (Scottish National Party - Glasgow Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has held recent discussions with her counterparts in Oman in order to seek their best endeavours in trying to persuade the Houthis to agree to a ceasefire in their military advance towards Marib.
Answered by James Cleverly - Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government
UK Ministers engage regularly with their regional counterparts to encourage progress towards both a political solution and an end to the humanitarian suffering in Yemen. We welcome Oman's diplomatic efforts. The Foreign Secretary and I discussed Yemen with Omani Foreign Minister Sayd Badr and wider GCC Foreign Ministers in December 2021.
Asked by: Alison Thewliss (Scottish National Party - Glasgow Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the humanitarian implications of the longstanding blockade of containers destined for the port of Hodeidah; and what recent discussions she has held with her counterparts in (a) the Government of Saudi Arabia and (b) the Government of Yemen on removing these restrictions; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by James Cleverly - Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government
The UK engages regularly with the Governments of Yemen, Saudi Arabia and with the UN to press for the swift release of fuel ships from the Coalition Holding Area. HMA Sana'a last raised the issue at the meeting of Yemen Quad Ambassadors on 14 December.