Asked by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when his Department plans to appoint a Special Envoy with responsibility for (a) advocating for and (b) securing the release from detention of British nationals arbitrarily held abroad.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
This Government condemns the practice of detaining British Nationals for political leverage. We take all allegations of human rights violations, and opinions of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, seriously. The Government is committed to strengthening consular services, including introducing a right to consular assistance in cases of human rights violations, and through the appointment of an Envoy for complex detention cases. Further details will be announced in due course.
Asked by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if his Department will consider laying an annual report before Parliament on the status of British nationals arbitrarily detained abroad.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
This Government condemns the practice of detaining British Nationals for political leverage. We take all allegations of human rights violations, and opinions of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, seriously. The Government is committed to strengthening consular services, including introducing a right to consular assistance in cases of human rights violations, and through the appointment of an Envoy for complex detention cases. Further details will be announced in due course.
Asked by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
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 Gaza Humanitarian Fund contractors opening fire on civilians queuing for food.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Reports of mass casualty incidents at and near the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) sites are horrifying. Over 600 people have been killed since the GHF began operations.
We regularly engage with Israeli counterparts to urge them to improve the situation on the ground. On 22 June the Foreign Secretary spoke to Minister of Foreign Affairs Sa'ar to express his horror at the mass casualty incidents at GHF sites. He stressed the need to deliver aid at pace and scale.
Humanitarian aid should never be used as a political tool. The UN and trusted partners must be able to operate in line with humanitarian principles and deliver lifesaving aid.
Working closely with the US and our allies, we will continue to support calls for a lasting ceasefire that can end the war, ensure the release of all hostages and a surge of aid into Gaza.
Asked by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made representations to his Israeli counterpart on reports of deaths of civilians queuing for food at Gaza Humanitarian Fund distribution centres.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Reports of mass casualty incidents at and near the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) sites are horrifying. Over 600 people have been killed since the GHF began operations.
We regularly engage with Israeli counterparts to urge them to improve the situation on the ground. On 22 June the Foreign Secretary spoke to Minister of Foreign Affairs Sa'ar to express his horror at the mass casualty incidents at GHF sites. He stressed the need to deliver aid at pace and scale.
Humanitarian aid should never be used as a political tool. The UN and trusted partners must be able to operate in line with humanitarian principles and deliver lifesaving aid.
Working closely with the US and our allies, we will continue to support calls for a lasting ceasefire that can end the war, ensure the release of all hostages and a surge of aid into Gaza.
Asked by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
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 US counterpart on the rules of engagement for security contractors working for the Gaza Humanitarian Fund.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Reports of mass casualty incidents at and near the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) sites are horrifying. Over 600 people have been killed since the GHF began operations.
We regularly engage with Israeli counterparts to urge them to improve the situation on the ground. On 22 June the Foreign Secretary spoke to Minister of Foreign Affairs Sa'ar to express his horror at the mass casualty incidents at GHF sites. He stressed the need to deliver aid at pace and scale.
Humanitarian aid should never be used as a political tool. The UN and trusted partners must be able to operate in line with humanitarian principles and deliver lifesaving aid.
Working closely with the US and our allies, we will continue to support calls for a lasting ceasefire that can end the war, ensure the release of all hostages and a surge of aid into Gaza.
Asked by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether representatives from the US government communicated to the UK Government that there were plans by the Government of Israel to attack Iran.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK did not participate in any element of Israel's strikes on Iran. We are working closely with our allies including the US to press for diplomacy and de-escalation, and urging all parties to show restraint. The Foreign Secretary has been engaging with Secretary of State Rubio on a regular basis, to discuss the need for Iran to return to the negotiating table as soon as possible and to make progress on a lasting settlement.
Asked by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether any intelligence shared with the Government of Israel (a) informed and (b) supported their attacks on Iran.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK did not participate in any element of Israel's strikes on Iran. We do not comment on intelligence matters. We are working closely with our allies to press for diplomacy and de-escalation, and urging all parties to show restraint.
Asked by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answers of 17 March 2025 to Question 36633 and 29 April 2025 to Question 45904 on China: Audit, for what reason the timeline for concluding the China audit has changed from spring 2025 to being in due course.
Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Audit will improve the UK's ability to understand and respond to the challenges and opportunities China poses. It will help inform the government setting out a long-term, consistent approach to our relationship with China. The timing of the audit remains determined by the need for widespread consultation both within and beyond government. Work being done by the Audit team is already proving valuable in developing policies and planning engagement.
Asked by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when officials in his Department last had contacted with their Egyptian counterparts on the case of Alaa Abd el-Fattah.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office officials regularly speak with likeminded partners on how to enhance international cooperation and end the practice of arbitrary arrest, detention or sentencing. The Government is committed to securing Mr El-Fattah's release and we continue to raise his case at the highest levels of the Egyptian government. The Prime Minister raised the case in a letter to President Sisi on 4 May. The National Security Adviser also raised Mr-El Fattah's case with the Egyptian Foreign Minister Abdelatty on 27 April and the Foreign Secretary raised with Foreign Minister Abdelatty on 9 April.
Asked by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with international allies on the case of Alaa Abd el-Fattah.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office officials regularly speak with likeminded partners on how to enhance international cooperation and end the practice of arbitrary arrest, detention or sentencing. The Government is committed to securing Mr El-Fattah's release and we continue to raise his case at the highest levels of the Egyptian government. The Prime Minister raised the case in a letter to President Sisi on 4 May. The National Security Adviser also raised Mr-El Fattah's case with the Egyptian Foreign Minister Abdelatty on 27 April and the Foreign Secretary raised with Foreign Minister Abdelatty on 9 April.