Asked by: Carolyn Harris (Labour - Neath and Swansea East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his policy is on support he is giving to EU proposals to promote sea access to Gaza.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
The UK supports EU efforts to develop options for easing movement and access into and out of Gaza. This includes the possibility of EU assistance in establishing a sea-link from Gaza to another international port. The UK and EU have consistently called on the Government of Israel to ease movement and access restrictions, and will continue to do so.
Asked by: Carolyn Harris (Labour - Neath and Swansea East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to his Israeli counterpart on the demolition of the Arab-Israeli village of Um Al Huran.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 4 June 2015 (PQ 669).
Asked by: Carolyn Harris (Labour - Neath and Swansea East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to support the efforts of his French counterpart to encourage new peace talks between Israel and Palestine.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
We see merit in a balanced UN Security Council resolution at the right moment, setting out parameters for a political settlement. Any resolution must command the full support of the Security Council. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) has regular discussions with his French counterpart on the Middle East peace process. We will judge any proposal on the basis of whether it supports further progress in that process.
Asked by: Carolyn Harris (Labour - Neath and Swansea East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many of the recommendations of the report published in March 2012 and funded by his Department on Palestinian children in military custody have been carried out.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
Since the publication of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office-funded independent report on Children in Military Custody in June 2012, there has been some progress on the issue of children held in military detention. This includes a pilot to use summons instead of night-time arrests, changes to standard operating procedures on methods of restraint, and steps to reduce the amount of time a child can be detained before seeing a judge.
On 2 June, the Minister of State, my noble Friend, the right hon. Baroness Anelay of St Johns DBE, met the Israeli Military Advocate General and the Israeli Ambassador to London. They discussed the issue of child detention. She made clear that, while we welcome the improvements to date, we continue to push for the full implementation of the changes recommended in the report.
Asked by: Carolyn Harris (Labour - Neath and Swansea East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the humanitarian effect of the demolition of the villages of Umm Al Hiran and Atir in Israel.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 4 June (669).Asked by: Carolyn Harris (Labour - Neath and Swansea East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to encourage the Israeli government to abandon plans for a new settler city in Gvaot.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
The Government has repeatedly condemned settlement announcements, and we will continue to call on the Israeli authorities to cease all settlement building and to remove illegal outposts, as required under international law.
On 16 June, our Ambassador in Tel Aviv, raised the issue of settlements with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and again on the 21 June with the Israeli Cabinet Secretary and National Security Advisor.
Asked by: Carolyn Harris (Labour - Neath and Swansea East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what guidance he gives to banks on the legality of conducting business with illegal settlements in the West Bank.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
The Government has placed advice online to raise awareness of the key security and political risks which UK businesses may face when operating abroad, including in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs).
This includes guidance on Israeli settlements. We are advising British businesses to bear in mind the Government's view on the illegality of settlements under international law when considering their investments and activities in the region.
When approached by businesses, we set out the UK’s clear position on Israeli settlements, and share with them our online guidance. This is voluntary guidance to British businesses on doing business in Israel and OPTs. Ultimately, it is the decision of an individual or company whether to operate in settlements in the Occupied Territories, but the Government neither encourages nor offers support to such activity.