Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
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 adequacy of the treatment of Palestinian political prisoners in Israeli prisons.
Answered by David Rutley
We remain concerned about Israel's extensive use of administrative detention which, according to international law, should be used only when security makes this absolutely necessary. We continue to call on the Israeli authorities to comply with their obligations under international law. The UK is a constructive partner to Israel and we will continue to raise these issues with the Israeli authorities at every opportunity.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking with his international counterparts to help tackle the hunger crisis in East Africa.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell
The UK is committed to addressing the deteriorating food security situation across East Africa. In financial year 2022/2023 the UK met its £156 million commitment to provide life-saving aid for people across East Africa. The UK is working to raise the profile of the crisis with our international partners and to ensure a robust response from humanitarian and development actors.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Government is taking (a) at the UN Security Council and (b) bilaterally to raise the issue of human right abuses against children occurring in Iran and on holding the perpetrators to account.
Answered by David Rutley
The UK is committed to holding Iran to account on a wide range of human rights issues, including the appalling treatment of children throughout Iran's brutal crackdown of protests. The UK supported a successful Human Rights Council resolution to establish a UN investigation into the regime's appalling human rights violations. We are working closely with partners to remove Iran from the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. The FCDO has called on Iranian authorities in multiple international fora to abide by its obligations under international law to improve the practices surrounding children in detention.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to help ensure that all children detained in Iran are released.
Answered by David Rutley
The UK is committed to holding Iran to account on a wide range of human rights issues, including the appalling treatment of children throughout Iran's brutal crackdown of protests. The UK supported a successful Human Rights Council resolution to establish a UN investigation into the regime's appalling human rights violations. We are working closely with partners to remove Iran from the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. The FCDO has called on Iranian authorities in multiple international fora to abide by its obligations under international law to improve the practices surrounding children in detention.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made recent representations to his Iranian counterpart on ending human rights violations against children in that country.
Answered by David Rutley
The UK is committed to holding Iran to account on a wide range of human rights issues, including the appalling treatment of children throughout Iran's brutal crackdown of protests. The UK supported a successful Human Rights Council resolution to establish a UN investigation into the regime's appalling human rights violations. We are working closely with partners to remove Iran from the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. The FCDO has called on Iranian authorities in multiple international fora to abide by its obligations under international law to improve the practices surrounding children in detention.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what support the Government is providing to disabled children in Ukraine who are unable to leave that country.
Answered by Leo Docherty
The UK Government has committed £220 million of humanitarian funding to those affected by Russia's invasion in Ukraine. The priority for UK funding is to support the most vulnerable people, including women, children, the elderly and disabled in Ukraine and in the region around Ukraine.
Our pledge includes over £140 million to UN and Red Cross Agencies, including £15 million to UNICEF and £25 million in matched funding to the Disasters Emergency Committee Appeal (DEC). Our flexible funding to the UN allows them to support the most in need in Ukraine, including disabled children. More than 26 thousand children with disabilities have been reached by UNICEF cash assistance. In line with humanitarian principles, we will continue to work with our partners to prioritise support to the most in need, which will include disabled children in Ukraine.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
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 implications for her policies of the detention of (a) Father Óscar Benavides and Bishop Rolando Alvarez and (b) other Catholic lay leaders, seminarians and priests in Nicaragua.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
We have voiced the UK's deep concern about the ongoing deterioration of political and human rights in Nicaragua both with the Nicaraguan government and in multilateral fora. Reports of harassment of members of the Catholic church in Nicaragua are concerning. Freedom of religion or belief is a universal human right, and must be protected. The Prime Minister's Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief tweeted on the issue on 10 August and is discussing it with members of the International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance. Our Permanent Observer at the Organisation of American States also referred to the issue in a statement at a special meeting on the situation in Nicaragua on 12 August. Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon highlighted our concern about the detention of Bishop Rolando Álvarez during his visit to the Holy See on 26 August and he is due to give a statement on behalf of the UK about the human rights situation in Nicaragua at the UN Human Rights Council's Interactive Dialogue with the High Commissioner on 13 September. We will continue to raise our concerns about the situation in Nicaragua, including the detention of members of the Catholic church, and urge the Nicaraguan Government to respect the human rights of all Nicaraguan people.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with her Nicaraguan counterpart on human rights.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
We have voiced the UK's deep concern about the ongoing deterioration of political and human rights in Nicaragua both with the Nicaraguan government and in multilateral fora. Reports of harassment of members of the Catholic church in Nicaragua are concerning. Freedom of religion or belief is a universal human right, and must be protected. The Prime Minister's Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief tweeted on the issue on 10 August and is discussing it with members of the International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance. Our Permanent Observer at the Organisation of American States also referred to the issue in a statement at a special meeting on the situation in Nicaragua on 12 August. Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon highlighted our concern about the detention of Bishop Rolando Álvarez during his visit to the Holy See on 26 August and he is due to give a statement on behalf of the UK about the human rights situation in Nicaragua at the UN Human Rights Council's Interactive Dialogue with the High Commissioner on 13 September. We will continue to raise our concerns about the situation in Nicaragua, including the detention of members of the Catholic church, and urge the Nicaraguan Government to respect the human rights of all Nicaraguan people.