Asked by: Crispin Blunt (Independent - Reigate)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations she has made to Israel regarding the urgent need to end discrimination faced by Palestinians, including land seizures, home demolitions, and forced evictions.
Answered by Amanda Milling
In all but the most exceptional of circumstances, demolitions and evictions are contrary to International Humanitarian Law. The UK raises these issues with the Government of Israel, most recently with Israel's Ministry of Defense and Ministry of Justice. I met the Israeli Ambassador Hotovely on 10 March and underlined the need to find a lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Asked by: Crispin Blunt (Independent - Reigate)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment her Department has made of the systematic discrimination faced by Palestinians in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories as reported by Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and the UN Special Rapporteur; whether she accepts the conclusion of their reports; and whether her Department plans to carry out its own legal analysis of that matter.
Answered by Amanda Milling
The FCDO is aware of the reports listed above. As a friend of Israel, we have a regular dialogue on human rights. This includes encouraging the Government of Israel to abide by its obligations under international law.
Asked by: Crispin Blunt (Independent - Reigate)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what support she plans to provide to the International Criminal Court in its investigation in respect of the situation in Palestine in the context of the findings of report of the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Answered by Amanda Milling
The UK is a strong supporter of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and we respect the independence of the Court. In this instance, we do not consider that the ICC has jurisdiction as the UK does not currently recognise Palestinian statehood.
Asked by: Crispin Blunt (Independent - Reigate)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what information her Department holds on reports of Russian flights to Istanbul transiting EU airspace; and what diplomatic steps she is taking with her European counterparts to help prevent the use of European airspace by Russian civil airlines.
Answered by James Cleverly - Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government
We are not aware of the incidents referred to in the question. However, we welcome the European Union decision to close its airspace for Russian-owned, Russian-registered or Russian-controlled aircraft. The UK continues to work closely with the European Union and other international partners on restrictions against Russian aircraft and aviation.
From 8pm on 25 February the UK prohibited all Russian aircraft from flying in UK airspace, including both scheduled and non-scheduled flights. The Foreign Secretary followed this by announcing new powers on 8 March to detain Russian aircraft and remove aircraft belonging to designated individuals and entities from the UK register. As well as ban the export of aviation and space-related goods and technology including technical assistance and a further ban on UK companies providing insurance and re-insurance services in relation to these goods and technology.
Asked by: Crispin Blunt (Independent - Reigate)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many vulnerable Afghans have been brought to the UK from Afghanistan since the end of the UK's evacuation flights on 28 August 2021.
Answered by James Cleverly - Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government
The UK has supported over 1,300 people to leave Afghanistan since the end of Operation Pitting, this includes over 700 British Nationals and their dependents. The Government will continue to work with international partners to ensure those still in Afghanistan are able to depart the county safely. This includes holding the Taliban to their commitment to ensure safe passage.