Asked by: Ellie Chowns (Green Party - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she plans to (a) hold discussions with her Israeli counterpart on and (b) take steps to help (i) support the release of Marwan Barghouti and (ii) end arbitrary detention of Palestinian political prisoners.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK continues to reiterate calls for Israel to allow the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) unfettered and immediate access to detention facilities and continue to raise this with the Israeli government as a priority. The UK reaffirms our support for the ICRC as the only humanitarian actor with the experience, capability, independence and mandate to carry out their important responsibilities. We believe it is critical that the ICRC is given regular access to detainees to deliver on their independent visiting role, as enshrined within the 1949 Geneva Conventions.
Asked by: Ellie Chowns (Green Party - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she plans to make a financial pledge to the Global Partnership for Education.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
All financial allocations will be announced in the normal way in due course.
Asked by: Ellie Chowns (Green Party - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the policy paper entitled 2030 roadmap for UK-Israel bilateral relations, published on 21 March 2023, what the (a) timeline and (b) terms of reference is for the review of the 2030 Roadmap; and whether the review will it be made public.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the statement made to the House by the previous Foreign Secretary on 20 May 2025.
Asked by: Ellie Chowns (Green Party - North Herefordshire)
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 Israeli counterpart on a timeframe for improvement on the facilitation of humanitarian aid into Gaza.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The previous Foreign Secretary spoke to Israeli Foreign Minister Sa'ar on 23 August and he urged the Government of Israel to remove all restrictions on aid entering Gaza and agree to a ceasefire. The UN and humanitarian partners must be allowed to operate safely and independently to deliver aid to those who so desperately need it.
Asked by: Ellie Chowns (Green Party - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will take steps to hold Israel accountable for the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the statement made to the House by the previous Foreign Secretary on 20 May 2025.
Asked by: Ellie Chowns (Green Party - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will set red lines in relation to the Israeli government’s (a) actions in and (b) policies on Gaza.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Since day one, this Government has been clear that we need to see an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages, better protection of civilians, significantly more aid consistently entering Gaza, and a path to long term peace and stability. We have been clear that if the Government of Israel does not take substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza, we will take further action in response. On 29 July, the Prime Minister said that the UK would recognise the State of Palestine in September unless the Israeli government takes substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza, agree to a ceasefire and commit to a long-term, sustainable peace, reviving the prospect of a Two State Solution.
Asked by: Ellie Chowns (Green Party - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps he is taking to help ensure that Israel facilitates the safe delivery of humanitarian aid at the scale needed to alleviate starvation in Gaza.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The famine in Gaza City and the surrounding neighbourhood, as confirmed by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), is utterly horrifying and is wholly preventable. On 12 August, the UK led 32 international partners in drawing attention to the unfolding famine in Gaza while urging Israel to allow large-scale access for the UN, international NGOs, and humanitarian partners.
As the Foreign Secretary said in his statement on 22 August, the IPC report outlines the sickening reality created by Israel's restrictions on aid, especially for children; he called on the Government of Israel to act immediately to stop the situation deteriorating further. On 23 August, the Foreign Secretary pressed Foreign Minister Sa'ar on the IPC's confirmation of famine in Gaza and urged for all restrictions on aid to be lifted.
We will continue to coordinate international efforts to press Israel to alleviate starvation in Gaza.
Asked by: Ellie Chowns (Green Party - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the report by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, published on 30 June 2023, whether (a) he and (b) officials from his Department had discussions with (i) J.C. Bamford Excavators Ltd , (ii) Opodo Ltd and (iii) Greenkote PLC on their inclusion in the list of companies undertaking business activities in relation to the Occupied Palestinian Territory including East Jerusalem in (A) 2024 and (B) 2025.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are aware of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights database but do not comment on individual businesses. The Government does not encourage or offer support to business activity in Israeli settlements. When approached by businesses, we set out the UK's clear position on Israeli settlements and share with them our online guidance found on the Overseas Business Risk website. We advise British businesses to bear in mind the British Government's view on the illegality of settlements under international law when considering their investments and activities in the region. Those contemplating any economic or financial involvement in settlements should seek appropriate legal advice.
Asked by: Ellie Chowns (Green Party - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to paragraph 145 of the skeleton argument of the Secretary of State in Al-Haq v Secretary of State for Business and Trade, Claim No: AC-2023-LON-003634, if he will publish all relating documents.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We currently do not have plans to publish these assessments. Information on these assessments has been provided to the relevant Parliamentary committees and more detailed information on this assessment can be found in the judgement the High Court handed down on 30 June. The action we have taken, as announced to Parliament, is consistent with our legal obligations and we remain wholly committed to international law.
Asked by: Ellie Chowns (Green Party - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure the Overseas Territories introduce public registers of beneficial ownership.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Please refer to my Written Ministerial Statement of 3 July which provides an update and details of next steps.
We have made very clear to our partners in the remaining Overseas Territories the importance of delivering on the previously committed to deadlines, and have offered technical support to achieve this. We have communicated that we expect rapid and robust action to be taken, given the crucial importance of tackling illicit finance and increasing transparency. We have set out that we expect access to be granted to a wide range of legitimate users, that registers should enable proactive investigations and should act as a deterrent to those seeking to conceal illicit gains.
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office officials have conducted an in-house assessment of the latest policies and proposals from these Overseas Territories against the discussions at the Joint Ministerial Council in November 2024. In addition, we have reviewed feedback from a range of external stakeholders including expert NGOs and parliamentarians. We have also considered emerging international modalities which cover legitimate interest access registers. I have recently discussed this issue with a range of Overseas Territory leaders and will continue to do so.