Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much his Department spent on (a) water, (b) sanitation and (c) hygiene projects in the financial year 2022-23.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 07 MAR 2023 to Question 154012. [https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2023-06-02/187224]. The Government aims to publish details of UK Aid spending for 2022 in the Statistics on International Development report in November 2023.
Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much his Department spent on genocide prevention projects in the financial year 2022-23; and in which countries.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell
The FCDO supports a number of genocide prevention projects; however, these tend to be led by our overseas Embassies and High Commissions, be wide ranging and encompass a number of activities. Therefore, the requested information is not centrally held, and complying with this request would incur a disproportionate cost to the department.
Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether a minister will attend the UN High-level meeting on universal health coverage in September 2023.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell
UK Ministers are looking forward to attending the 2023 UN General Assembly in September and will ensure high representation at the three global health high-level meetings (HLM) on universal health coverage, TB and pandemic prevention, preparedness and response.
Universal health coverage is a priority for the UK and we are with partners, working to use the high-level meeting as an important opportunity to revitalise political commitment to and drive stronger action toward achieving universal health coverage by 2030. Exact UK Ministerial representation across the three HLMs will be confirmed in due course.
Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with his Israeli counterpart on establishing a (a) safe and (b) fast route to the UK for Professor Nick Maynard.
Answered by David Rutley
We are monitoring the ongoing humanitarian situation in Gaza and welcome the current ceasefire brokered by Egypt. When the Foreign Secretary wrote to his Israeli counterpart Eli Cohen on 10 May, he thanked him for coordinating with the British Embassy in Tel Aviv and requested Israel's continued assistance to allow British nationals in Gaza who wish to return to the UK to do so. The individual in question left Gaza via the Erez crossing into Israel on 13 May, confirming their safety to UK officials on 15 May.
Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Israeli counterpart on reports that recent border closures have prevented 142 patients in Gaza from accessing urgent treatments and cancer treatments in Jerusalem and the West Bank.
Answered by David Rutley
We urge access into and out of Gaza and the West Bank, in accordance with international humanitarian law, for humanitarian actors, reconstruction materials and those, including Palestinians, travelling for medical purposes. The British Embassy in Tel Aviv regularly raises the importance of regularised access to healthcare with the Israeli authorities. We strongly condemn all forms of violence and incitement to violence directed towards healthcare workers. The wounded and critically ill in Gaza and the West Bank should be able to access the urgent medical care they need. The UK Government welcomes any effort to cooperate between the Israeli and Palestinian peoples, including in the healthcare sector. When the Foreign Secretary wrote to his Israeli counterpart Eli Cohen on 10 May, he asked him to facilitate humanitarian access to Gaza.
Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with his Israeli counterpart on reports that recent border closures have prevented aid workers from leaving Gaza.
Answered by David Rutley
We urge access into and out of Gaza and the West Bank, in accordance with international humanitarian law, for humanitarian actors, reconstruction materials and those, including Palestinians, travelling for medical purposes. The British Embassy in Tel Aviv regularly raises the importance of regularised access to healthcare with the Israeli authorities. We strongly condemn all forms of violence and incitement to violence directed towards healthcare workers. The wounded and critically ill in Gaza and the West Bank should be able to access the urgent medical care they need. The UK Government welcomes any effort to cooperate between the Israeli and Palestinian peoples, including in the healthcare sector. When the Foreign Secretary wrote to his Israeli counterpart Eli Cohen on 10 May, he asked him to facilitate humanitarian access to Gaza.
Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with his Israeli counterpart on establishing a (a) safe and (b) fast route to the UK for Mr Bijendran of Royal London Hospital.
Answered by David Rutley
We are monitoring the ongoing humanitarian situation in Gaza and welcome the current ceasefire brokered by Egypt. When the Foreign Secretary wrote to his Israeli counterpart Eli Cohen on 10 May, he thanked him for coordinating with the British Embassy in Tel Aviv and requested Israel's continued assistance to allow British nationals in Gaza who wish to return to the UK to do so. The individual in question left Gaza via the Erez crossing into Israel on 13 May, confirming their safety to UK officials on 15 May.
Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the International Fund for Israeli-Palestinian Peace in encouraging people-to-people peacebuilding programs.
Answered by David Rutley
There is already a range of UK aid-funded development programming in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, outside of what the UK may do in the future with this fund, which works to preserve the prospect of a negotiated two-state solution. The UK is a key donor to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), providing essential humanitarian support to Palestinian refugees across its five zones of operation. Our annual contribution to their programme budget helps UNRWA provide education to over 533,000 children a year (half of them girls), and access to health services for 3.5 million Palestinian refugees.
Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, on what date he most recently discussed the International Fund for Israeli-Palestinian Peace with his American counterparts.
Answered by David Rutley
The Foreign Secretary has regular discussions with his US counterpart about the Middle East Peace Process, most recently at the G7 Foreign Ministers' meeting in April. The UK Government remains in close contact with the US Government about the US Middle East Partnership for Peace Act and how existing peace-building projects and funding can better support the goals of this Act. We share the objective of advancing economic, social, and political connections, and peaceful co-existence between Israelis and Palestinians. We stand ready to collaborate and coordinate further, including regarding the Act's Advisory Board, as additional information about its plans and priorities become available.
Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
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 merits of UK involvement in the International Fund for Israeli-Palestinian Peace.
Answered by David Rutley
There is already a range of UK aid-funded development programming in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, outside of what the UK may do in the future with this fund, which works to preserve the prospect of a negotiated two-state solution. The UK is a key donor to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), providing essential humanitarian support to Palestinian refugees across its five zones of operation. Our annual contribution to their programme budget helps UNRWA provide education to over 533,000 children a year (half of them girls), and access to health services for 3.5 million Palestinian refugees.