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Written Question
Yemen: Humanitarian Aid
Monday 6th July 2020

Asked by: Gill Furniss (Labour - Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough)

Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent discussions her Department has had with international organisations on the humanitarian crisis in Yemen.

Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary

During my ‘virtual visit’ to Yemen on 18 June, I met with members of international organisations, including UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen Lise Grande, to discuss the deteriorating COVID-19 situation and impacts of UN funding shortages in Yemen.

We actively participate in Humanitarian Country Team meetings and interact with senior officials from international organisations working in Yemen every week. In addition, my officials are in regular dialogue with UN agencies and NGOs who are delivering our programmes in Yemen to understand the challenges that they are facing on the ground.


Written Question
Yemen: Humanitarian Aid
Thursday 2nd July 2020

Asked by: Gill Furniss (Labour - Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough)

Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps she is taking following UNICEF's call for urgent humanitarian support in Yemen.

Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary

The UK is extremely concerned by the devastating humanitarian crisis in Yemen and the rapid spread of COVID-19.

As part our new £160 million commitment to Yemen this financial year (2020/21), we are continuing to support UNICEF to provide essential health services, treat malnutrition and provide clean water and sanitation. By the end of July 2020, we expect to have disbursed over £20 million of funding for UNICEF, including £10 million for their COVID-19 response.

We are also encouraging other donors to urgently provide funding to the UN humanitarian response ahead of Yemen’s expected COVID-19 peak in late July.


Written Question
Yemen: Humanitarian Situation
Wednesday 10th June 2020

Asked by: Gill Furniss (Labour - Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough)

Question to the Department for International Development:

What recent assessment she has made of the humanitarian situation in Yemen.

Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary

Yemen remains the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. We also estimate 100,000 coronavirus cases, which are quickly overwhelming Yemen’s depleted healthcare system. The UK recently pledged £160m to support Yemen, bringing our contribution to almost £1bn since 2015. Ultimately, the crisis must be addressed through a political settlement. We therefore strongly encourage all parties to engage with Special Envoy Martin Griffiths to find a peaceful solution to the conflict.


Written Question
Yemen: Internally Displaced People
Monday 8th April 2019

Asked by: Gill Furniss (Labour - Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough)

Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to address the critical needs of the 3.3 million internally displaced people in Yemen.

Answered by Harriett Baldwin

The UK is providing a range of support to the 3.3 million people displaced in Yemen since the conflict began in 2015.

Last financial year (2018/19) we provided £11.4 million to the International Organisation for Migration and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, which included assistance to Internally Displaced People (IDPs). This comprised: primary healthcare and mental health services, legal assistance, child protection and support to survivors of gender-based violence. Since June 2017, UK aid has helped over 30,000 IDPs receive psychosocial support and provided over 24,000 with life-saving health care.

On 24 February, the Prime Minister announced that the UK would provide an additional £200 million in response to the humanitarian crisis in Yemen for this financial year (2019/20). This funding will include continued support to people displaced by conflict, and brings the total UK commitment to Yemen to £770 million since the conflict began in 2015.


Written Question
Yemen: Ports
Tuesday 12th June 2018

Asked by: Gill Furniss (Labour - Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough)

Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether her Department has made an assessment of the humanitarian effect on the local population of a military assault on Hodeida port in Yemen by the Saudi-led coalition.

Answered by Alistair Burt

The UN assess that an attack on Hodeidah could displace up to 350,000 people and leave hundreds of thousands of Yemenis without access to basic goods, water or healthcare. 17.8 million people in Yemen already lack reliable access to food – 8.4 million of which face extreme food shortages. UN estimates suggest any long closure of Hodeidah port is likely to put over 3 million more people at risk of starvation.

The UK government has been clear in expressing its concerns to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates about any attack on Hodeidah. We urge all parties to the conflict to exercise restraint and to continue to facilitate access for essential commercial and humanitarian imports of food, fuel and medical supplies into the country, including through Hodeidah port.


Written Question
Yemen: Overseas Aid
Tuesday 6th March 2018

Asked by: Gill Furniss (Labour - Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough)

Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what estimate she has made of the proportion of UK humanitarian aid to Yemen which has reached its intended beneficiaries in each of the last three years.

Answered by Alistair Burt

DFID has rigorous systems in place to ensure that all our aid in Yemen meets its intended beneficiaries. DFID channels funds through UN agencies and NGOs who have been on the ground for many years in Yemen, have good access and a strong track record of delivering and monitoring assistance in difficult environments. Officials regularly monitor and review programmes to ensure they are delivering results and that no aid is diverted or misused.

DFID applies a rigorous process of due diligence, under which partners must demonstrate accountable, transparent governance structures and sound financial procedures before funding is provided. DFID contracts independent monitoring experts to verify delivery at project sites including through photographs and interviews with direct beneficiaries.


Written Question
Yemen: International Assistance
Tuesday 6th March 2018

Asked by: Gill Furniss (Labour - Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough)

Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent estimate she has made of the proportion of humanitarian assistance entering Yemen through Hodeidah port in the last three years; and if she will make a statement.

Answered by Alistair Burt

The northern ports of Hodeidah and Saleef play a critical role in importing 80% of Yemen’s humanitarian and commercial supplies, including food, fuel and medicine.

The Secretary of State for International Development has been clear that all parties must allow full and unhindered access throughout Yemen, including through Hodeidah and Saleef ports. The UK is providing £205 million of aid support Yemen for the financial year 2017/8, focused on lifesaving humanitarian aid.


Written Question
Yemen: Politics and Government
Wednesday 28th February 2018

Asked by: Gill Furniss (Labour - Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough)

Question to the Department for International Development:

What steps her Department is taking to tackle the humanitarian crisis in Yemen.

Answered by Alistair Burt

The UK is the third-largest humanitarian donor to Yemen, with £205 million this financial year. This provides enough food for 3.4 million people for at least a month, nutrition support for 1.7 million people, and clean water and sanitation for an expected 1.2 million people. We play a leading role in lobbying all sides to find a peaceful solution to the conflict.


Written Question
Yemen: Cholera
Thursday 7th September 2017

Asked by: Gill Furniss (Labour - Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough)

Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether the Government plans to increase funding available for the Yemen Humanitarian Response Plan to tackle the cholera outbreak in that country.

Answered by Alistair Burt

The current cholera outbreak in Yemen has been declared by the UN as the worst in the world. Since the start of the outbreak in April, over 612,000 suspected cholera cases have been recorded and more than 2,000 deaths. Fewer than half of Yemen’s health facilities are functioning, and more than 19 million people have no access to clean water or sanitation.

In response, the UK increased aid to Yemen to £139 million for 2017-18, prioritising life-saving interventions including clean water and sanitation for an expected 1.2 million people. This also includes support to tackle the underlying causes of cholera by helping provide emergency food, nutrition, as well as supporting cholera prevention and providing medical supplies and treatment for those affected.

This is a significant increase from previous years, and makes us the second-largest contributors to the UN’s 2017 Yemen Appeal and the third-largest humanitarian donor overall. We are constantly reviewing our position and examining whether further funding should be made available, as we continue to work with the UN, other partners and donors to monitor and improve the response to the outbreak.

On the 11th August, the Secretary of State for International Development announced that we are targeting £8 million of our support to UNICEF and the International Organization for Migration on activities specifically to address cholera. The funding will be used to provide medical supplies to half a million people, give safe access to chlorinated water to 300,000 people, and rehabilitate medical facilities used by 250,000 people.