Asked by: Ian Byrne (Labour - Liverpool West Derby)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he has made to his counterpart in Myanmar on upholding human rights in that country.
Answered by Catherine West
The UK condemns human rights violations by the Myanmar military, including airstrikes on civilian infrastructure, gender and sexual-based violence, and forced recruitment, including of children. The UK has announced 19 rounds of targeted sanctions, most recently in October 2024 against suppliers of aviation fuel and equipment to the Myanmar military. We consistently use our role as penholder at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to maintain a spotlight on Myanmar, convening four UNSC meetings on Myanmar this year including to address human rights violations and calling for humanitarian action. In April, we co-sponsored a UN Human Rights Council resolution on Myanmar and in May we coordinated a statement with partners calling for an immediate end to violence from all sides in Myanmar.
Asked by: Ian Byrne (Labour - Liverpool West Derby)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, what recent assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the humanitarian situation in Western Sahara.
Answered by David Rutley
The UK is committed to the promotion of respect for International Humanitarian Law worldwide. The UK continues to monitor the humanitarian situation in Western Sahara, and remains concerned about the humanitarian situation facing Sahrawi refugees in the camps in Tindouf, which the UK provides humanitarian assistance to via our contributions to UN bodies such as the World Food Programme. The UK has consistently supported Security Council Resolutions which note "with deep concern the continued hardships faced by Sahrawi refugees and their dependency on external humanitarian assistance, and further noting with deep concern insufficient funding for those living in Tindouf refugee camps and the risks associated with the reduction of food assistance".
Asked by: Ian Byrne (Labour - Liverpool West Derby)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, whether arms exports licences have been issued for (a) equipment and (b) technology to Morocco for use in Western Sahara.
Answered by David Rutley
We examine each application on a case-by-case basis against the Strategic Export Licensing Criteria - a regime that is among the most rigorous and transparent in the world and which provides a thorough risk assessment framework.
HM Government publishes data on export licensing decisions on a quarterly basis in the Official Statistics, including data on outcome, end user destination, overall value, type (e.g. military, other) and a summary of the items covered by these licences. This data is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/strategic-export-controls-licensing-data. The most recent Official Statistics cover the period 1 April - 30 June 2023.
Asked by: Ian Byrne (Labour - Liverpool West Derby)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, whether he is taking steps to (a) promote and (b) defend the right to self-determination of the people of Western Sahara.
Answered by David Rutley
The UK continues to support UN-led efforts to reach a just, lasting and mutually acceptable political solution, based on compromise, which will provide for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara. We strongly support the work of Staffan de Mistura as Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General to Western Sahara and will continue to encourage constructive engagement with the political process and monitor progress.
Asked by: Ian Byrne (Labour - Liverpool West Derby)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, what steps he is taking to support peace and human rights in Colombia.
Answered by David Rutley
During my visit to Colombia in March, I [Minister Rutley] met with Vice Foreign Minister Coy and discussed our ongoing support for peace and stability in Colombia. Since 2016, the UK has committed £80 million towards supporting the implementation of the 2016 Peace Agreement and improving the security and the human rights situation.
Asked by: Ian Byrne (Labour - Liverpool West Derby)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what discussions he has had with his counterpart in Colombia on the recent ceasefire with the ELN.
Answered by David Rutley
As penholder at the UN Security Council, the UK helped coordinate international support to expand the mandate of the UN Verification Mission in Colombia to verify the implementation of the ceasefire between the Colombian government and the National Liberation Army (ELN). The ceasefire agreed between the Colombian Government and the National Liberation Army (ELN) and its extension following recent talks in Havana is a welcome step. During my visit to Colombia earlier this month, I [Minister Rutley] was able to convey our hope that the ceasefire will contribute to improving security and alleviate the suffering of conflict-affected communities.
Asked by: Ian Byrne (Labour - Liverpool West Derby)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what diplomatic steps his Department is taking to help ensure access (a) into Gaza and (b) across the Strip.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell
An immediate humanitarian pause is the most effective way of increasing the flow of much-needed aid into Gaza and securing the safe release of hostages. Crucially, it would also allow for progress towards a sustainable, permanent ceasefire, without a return to destruction, fighting and loss of life.
We have been clear about the steps which are needed to get more aid into Gaza. All parties must take immediate action to ensure unhindered humanitarian access, ease restrictions on humanitarian supplies and ensure the UN and aid agencies can reach civilians in need throughout Gaza. We are focussed on five key humanitarian needs in our engagements with Israel:
1. An effective de-confliction mechanism to enable safe distribution of aid through that extended humanitarian pause.
2. Increased capacity inside of Gaza, enabling the humanitarian system and private sector to scale up the provision of goods.
3. Increased access for aid through land and sea routes.
4. An expansion of humanitarian assistance for Gaza, including fuel, shelter and public health items, as well as items critical for infrastructure repair.
5. The provision of electricity, water and telecommunications.
We have trebled our aid commitment this financial year and we are doing everything we can to get more aid in and open more crossings. The Foreign Secretary has appointed his Representative for Humanitarian Affairs in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Mark Bryson-Richardson. He is based in the region and is working intensively to address the blockages preventing more aid reaching Gaza.
Asked by: Ian Byrne (Labour - Liverpool West Derby)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what diplomatic steps his Department is taking to help make the water pipeline from Israel into northern Gaza operational.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell
The UK has raised the issue of access to water in the Occupied Palestinian Territories with the Israeli authorities. The Foreign Secretary has been clear that Israel must take steps, working with other partners including the UN and Egypt, to significantly increase the flow of aid into Gaza including allowing prolonged humanitarian pauses, opening more routes into Gaza and restoring and sustaining water, fuel and electricity. The Prime Minister pressed the urgency of getting significantly more aid into Gaza to alleviate the desperate situation in his call with Prime Minister Netanyahu on 15 February.
Asked by: Ian Byrne (Labour - Liverpool West Derby)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure protection of Palestinian communities in the West Bank.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell
We urge Israel to halt settlement expansion immediately. We have already moved to ban those responsible for violence in the West Bank from the UK. We have taken further steps to hold those to account who undermine the steps to peace in the West Bank. Earlier this month the Foreign Secretary announced new sanctions designations against four extremist Israeli settlers who have violently attacked Palestinians in the West Bank.
We must also work with our allies to provide serious, practical and enduring support needed to bolster the Palestinian Authority.
We already provide technical and practical support and are ready to do more. The Palestinian Authority also must take much needed steps on reform, including setting out a pathway to democratic progress.
Asked by: Ian Byrne (Labour - Liverpool West Derby)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, if he will take diplomatic steps to help secure a humanitarian corridor in Gaza to enable the delivery of essential supplies to citizens.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell
Getting significantly more aid into Gaza is a clear priority. The Foreign Secretary has appointed a senior official, Mark Bryson-Richardson, as his Representative for Humanitarian Affairs in the Occupied Palestinian Territories to help drive forward this vital work.
The UK is providing £60 million in humanitarian assistance and has already delivered 74 tonnes of aid to Gaza. Earlier this month, a further 82 tonnes of life saving UK aid arrived in Egypt onboard RFA Lyme Bay. UK funding supports the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and other trusted partners to respond to critical food, fuel, water, health, shelter and security needs in Gaza. We continue to urge Israel to increase the flow of aid into Gaza and continue to reiterate the urgent need for more humanitarian pauses. We are exploring all methods of delivering humanitarian assistance to Gaza to expand both the capacity and volume of aid arriving in Gaza.