Asked by: Ian Murray (Labour - Edinburgh South)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to ensure effective delivery of humanitarian aid (a) into and (b) throughout Yemen.
Answered by Alistair Burt
We welcome the positive outcomes of peace talks in Stockholm, with both sides agreeing a ceasefire in Hodeidah and committing to withdraw troops from the port and city. A political settlement is the only way to bring long-term stability to Yemen and to address the worsening humanitarian crisis.
Red Sea ports remain operational and continue to import most of the food and fuel on which Yemenis rely. The UK is providing £1.3 million to the UN Verification and Inspection Mechanism to increase physical inspections of commercial ships, and ensure that weapons are not entering the country illegitimately.
As we have consistently made clear, all parties must ensure that Hodeidah and Saleef ports and onward supply routes are kept open, and commercial and humanitarian flows are not disrupted.
Asked by: Ian Murray (Labour - Edinburgh South)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment her Department has made of the implications for her policies of the recent integrated food security and classification (IPC) report on Yemen which showed 240,000 civilians are living in famine-like conditions; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Alistair Burt
The newly published Integrated Phase Classification (IPC) Report highlights growing food insecurity in Yemen over the past year, with the overall number of food insecure people rising from 17 million to over 20 million (70% of the population). For the first time, there are people (238,000) in the most severe food security category, IPC 5 - at high risk of death.
In response urgent action is needed to improve economic conditions and maintain food supply chains into and throughout the country, including Hodeidah and Saleef ports and routes out of the city. As we have consistently made clear, all parties must ensure that Hodeidah and Saleef ports and onward supply routes are kept open, and commercial and humanitarian flows are not disrupted.
The UK is playing a leading role in combating hunger in Yemen through our £170 million in aid this financial year, which will help meet the food needs of four million Yemenis for one month. However, a political settlement is the only way to bring long-term stability to Yemen and to address the worsening humanitarian crisis. We therefore welcome the positive outcomes of peace talks in Stockholm.
Asked by: Ian Murray (Labour - Edinburgh South)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to (a) increase food, medicine and fuel imports to Hodeidah port and (b) distribute those imports to the areas of the country that rely on those imports.
Answered by Alistair Burt
The UK government continues to raise concerns with the Saudi led-Coalition about the potential impact of any assault on the port and city of Hodeidah and is in regular contact with the Coalition about the need to ensure that any further military operations do not disrupt commercial and humanitarian flows both through the port and onwards across the country. To date, Red Sea ports remain operational and continue to import most of the food and fuel on which Yemenis rely.
We have consistently made it clear, the Houthis must facilitate access throughout areas they control which is where most of the population live.
As a part of our effort to secure vital access for food, fuel, and medicine into and throughout Yemen, the UK is also providing £1.3 million to the UN Verification and Inspection Mechanism to give the Saudi-led Coalition confidence that weapons are not coming in to Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen on large commercial ships.
Asked by: Ian Murray (Labour - Edinburgh South)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment her Department has made of the humanitarian impact of the latest military offensive on Hodeidah port in Yemen.
Answered by Alistair Burt
The UK continues to raise concerns with the Saudi led-Coalition about the potential impact of any assault on the port and city of Hodeidah and is monitoring the resumption of hostilities in and around Hodeidah closely. As we have consistently made clear, the Coalition must ensure that any further military operations in and around Hodeidah are conducted in accordance with international humanitarian law and do not disrupt commercial and humanitarian flows.
The impact of the violence around Hodeidah on commercial and humanitarian access is one of the main reasons behind the UN’s warning of the growing risk of food insecurity in Yemen. We are concerned by reports that access to the Red Sea mills has been restricted as result of the latest fighting.
UK aid partners continue to deliver life-saving support on the ground as part of our £170 million response in Yemen this year, including cash transfers to 21,000 people displaced from Hodeidah, as well as access to 75,000 litres of clean water a day.
Asked by: Ian Murray (Labour - Edinburgh South)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development,what assessment she has made of the effect of the latest military offensive in Hodeidah with regard to her Department''s provision of support in that region to prevent malnutrition.
Answered by Alistair Burt
On World Food Day this year, the UK announced a package of £96.5 million to help UNICEF continue tackle malnutrition in Yemen over the coming three years. This package will screen 2.2 million children under the age of five for malnutrition and provide urgent treatment for 70,000 of the most vulnerable children.
The recent increase in military activity in and around Hodeidah has had a relatively limited impact on this programme so far, as the programme’s activities are implemented countrywide, not exclusively in Hodeidah. The continued flow of goods through and onwards from Hodeidah port, however, will be critical to ensure that humanitarian supplies can reach those in need.
In Hodeidah city, stocks of supplies including nutrition, and fuel are still available thanks to the pre-positioning by UNICEF and its partners. Efforts are now focused on scaling up lifesaving activities within the humanitarian response.
Asked by: Ian Murray (Labour - Edinburgh South)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that humanitarian provision reaches the 300,000 civilians trapped in Hodeidah, Yemen.
Answered by Alistair Burt
The UK continues to raise concerns with the Saudi led-Coalition about the potential impact of any assault on the port and city of Hodeidah and is monitoring the resumption of hostilities in and around Hodeidah closely.
We have consistently made it clear, the Coalition must ensure that any further military operations in and around Hodeidah do not disrupt commercial and humanitarian flows both through the port and onwards across the country. For their part, the Houthis must not compromise civilian facilities (such as Hodeidah port and food storage facilities) and allow unhindered access to humanitarian agencies throughout areas they control.
UK aid partners continue to deliver life-saving support on the ground as part of our £170 million response in Yemen this year, including cash transfers to 21,000 people displaced from Hodeidah, as well as access to 75,000 litres of clean water a day.
Asked by: Ian Murray (Labour - Edinburgh South)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to safeguard the 300,000 civilians trapped in Hodeidah, Yemen.
Answered by Alistair Burt
The UK continues to raise concerns with the Saudi led-Coalition about the potential impact of any assault on the port and city of Hodeidah and is monitoring the resumption of hostilities in and around Hodeidah closely.
We have consistently made clear, the Coalition must ensure that any further military operations in and around Hodeidah are conducted in accordance with international humanitarian law, including on the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure, and do not disrupt commercial and humanitarian flows both through the port and onwards across the country. For their part, the Houthis must not compromise civilian facilities (such as Hodeidah port as well as schools, hospitals and food storage facilities) and allow unhindered access to humanitarian agencies throughout areas they control.
UK aid partners continue to deliver life-saving support on the ground as part of our £170 million response in Yemen this year, including cash transfers to 21,000 people displaced from Hodeidah, as well as access to 75,000 litres of clean water a day.
Asked by: Ian Murray (Labour - Edinburgh South)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what plans her Department has for Official Development Assistance funding allocated to the EU after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by Alistair Burt
As set out in the draft Withdrawal Agreement, the UK will honour commitments made to the EU budget during the period of our membership. In time, we will have more flexibility to consider how we use the £1.5 billion of our aid budget we currently channel through the EU on an annual basis. We remain committed to spending 0.7% of our national income on development assistance to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Where it makes sense, the UK remains open to pooling resources with the EU to maximise combined development impact in areas of our mutual interest if the UK has the required oversight over its funds and there is eligibility for UK organisations to implement any UK funded EU programmes.
Asked by: Ian Murray (Labour - Edinburgh South)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will ensure that any changes to the OECD Development Assistance Committee rules are proposed on the basis of increasing the beneficial effects of aid spending on the world's poorest and most vulnerable communities.
Answered by Rory Stewart
The OECD Development Assistance Committee defines the primary purpose of Official Development Assistance as the ‘promotion of the economic development and welfare of developing countries’. We fully support that. Any changes will be based on the clear principle that they should make the aid system more effective in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
Asked by: Ian Murray (Labour - Edinburgh South)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps she is taking to help other Departments spending resources on aid achieve good or very good ratings under the international aid transparency initiative.
Answered by Rory Stewart
DFID is providing regular advice to support departments to improve the transparency of their overseas development assistance. This includes workshops, guidance and the establishment of a network to share good practice. It is essential we pool skills and expertise across government to ensure we achieve this commitment, so the British public know their money is being spent well to eradicate poverty and keep Britain safe.