Asked by: Keith Vaz (Labour - Leicester East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has received on the situation in Kashmir.
Answered by Heather Wheeler
We are following the situation in Kashmir closely and are in regular contact with the Government of India and the Government of Pakistan.
Asked by: Keith Vaz (Labour - Leicester East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what criteria the Government uses when deciding whether to freeze funds of Yemeni institutions and individuals.
Answered by Andrew Murrison
Sanctions against Yemen were imposed by the UN (under UN Security Council Resolution 2140) in 2014 following an escalation in violence in Yemen, including attacks against military and security facilities. Specific designation criteria set out by that resolution can be applied when there is evidence of individuals or entities engaging in or providing support for acts that threaten the peace, security or stability of Yemen. Five individuals are currently designated under this regime and are subject to asset freezes and travel bans. The UK implements these sanctions as part of its international legal obligations.
Asked by: Keith Vaz (Labour - Leicester East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when the next meeting of the Yemen Quad is scheduled to take place.
Answered by Andrew Murrison
A date has not yet been fixed for the next Yemen Quad meeting, but we continue to work closely with our Quad partners (US, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates) on Yemen, and with other international partners. On 26 September, the UK co-hosted a political event at the UN General Assembly to coordinate the international community’s support for the UN-led peace process and endorse the UN Special Envoy’s plan to begin wider political discussion.
Asked by: Keith Vaz (Labour - Leicester East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the accuracy of reports of fighting in Najran, Al Dhale and Hajjah governorates of Yemen.
Answered by Andrew Murrison
We monitor the conflict in Yemen closely and are concerned about reports of increased violence in parts of Yemen and in Najran, Saudi Arabia. All parties must engage constructively and in good faith to overcome obstacles and find a political solution to end the conflict. We continue to call on all parties to the conflict in Yemen to exercise restraint, comply fully with International Humanitarian Law and engage constructively with the peace process led by the UN Special Envoy, which is the only way to end the cycle of violence.
Asked by: Keith Vaz (Labour - Leicester East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what preparations his Department is making for the 2020 UN High-Level Pledging Event for Yemen.
Answered by Andrew Murrison
We thank all donors who have provided funding to the UN’s 2019 Yemen Humanitarian Response Plan, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait, who provided approximately $800 million between them in September.
We continue to encourage all donors to rapidly release their remaining pledges and consider providing further funding to this year’s UN appeal.
We await the release of the UN’s 2020 Yemen Humanitarian Needs Overview and accompanying Humanitarian Response Plan, which will inform our decisions on how we provide our funding next year.
Asked by: Keith Vaz (Labour - Leicester East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he will announce the name of the successor to Sir Kim Darroch as British Ambassador to the USA.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
A new appointment will be made in due course. The United Kingdom has a strong relationship with the US which is based on many decades of close cooperation and partnership, and that will remain the case.
Asked by: Keith Vaz (Labour - Leicester East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has held with his counterparts in (a) the Government of Saudi Arabia and (b) the Government of Yemen on (i) opening Sana’a International airport, (ii) implementing a UN Verification and Inspection Mechanism to facilitate traffic through the airport and (iii) facilitating direct international flights for aid workers, journalists, humanitarian aid and seriously ill people.
Answered by Andrew Murrison
Improving humanitarian and commercial access in Yemen is one of the UK’s top priorities. The UK is actively raising humanitarian concerns with all parties, calling on them to comply with UN Security Council Resolution 2451 and facilitate safe, rapid, and unhindered access for humanitarian and commercial supplies, including through Aden Port and airports. The UK continues to encourage vital access for food, fuel, and medicine by providing £1.3 million to help the UN’s Verification and Inspection Mechanism to facilitate commercial imports into Hodeidah and Saleef ports by giving the Coalition confidence that weapons are not coming in on commercial ships.
Asked by: Keith Vaz (Labour - Leicester East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to open direct talks with the Houthi leadership in Sana’a to find a solution to the conflict in Yemen; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Andrew Murrison
We consistently urge all parties, including the Houthis, to engage constructively with the UN Special Envoy. A nationwide ceasefire will only have an effect on the ground if it is underpinned by a political deal between the conflict parties. A political solution is the only way to bring long-term stability to Yemen and to address the worsening humanitarian crisis. The Yemeni parties must engage constructively and in good faith with the UN Special Envoy to overcome obstacles to progress and find a political settlement to end the conflict.
Asked by: Keith Vaz (Labour - Leicester East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has held with his Saudi Arabian and Government of Yemen counterparts on holding direct talks with the Houthi leadership to broker a nationwide ceasefire; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Andrew Murrison
We consistently urge all parties, including the Houthis, to engage constructively with the UN Special Envoy. A nationwide ceasefire will only have an effect on the ground if it is underpinned by a political deal between the conflict parties. A political solution is the only way to bring long-term stability to Yemen and to address the worsening humanitarian crisis. The Yemeni parties must engage constructively and in good faith with the UN Special Envoy to overcome obstacles to progress and find a political settlement to end the conflict.
Asked by: Keith Vaz (Labour - Leicester East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has held with his (a) Saudi Arabian, (b) Emirati and (c) Government of Yemen counterparts to facilitate access for the UN Humans Rights Council Panel of Eminent Experts to all regions of Yemen including Sana’a.
Answered by Andrew Murrison
The UK supports the UN Group of Eminent Experts (GEE) and we welcome the renewal of its mandate. It is important to give the Group more time to fully examine the conflict and to ensure that their conclusions accurately reflect the conduct of all parties. The UK urges all parties to the conflict to cooperate with the GEE and to promote and protect human rights in Yemen. We are disappointed that the Group has not had the necessary access to the conflict zone, or been able to visit many of the countries that are engaged in the conflict. We encourage engagement with the Group as a means of ensuring that their conclusions are as well informed as possible, and that they reflect the views of all.