Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, if he will make it his policy to support Kosovo becoming a member of the Council of Europe.
Answered by Leo Docherty
The UK supports Kosovo's current application to join the Council of Europe. Membership of the Council of Europe would bring practical benefits and protections for all Kosovo citizens, including minority communities. The Foreign Secretary made our support clear during his visit to Kosovo in January this year.
Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, if he will publish a summary of the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs' recent visit to Kosovo.
Answered by Leo Docherty
The Foreign Secretary reflected on his recent visit to Kosovo at the Foreign Affairs Committee session on 9 January (https://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/44138eb7-41b6-47eb-9c61-e9ac76acc233), sharing his views on the severity of the attack in Banjska in September 2023 and the need for the West to ensure its approach to the Western Balkans fully accounts for Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The Government issued a press release in advance of his visit (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/foreign-secretary-to-visit-kosovo-to-underline-uk-support), and the Foreign Secretary himself gave an overview of his meeting with UK troops deployed to Kosovo as part of NATO's Kosovo Force (KFOR) during the visit (https://twitter.com/FCDOGovUK/status/1742992750079770754?s=20).
Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
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 encourage European Union nations to recognise Kosovo as an independent sovereign state.
Answered by Leo Docherty
We welcome the fact that the vast majority of EU members states recognise Kosovo's statehood. In line with our longstanding support for Kosovo's international integration as a sovereign independent state, the UK continues to use suitable opportunities to reinforce the case for recognition with the five remaining EU members states which have yet to recognise Kosovo's statehood.
Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what recent assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the treatment of female hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell
The Government continues to be appalled by the reports of conflict-related sexual violence committed by Hamas on 7 October and against hostages, including the recent report from UN Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) on sexual violence in conflict, Pramila Patten. The UK condemns sexual violence unequivocally and without exception. Hamas must release all hostages and all reports of sexual violence must be fully investigated to ensure justice for survivors and victims. The UK has been working with partners across the region to secure the release of hostages, including British nationals and their families.
Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what recent assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the treatment of women and girls by Houthi groups in Yemen.
Answered by David Rutley
The UK remains deeply concerned by reports of gender-based violence (GBV), including conflict-related sexual violence, in Yemen. We know that in conflict, women and girls are disproportionately impacted. That is why we have made Yemen a focus country in the UK's National Action Plan on Women, Peace & Security. Through the National Action Plan, cross-government efforts will prioritise women's full, equal, meaningful and safe participation in conflict prevention, reduction and resolution. The UK champions the important role women, youth and civil society can play - both in securing, and sustaining, peace in Yemen.
In addition, FCDO funds our Women and Children Programme to address the needs of women and children in Yemen. Funding for 2023-2024 is £38 million. This will include interventions aimed at preventing and responding to GBV in subsequent years.
Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what his policy is on the potential future role of (a) Hamas and (b) Hamas-affiliated groups in (i) civic, (ii) military and (iii) political roles in Gaza.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell
Vital elements for a lasting peace include the release of all hostages; the formation of a new Palestinian Government for the West Bank and Gaza, accompanied by an international support package; removing Hamas's capacity to launch attacks against Israel; Hamas no longer being in charge of Gaza; and a political horizon which provides a credible and irreversible pathway towards a two-state solution.
The Foreign Secretary and Prime Minister have reiterated these messages in their contacts with Prime Minister Netanyahu and other senior Israeli political leaders, as well as leaders in Qatar, Jordan, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon in recent weeks.
The Palestinian Authority has an important long-term role to play. We must work with our allies to provide serious, practical and enduring support needed to bolster the Palestinian Authority, who must also take much needed steps on reform, including setting out a pathway to democratic progress.
Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether he has had discussions with officials from the Israeli government on the number of Hamas terrorists killed in Gaza.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell
The Government has not made an official estimate of the number of Hamas terrorists killed in Gaza since 7 October 2023. We continue to engage closely with the Israeli Government at all levels on the ongoing conflict.
Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, how much his Department spent on equality, diversity and inclusion (a) events and (b) training in the last 12 months.
Answered by David Rutley
The Government is auditing the cost-effectiveness of all equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) activities, through the review of EDI spending announced last June.
As stated in the Autumn Statement by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Minister for Cabinet Office will be outlining the final proposals in response to the review in due course.
Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what assessment his Department has made of the potential implications for its policies of the killing of Muhammad al-Araja at the Rafah border crossing in Gaza on 16 February 2024.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell
We are aware of these reports.
We continue to call for International Humanitarian Law (IHL) to be respected and civilians to be protected. Too many civilians have been killed.
Palestinian civilians are facing a devastating and growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
We are calling for an immediate pause to get aid in and hostages out, then progress towards a sustainable, permanent ceasefire, without a return to destruction, fighting and loss of life.
Vital steps include the release of all hostages; the formation of a new Palestinian Government for the West Bank and Gaza, accompanied by an international support package; removing Hamas's capacity to launch attacks against Israel; Hamas no longer being in charge of Gaza; and a political horizon which provides a credible and irreversible pathway towards a two-state solution.
Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether he plans to increase humanitarian aid to Sudan.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell
The UK continues to provide assistance to people in need in Sudan through our humanitarian aid package of £38 million for 2023-2024. In 2024/2025, the UK bilateral Official Development Assistance to Sudan will double to £89 million.