Oral Answers to Questions

Paul Davies Excerpts

Tuesday 28th October 2025 Commons Chamber

[Chris Elmore]

I agree with my hon. Friend about the work of the BBC World Service, and we are working with the BBC. I am shortly due to visit Broadcasting House to see at first hand the work it is doing, particularly its innovative work to deliver and develop its funding programmes, which will form part of the charter review. In response to Russian interference in the media around the world, I echo my hon. Friend’s support for the journalists who work in the World Service, who do so much to expose what is happening globally, particularly around conflict.

[Paul Davies (Colne Valley) (Lab)]

11. What steps her Department is taking to help improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

[Caroline Voaden (South Devon) (LD)]

16. What diplomatic steps she is taking to help ensure that humanitarian aid can reach people in Gaza.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs (Mr Hamish Falconer)]

Alongside our international partners, the UK is working to get aid into Gaza on the scale needed to ease the desperate humanitarian crisis that is taking place. In recent days, the Foreign Secretary has spoken with Tom Fletcher of the United Nations, Egyptian Foreign Minister Abdelatty and Israeli Foreign Minister Sa’ar about the importance of opening more crossings and removing all restrictions on aid. We are ready to play our full part in providing that aid. We have announced £74 million of humanitarian funding already this year, including the £20 million announced at the peace summit in Egypt.

[Paul Davies]

I fully support the Minister in welcoming the US-brokered ceasefire, which has enabled the delivery of much-needed humanitarian aid into Gaza. As the Minister is aware, the UN and its partners have significantly scaled up their operations providing essential supplies, such as food, water, medical aid and fuel. However, given that border closures and ongoing political tensions continue to obstruct the flow of assistance, what steps are the Government taking to ensure unimpeded humanitarian access, and to prevent aid being used as a tool of political leverage?

[Mr Falconer]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. Following the US-led ceasefire agreement and the UN’s work, more trucks are starting to cross the border, but that needs to be scaled up much more rapidly, and we need the Rafah crossing fully opened, alongside other aid routes. We need international non-governmental organisations in, and able to operate in Gaza unimpeded. Civilians in Gaza cannot wait.