Asked by: Robert Largan (Conservative - High Peak)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to assist organisations providing urgent medical supplies and essential child health services in Ukraine.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The UK has now committed £395 million in aid to the current crisis. This includes £220 million of humanitarian assistance which will be used to save lives and protect vulnerable people inside Ukraine and in neighbouring countries. It will also be used to support refugees, including children, fleeing Ukraine, through the provision of logistics, advice and analysis of needs on the ground. The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) launched its Ukraine Appeal on 2 March which has now reached over £200 million, with the government matching £25 million of the public's donations. To date, we have contributed £3.5 million to provide medical supplies to Ukraine. 11 flights with supplies have been sent containing over 1.8 million UK medical items. UK Government humanitarian experts have also deployed to the region to support those fleeing the violence. As of 21 March, 3 million people are known to have fled Ukraine to neighbouring countries, according to UNHCR [link: https://data2.unhcr.org/en/situations/ukraine].
Asked by: Robert Largan (Conservative - High Peak)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the need for humanitarian support specifically for displaced children in Ukraine and neighbouring countries.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The UK has now committed £395 million in aid to the current crisis. This includes £220 million of humanitarian assistance which will be used to save lives and protect vulnerable people inside Ukraine and in neighbouring countries. It will also be used to support refugees, including children, fleeing Ukraine, through the provision of logistics, advice and analysis of needs on the ground. The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) launched its Ukraine Appeal on 2 March which has now reached over £200 million, with the government matching £25 million of the public's donations. To date, we have contributed £3.5 million to provide medical supplies to Ukraine. 11 flights with supplies have been sent containing over 1.8 million UK medical items. UK Government humanitarian experts have also deployed to the region to support those fleeing the violence. As of 21 March, 3 million people are known to have fled Ukraine to neighbouring countries, according to UNHCR [link: https://data2.unhcr.org/en/situations/ukraine].
Asked by: Robert Largan (Conservative - High Peak)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle the Polio outbreak in Ukraine; and what assessment she has made of the threat to outbreaks in neighbouring countries.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The UK is a strong supporter of the global efforts to eradicate polio. Over the last 25 years we have contributed £1.37 billion in funding to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), we have provided technical guidance and we have used our influence to ensure polio eradication remains a major focus of the world's governments. The UK's funding to GPEI is unearmarked, which allows them to respond rapidly to situations such as that currently ongoing in Ukraine.
We are monitoring the polio situation in Ukraine carefully and engaging closely with GPEI to ensure that their response considers the risks to neighbouring countries. Currently GPEI are deploying surge staff to the region and have reached out to neighbouring countries to encourage and support the rapid identification and response to cases, through for example, strengthened surveillance, updating the preparedness plans and improving immunization coverage at subnational levels in local and refugee populations.
Asked by: Robert Largan (Conservative - High Peak)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether a renewed Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action would require Iran to provide a full historical accounting of its previous violations of the nuclear programme.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
Iran has been out of compliance with its Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA) commitments since 2019. Iran has since February 2021, restricted access to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), who are responsible for monitoring Iran's implementation of the nuclear deal.The deal on the table in Vienna talks would return Iran to full compliance with its JCPoA commitments, it would reverse Iran's nuclear escalation, return its nuclear programme to strict JCPoA limits and restore extensive monitoring by the IAEA. A rapid conclusion of this deal is critical for international security and non-proliferation.
Asked by: Robert Largan (Conservative - High Peak)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policy on regional stability of the technical abilities and knowledge Iran has acquired during its progressive breaches of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
Iran has been out of compliance with its Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA) commitments since 2019. Iran's nuclear programme is more advanced today than it has ever been and is undermining regional and international security. The deal on the table in Vienna talks would return Iran to full compliance with its JCPoA commitments. It would reverse Iran's nuclear escalation, return its nuclear programme to strict JCPoA limits and restore extensive monitoring by the International Atomic Energy Agency. The full implementation of the JCPoA could contribute positively to regional prosperity and security in the Middle East and beyond. We urge a conclusion of this deal.Asked by: Robert Largan (Conservative - High Peak)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much financial support the Government has provided to the Palestinian NGO Union of Agricultural Work Committees (a) directly and (b) via second and third-party vendors over the last five years.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The UK has not provided funding to the Union of Agricultural Work Committees in the past five years.
Asked by: Robert Largan (Conservative - High Peak)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with her (a) EU and (b) US counterparts on the Palestinian Authority's alleged payment of monthly salaries to convicted Palestinian terrorists.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
No UK aid is used for payments to Palestinian prisoners, or their families or the "Martyrs Fund". Alongside Government of Israel and US we continue to deliver a clear and long-standing message to the highest levels of the Palestinian Authority that the prisoner payments system should be reformed so that it is needs based, transparent and affordable. Officials maintain a regular dialogue with the EU and US on this issue.
Asked by: Robert Largan (Conservative - High Peak)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps she has taken to strengthen the UK’s economic and security relationship with Israel.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Just yesterday (29 November), the Foreign Secretary hosted the first UK-Israel strategic dialogue with Israeli Foreign Minister Lapid. They held substantive discussions on how to broaden and deepen the bilateral relationship, including cooperation across science, technology, trade and innovation. The Foreign Secretary and Foreign Minister Lapid also signed an MOU, committing to the development of a UK-Israel Bilateral Roadmap that will define bilateral cooperation for the next decade. We hope to agree the Roadmap in 2022.