Asked by: Tom Morrison (Liberal Democrat - Cheadle)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his counterpart in Israel on hostages in Gaza.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Since day one, this Government has been clear that we need to see an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages cruelly detained by Hamas, better protection of civilians, significantly more aid consistently entering Gaza, and a path to long-term peace and stability. The remaining hostages must be released and the only way to return them safely is through a deal. The UK is playing an active role in coordination with our international partners and continue to urge all parties to re-engage in ceasefire negotiations to get the hostages out and to secure a permanent end to the conflict. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Ministers continue to regularly engage their Israeli counterparts on this issue.
Asked by: Tom Morrison (Liberal Democrat - Cheadle)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of reductions to USAID on humanitarian aid in Sudan.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK notes the US' decision to disband United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and cancel certain USAID programmes. This is a matter for the US. We are currently working to assess the implications of the US funding pause across all humanitarian and development sectors, including on joint and coordinated programming. Sudan remains a priority for the UK. After the London Sudan Conference, the Foreign Secretary announced a further £120 million in funding which will target over 650,000 people. This brought the total pledged by the attendees of the conference to over £800 million in humanitarian aid, a positive step that will have important protection outcomes for civilians.
Asked by: Tom Morrison (Liberal Democrat - Cheadle)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure that civilian (a) support and (b) protection is being considered as part of work towards a ceasefire in Sudan.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
As penholder on Sudan at the UN Security Council (UNSC), the UK is committed to advocating for the protection of civilians amidst this brutal conflict. In November 2024, during our UN Security Council Presidency, the Minister for Africa chaired a Council session which stressed the urgent need to protect civilians in Sudan. The UK also co-led a protection of civilians resolution in partnership with Sierra Leone which received support from all Council members apart from Russia, who chose to veto it. Any lasting ceasefire must adhere to the Jeddah Declaration of Commitment to Protect Civilians in Sudan that both the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces have already signed up to. The UK continues to push for a return to a civilian-led government that delivers the peace and stability that the Sudanese people deserve.
Asked by: Tom Morrison (Liberal Democrat - Cheadle)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what information his Department holds on the number of British citizens who have been detained abroad when entering another country due to mistaken identity based on their name alone in each of the last five years; and how many of these citizens have been refused consular support during their detention.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office publishes data on the assistance services provided to British nationals on gov.uk. It is not possible to differentiate data on whether mistaken identity was a factor in detentions.
Asked by: Tom Morrison (Liberal Democrat - Cheadle)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the Israeli security cabinet’s plan to capture and hold territory within the Gaza strip.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We have been clear that the UK strongly opposes the expansion of Israel's operations in Gaza. We have repeatedly stated that Palestinian territory must not be reduced in the conduct of this war or subjected to demographic change, and that there must be no forced displacement of people from Gaza. Ministers have made these views clear in their contact with Israeli counterparts, and we have also set this out in our joint statements with our partners and at the UN Security Council. On 20 May, the Foreign Secretary set out the government's latest steps in response to the situation in Gaza, including suspending negotiations with this Israeli government on a new free trade agreement. He also made clear that if Israel pursues this military offensive as it has threatened, failing to ensure the unhindered provision of aid, we will take further actions in response.
Asked by: Tom Morrison (Liberal Democrat - Cheadle)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he has made to his Israeli counterpart on lifting the aid blockade of Gaza.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We call on the Government of Israel to abide by its international obligations to ensure full, rapid, safe and unhindered provision of humanitarian assistance to the population in Gaza, now. The Foreign Secretary regularly presses his Israeli counterparts on these issues. We are calling on the Government of Israel to allow a full resumption of aid into Gaza, and let the UN and humanitarians save lives. On 13 May the UK, along with European partners, called an urgent session of the UN Security Council to address the humanitarian situation in Gaza. I spoke with the Israeli Ambassador on 20 May to make clear that the UK stands firmly against Israel's resumption of military action in Gaza, its wholly inadequate plan for aid delivery and to demand that a full and unhindered resumption in the flow of aid into Gaza takes place immediately.
Asked by: Tom Morrison (Liberal Democrat - Cheadle)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to make representations to his Israeli counterpart on complying with international (a) humanitarian and (b) criminal law.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK has repeatedly stated that all parties including Israel must observe international law in Gaza. Ministers have regularly pressed their Israeli counterparts to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and meet their obligations under international humanitarian law. On 19 May, in a statement with his French and Canadian counterparts, the Prime Minister stated that the Israeli Government's denial of essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population is unacceptable and risks breaching International Humanitarian Law. On 13 May the UK, along with European partners, called an urgent session of the UN Security Council to raise these issues.
Asked by: Tom Morrison (Liberal Democrat - Cheadle)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will take steps to recognise the state of Palestine.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK commitment to a two-state solution is unwavering. We are committed to recognising a Palestinian state at a time that has the most impact in achieving this reality and is most conducive to long-term prospects for peace. We are clear that does not need to be at the end of a process.
Asked by: Tom Morrison (Liberal Democrat - Cheadle)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the targeting of media workers in Gaza on global (a) press freedom and (b) journalist safety.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The government continues to monitor the reports of journalists and media workers killed in Gaza. This conflict has already become the deadliest conflict for journalists and media workers ever recorded and we remember all those who have lost their lives in the name of press freedom. All parties to a conflict must avoid deliberate attacks against journalists. Reporters covering conflicts are protected under international humanitarian law. We have called on the Government of Israel to do more to protect civilians, civilian infrastructure, and to allow the unhindered passage of humanitarian aid. We continue to call for a return to the ceasefire and we call on Hamas immediately to release all the remaining hostages. The United Kingdom co-founded the Media Freedom Coalition with Canada in 2019 and has joined Media Freedom Coalition statements calling for the protection of journalists in conflicts.
Asked by: Tom Morrison (Liberal Democrat - Cheadle)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what information his Department holds on the level of religious freedom for (a) minority faith and (b) other groups in Iran.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) in Iran is extremely restricted. Minority faiths such as Bahai's, Christians, and Sunni Muslims, amongst others, are subjected to human rights violations, including but not limited to, harassment, intimidation, arbitrary arrest and detention. The UK is championing the right to FoRB in Iran by taking action in multilateral fora - we were integral to the delivery of the Iran human rights resolution, adopted by the UN Third Committee in November 2024, which called on Iran to release all religious practitioners imprisoned for their membership in or activities on behalf of a minority religious group, and to ensure that everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion or belief. The UK's dedicated Special Envoy for FoRB, David Smith, continues to advocate for religious freedom worldwide, including in Iran.