Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 19 January 2024 to Question 9950 on Yemen: Military Intervention and to the Answer of 20 February 2024 to Question 13836 on Gaza: Israel, for what reason his Department maintains a tracker database of alleged instances of breaches or violations of international humanitarian law by Saudi Arabia in Yemen but does not maintain a comparable database of alleged instances of breaches or violations of International Humanitarian Law by Israel in Gaza.
Answered by James Heappey
The Ministry of Defence’s “tracker" listing alleged International Humanitarian Law (IHL) violations during the Saudi Led Coalition's Air Campaign in Yemen, does not cover the actions of the Israeli Defence Force in Gaza.
The UK Government continues to assess Israel's commitment and capability to comply with International Humanitarian Law. Those assessments are supported by a detailed evidence base, including analysis of the conflict, reporting from NGOs, international bodies and partner countries, statements and reports by the Israeli Government and military representatives and Israel's track record of compliance.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 24 January 2024 to Question 10673 on Gaza: Israel, whether his Department has a comparable tracker logging alleged Israeli military International Humanitarian Law violations.
Answered by James Heappey
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) does not maintain such a tracker. However, the MOD works closely with the FCDO, who continue to assess Israel's commitment and capability to comply with International Humanitarian Law.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 19 January 2024 to Question 9950, how many incidents have been logged in its Tracker database of alleged instances of breaches or violations of International Humanitarian Law on the conduct of Israel in its military engagement in Gaza since October 2023.
Answered by James Heappey
The "tracker" referenced in Question 9950 does not log alleged Israeli military International Humanitarian Law violations. It specifically records alleged International Humanitarian Law violations relating to Saudi Arabia’s air campaign in Yemen.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Answer of 13 July 2020 to Question 68798 on Yemen: Military Intervention, whether his Department maintains its Tracker database of alleged instances of breaches or violations of International Humanitarian Law.
Answered by James Heappey
Yes.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 7 June 2021 to Question 7292 on Richard Paniguian, when the Gulf Advisory Group last met; how often that group has met since its establishment; and who has chaired the meetings of that group on each of those occasions.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
We have limited information on the Gulf Advisory Group which last met on 12 September 2018.
Sir Geoffrey Tantum was invited to attend that meeting.
We are seeking further information in respect of the hon. Member’s questions, and I will write to her in due course.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 7 June 2021 to Question 7292 on Richard Paniguian, if he will list attendees of the Gulf Advisory Group; and whether Geoffrey Tantum is included in that list.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
We have limited information on the Gulf Advisory Group which last met on 12 September 2018.
Sir Geoffrey Tantum was invited to attend that meeting.
We are seeking further information in respect of the hon. Member’s questions, and I will write to her in due course.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 7 June 2021 to Question 7292 on Richard Paniguian, when the Gulf Advisory Group was established; and what steps he has taken to inform the House of the establishment of that group.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
We have limited information on the Gulf Advisory Group which last met on 12 September 2018.
Sir Geoffrey Tantum was invited to attend that meeting.
We are seeking further information in respect of the hon. Member’s questions, and I will write to her in due course.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether Sir Richard Paniguian met defence ministers on 11 January 2016 at a session of the Gulf Advisory Committee or Gulf Advisory Council.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
There was a meeting of the Gulf Advisory Group on 11 January 2016 of which Sir Richard Paniguian was an invitee. However, we hold no records of the minutes of this meeting and cannot therefore confirm attendance.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on what dates the Sultan's Privy Council in Oman was attended by a serving Chief of the Defence staff.
Answered by James Heappey
I can confirm the dates a serving Chief of Defence staff attended the Sultan's Privy Council in Oman are:
2-5 January 2020
5-6 January 2019
6-7 January 2018
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the (a) role and (b) membership is of his Department's Gulf Advisory Committee.
Answered by James Heappey
The Ministry of Defence does not have a Gulf Advisory Committee.