Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he is taking steps to offer legal protection to commercial food importers in Yemen from the US designation of the Houthis as a terror group.

We are currently analysing the US humanitarian and commercial exemptions, but we are concerned that they are insufficient to avoid a serious deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Yemen. To mitigate this risk, we have already engaged with the US to urge them to ensure that the vital humanitarian response, including food supplies, is not disrupted and will raise this urgently with the new administration.