Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, further to the Answer of 10 July 2018 to Question 160081 on Yemen: UN Security Council, what recent steps his Department is taking to use the UK’s penholder status on Yemen at the UN Security Council to bring a new resolution forward.

The UK continues to fulfil its role as penholder on Yemen in the UN Security Council by coordinating sessions with the Security Council President that respond to developments in Yemen and the will of the Council as a whole. Both the Foreign Secretary and I have recently visited the Middle East to have constructive discussions with the Saudi-led Coalition on pathways to achieve de-escalation and reduce tensions. The Foreign Secretary was clear that both sides would need to play their part in confidence-building measures. Meanwhile, the UK will continue discussions with partners on how the UN Security Council can support the UN Special Envoy Martin Griffiths' on the political process and improving the humanitarian situation. This will include discussions on the draft UN Security Council Resolution on Yemen ahead of a Security Council briefing on the issue on 16 November.