Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment her Department has made of the implications for her policies of the recent integrated food security and classification (IPC) report on Yemen which showed 240,000 civilians are living in famine-like conditions; and if she will make a statement.

The newly published Integrated Phase Classification (IPC) Report highlights growing food insecurity in Yemen over the past year, with the overall number of food insecure people rising from 17 million to over 20 million (70% of the population). For the first time, there are people (238,000) in the most severe food security category, IPC 5 - at high risk of death.

In response urgent action is needed to improve economic conditions and maintain food supply chains into and throughout the country, including Hodeidah and Saleef ports and routes out of the city. As we have consistently made clear, all parties must ensure that Hodeidah and Saleef ports and onward supply routes are kept open, and commercial and humanitarian flows are not disrupted.

The UK is playing a leading role in combating hunger in Yemen through our £170 million in aid this financial year, which will help meet the food needs of four million Yemenis for one month. However, a political settlement is the only way to bring long-term stability to Yemen and to address the worsening humanitarian crisis. We therefore welcome the positive outcomes of peace talks in Stockholm.