Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Houthi rebels in Yemen on the interests of (a) the UK and (b) UK allies.

Over the last 19 months, the Houthis have conducted attacks against international commercial shipping, as well as British and American warships. This has violated the principle of freedom of navigation, further destabilised the region, and caused the peace process in Yemen to stall. In addition, the Houthis have waged economic warfare against the Government of Yemen and obstructed humanitarian aid from reaching Yemenis in need.

The UK has underlined these concerns at the UN Security Council alongside our international partners.

The best route towards a secure, stable and prosperous future for Yemen is through an inclusive peace process, under the auspices of the UN Special Envoy, and negotiated political settlement.

Furthermore, the UK continues to call for de-escalation within the region. We have long been clear about our concerns over Iran's political, financial and military support to militant and proscribed groups, including the Houthis.