Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether international humanitarian law provides sufficient clarity on what constitutes a hostile act by a wounded or sick person receiving medical treatment.

The Government has read and noted the findings of the Chatham House report, and we remain firmly committed to upholding and promoting the clear protections set out in International humanitarian law (IHL) for the wounded and sick during armed conflict, as well as medical personnel and facilities.

We also support international efforts to strengthen the implementation of IHL and to address challenges relating to the protection of healthcare in conflict. That includes:

- Participating in the International Committee of the Red Cross' Global Initiative to galvanise global commitment to IHL, by helping to shape international discussions around the Initiative, including in its work on protection of hospitals;

- Promoting the Voluntary Report on the Implementation of IHL at Domestic Level (2024) - a comprehensive overview of the UK's IHL frameworks, including on the protection of civilian infrastructure - which provides practical support to other states seeking to improve their own IHL compliance; and

- Engaging actively with partners to support relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions in this area, and using our position at the United Nations and other fora to call out IHL violations, support independent investigations where appropriate, and press for those responsible to be held to account in accordance with international law.