Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, whether his Department will provide support to Haitian police to help tackle the increase in violence from criminal gangs.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK remains concerned by the deteriorating security situation in Haiti that exacerbates pre-existing humanitarian and economic crises. On 9 April, the Foreign Secretary announced a £5 million UK contribution to the Multinational Security Support (MSS) Mission, the main role of which is to work in collaboration with the Haitian National Police to tackle gang-related violence.
Asked by: Marquess of Lothian (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the current political and security situation in Haiti; and what steps they are taking, together with international partners, to provide urgent humanitarian assistance.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Minister Rutley has engaged significantly on this issue, discussing it with regional and international partners over many months. I most recently engaged with Caribbean partners during my attendance at the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Heads of Government meeting in Guyana on 26 February, where I discussed concerns about - and options to respond to - the security situation in Haiti. The UK welcomes the recent swearing in of the Transitional Presidential Council. This is an important step on the journey to restoring much needed political stability in Haiti. It is clear that the climate of insecurity is driving Haiti's humanitarian needs, and we hope that deployment of the Multinational Security Support (MSS) Mission in Haiti, to which the Foreign Secretary announced a £5 million ODA contribution on 9 April, will improve this. The difficult security situation within Haiti has impeded humanitarian access but we will continue to work with our international partners to build a coordinated and coherent response so that international support can reach people in need.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, what support his Department plans to provide to (a) Fritz Bélizaire, (b) Edgard Leblanc and (c) the Transitional Council in Haiti.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is committed to supporting a Haitian-led political solution to address the escalating violence in the country. We welcomed the swearing in of the Transitional Presidential Council (TPC) in Haiti as an important step on the journey to restoring much needed political stability. We now stress the need for TPC agreement on the candidates for the positions of President and Prime Minister so that these might be ratified swiftly.
Asked by: Anna McMorrin (Labour - Cardiff North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, pursuant to the Answer of 26 April 2024 to Question 23264 on Haiti: Turks and Caicos Islands, how many additional specialist police officers have been recruited by the Turks and Caicos Islands in 2024.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Constitutionally, national security is a reserved responsibility. Operational policing matters, including recruitment, is the responsibility of the Commissioner of Police who is appointed by the Governor. The new Commissioner of Police took up post in April 2024 and is driving forward an active recruitment campaign to build capability and capacity. The FCDO has continued to provide support to the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force (RTCIPF) funding a team of privately contracted specialist serious crime investigators since 2022. The FCDO increased support to the RTCIPF this year, with five extra investigators and four firearms officers currently in territory. The FCDO are also supporting the RTCIPF through a variety of specialist training (including investigations, use of force, data and intelligence) and additional equipment to support efforts to combat serious crime (including new capabilities on digital forensics, body-worn cameras, drones and radar CCTV).
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policies of the number of children aged between six and 59 months that are at risk of severe malnutrition in Haiti.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
According to the most recent UN-backed analysis of food security in Haiti, almost half the population needs some type of food assistance. The UK continues to support Haiti through our contributions to UN agencies, multi donor, pooled NGO funds, and institutions such as the World Bank Group, who are active in addressing Haiti's significant humanitarian challenges. The difficult security situation within Haiti has impeded humanitarian access, but the UN has established a limited humanitarian airbridge. In response to calls for urgent humanitarian assistance, the UN Central Emergency Response Fund, of which the UK is historically the largest contributor, has authorised disbursement of $12 million to support those affected.
Asked by: Lisa Nandy (Labour - Wigan)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, what recent discussions he has had with regional partners on the humanitarian situation in Haiti.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We continue to work with our international partners to build a coordinated and coherent response so international support can reach people in need. I [Minister Rutley] have engaged significantly on this issue, discussing it with regional and international partners over many months. I most recently engaged with Caribbean partners during my attendance at the CARICOM Heads of Government meeting in Guyana on 26 February, where I discussed concerns about - and options to respond to - the security situation in Haiti with interlocuters. The difficult security situation within Haiti has impeded humanitarian access and we will continue to work with our international partners to build a coordinated and coherent response so international support can reach people in need. It is clear that the climate of insecurity is driving Haiti's humanitarian needs, and we hope that deployment of the Multinational Security Support (MSS) Mission in Haiti, to which the Foreign Secretary announced a £5 million ODA contribution on 9 April, will improve this.
Asked by: Lisa Nandy (Labour - Wigan)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, whether his Department has undertaken contingency planning with the British Overseas Territories in the Caribbean for steps to be taken in the event of a deterioration in the humanitarian situation in Haiti.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK remains committed to the safety and security of all British Overseas Territories. Since the deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Haiti we have worked closely, with other international partners, to continue to strengthen the resilience of the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) in responding to the risk of illegal migration. In March, the Foreign Secretary set out the support we are providing to TCI to secure its borders and we have funded a visit by a team of experts from the Home Office and Ministry of Defence to recommend further measures. We have also funded asylum training across the Overseas Territories and are working with the Home Office to bolster capabilities further.
Asked by: Lisa Nandy (Labour - Wigan)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of providing additional support for measures to support (a) stability and (b) reconstruction in Haiti.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is committed to supporting a Haitian-led political solution to the escalating violence in the country, and commends the efforts of Caribbean partners to work towards a return to security and stability. It is clear that the climate of insecurity is driving Haiti's humanitarian needs, and we hope that deployment of the Multinational Security Support (MSS) Mission in Haiti, to which the Foreign Secretary announced a £5 million ODA contribution on 9 April, will improve this. We are also working closely with partners, including the UN mission in Haiti (BINUH).
Asked by: Lisa Nandy (Labour - Wigan)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, whether his Department is taking steps to support NGOs operating in Haiti.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We continue to support Haiti through our contributions to UN agencies, multi donor, pooled NGO funds, and institutions such as the World Bank Group, who are active in addressing Haiti's significant humanitarian challenges. We are also supporting the UN mission in Haiti (BINUH) to strengthen their presence in the country in order to create the conditions under which NGOs can operate and deliver services to the Haitian people.
Asked by: Anna McMorrin (Labour - Cardiff North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, what support his Department is providing to the Turks and Caicos Islands in response to the security situation in Haiti.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK remains committed to the safety and security of the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) and supporting the security of TCI borders in response to worsening violence in neighbouring Haiti. The FCDO has been coordinating and funding a range of support to the TCI. This includes a package of coastal sensors overseen by the Joint Maritime Security Centre, recruiting specialist police officers, supporting the deployment of US government aircraft and procurement of other specialist equipment. Minister Rutley remains in close contact with the Governor and Premier.