Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much financial aid the Government has provided to Libya in each of the last five years.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Financial aid from the UK to Libya for each of the last five years is as follows.
For our Conflict, Stability, and Security Fund (CSSF): FY19/20 was £8,481,053 (Overseas Development Assistance) (ODA)) and £71,982 (Non-ODA); FY20/21 was £9,137,002 (ODA) and £10,140 (Non-ODA); FY21/22 was £5,776,716 (ODA); FY22/23 was £4,2013,523 (ODA); £6,249,470 (ODA) has been allocated to FY23/24.
Bilateral aid: FY/18/19 was £1,974,333.50; FY19/20 was £1,010,076.05; FY20/21 was £1,443,178; FY22/23 was £821,000.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he (a) has taken and (b) plans to take steps with the Government of Libya to compensate people affected by acts of terrorism perpetrated by the IRA using Libyan-supplied weapons.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government reiterates its sympathy for UK victims of Qaddafi-sponsored terrorism, and indeed all victims of the Troubles. The UK Government set out its position on Mr Shawcross's report on compensation for UK victims in a Written Ministerial Statement made on 23 March 2021. The responsibility for providing compensation specifically for the actions of the former Qaddafi regime lies with the Libyan State and the UK Government has repeatedly urged the Libyan authorities to engage with UK victims and their representatives, and to address their claims for compensation.
Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of publishing the 2020 Report on Victim Compensation for Gaddafi-sponsored IRA terrorism..
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government has profound sympathy for UK victims of Qadhafi-sponsored IRA terrorism and indeed for all victims of the Troubles. The Government set out its position on Mr Shawcross's report on compensation for UK victims of Qadhafi-sponsored IRA terrorism in a Written Ministerial Statement made on 23 March 2021. As it was commissioned as an internal scoping report to provide internal advice to ministers, and draws on private and confidential conversations, the government will not be publishing the report. The responsibility for providing compensation specifically for the actions of the Qadhafi regime lies with the Libyan State.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will hold discussions with his international counterparts at COP28 on (a) the environmental impact of flooding in Derna in September 2023 and (b) mitigation measures to help prevent future disasters.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The UK Government is committed to supporting the people of Libya following the devastating floods. The Foreign Secretary allocated £10 million in response to environmental disasters in both Libya and Morocco, providing life-saving assistance to those affected. Additionally, the UK is providing £5 million to the UK Met Office to improve early warning systems for extreme weather events and £5 million to the International Water Management Institute to improve flood management in the region. The UK is working closely with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) COP28 presidency to press for additional funding for vulnerable communities and is co-hosting the Climate and Development Ministerial, which will focus on how to improve access to climate finance for those countries most affected by climate change.
Asked by: David Jones (Conservative - Clwyd West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking with international partners to help re-establish democratic institutions in Libya.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The devastating floods underscore the unsustainability of the political status quo. The UK is fully committed to supporting the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) and Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) Bathily's efforts to drive forward a UN-facilitated, Libyan-led political process. The UK is using its position as United Nations Security Council (UNSC) penholder to work with the council and engages regularly with international partners in support of the SRSG's efforts. British Embassy Tripoli engages closely with Libyan interlocutors to encourage them to work constructively with the SRSG as he seeks to facilitate a political agreement that addresses the underlying issues preventing elections.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of St Albans (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Libya concerning the recent floods in that country; and what emergency provision they will be providing to them.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is horrified by the scale of flooding in eastern Libya following Storm Daniel and is committed to working with partners to deliver aid in support of the Libyan people. The UK is providing support in response to both the floods in Libya and the earthquake in Morocco, having allocated a package worth up to £10 million. Flights carrying UK-funded aid to Libya have so far delivered relief items including emergency shelter for up to 14,400 people, and over 800 portable solar lanterns. The UK is also providing water filters and hygiene kits that can reduce the threat of disease from contaminated water for up to 10,500 people. The UK is also supporting the UN's Central Emergency Response Fund and Education Cannot Wait programme, both of which have contributed to emergency responses in Libya. I spoke with Chairman of Libya's Presidential Council Mohamed al-Mnefi on 13 September to convey his condolences and the UK's commitment to supporting Libya in the aftermath of this tragedy. I also spoke to UN Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Martin Griffiths, to discuss the international response to the crises in Morocco and Libya along with humanitarian coordination.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, following reports that 20,000 pregnant women in the Libyan city of Derna are in urgent need of healthcare, what specific assistance they are providing to women and girls there.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The FCDO is closely monitoring the impact of Storm Daniel on Eastern Libya and utilising humanitarian needs assessments to inform our response. The UK has already delivered over 5,000 emergency shelter items, over 800 portable solar lanterns, over 2,000 water filters and over 1,000 hygiene kits. These items will be distributed by the International Committee of the Red Cross and the UN's International Organization for Migration to those in need, including women and girls affected by the devastating flooding. We will continue to coordinate with partners on the ground to understand the humanitarian health needs, including for vulnerable populations such as pregnant women.
Asked by: Marquess of Lothian (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking, together with international partners, to assist with (1) international aid, and (2) rescue efforts, in Libya following the flooding in that country on 10 September; and what steps they are taking to help to reduce the threat of disease from contaminated water.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is monitoring the scale of flooding in eastern Libya following Storm Daniel and is committed to working with partners to deliver aid in support of the Libyan people. The UK is providing support in response to both the floods in Libya and the earthquake in Morocco, having allocated a package worth up to £10 million. Flights carrying UK-funded aid to Libya have so far delivered relief items including emergency shelter for up to 14,400 people, and over 800 portable solar lanterns. The UK is also providing water filters and hygiene kits that can reduce the threat of disease from contaminated water for up to 10,500 people. The UK is also supporting the UN's Central Emergency Response Fund and Education Cannot Wait programme, both of which have contributed to emergency responses in Libya. I spoke with Chairman of Libya's Presidential Council Mohamed al-Mnefi on 13 September to convey his condolences and the UK's commitment to supporting Libya in the aftermath of this tragedy. I also spoke to UN Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Martin Griffiths, to discuss the international response to the crises in Morocco and Libya along with humanitarian coordination.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with the African Union on the humanitarian response to the floods in Libya.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Our representatives to the African Union have been briefed on the humanitarian response to the floods in Libya. The Africa Centres for Disease control (CDC) briefed the UK alongside other countries on their planned response , in line with their statement over the weekend.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assistance his Department is providing to Libya following recent flooding.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office are closely monitoring and assessing the impact of Storm Daniel on Eastern Libya. On 15 September, the UK increased its support in response to both the floods in Libya and the earthquake in Morocco, allocating a package worth up to £10 million. This additional support builds upon the initial package worth up to £1 million (announced on 13 September), which is already being mobilised with a flight arriving in Benghazi on 18 September to provide vital provisions including emergency shelter items, portable solar lanterns, and water filters. An Emergency Medical Team has also deployed. In addition, the UN has announced $10 million in response to the flooding from its Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), to which the UK is one of the largest donors. The Minister of State for the Middle East, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, spoke with Chairman of Libya's Presidential Council Mohamed al-Mnefi on 13 September to convey his condolences and the UK's commitment to supporting Libya in the aftermath of this tragedy.