Asked by: Apsana Begum (Labour - Poplar and Limehouse)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what information his Department holds on the number of Israeli (a) civilians, (b) women and (c) children that have been killed since 7 October 2023.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
Any civilian death is a tragedy. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that according to the Hamas-run Ministry of Health, as of 16 January, at least 24,100 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, of whom about 70% are said to be women and children. We do not have an estimate of what proportion of those killed are civilians. The Government of Israel report that more than 1,300 Israelis, including at least 523 Israel Defence Forces (IDF) soldiers have been killed, with 189 of those deaths in Gaza. We recognise that there must be a reduction in civilian casualties in the conflict; we want to see Israel take greater care to limit its operations to military targets and avoid harming civilians and destroying homes, and we continue to call for international humanitarian law to be respected and civilians to be protected. The Prime Minister has made this clear to Prime Minister Netanyahu repeatedly and has been in close contact throughout.
Asked by: Apsana Begum (Labour - Poplar and Limehouse)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether his Department has made a recent estimate of the number of (a) civilians, (b) women and (c) children killed in Gaza since 8 October 2023.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
Any civilian death is a tragedy. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that according to the Hamas-run Ministry of Health, as of 16 January, at least 24,100 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, of whom about 70% are said to be women and children. We do not have an estimate of what proportion of those killed are civilians. The Government of Israel report that more than 1,300 Israelis, including at least 523 Israel Defence Forces (IDF) soldiers have been killed, with 189 of those deaths in Gaza. We recognise that there must be a reduction in civilian casualties in the conflict; we want to see Israel take greater care to limit its operations to military targets and avoid harming civilians and destroying homes, and we continue to call for international humanitarian law to be respected and civilians to be protected. The Prime Minister has made this clear to Prime Minister Netanyahu repeatedly and has been in close contact throughout.
Asked by: Marquess of Lothian (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what factual conclusions they have reached about the use of rape and sexual violence against women as a weapon of war during the Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel on 7 October; what further steps they will take at the United Nations to raise the issue of the use of rape and sexual violence against women in conflict; and what steps they are taking, together with international partners, to ensure that the perpetrators of such violence are brought to justice for war crimes at the International Criminal Tribunal.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The reports of sexual violence perpetrated by Hamas against Israeli women and girls and other civilians are horrifying. We unequivocally condemn sexual violence in Israel and wherever it occurs in the world. Conflict-related sexual violence is an abuse of human rights and when perpetrated in the context of an armed conflict, can constitute a violation of international humanitarian law such as a war crime. We are regularly engaging with partners, including the UN, on this issue to urge that all reports of gender-based violence are rigorously and independently investigated and that perpetrators are held to account, to ensure justice for victims.
The UK is committed to strengthening the global response to conflict-related sexual violence. Our Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI) strategy, launched in 2022, sets out the work we are leading globally to prevent Conflict-Related Sexual Violence and strengthen justice for all survivors. The Minister of State for the Middle East, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon gave a statement on 15 December regarding the reports of sexual violence by Hamas, calling for them to be fully investigated to ensure justice for survivors and victims.
Asked by: Baroness Thornton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Permanent Representative of the UK to the UN attended the ‘Hear Our Voices: Sexual and gender-based violence in the October 7th Hamas terror attack’ event on 4 December at the UN headquarters; and if not, why.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Three representatives of the UK Permanent Representation to the United Nations attended this event. The UK unequivocally condemns the reports of sexual violence perpetrated by Hamas against Israeli women and girls and other civilians; conflict-related sexual violence is an abuse of human rights and when perpetrated in the context of an armed conflict, can constitute a violation of international humanitarian law such as a war crime. We are regularly engaging with partners, including the UN, on this issue and call for these reports to be fully investigated to ensure justice for victims. The UK is committed to strengthening the global response to conflict-related sexual violence. Our Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI) strategy, launched in 2022, sets out the work I am leading globally as the PMs Special Representative for PSVI, to prevent Conflict-Related Sexual Violence and strengthen justice and support for all survivors.
Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what steps his Department has taken to distribute humanitarian aid to Afghanistan since the recent earthquake.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
UK funded prepositioned supplies supported humanitarian partners in the immediate aftermath of the October earthquake. An additional £1 million was allocated to the Red Cross and £1 million to the Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund (AHF) to help meet emergency needs. A further £1 million has been allocated to United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to provide targeted support to affected women and girls. This support ensured affected communities received emergency shelter, food and health assistance. Overall, $10 million has been allocated from the AHF and a $5 million from the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund, which the UK supports.
Asked by: Baroness Northover (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, ahead of the 30-year review of the International Conference on Population and Development Programme of Action, what progress they have made since 1994 on sexual and reproductive health and rights in their international work.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government continues to use its diplomatic and development levers to drive progress and demonstrate leadership on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) globally and the recently released White Paper on International Development reaffirmed the UK's commitment to deploy policy and investment to advance and strongly defend universal access to comprehensive SRHR.
As the largest donor to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Supplies Programme, the Partnership averted 8 million unintended pregnancies, 2.2 million unsafe abortion and 170,000 maternal and child deaths in 2022 alone. Since 2018, UK aid support to the Women's Integrated Sexual Health Programme has supported 9.5 million women to use modern methods of contraception and, in 2021, over 12,000 maternal deaths and 1.8 million unsafe abortions were averted.
This year, the European Parliamentary Forum for Sexual and Reproductive Rights ranked the UK highest in the region (91.3 per cent) for our commitment to achieving SRHR for all, including our domestic laws and policies, and our overseas development assistance dedicated to progressing comprehensive SRHR for all.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what aid the Government sent to Afghanistan following the earthquake there in October 2023.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
UK funded prepositioned supplies supported humanitarian partners in the immediate aftermath of the October earthquake. An additional £1 million was allocated to the Red Cross and £1 million to the Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund (AHF) to help meet emergency needs. A further £1 million has been allocated to United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to provide targeted support to affected women and girls. This support ensured affected communities received emergency shelter, food and health assistance. Overall, $10 million has been allocated from the AHF and $5 million from the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund, which the UK supports.
Asked by: Baroness Helic (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 4 July (HL8647) and 18 September (HL9785), what progress has been made in monitoring conflict-related sexual violence in Sudan, what steps they are taking to support accountability for conflict-related sexual violence in Sudan, and what steps they are taking to ensure that the United Nations fact-finding mission for Sudan includes conflict-related sexual violence expertise.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is committed to tackling gender-based violence including conflict-related sexual violence globally. We continue to call for an end to the violence in Sudan, and for those responsible for human rights violations to be held to account. The UK has enhanced its atrocity risk monitoring, including monitoring of conflict-related sexual violence. The Human Rights Council (HRC) adopted the UK-led 'Sudan Core Group' Fact-Finding Mission (FFM) in October, which will ensure that credible allegations of human rights violations and abuses, including conflict-related sexual violence, by all sides will be investigated impartially by experts in their field to support future accountability efforts. The HRC Presidency has begun the selection process for the three experts that will make up the FFM. We continue to support the Office for the High Commissioner for Human Rights and other UN partners working with Sudan's Combating Violence Against Women Unit.
Asked by: Baroness Jenkin of Kennington (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 31 July (HL9405) and 8 November (HL10550), what were (1) the core, (2) the non-core, (3) any other, and (4) total, financial contributions to (a) the United Nations Population Fund, (b) the International Planned Parenthood Federation, (c) the World Health Organization, (d) UNICEF, (e) UNAIDS, (f) the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and (g) UN Women, in each financial year from 2014 to 2022.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Based on FCDO "Statistics on International Development: final UK aid spend 2022", the total amount of UK ODA financial contributions was:
2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | |
1.a United Nations Population Fund – Core | 20,000,000 | 20,000,000 | 20,000,000 | 20,000,000 | 20,000,000 | 20,000,000 | 20,000,000 | 8,000,000 | 8,000,000 |
2.a United Nations Population Fund – Non-core | 203,290,000 | 94,690,000 | 87,470,000 | 120,470,000 | 148,880,000 | 189,930,000 | 69,660,000 | 57,320,000 | 97,510,000 |
4.a United Nations Population Fund – Total | 223,290,000 | 114,690,000 | 107,470,000 | 140,470,000 | 168,880,000 | 209,930,000 | 89,660,000 | 65,320,000 | 105,510,000 |
2.b International Planned Parenthood Federation – Non-core | 9,600,000 | 9,040,000 | 6,430,000 | 0 | 5,480,000 | 34,940,000 | 49,170,000 | 42,530,000 | 22,230,000 |
4.b International Planned Parenthood Federation - Total | 9,600,000 | 9,040,000 | 6,430,000 | 0 | 5,480,000 | 34,940,000 | 49,170,000 | 42,530,000 | 22,230,000 |
1.c World Health Organization – Core | 14,500,000 | 14,500,000 | 14,500,000 | 19,500,000 | 29,500,000 | 34,500,000 | 5,000,000 | 97,600,000 | 97,750,000 |
2.c World Health Organization – Non-core | 84,510,000 | 102,150,000 | 88,670,000 | 111,400,000 | 142,640,000 | 150,180,000 | 215,900,000 | 35,530,000 | 43,650,000 |
3.c World Health Organization – Assessed contribution (DHSC) | 11,500,000 | 11,830,000 | 12,000,000 | 12,190,000 | 12,790,000 | 13,000,000 | 13,260,000 | 12,490,000 | 13,400,000 |
4.c World Health Organization - Total | 110,510,000 | 128,480,000 | 115,170,000 | 143,090,000 | 184,930,000 | 197,680,000 | 234,160,000 | 145,610,000 | 154,800,000 |
1.d UNICEF – Core | 48,000,000 | 48,000,000 | 48,000,000 | 48,000,000 | 48,000,000 | 48,000,000 | 48,000,000 | 24,000,000 | 8,000,000 |
2.d UNICEF – Non-core | 275,130,000 | 287,590,000 | 353,970,000 | 400,070,000 | 401,460,000 | 429,220,000 | 412,740,000 | 201,540,000 | 202,170,000 |
4.d UNICEF - Total | 323,130,000 | 335,590,000 | 401,970,000 | 448,070,000 | 449,460,000 | 477,220,000 | 460,740,000 | 225,540,000 | 210,170,000 |
1.e UNAIDS – Core | 15,000,000 | 15,000,000 | 15,000,000 | 15,000,000 | 15,000,000 | 15,000,000 | 15,000,000 | 2,500,000 | 8,000,000 |
4.e UNAIDS – Total | 15,000,000 | 15,000,000 | 15,000,000 | 15,000,000 | 15,000,000 | 15,000,000 | 15,000,000 | 2,500,000 | 8,000,000 |
1.f Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria – Core | 285,000,000 | 100,000,000 | 152,940,000 | 317,060,000 | 360,000,000 | 370,000,000 | 476,000,000 | 380,000,000 | 434,000,000 |
4.f Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria - Total | 285,000,000 | 100,000,000 | 152,940,000 | 317,060,000 | 360,000,000 | 370,000,000 | 476,000,000 | 380,000,000 | 434,000,000 |
1.g UN Women – Core | 12,500,000 | 12,500,000 | 12,500,000 | 12,500,000 | 12,500,000 | 12,500,000 | 12,500,000 | 5,750,000 | 0 |
2.g UN Women – Non-core | 490,000 | 4,190,000 | 8,310,000 | 6,850,000 | 4,900,000 | 13,400,000 | 6,910,000 | 3,430,000 | 4,700,000 |
4.g UN Women - Total | 12,990,000 | 16,690,000 | 20,810,000 | 19,350,000 | 17,400,000 | 25,900,000 | 19,410,000 | 9,180,000 | 4,700,000 |
Figures have been rounded to the nearest ten thousand.
Asked by: Baroness Jenkin of Kennington (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 31 July (HL9405), what was the total amount of (1) core, and (2) non-core, financial contributions to (a) the United Nations Population Fund, (b) the International Planned Parenthood Federation, (c) the World Health Organization, (d) UNICEF, (e) UNAIDS, (f) the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and (g) UN Women, in each financial year from 2014 to 2019 inclusive.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.