Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has held direct discussions with (a) General Frank, (b) British representatives and (c) representatives from other countries at the Civil Military Coordination Center.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the Ministry of Defence are in regular contact with UK staff in the US-led Civil Military Coordination Centre to ensure that UK expertise can support the US-led planning efforts for Gaza post-conflict stability. The specific data the Rt Hon Member has requested on aid trucks is not centrally held by the FCDO.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what information her Department holds on the number of trucks of aid entering Gaza since the establishment of the Civil Military Coordination Center from (a) the UN and (b) other sources.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the Ministry of Defence are in regular contact with UK staff in the US-led Civil Military Coordination Centre to ensure that UK expertise can support the US-led planning efforts for Gaza post-conflict stability. The specific data the Rt Hon Member has requested on aid trucks is not centrally held by the FCDO.
Asked by: Graham Leadbitter (Scottish National Party - Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how her Department has responded to aid requests from representatives of Palestine; and how much direct aid the UK Government has provided to Palestine since October 2023.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Data on Official Development Assistance (ODA) spend for the requested period is published in the Statistics on International Development on GOV.UK, including breakdowns by country and region. Further information and annual reviews on specific programmes can be found on GOV.UK's Development Tracker.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the humanitarian situation in Pakistan.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Minister of State for International Development discussed the humanitarian situation in Pakistan during her visit to the country in early December. In a press release following her trip, she said: "Pakistan is also a country suffering the devastating consequences of climate change, with extreme flooding putting lives at risk, stifling economic growth, and damaging key infrastructure. British expertise will help Pakistan strengthen its adaptation to climate change, its resilience to extreme weather events, and the speed of its response and recovery when crises occur."
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has held direct discussions with representatives from the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign Secretary is in regular contact with her Israeli counterpart, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar. She has not held direct discussions with Major General Alian or any of his staff.
Asked by: Jack Rankin (Conservative - Windsor)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with representatives of the Palestinian Authority on reports that the Palestinian school curriculum includes incitement and antisemitism.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answers provided on 18 November to Question 88033, and on 16 December to Question 98592. In addition, it should be noted that the UK does not fund any educational material issued by the Palestinian Authority. We provide support to United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, which is accompanied with stringent attention to implementation of their neutrality policy, including how they apply this to textbooks.
Asked by: Jack Rankin (Conservative - Windsor)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether there are any conditions applied to funding support for education in the Palestinian Authority.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answers provided on 18 November to Question 88033, and on 16 December to Question 98592. In addition, it should be noted that the UK does not fund any educational material issued by the Palestinian Authority. We provide support to United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, which is accompanied with stringent attention to implementation of their neutrality policy, including how they apply this to textbooks.
Asked by: Cameron Thomas (Liberal Democrat - Tewkesbury)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent diplomatic steps she has taken to help return Ukrainian children abducted by Russia.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 20 October 2025 in response to Question 80930, and I would add that - on 3 December - the UK co-sponsored a UN General Assembly resolution for the 'Return of Ukrainian Children'.
I also refer the Hon Member to the answers provided by the Foreign Secretary during departmental questions on 2 December.
Asked by: Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative - Chingford and Woodford Green)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of reports of Russia sending Ukrainian children to camps in North Korea; and if she will have discussions with her NATO counterparts on demanding the return of those children back to Ukraine.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
These reports are highly alarming and would represent a further concerning aspect of the deepening relationship between Russia and North Korea. As the Foreign Secretary said to the House on 15 October, the kidnapping and forcible deportation of almost 20,000 Ukrainian children by Russia is one of the most disturbing aspects of this war, and we will continue to do all we can to support the return of those children, as well as monitoring the latest reports on their whereabouts and treatment.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential implications for its policies of allegations that prisoners in Bahrain have been subject to torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided in the House of Lords on 15 July in response to Question HL8922, which - for ease of reference - is reproduced below:
The UK regularly engages with the Government of Bahrain and, where appropriate, the independent oversight bodies on a range of human rights and governance matters - those with broader societal impact and individual cases. This has included the cases of Abduljalil al-Singace and Hasan Mushaima. The UK remains committed to supporting reforms in Bahrain.