Written questions by Law.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when his Department received the report of the United Nations General Assembly Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories (A/79/363), and whether he had made an assessment of the potential implication for his policies of that report before his oral statement on the Middle East of 28 October 2024, Official Report, columns 545-547.

The Government has been clear since day one that International Humanitarian Law (IHL) must be upheld, and civilians protected. The UK supports Israel's right to self-defence, but it must do so in accordance with IHL. On his first day in office, the Foreign Secretary instigated a review of Israel's compliance with international law, and updated the House on 2 September 2024 on its conclusions and the actions the UK was taking in response. The death and destruction in Gaza is intolerable. Too many civilians have been killed and we need to prevent further bloodshed. What is urgently needed is an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages, the upholding of international law, protection of civilians including a rapid increase of aid into Gaza and a pathway to a two-state solution. The UK received the Report of the Special Committee upon its publication, alongside other UN Member States.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the Report of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories, A/79/363, published on 20 September 2024.

We did not make an assessment of the Report of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories (A/79/363). However, the Government has been clear since day one that International Humanitarian Law (IHL) must be upheld, and civilians protected. The UK supports Israel's right to self-defence, but it must do so in accordance with IHL. The death and destruction in Gaza is intolerable. Too many civilians have been killed and we need to prevent further bloodshed. What is urgently needed is an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages, the upholding of international law, protection of civilians including a rapid increase of aid into Gaza and a pathway to a two-state solution.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if his Department will take steps to review the reporting methodology for in-donor refugee costs.

The government reports all in-donor refugee costs in line with the OECD rules on Official Development Assistance (ODA). A comprehensive review of the methodology for estimating in-donor refugee costs was undertaken by departments and detailed in a Methodology report published in September 2023, which can be found here on gov.uk.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the UK's obligation under Article 1 of the Genocide Convention to prevent genocide in Gaza.

The UK government's long-standing policy is that any formal determination of genocide should be based on the judgment of a competent national or international court. The Foreign Secretary spoke to his Israeli counterpart on 27 October, and reiterated that Israel must do much more to bring about an end to hostilities and get aid into Gaza. We have continued to use all diplomatic avenues to push for an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages, the upholding of international humanitarian law, protection of civilians including a rapid increase of aid into Gaza, respect for the UN mandate in Gaza and greater stability across the West Bank.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 25 October 2024 to Question 8831 on China and Hong Kong, what steps he plans to take to ensure that British-born children of British nationals with Hong Kong descent who are exclusively British citizens are not treated as Chinese nationals by the People’s Republic of China; and what steps his Department is taking to safeguard their consular rights and protections under international conventions when travelling to or residing in China.

The FCDO provides consular assistance to British nationals abroad. In some cases, British Nationals of Hong Kong or Chinese descent may be considered Chinese by the Chinese authorities meaning the consular assistance we can provide may be limited. As per our nationality guidance, we advise seeking legal advice where appropriate for individual cases.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what information his Department holds on (a) how many and (b) the identities of UK citizens who have travelled to Israel to volunteer for military service with the (i) Israeli Air Force and (ii) other branches of the Israel Defense Forces in Gaza since 7 October 2023.

We are aware of reports of UK citizens travelling to fight for the Israel Defense Force (IDF), but the Government does not estimate the numbers of those who have done so. The UK recognises the right of British nationals with more than one nationality to serve in the legitimately recognised armed forces of their additional nationalities.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department is taking steps to monitor China’s compliance with international consular conventions on the treatment of naturalised British citizens with (a) Hong Kong and (b) Chinese descent.

The FCDO's Travel Advice for China explains that China does not recognise dual nationality and anyone born in China to a Chinese national parent would be considered by the Chinese authorities to be of Chinese nationality and treated as a Chinese citizen. China therefore does not grant us consular access to these individuals, preventing our ability to directly monitor China's compliance with relevant conventions in these circumstances.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the progress of Qatari-led negotiations for a ceasefire in Gaza; whether the UK has a role in that process; and what his policy is on an immediate ceasefire and release of hostages.

We want to see an immediate ceasefire, the release of all the hostages detained by Hamas and more aid entering Gaza. An immediate ceasefire is the first step towards a lasting solution. The Prime Minister - along with other G7 Leaders - has fully endorsed efforts by the US, Qatar and Egypt to reach a comprehensive deal in line with United Nations Security Council Resolution 2735. We also continue to use our diplomatic efforts to find a resolution and to create a safe and secure Israel, alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian state.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the potential risk of UK-made parts for the F-35 fighter aircraft that are re-exported to Israel being used in violations of international law.

As set out in the Foreign Secretary's statement to Parliament on 2 September 2024, following consideration of the detailed International Humanitarian Law (IHL) assessment, he concluded, and the Secretary of State for Business and Trade agreed, that there is a clear risk that military exports to Israel, where used for military operations in Gaza, might be used to commit or facilitate serious violations of IHL. That assessment includes components exported to the global F-35 programme that will ultimately be used in Israeli F-35s. In accordance with the Strategic Export Licencing Criteria (SELC), licences for items we assess might be used to carry out or facilitate Israeli military operations in the Gaza conflict have therefore been suspended.However, as set out in the Secretary of State for Business and Trade's statement, it is not currently possible to suspend licensing of F35 components for use by Israel without prejudicing the entire global F35 programme, including its broader strategic role in NATO and our support to Ukraine. Therefore, as announced to Parliament in that statement, the Foreign Secretary advised and the Secretary of State for Business and Trade agreed, that to ensure international peace and security it was necessary to take the specific measure of excluding exports to the F-35 program from the scope of the suspension, but this exclusion should not in principle apply to licences for F-35 components which could be identified as going to Israel. Departing from the Strategic Export Licencing Criteria to exclude F-35 licences from the scope of the suspension decision is consistent with HMG's published policy, which states that the application of the SELC is "without prejudice to the application to specific cases of specific measures as may be announced to Parliament from time to time."