Every parliamentary written question tabled by Rosena Allin-Khan this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 1–12 of 12 · Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to help secure the release of Craig and Lindsay Foreman from detention in Iran.
I refer the Hon Member to the statement the Foreign Secretary made to the House on 13 January, and to my own statement on 5 January, and let me assure her that consular staff are continuing to work on this case remotely while our Embassy in Tehran remains temporarily closed.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has had discussions with international partners on referring human rights abuses against protesters in Iran to (a) the International Criminal Court and (b) other appropriate judicial bodies.
On 15 January, the Foreign Secretary joined G7 Foreign Ministers in condemning the deliberate use of violence and the killing of protesters, arbitrary detention, and intimidation tactics by security forces against demonstrators. As the Foreign Secretary told Parliament on 13 January, this government has continually raised human rights violations in Iran through the UN and international forums. The UK was integral to the delivery of the Iran human rights resolution, adopted by the UN Human Rights Council in April 2025, which renewed and expanded the Independent Fact-Finding Mission (FFM) on Iran. We continue to support the FFM to thoroughly and independently monitor and investigate allegations of recent and ongoing serious human rights violations in Iran.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has made an estimate of the number of children at risk of waterborne diseases due to fuel shortages in Gaza.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire. We remain deeply concerned at the lack of fuel supply in Gaza, which puts vital services such as water desalination at risk. On 18 July, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA) described the deepening fuel crisis in Gaza, including the impact on solid waste collection and availability of clean water supplies and health services. We highlighted the impact of the lack of fuel on water supplies and hospitals and the critical situation for Gaza's children at a session of the UN Security Council which we co-called on 16 July, and at the International Development Committee on 16 July.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the conflict in Gaza on the mental health and wellbeing of children.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire. We highlighted the critical situation for Gaza's children at a session of the UN Security Council which we co-called on 16 July, and at the International Development Committee on 16 July. We have provided £5.6 million to the Global Partnership for Education to support the educational and psychosocial needs of children and young people in Gaza and the West Bank. Our support to Education Cannot Wait is also supporting children's education and mental health via the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and other partners.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations his Department has made to the Government of Israel on the reported bombing of (a) schools and (b) shelters in Gaza.
The UK is deeply concerned at reports of bombing of schools in Gaza, and the impact on Gaza's children. We have called on Israel to do its utmost to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure including schools. We highlighted the critical situation for Gaza's children at a session of the UN Security Council which we co-called on 16 July, and at the International Development Committee on 16 July. We have provided £5.6 million to the Global Partnership for Education to support the educational and psychosocial needs of children and young people in Gaza and the West Bank. Our support to Education Cannot Wait is also supporting children's education and mental health via the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and other partners.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department is taking steps to support access to education for children in Gaza whose schools have been (a) damaged and (b) destroyed.
The UK is deeply concerned at reports of bombing of schools in Gaza, and the impact on Gaza's children. We have called on Israel to do its utmost to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure including schools. We highlighted the critical situation for Gaza's children at a session of the UN Security Council which we co-called on 16 July, and at the International Development Committee on 16 July. We have provided £5.6 million to the Global Partnership for Education to support the educational and psychosocial needs of children and young people in Gaza and the West Bank. Our support to Education Cannot Wait is also supporting children's education and mental health via the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and other partners.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 4 November 2024 to Question 10451 on Israel: Occupied Territories, whether he plans to publish a formal response.
The UK Government condemns settler violence. We regularly raise settler violence with Israeli ministers and officials, and we are clear that the Israeli government must clamp down on settler violence and settlement expansion. The UK has taken action to hold perpetrators and supporters of settler violence to account. On 10 June, the Foreign Secretary announced sanctions against Ben-Gvir and Smotrich in their personal capacity for inciting violence towards Palestinians. This was alongside action from our partners Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Norway. On 20 May, the Foreign Secretary announced sanctions targeting individuals, illegal settler outposts and organisations supporting violence against Palestinian Communities in the West Bank.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of fuel shortages in Gaza on the civilian population.
No fuel has entered Gaza for over four months, putting vital services such as water supply, hospitals and ambulances at imminent risk of shutting down. This is unacceptable. We continue to be in regular contact with the Government of Israel about the importance of allowing fuel to reach Gaza. In our statement to the UN Security Council on 13 May, we called on Israel to allow the full resumption of aid into Gaza, including fuel. We reiterated this in our joint donor's statement with 26 other signatories on 19 May.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Israeli counterpart on the entry of fuel into Gaza.
No fuel has entered Gaza for over four months, putting vital services such as water supply, hospitals and ambulances at imminent risk of shutting down. This is unacceptable. We continue to be in regular contact with the Government of Israel about the importance of allowing fuel to reach Gaza. In our statement to the UN Security Council on 13 May, we called on Israel to allow the full resumption of aid into Gaza, including fuel. We reiterated this in our joint donor's statement with 26 other signatories on 19 May.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking with international partners to help ensure an adequate supply of fuel to Gaza.
No fuel has entered Gaza for over four months, putting vital services such as water supply, hospitals and ambulances at imminent risk of shutting down. This is unacceptable. We continue to be in regular contact with the Government of Israel about the importance of allowing fuel to reach Gaza. In our statement to the UN Security Council on 13 May, we called on Israel to allow the full resumption of aid into Gaza, including fuel. We reiterated this in our joint donor's statement with 26 other signatories on 19 May.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to support British citizens in Iran.
Our Embassy in Tehran which continues to operate remotely, is closely monitoring the situation in Iran. We remain committed to ensuring the safety and security of our nationals, including those detained.However we have long advised against all travel to Iran and warned British Nationals that in an emergency the UK government will not be able to evacuate or provide face-to-face assistance.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to support the rights of women in Afghanistan.
We have repeatedly condemned Taliban restrictions on women and girls' rights, including through UN Security Council and Human Rights Council resolutions. As the Foreign Secretary has said, exclusion of women from all aspects of public life is a tragic setback for Afghanistan. Officials from the Doha-based UK Mission to Afghanistan continue to press Taliban acting ministers and Afghan officials on human rights abuses in Afghanistan, including the most recent ban on female medical education. Our current £161 million aid programme provides vital life-saving support to the country's most vulnerable people, including access to healthcare and education. We are committed that at least 50 percent of people reached with UK aid in Afghanistan will be women and girls.