Harry Harpham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Harry Harpham on 2015-09-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that humanitarian aid can reach families in the North of Yemen despite the blockade of port Hodieda.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

We remain very concerned about access for commercial and humanitarian shipping in Yemen. The UK has made clear to all parties that access for commercial goods and humanitarian aid, including via Hodeidah port, must be improved, and emphasised the importance of the non-politicisation of aid. The UK is also supporting the UN in working with the Saudi Arabian-led coalition and Government of Yemen to make the system for verifying shipping more efficient. The UK has so far announced £75 million in humanitarian aid – delivered through UN agencies and humanitarian NGOs – to support Yemenis affected by the crisis.