Tag: Baroness Tonge

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-04-25.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, in the light of the remarks by the Foreign Secretary in 2010 that the window of opportunity for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict would have closed by 2016, they have plans to announce the end of the possibility of such a solution.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

We believe a negotiated two-state solution remains the only way to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict once and for all. We continue to press both sides strongly on the need to refrain from taking action which make peace more difficult. We believe that if both parties show the bold leadership and political strength necessary to find a way forward, a two-state solution remains possible.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-05-19.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the inclusion of Universal Health Coverage as a target in the World Health Organization report Health in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, published on 8 April 2016.

Baroness Verma

The UK Government welcomes the report of the World Health Organisation, which highlights the integrated and indivisible nature of all the Goals in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and the role of health among them, and presents Universal Health Coverage as a target in itself and a contributor to the other health targets

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-05-24.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they are making to the government of Israel regarding the arrest of 13 Palestinian civilians at military checkpoints in the West Bank between 12 and 18 May.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

We have no plans to raise these arrests with the Israeli authorities.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-06-27.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what further representations they have made to the government of Israel to enable the legal team headed by Baroness Scotland of Asthal that produced the report Children in Military Custody to re-visit and assess progress in that area.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

We have not made any further representations to enable the legal team to meet with Government of Israel. The issue of children in detention is a human rights priority for the UK. We are considering alternative options to encourage further progress.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-09-06.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking in response to the concern expressed by the UN Coordinator for Humanitarian Assistance and Development Aid in the occupied Palestinian territory about the declining health of Bilal Kayid.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

According to an agreement made between Mr. Kayid and the Israeli Government, Mr. Kayid’s administrative detention will not be renewed past 12 December. Our Embassy in Tel Aviv regularly raises our concerns over the use of administrative detention with the Israeli authorities.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-09-13.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what percentage of Official Development Assistance was allocated to sexual and reproductive health and family planning in fragile and conflict-affected states in the last year for which figures are available.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

The UK aid strategy has committed that, from 2016, we spend 50% of our support in fragile states and regions. This will include our work on family planning and broader sexual and reproductive health and rights. In such settings, DFID uses multilateral mechanisms, for example United Nations Population Fund, and our bilateral programmes to disburse funding for sexual and reproductive health services. In addition the UK has made a commitment that in humanitarian crises, DFID calls for proposals will require that the sexual and reproductive health and rights of women and girls to be considered.

DFID spent approximately £605m on sexual, reproductive, maternal and child health in fragile and conflict affected states and their neighbours in 2014; £606m in 2013 and £526m in 2012. This was approximately 6% of DFID ODA in 2012 and 2013 and 7% in 2012.

In 2015/16 our support to UNFPA totalled £112.5m and included work in fragile and conflict-affected states and humanitarian settings, including in Syria, Afghanistan and Yemen. In Syria, for example, DFID will be providing £18.5 million through UNFPA over three years to 2018. This is in addition to the UK’s previous support to Syria, which has helped tackle gender-based violence and enabled access to reproductive health services for more than 260,000 girls and women.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-10-10.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Department for International Development will provide funding to the United Nations Population Fund in 2017.

Lord Bates

The Department of International Development values the work of the UN Population Fund (UNPF), therefore we have guaranteed it £20 million of funding for the financial year 2016/2017. This funding is provided with the request that the UNPF works across the UN system on reform: to accelerate progress and to deliver improved results on the ground.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2015-11-09.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they are making to the government of Israel concerning the destruction by Israeli forces of a water network in the northern Jordan Valley.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

While we have not raised this specific issue, the UK does raise the issue of water in the Occupied Palestinian Territories with the Israeli authorities, including stressing the urgent need for Israel to take immediate and practical measures to improve this unacceptable situation and ensure fair distribution of water in the West Bank and Gaza. An official from our Embassy in Tel Aviv most recently raised the issue of water with the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 26 October.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2015-11-24.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel following reports that the Israeli army is preventing a Palestinian woman from travelling to her own wedding ceremony in Jordan.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

We have not made any representations to the Israeli authorities over this specific issue. We do, however, remain deeply concerned about restrictions on freedom of movement in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Our Ambassador in Tel Aviv raised this issue with Israeli National Security Advisor Cohen on 2 November. Our Consul-General to Jerusalem also raised this issue with the Mayor of Jerusalem on 28 October.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2015-12-14.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anelay of St Johns on 7 December (HL3871), what assessment they have made of the contribution of economic security to achieving peace between Israel and Palestine, and based on that assessment whether they will now raise this issue with the government of Israel.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

We assess that economic security is vital and that Palestinians see tangible improvements in their daily lives. That is why we are a leading donor to the Palestinian Authority and why the Department for International Development have put such emphasis on strengthening Palestinian institutions and fostering private sector-led, sustainable economic growth in the West Bank. We do not plan to make representations on the specific issue of the stone factories. However, we regularly raise the need to enable development of the Palestinian economy. On 19 November our Ambassador in Tel Aviv discussed the need to create economic sustainability in the West Bank and Gaza with the Israeli Minister for Strategic Affairs, Public Security and Information.