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 2015-10-19.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they are making to the government of Israel regarding the need for road and rail links between Rafah, Hebron, Jerusalem, Nablus and Janin to serve Palestine.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

While the British Government has not raised this specific issue with the Government of Israel, our Embassy in Tel Aviv consistently urge relaxation of the Israeli movement and access restrictions across the Occupied Palestinian Territories and raise the need to improve conditions on the ground for Palestinians. Most recently, on 19 October, our Ambassador in Tel Aviv raised these concerns with Israeli Cabinet Secretary, Avichai Mandleblit.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2015-10-19.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel concerning the destruction of olive trees belonging to Palestinians in the West Bank in order to create a Nature Reserve.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

We are well aware of the difficulties facing Palestinian olive growers and of the particular sensitivities around olive trees given their status as a national symbol and the sole source of income for many Palestinian farmers. We repeatedly express our serious concerns to the Israeli government about the destruction of olive trees, whether by the Israeli authorities or by extremist settlers. We hold the Israeli authorities responsible for enforcing the rule of law and providing the appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2015-10-19.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel in the light of figures released by the Parliamentary Under Secretary, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, which showed that the Israeli military have opened fire into the Gaza Access Restricted Area on at least 696 occasions since August 2014.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

Officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv regularly raise concerns over use of live fire by Israeli security authorities, most recently on 19 October when our Ambassador in Tel Aviv spoke to Israel’s Cabinet Minister, Avichai Mandleblit. The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), and the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), also raised the use of live fire by the Israel Defence Forces with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu during his visit to the UK on 10 September.