Tag: humanitarian aid

Bishop of Southwark asks about ongoing conflict in Israel and Gaza

The Bishop of Southwark received the following written answers on 15th April 2024:

The Lord Bishop of Southwark asked His Majesty’s Government what steps they have taken, together with allies, to persuade those holding Israeli citizens hostage in Gaza to release them without delay.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (Con, Foreign Office): The UK Government has been working with partners across the region to secure the release of hostages. The Foreign Secretary met with hostage families on 18 March, reaffirming the UK’s commitment to see the release of all hostages.

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Bishop of Worcester asks about humanitarian aid to Gaza and to Palestinian refugees

The Bishop of Worcester received the following written answers on 15th April 2024:

The Lord Bishop of Worcester asked His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact on the humanitarian relief effort in Gaza and the West Bank of the decision to suspend aid to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.

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Bishop of St Albans asks about humanitarian aid to Sudan

The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answers on 21st March 2024:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government what recent steps they have taken to secure guarantees from Sudan’s warring factions for the safe and unimpeded delivery of humanitarian assistance to conflict-affected populations.

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Bishop of St Albans asks about humanitarian aid to Ethiopia

The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 19th February 2024:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government how much money was allocated to tackling humanitarian crises in Ethiopia in (1) 2019–20, (2) 2020–21, (3) 2021–22, and (4) 2022–23.

Lord Benyon (Con, Foreign Office): The UK has been an overseas development assistance (ODA) donor to Ethiopia over the last four years.

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Bishop of Norwich calls for resourcing of medics and hospitals to address humanitarian situation in Gaza

The Bishop of Norwich spoke in a debate on the situation in Gaza on 8th February 2024, asking that the government give greater support to medics in Gaza and Israel to facilitate resupplying of hospitals in order to address the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza strip:

The Lord Bishop of Norwich: My Lords, I visited Gaza on 4 October, just three days before Hamas’s evil attacks, to see the Anglican-run 80-bed al-Ahli hospital. The World Health Organization reported on Tuesday that there are 150 patients there—all are critically ill. Everyone is fearful, stressed and exhausted. Medical staff have been detained, shackled and blindfolded by the IDF, and, on release, they are deposited in Rafah and not allowed to return to the hospital. There is an urgent need for medical staff, fuel, food and critical medical supplies, such as bone stabilisers, antibiotics and anaesthetics, across Gaza’s hospitals. Will His Majesty’s Government hear the cries of medics in Gaza and press the State of Israel for the WHO to have sustained access to resupply hospitals across the Gaza Strip so that they can continue to function?

Hansard

Bishop of St Albans asks about the situation of the Rohingya people in Myanmar and Bangladesh

The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answers on 27th November 2023:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government what plans they have to request a meeting of the UN Security Council to address the ongoing genocide of the Rohingya.

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King’s Speech Debate: Bishop of Chelmsford speaks on conflict in the middle east

On 15th November 2023, the Bishop of Chelmsford spoke in the Kings Speech debate on the topic of conflict in the middle east, particularly with regards to the current humanitarian situation in Gaza:

The Lord Bishop of Chelmsford: My Lords, whatever the Government’s foreign policy priorities for this Session of Parliament, we know that they can quickly be upended by unexpected global events. The world is being reshaped by ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and in Israel and Gaza. The terrorist actions of Hamas on 7 October must be condemned, as we have heard several times today, and Israel’s right to self-defence must be affirmed. We must also continue to affirm that this right needs to be exercised in adherence with the principles of international humanitarian law. The violation of international humanitarian law by both sides is shocking and will, I fear, have repercussions beyond the confines of this war, as will the killing of more than 100 UN aid workers, the highest number in the UN’s history.

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Bishop of Durham asks about food aid to Ethiopia

The Bishop of Durham asked a question on diversion of food aid and use of international organisations to deliver aid during a debate on protecting the integrity of UK food aid to Ethiopia on 14th June 2023:

The Lord Bishop of Durham: My Lords, it happens time and again that Governments start diverting food aid and other aid away from the people who need it on the ground, and time and again we have learned that international organisations such as Christian Aid and the Red Cross, and local faith communities from all faiths, are often the very best at delivering aid and making sure it gets to the people most in need. Can the Minister tell us what is being done to try to get around the Ethiopian Government and use those organisations?

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Bishop of St Albans asks about prevention of famine in Somalia

The Bishop of St Albans received the following written answer on 5th June 2023:

The Lord Bishop of St Albans asked His Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with the government of Somalia about the prevention of famine in that country; and what future engagements they have scheduled.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park (Con): In 2022 the collective efforts of humanitarian partners and donors, including the UK, averted famine in Somalia. Despite the reduced famine risk, humanitarian needs remain extraordinary.

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Bishop of Leicester asks about humanitarian aid to East Africa

The Bishop of Leicester received the following written answer on 15th March 2023:

The Lord Bishop of Leicester asked His Majesty’s Government whether they plan to support (1) an international pledging conference to encourage humanitarian assistance to the East Africa region, and (2) negotiations for the renewal of the Black Sea Grain Initiative.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park (Con): The UK is working closely with our partners to raise the profile of the crisis in East Africa to help secure a broad base of donor funding. We are considering all options on how best to do this, building on our existing life-saving aid, international partnerships and work to ensure a robust response from humanitarian and development actors.

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