Gaza Evacuation of UK Scholarship Students 2025-09-02
2025-09-02
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Partial Answer
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Context
Chevening scholar Yara, a 24-year-old student from Gaza City with plans to study international law and global justice at the University of Sheffield, is among over 80 scholarship students trapped in Gaza due to displacement caused by Israel's bombardment.
Yara is one of more than 80 scholarship students trapped in Gaza today, displaced again and again, with all her belongings packed into a small bag and ready to move at a moment’s notice. Can the Foreign Secretary guarantee that Yara and other students like her will not be left stranded and will be immediately evacuated by the Government in time for their courses to start this month?
I am grateful to my hon. Friend for bringing Yara to the attention of the House. Of course we want to see bright students like her able to achieve their ambitions. We are reliant on Israeli permissions and on students having a full scholarship, but what I can do is ensure that the Minister for the Middle East meets my hon. Friend to discuss this case in detail.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not guarantee immediate evacuation, instead offered meeting to discuss Yara's case.
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
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Context
More than 660,000 Gazan children are being denied schooling for the third consecutive year due to Israeli bombardment which has destroyed more than 1,000 buildings in Gaza.
What is the Secretary of State doing to ensure that the next generation of Palestinians can access education, alongside launching a bespoke visa system that enables students to come to study here in the UK? If not, why not?
The hon. Gentleman is right to raise with the House the plight of children in Gaza. Yesterday I mentioned my concerns about malnourished children and what that does for their educational outcomes. Yesterday he will have heard the Home Secretary and myself undertake to do more to support students with full scholarships to come to our country.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not commit to a bespoke visa system, instead referenced previous statement about supporting scholarship students.
Response accuracy