Commons Sense

House of Commons · Westminster Hall

Yemen: Humanitarian Situation

20 October 2021 · 5 other contributors · 4,139 words

Opened by Gill Furniss Lab Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough

Responding minister: James Cleverly

Foreign Affairs

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Gill Furniss raised concerns about yemen: humanitarian situation in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.

Key points

  • The humanitarian crisis in Yemen affects over 20.7 million people, with 12 million in acute need.
  • The conflict has led to 233,000 deaths due to indirect causes like malnutrition and lack of healthcare.
  • Over 2.5 million cases of cholera and 4,000 deaths have been reported due to non-functional health facilities.

Key requests to Government

The Government must reassess the impact of aid cuts on Yemen and commit to providing more funding than the announced amount to address the humanitarian crisis. They should also push for a lasting peace and protect schools from attacks, ensuring teacher salaries and supporting long-term education programmes.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Gill Furniss Lab Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough

The humanitarian crisis in Yemen is severe, with over 20.7 million people needing aid and 12 million in acute need. The conflict has caused an estimated 233,000 deaths due to indirect causes such as lack of food and healthcare infrastructure damage. Half of the health facilities are non-functional, leading to widespread diseases like cholera with over 2.5 million cases and 4,000 deaths. Additionally, 170,000 teachers have not received regular salaries, affecting children's education and future prospects.

Other contributors (5)
  • Anna McMorrin Lab Cardiff North

    An environmental and humanitarian disaster may be imminent due to an abandoned oil tanker under Houthi control. It could cause devastation across the region, plunging more people into starvation and famine if not addressed by the UN Security Council. She questioned when the 50% cut in aid would be reversed, seeking more information from the Minister. She followed up on a previous question by asking for details about the access the UN will have to the ship carrying large quantities of oil, which poses a risk of environmental disaster if it leaks.

  • Jim Shannon DUP Strangford

    The war in Yemen has been ongoing for seven years and is the worst humanitarian crisis in the world. Recent news about UN Human Rights Council voting against renewing the body's mandate for investigating war crimes in Yemen is outrageous, suggesting that Saudi Arabia can do whatever it likes in Yemen.

  • Sarah Champion Lab Rotherham

    She thanked her hon. Friend for securing the debate and expressed concern that without a political solution, the situation in Yemen will continue for another seven years. She asked if there is any hope of UK and UN interventions leading to peace negotiations. She noted that Martin Griffiths is no longer the UN penholder but is still involved in humanitarian relief coordination and asked if there have been any conversations with Hans Grundberg, the new UN penholder.

  • Tahir Ali Lab Birmingham Hall Green and Moseley

    Since the bombing of Yemen began, UK-Saudi arms contracts have totalled £6.5 billion, while aid to those in need has been cut. This situation is intolerable and demands an immediate increase in aid, stopping arms trade with Saudi Arabia, and finding a peaceful resolution through international intervention.

  • Valerie Vaz Lab Walsall and Bloxwich

    I am extremely concerned about the war-torn situation in Yemen, especially as it is important to me due to my birthplace being Aden. I would like to find a road to peace with Martin Griffiths' help. She thanked the Minister for his attention to the subject and asked about accountability measures to ensure that aid money reaches its intended recipients. She also inquired when was the last time the Minister spoke with Martin Griffiths.

Government Response

James Cleverly

The Minister outlined extensive UK contributions to Yemen's humanitarian situation, including over £1 billion in aid since the crisis began and a pledge of £87 million for this year. He detailed efforts to combat gender-based violence and improve healthcare services, especially for women and children. Despite economic pressures reducing aid spending temporarily, he reiterated the Government's commitment to return to 0.7% GNI in official development assistance as soon as possible. The Minister emphasised ongoing diplomatic work to secure a political settlement ending the conflict and highlighted support for the UN's special envoy Hans Grundberg.

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