UK Consul General Jerusalem visited the Church of All Nations in the Garden of Gethsemane on 7 December, following the attack on the church. The UK stands in solidarity with Christian communities in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and condemns all attacks on freedom of religious belief. Holy sites in Jerusalem hold particular significance for many groups around the globe, especially the three Abrahamic faiths of Christianity, Islam and Judaism. We condemn all forms of violence, including against places of worship, and raise this with the authorities when necessary. We also condemn any incidence of violence by Israeli settlers.

My Lords, the noble Baroness raises an important point. On her second point about sexual and reproductive health and support for women, particularly in conflict zones, the United Kingdom has been very clear indeed. When the latest PSVI resolution was passed, I made it very clear in support of the resolution that the absence of that element was a major omission from the resolution. Nevertheless, let me assure her that whether it is within the conflict zone itself or through the international courts, we shall ensure that the perpetrators of sexual violence are held to account.

Her Majesty's Government has no plans to make an assessment on using the Royal Navy in this way.

HMG have not made an assessment on using the Royal Navy in this way.

While we have not raised the case in question, we condemn any incidence of violence by settlers against Palestinians. We welcome the efforts of Israeli authorities to address settler violence, and urge them to thoroughly investigate every instance to bring those responsible to justice and end the culture of impunity. We have also stressed the importance of the Israel security forces providing appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population, in particular the need to protect children. Officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv last raised the issue of settler violence with the Israeli authorities on 17 December 2019.

​The Government is very concerned at the high numbers of Palestinians killed by Israel Defense Forces both in the West Bank and Gaza. We have raised the issue with the Israeli authorities, encouraging them to carry out transparent investigations into whether use of live fire had been appropriate. The UK has repeatedly made clear to Israel our longstanding concerns about the manner in which the Israel Defense Forces police non-violent protests and the border areas, including the use of live ammunition. We will continue to do so. We also stress the importance of protecting civilians, especially children and medical personnel. We call on Israel to adhere to the principles of necessity and proportionality when defending its legitimate security interest.

We have made clear to Israel our concerns about the use of live ammunition by the Israel Defence Forces to respond to protests in Gaza. In particular we have stressed the importance of protecting children. Where instances of wrongdoing is found, we have made clear that those responsible should be held to account. We regularly raise our concerns with the Israeli authorities about their treatment of Palestinian minors, in particular those in Israeli military detention.

We condemn any incidence of violence by settlers against Palestinians and continue to stress to the Israeli authorities the importance of providing appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population, including students.

It has long been the Government's view that Israel's presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territories is governed by the provisions of the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949, to which Israel is a state party. We repeatedly call on Israel to abide by its obligations under international law and have a regular dialogue with Israel on legal issues relating to the occupation, including settlements and the treatment of Palestinian children in military custody.

​We continue to urge the Israeli Government to fully respect the fundamental rights and freedoms of human rights defenders and organisations and for those who seek their advice. The British Government condemns any violence by settlers against Palestinians. Under international law, Israel, as the occupying power, has an obligation to take all measures in its power to protect the Palestinian population from all acts of violence. The British Government also supports Bedouin communities and Palestinians facing demolition or eviction to seek advice through our legal aid programme.

We urge the Israeli authorities to thoroughly investigate every instance of settler violence and bring those responsible to justice. Most recently we raised our concerns about settler violence with the Israeli authorities on 5 February. We have also stressed the importance of the Israel security forces providing appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population. We repeatedly call on Israel to abide by its obligations under international law and have a regular dialogue with Israel on legal issues relating to the occupation.

While we have not raised this specific issue with the Israeli authorities, we have repeatedly raised our concerns about freedom of movement within the West Bank. In that context, the British Consulate General in Jerusalem actively supports a range of interventions to help Palestinians access their land. For example, its annual “olive harvest campaign” which helps landowners secure permits to access their land as well as providing a protective presence to farmers during harvest time. ​

​We have not raised this issue with the Israeli authorities.

​The Government funds a number of projects to monitor and report on settlement expansion in East Jerusalem and the West Bank and to protect vulnerable Palestinian communities from the effects of settlement expansion. The Minister for the Middle East and North Africa issued a statement on 27 December expressing our disappointment in the latest announcement by the Government of Israel to advance over 2,800 housing units in settlements in the West Bank. Such actions are illegal under international law and call into question Israel’s commitment to any future peace agreement with the Palestinians. We strongly urge Israel to cease such actions. We regularly raise our grave concerns on this issue with the Government of Israel and urge it to reverse its policy of settlement expansion.

​The UK is concerned about the shrinking protection space for humanitarian actors in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and reports of violence and threats against their staff. UK officials are working with our partners and the EU to explore how best to address this growing challenge. We condemn any incidence of violence by settlers against Palestinians and stress the importance of the Israel security forces providing appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population.

The Government condemns any violence by settlers against Palestinians. We note the efforts of Israeli authorities to tackle settler violence, and urge thorough investigation of every instance to bring those responsible to justice. We have also stressed to the Israeli authorities the importance of Israeli security forces providing appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population from settler violence and intimidation.

Yarmouk camp has been besieged for several years. Humanitarian access remains restricted due to ongoing military activity and the presence of Daesh. The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), supported by DFID, has had no direct access to the camp since April 2015.

We continue to call on all parties to protect civilians, and to allow humanitarian agencies unfettered access to provide aid to those most in need, including at the UN Security Council and the International Syria Support Group. The Secretary of State for International Development and Minister of State for the Middle East focused on these messages at the ‘Supporting the Future of Syria and the Region’ Conference in Brussels on 24 and 25 April.

The Minister for the Middle East raised the issue of the use of force with the Israeli Ambassador to the UK on 19 April and our Ambassador to Israel discussed this issue with the Israeli authorities on 24 April. It is plain that Hamas and their operatives have been exploiting these protests for their own benefit , and we have been clear that Israel has the right to secure itself against Hamas and other terrorist groups I also raised this issue during my visit to Israel on 11 April with the Israeli Minister for Regional Co-operation and with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We continue to urge Israel to show restraint and the Palestinians to ensure the protests are peaceful. There is a need to establish the facts, including why such a volume of live fire has been used and what role Hamas has played in the violence. We also reiterate the importance in particular of protecting minors. We welcome Israel’s commitment to investigate the conduct of operations and urge that its finding be made public, and if any wrongdoing is found, those responsible be held to account.

The UK provides funding for safe spaces for unaccompanied asylum-seeking minors in Greece. This includes support to the Faros-run shelter in Athens.

The Department is responsible for the confirmation of byelaws for regulating cosmetic piercing and skin-colouring businesses in England under Section 236 of the Local Government Act 1972.

Local authorities are responsible for the regulation of piercing providers, under the Local Government Act 2003 and may implement byelaws establishing, among other things, a minimum permitted age for individuals undergoing piercing.

The guidance, Local Government Act 2003: Regulation of Cosmetic Piercing and Skin-Colouring Business – Guidance on Section 120 and Schedule 6, published in 2013 and endorsed by Public Health England in collaboration with The Chartered Institute for Environmental Health, The Health and Safety Laboratory, local authorities in England and tattooing and piercing industry, emphasises the importance of securing consent for a piercing procedure and the need to take into account the maturity of the individual consenting. A copy of the guidance is attached.

Piercing an individual without appropriate consent may constitute assault, and genital piercing of children may also constitute an offence under the Sexual Offences Act 1956. Enforcement of the criminal law is a matter for the police.