Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward at the UN Security Council emergency meeting on Gaza yesterday:
Thank you, President.
I’d like to thank Commissioner-General Lazzarini, Executive Director Russell and Director Doughten for your stark and clear briefings.
Let me start by recognising the courage, commitment and sacrifice of UN employees and humanitarian workers in Gaza, and in particular the 103 aid workers – including the 64 UNRWA staff – who have been killed in Gaza in the last 22 days.
We also offer our sincere condolences to all Palestinians and Israelis who have suffered or lost loved ones.
Since Hamas’ terrorist attack against Israel on 7 October, the United Kingdom has underscored Israel’s right to self-defence against terrorism. We continue to be clear that this must be done in accordance with international humanitarian law.
Our efforts, with our international partners, have focussed on the protection of civilians, securing and scaling up humanitarian access, and the release of hostages. Sadly, despite these efforts the situation in Gaza deteriorates daily. Hamas bears sole responsibility for starting this conflict.
President, I would like to highlight three priorities.
First, we call on all parties to respect international humanitarian law, including the principles of proportionality, distinction and necessity. This requires all parties to take every possible step to avoid the harming of civilians and the immediate and unconditional release of hostages.
Second, we must urgently co-operate to scale up aid into Gaza, and to ensure sufficient access points are open.
For this to happen successfully there needs to be a safer environment, which necessitates humanitarian pauses. We support UN-led efforts in this regard.
Since the latest escalation in Gaza, the UK has committed over $36 million in additional aid to the Occupied Palestinian Territories. An RAF flight arrived in Egypt on 25 October carrying 21 tonnes of UK aid for Gaza. But the access environment needs to improve immediately so that these and other lifesaving resources can reach the people who desperately need them.
Third, we cannot allow this conflict to spread. We call on all countries in the region to help avoid escalation and warn non-state actors not to exploit the current situation.
President, the Palestinian Authority has a key role as the legitimate representative of the Palestinian people. We call on Israel and other states to support the PA. We call on Israeli authorities to tackle the rising number of settler attacks and killings in the occupied West Bank, recalling that it is their responsibility to protect Palestinian civilians there.
The UK retains the long-term goal of a Two State Solution with Israel and Palestine coexisting peacefully.
To reach that goal, we have a responsibility to ensure a plan for Gaza that offers the population hope, security, stability, prosperity, and effective governance so that their political wishes can be fulfilled. In this regard, some fundamental principles apply.
There should be no mass displacement of Gazans to neighbouring countries. The Palestinian Authority should play a central role. And nothing should be done that cuts across progress towards a Two State Solution, with Gaza as an integral part of a Palestinian state.
Access to potentially life-saving naloxone kits, which reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, is being expanded to community pharmacies across Scotland.
All community pharmacies will now hold at least two naloxone kits – either a nasal spray or injectable.
The Emergency Access Naloxone Scheme, which is backed by £300,000 of Scottish Government funding, began yesterday (Monday).
Drugs and Alcohol Policy Minister Elena Whitham said: “Through our National Mission to reduce drug deaths and harms, we have invested more than £3 million in widening access to Naloxone, including through our emergency services.
“Police Scotland recently completed a force-wide rollout to 12,500 officers who have used the kits more than 300 times and, according to the most recent statistics, 70% of those who are at risk of opioid overdose are being provided with a lifesaving kit.
“However, we want to do even more. This new nationwide service is a welcome addition to existing services. It provides a substantial increase life-saving emergency access and I’m grateful to all those in community pharmacies who are supporting our £250 million National Mission to reduce drug deaths.
“We’ll also continue to focus on getting more people into the form of treatment and support they need, expand access to residential rehabilitation and drive the rollout of life-saving Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) Standards where we are making significant progress.”
Community Pharmacy Scotland incoming CEO Matt Barclay said: “CPS is pleased to have community pharmacy participating in delivering this key role to support a reduction in drug deaths across Scotland.
“It once again sees community pharmacy at the heart of the community, delivering care for the citizens of Scotland.”
Millions of people across the country are set to receive significant cost of living support ahead of winter, with the second instalment of the cost-of-living payment – worth £900 in total – landing directly in bank accounts from today
Significant cost of living support to come into effect from today as millions of households set to receive second £300 payment
Comes as £2 bus fare cap in England extended with millions of people also set to benefit from lower travel costs
Prime Minister continues to support families with the cost of living ahead of winter as we are on track to halve inflation
Millions of people across the country are set to receive significant cost of living support ahead of winter, with the government freezing bus fares in England and the second cost-of-living payment – worth £900 in total – landing directly in bank accounts from today.
The bus fare cap had been due to rise to £2.50 but the government is keeping the fares down at £2 until the end of next year to help millions of people make significant savings on their travel costs. The fare cap has helped cut bus fares in England outside London by 7.4% between June 2022 and June 2023, with even bigger savings in rural areas where fares have dropped by almost 11%.
This government says the extension is only possible due to the redirected HS2 funding as part of the Network North plan and takes the total government investment to keep bus fares down to nearly £600 million – with over 140 operators signing up to continue offering the cap across more than 5,000 routes.
Over 8 million households across the UK will also receive the second of up to three payments from today, totalling up to £900 through 2023/24 with a further cost of living payment due to be made to eligible households by next Spring.
These payments are entirely tax-free, will not count towards the benefit cap, and will not have any impact on existing benefit awards. Those who are eligible will be paid automatically and do not need to apply for the payment or do anything to receive it.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: “I know that winter can be a particularly challenging period for many families across the country. That’s why we have put in place a package of immediate support for vulnerable households over the coming months.
“We are lowering travel costs through the bus fare cap, which we are able to do because of our long-term decision to cancel phase 2 of HS2. We are also providing an extra top up to help pay energy bills and direct payments to cover the cost of day-to-day essentials.
“But the best way to put more money in the pockets of hardworking people is to focus on the long-term decisions that will help not only them, but future generations too. We’re on track to halve inflation which will help people’s wages go further, and we’re growing the economy to create better paid jobs and opportunities across the country.”
The government is also committed to helping vulnerable households across the UK with their energy bills over winter. Winter Fuel Payments – boosted again this year by an additional £300 per household Pensioner Cost of Living payment – will provide pensioners with up to £600 to help with heating costs over the colder months.
On top of this, nearly three million low-income households are also eligible for a £150 rebate on their winter electricity bills through the Warm Home Discount. From tomorrow (1st November) Cold Weather Payments will also come into effect to provide eligible households £25 extra a week when the temperature is zero or below for more than seven days across the UK.
Transport Secretary Mark Harper said: “Buses are the most popular form of public transport and help people across the country get to work, attend medical appointments, and see loved ones – that’s why we are extending the ‘Get Around for £2’ scheme all the way to 31 December 2024.
“Extending the £2 bus fare cap has only been possible with the redirected HS2 funding secured by this Government making the right long-term decisions for a brighter future, delivering immediate benefits and helping people save money.”
Mel Stride, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, said: “Tackling inflation is the best way to boost people’s incomes, but as we work to halve it, we are protecting the most vulnerable households from high prices with this latest Cost of Living payment.
“Thousands of Work Coaches based in Jobcentres across the country are on hand to help people find work or enhance their skills, and I encourage anyone wanting to strengthen their finances and unleash the benefits of work to contact their local Jobcentre to see what help is available.”
Taken together, these measures build on the significant cost of living support already provided to eligible households throughout last year – now worth an average of £3,300 per household over this year and last.
The government says it has also gone further by:
Increasing benefits in line with inflation, meaning more than 10 million working age families will see an average increase of around £600.
Maintaining the Triple Lock earlier this year to give around 12 million pensioners the largest ever cash increase to the State Pension.
Extending the Household Support Fund for another year in England to help families with essential costs with £1 billion of extra funding.
Increasing the National Living Wage by its largest ever cash amount for 2 million workers – worth over £1,600 to the annual earnings of a full-time worker – and committing to increase it to over £11 an hour from April 2024.
Cutting fuel duty by 5 pence and freezing the increase, worth £100 to the average driver this year.
Covering up to 85% of childcare costs for working households on Universal Credit, up from 70% under the legacy system – currently worth over £19,500-a-year for families with two or more children.
The government says it has ‘a strong record on supporting the most vulnerable and lifting households out of poverty’, with the latest data showing there were nearly 1 million fewer workless households since 2010 and 1.7 million fewer people in absolute poverty after housing costs over the last decade.
They maintain the best route out of poverty is through work, ‘which is why we’ve introduced a package of measures worth £3.5 billion to break down the barriers for people to find jobs and fulfil their potential. This includes our flagship Universal Support scheme which will get thousands more people into jobs with a personal adviser providing wraparound support for up to a year while they find their feet.
‘We encourage people in need of additional support over winter to check their eligibility through our Help for Households website for the various cost of living schemes that are place.’
