Thank you for contacting me about Yemen.

I share your concerns regarding the crisis in Yemen and the plight of the Yemini people who are caught up in the conflict. I can assure you that the Government fully recognises the severity of the unfolding humanitarian crisis. The UK has recently announced new UK aid worth £200 million to help millions of people at risk of starvation in Yemen, bringing the total that the UK has committed since the start of the four-year conflict to £770 million. 

The UK has taken the lead in lobbying across the international community for urgent and unobstructed access for humanitarian assistance into Yemen. My colleagues in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office continue to hold regular discussions with the UN Special Envoy for Yemen, Martin Griffiths, in delivering the agreements made between parties at December's UN peace talks in Stockholm. To help facilitate the agreements made in Stockholm, the UK is funding the secondment of an expert individual to assist the UN on negotiating the exchange of prisoners between parties.

I understand the Foreign Secretary is visiting Oman, Saudi Arabia and the UAE to inject fresh urgency into Yemen's fragile peace process, including meetings with the Government of Yemen and Houthi leaders. This follows the Quad meeting between the UK, US, Saudi Arabia and UAE, which the Foreign Secretary chaired on 13 February. I know the Foreign Secretary will work tirelessly in his visits to these countries to build on the agreements reached upon in Stockholm, including the acceleration of redeployments and the smooth flow of humanitarian relief.

Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.