Valerie proposes a debate on Yemen

I joined my colleague Flick Drummond MP to ask the Backbench Business Committee to give time for a backbench debate on the situation in Yemen. The Backbench Business Committee comprises 7 MPs and allows backbenchers the opportunities to bring forward debates on a topic of their choice. 

Both Flick Drummond and I were born in Yemen and as much as we would love to go back, we cannot. Yemen is in the seventh year of its high-level conflict, and the ongoing humanitarian crisis had left 377,000 dead and 23.7 million people in need of assistance. A truce was reached in April of 2022 this year, but an agreement between the warring sides could not be reached and the truce expired in on 2 October 2022. 

A debate on Yemen would raise awareness of the issue and give the government the opportunity to tell us what actions they are taking to help the people of Yemen. 

I pointed out to the Committee that whilst there have been over debates in Westminster Hall, we have not had a chamber debate on Yemen since 2020. It is crucial that Parliamentary time is given to discuss this issue.

Yemen is a beautiful country, and birthplace of the Queen of Sheba. In the House of Commons, we have seen the effect the Parliament can have on international issues. It is therefore vitally important that we have time in the chamber for this broad ranging debate, in the name of humanity.