​On 14 October, I discussed the Middle East Peace Process, including reconciliation efforts, with the Egyptian Foreign Minister, Sameh Shoukry, in Cairo. The UK is supportive of Egyptian efforts to facilitate the return of the legitimate Palestinian Authority to Gaza.

Officials from our Embassy in Cairo last discussed the Rafah Crossing with the Egyptian government in October 2017. We continue to urge Egypt to show maximum flexibility in opening the Rafah crossing.

The Department for Transport has regular discussions with UK airlines about Sharm el-Sheikh.UK aviation security experts continue to work closely with their Egyptian counterparts on the ground, sharing their expertise in establishing effective security arrangements. We will keep UK airlines informed of progress, and look forward to achieving the return of flights, once we can be assured of there being the necessary secure and sustainable security situation.

We are concerned by the electricity shortage in Gaza and the serious impact it is having on the humanitarian situation. We are in regular dialogue with Israel, the Palestinian Authority and other development actors, specifically the EU and UN, on energy issues. We regularly raise the humanitarian situation in Gaza with the Egyptian government, and have raised this issue with them. The UK will continue to urge the parties to prioritise progress towards reaching a durable solution for Gaza, and to take the necessary practical steps to ensure Gaza’s reconstruction and economic recovery.

We are aware that there are power shortages in Gaza, leading to severe power restrictions and blackouts. We have discussed this issue with Egyptian officials.

We regularly raise the humanitarian situation in Gaza with the Egyptian government. The UK will continue to urge the parties to prioritise progress towards reaching a durable solution for Gaza, and to take the necessary practical steps to ensure Gaza’s reconstruction and economic recovery.

The formal accident investigation into the loss of the Metrojet flight over Sinai on 31 October 2015 has not formally reached any conclusions as to the cause of the crash. But the Russian authorities announced, in November 2015, their conclusion that the aircraft was brought down by an explosive device, and the Government have been proceeding on that basis.

The incident highlights the importance for airports, airlines and countries to increase vigilance and make sure that sound security measures are in place. The Government is working to ensure this happens, but does not discuss the details of security arrangements.

At the same time as passengers were brought home from Sharm el-Sheikh by UK airlines, their baggage was flown back to the UK by cargo aircraft, after having been subjected to security screening. The UK airlines then arranged for return of baggage to their passengers. Most bags were returned within a few days, and all within one week of the relevant flights.

Regular flights to and from the UK to Sharm el Sheikh were suspended on 4 November. Flights to return UK nationals from Sharm el-Sheikh to the UK, supported by special security measures, ended on Tuesday 17 November. Those flights provided sufficient capacity to return all UK nationals who wished to travel home.In total over 16,000 passengers were returned home, and I commend the carriers who helped in facilitating this process. At the point at which flights stopped, we estimated that there were fewer than 200 UK nationals remaining in Sharm el-Sheikh. UK nationals who chose to remain in Sharm el-Sheikh were advised that they would need to make their own arrangements to travel.

We are working closely with the Egyptian authorities on the implementation of sustainable security measures so that flights between the UK and Sharm el-Sheikh can resume as soon as possible.

The Department for Transport has been in constant contact with tour companies and airlines operating in Sharm-el-Sheikh. All have been working in collaboration to ensure that information on flights to the UK has been provided to UK nationals on a timely basis, supported by travel advice issued through the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, who have also been providing consular assistance on the ground. Since flights restarted on Friday 6 November 2015, over 16,000 passengers have returned to the UK. This includes those that travelled independently, for example on a flight only basis. Flights on 17 November saw the return of all UK nationals that wished to do so.

Both the Department for Transport (DfT) and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) have been in regular liaison, and worked in partnership, with the Egyptian authorities to agree the allocation of slots for UK aircraft at Sharm-el-Sheikh since the temporary resumption of UK-bound flights on 6 November. As is the usual practice, UK airlines have agreed the slot timetables directly with the Egyptian authorities for the flights being arranged. Both the FCO and DfT spoke with other national bodies at Sharm-el–Sheikh on the overall initial allocation.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office encourages British nationals to take out comprehensive travel insurance before all foreign travel and to consider carefully the type of insurance they need for their trip. In doing so we work closely with key industry partners such as the Association of British Insurers, who supported ‘Know Before You Go’ campaign activity on travel insurance in May, July and August this year. We also provide information and advice about travel insurance on the GOV.UK website: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/foreign-travel-insurance. During our response to recent events in Sharm el Sheikh we worked closely with the airlines and tour operators to ensure consistency of approach to the package offered for those delayed in-country and to minimise the impact on travellers.

On 4 November 2015, we amended our Travel Advice to advise against all but essential travel by air to Sharm el-Sheikh. We have not changed our Travel Advice for the resort itself. The FCO’s Travel Advice, available at www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, provides objective information and advice to help individuals make better-informed decisions about their travel, and the Egypt page has been regularly updated to reflect developing events since the crash of the Russian airliner on 31 October.

We have worked closely with airlines and tour operators, and deployed consular officials to the airport and resort to assist British nationals. As part of their work, these officials have distributed extracts from our Travel Advice for Egypt, statements from the Department for Transport, and contact details for the embassy and airlines. They have also distributed short “Frequently Asked Questions” documents at the airport and resort. As much of this information is already on www.gov.uk, we do not plan to place copies of these documents in the Library.

The Department for Transport has been in constant contact with tour companies and airlines operating in Sharm-el-Sheikh. All have been working in collaboration to ensure that information on flights to the UK has been provided to UK nationals on a timely basis, supported by travel advice issued through the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, who have also been providing consular assistance on the ground. Since flights restarted on Friday 6 November 2015, over 16,000 passengers have returned to the UK. This includes those that travelled independently, for example on a flight only basis. Flights on 17 November saw the return of all UK nationals that wished to do so.

I am concerned by the effect of the tunnel closures on the already difficult humanitarian and economic situation in Gaza. According to the UN and other independent sources, the ending of the smuggling of subsidized Egyptian fuel through the tunnels has led to a major electricity and fuel crisis. The electricity shortage has undermined an already precarious infrastructure, severely disrupting the provision of basic services, including health, water and sanitation. The

tunnel closures have also impacted significantly on availability of construction materials and food, leading to higher prices and growing unemployment.

I made representations on the situation in Gaza to the Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister and discussed it with the Palestinian President and Foreign Minister during my recent visit to the region. The British embassy in Cairo has also made representations on Gaza to the Egyptian authorities.