Hammond criticised over Yemen replies

CHANCELLOR PHILIP Hammond is facing calls for a Commons motion of contempt to be tabled against him over answers given to Parliament about Yemen by the Foreign Office when he was in charge of the department.

Labour MP Ann Clwyd has urged the action to be taken following corrections the Foreign Office issued amending statements and answers to parliamentary questions regarding breaches of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) in the war-torn country.

The original answers and statements claimed the British Government was confident Saudi Arabia’s intervention in Yemen had corresponded with IHL.

But the corrections, released on the last day of the parliamentary term, said the Foreign Office had not carried out assessments that would have verified such claims.

The Government said the original statements resulted from error, and were not a deliberate attempt to mislead Parliament.