Ukraine: Humanitarian Assistance

Question for Short Debate

16:00:00

Asked by

To ask His Majesty’s Government what plans they have for enhanced humanitarian assistance for the people of Ukraine this winter, and in particular for mental health, energy and housing provision.

My Lords, we have recently had two major debates on the current situation in Ukraine. They concentrated mainly on the geopolitics of the conflict, the scale of NATO and EU strategic defence capabilities, the provision of weapons and resources to Ukraine, sanctions and the imminent return of President-elect Trump to the White House. In recent weeks, we have heard reports of offensives and counter-offensives on the front line, a rush to seize territory before any negotiations take place, the prospects of a ceasefire and a diplomatic settlement to the war and the need for strong security guarantees for Ukraine. While all this continues to rage, the number of fatalities and casualties grows ever higher. My debate today is designed to draw attention to the scale of the humanitarian disaster unfolding before our eyes and focus our energies on what more can be done to alleviate the suffering of the people of Ukraine this winter, including what assistance can be given by the UK Government and civil society. Ever since Putin launched his illegal invasion of Ukraine, the Ukrainian people have faced almost unimaginable challenges, but this winter threatens to be particularly severe, with the deliberate targeting of power stations leaving many Ukrainians once again with no power or heating in the freezing winter months ahead. A few weeks ago, I, along with other UK parliamentarians, met a group of inspirational female Ukrainian MPs. It was organised by the Ukraine-UK interparliamentary friendship group. Their suffering and, above all, their courage were humbling. I was particularly struck by what they said about the impact on children, so often the forgotten victims of war. They talked about the psychological impact on young children of constant air raid sirens, drone attacks, sleeplessness and periods of no power or heating, as well as the impact on their education and the adverse effects on their mental health. They also shared harrowing figures estimating that almost 600 children have been killed and 1,700 wounded. Other estimates suggest that nearly 700,000 children have been deported to Russia, often resulting in citizenship changes, forced adoption and children placed under temporary guardianship—as it is called in Russia—effectively seeking to stamp out their Ukrainian identity. I am very grateful to the Library for its excellent research briefing, which highlighted that, according to UN agencies, since the full-scale invasion began, 5 million refugees from Ukraine have been recorded globally, more than 3.5 million people are estimated to be displaced inside Ukraine and—this is of key importance today—more than 14.6 million people inside Ukraine are in need of urgent humanitarian assistance. I want to spell out in a bit more detail what that means. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the humanitarian situation in Ukraine worsened in August and September due to intensified attacks. The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine reports that in September more than 1,400 deaths and injuries were verified, the highest number since the start of the full-scale invasion. Homes, hospitals and schools have been damaged, in addition to the disruption of other essential services, including water and electricity. The escalation of hostilities has significantly increased humanitarian needs near the front line. The World Health Organization has verified 66 attacks on healthcare facilities in Ukraine. This represents more than one-third of such attacks globally. Under constant shelling and with limited access to critical services, shops, pharmacies and banks, people remaining close to the front line need shelter repairs, hygiene products, clean water and food. Damage to energy infrastructure is expected to worsen the challenges civilians will face in the coming months, which are forecast to be the toughest winter since 2022. The impact of the continued Russian large-scale aerial attacks targeted on Ukrainian energy infrastructure and the power supply is disrupting essential services such as water, gas and heating in Ukraine, particularly in front-line communities. The UN World Food Programme estimates that more than 2 million people in Ukraine are suffering from insufficient food consumption, including 20% to 30% of people in the Kherson area. Earlier this month, the Financial Times reported that Russia was using drones to attack Ukrainian civilian targets in Kherson, including ambulances, police cars, fire engines and humanitarian convoys. Russian drone operatives were also reported to be targeting civilians at markets, petrol stations, cafes, post offices and aid centres, as well as dropping explosives in streets, playgrounds and public squares in non-occupied areas, injuring more than 500 civilians. Turning to housing, the Council of Europe Development Bank noted earlier this year that housing continues to be one of the sectors most affected by the war, with more than 10% of the total housing stock in the country either damaged or destroyed, and close to 2 million households thought to be affected. Many thousands in Ukraine have been forced to leave their homes and are now homeless. While post-war reconstruction may be the only long-term answer to the housing crisis, urgent help is needed to provide services for people sleeping rough, including temporary accommodation and better housing support for people leaving the military, hospitals and prisons. I shall now focus on mental health. The conflict continues to have profound effects on the mental health of those affected, including refugees, internally displaced people and those on the front line. According to the Ukrainian Health Ministry, the number of patients reporting mental health problems in 2024 has doubled since a year ago, with particular consequences for children’s mental health. A recent Save the Children report found that, for children, the psychological impact and emotional distress of the ongoing conflict remained at high levels across the country, regardless of whether children were displaced, returnees or residents who have not fled. Save the Children is working with a local partner in Ukraine to fund social workers to go into communities affected by the conflict to provide mental health support among other essential items. UNICEF anticipates that more than 2.2 million children need to access mental health and psychosocial support. It points to problems such as depression, insomnia and anxiety linked to children spending thousands of hours in shelters while alarms are sounding. It is inspiring to hear about the many organisations and individuals who are doing their best to help, and I will mention a couple. UK-Med, a frontline humanitarian NGO which describes itself as “born of the NHS”, maintains a register of NHS medics who travel to global crisis areas and work alongside local staff. The organisation has sent more than 200 NHS and international medics to Ukraine to deliver services including mental health support via mobile medical units and by training civilians and local health workers in mental health support. Psychologists at the University of Manchester have created leaflets for Ukrainian parents, developed from the experiences of displaced Syrian parents living through the country’s civil war. I have focused on children, but there is also a crying need to support veterans. It is encouraging to hear that the British Army Medical Corps has been providing training to Ukrainian armed forces medics, including psychologists, and that two-way exchange visits have been made. Whatever happens in the coming months, there will be a crying need to support veterans of the conflict with mental health problems. Finally, I turn to the role of the UK Government. The Government’s assistance, particularly financial assistance, tends to be channelled through international organisations, such as the International Red Cross, which has used it to provide psychological support services for Ukrainian refugees in Poland, Romania and Moldova. It is welcome that, in September, the Foreign Secretary confirmed that bilateral funding for 2024-25 included £100 million specifically earmarked for humanitarian aid. Can the Minister give any breakdown of how this will be used and what proportion is going to support mental health? Has there been any follow-up to the First Lady Madame Zelenska’s very welcome visit in March, when she met children’s mental health services in London to discuss post-war mental health recovery in Ukraine, particularly how best to build community mental health services for children from front-line territories who are dealing with trauma? Specifically on this point, we have a well-developed, if obviously overstretched, children’s mental health sector in this country, both in the NHS and the voluntary sector. As well as that sector helping displaced children and young people with mental health problems it could, I feel, help share expertise and knowhow, with a little help from government, and provide training for those in the frontline of providing such support in Ukraine. Are the Government actively considering that, and would the Minister meet me to discuss it? I very much look forward to hearing the contributions of other noble Lords.

16:10:00

My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness, Lady Tyler, very much for having arranged this debate today. It could not come at a more important time in the history of Ukraine, given the pressure on it from Russia and the change in policy in America. The Minister may not be able to do so today, but perhaps he could make a Statement in a few months’ time about how that will affect Ukraine, our relationship and so on. I speak today to address the critical challenges facing the people of Ukraine as they endure another harsh winter—we think we have harsh winters, but theirs are something else—amid ongoing conflict. Despite their extraordinary resilience, millions of Ukrainians face many crises exacerbated by the unrelenting attacks on essential infrastructure. It is absolutely awful knowing that their hospitals, children’s homes, buses, police cars and so on are being attacked. Last winter revealed the vulnerabilities of Ukraine’s energy and housing system, leaving millions without heating, electricity or clean water. We know that without clean water it is impossible to cook vegetables or to look after children, and what diseases dirty water brings. The attacks on infrastructure have disrupted basic services, with 85% of Ukraine’s energy production capacity destroyed and rolling blackouts implemented to save energy. It must be very difficult not knowing when those blackouts are going to come. Over 1.4 million homes have been damaged or destroyed since the escalation of the war: 10% of all homes in the country. These realities underline the necessity for immediate, targeted interventions to repair homes, restore power systems, and deliver essential supplies such as solid fuels and heating appliances. The UK must align with Ukraine’s efforts to support frontline regions, including providing hospitals and clinics with generators, mobile boilers and repair materials and, if possible, somebody to come and help them who knows how to use the materials. Although those in Ukraine are very capable, as we know from those who work here, it would be great if we could get some infrastructure from us to help, when it is safe, or from local volunteers or the military. These measures are safeguarding the lives of the most vulnerable population, including older persons, children and those with disabilities. The psychological toll of the war cannot be overstated. Prolonged exposure to violence, displacement and insecurity has left millions of Ukrainians grappling with mental health challenges. The number of parents reporting mental health problems in 2024 has doubled since a year earlier. We can understand that, as children are now being taught in schools underground. I have seen some films and talked to some people who are working there. It is very difficult because the children are afraid. They are going down to safety for their education, but do not quite know what it will be like when they come back out. This has real difficulties for the children, those who are teaching them and their families. For those who have sought shelter underground for extended periods or witnessed the destruction of their homes, the trauma is profound. To be in darkness indefinitely is not good for anyone’s health, with no air or light. Today I met an organisation I work quite closely with, Education For Employment, which goes to schools to encourage children about the jobs that are around—not just party planners or nurses. Children know about people’s jobs because of those who come to their house or what their mothers or grannies do. It has been approached by the OECD to come to help with work in the long term, and over video, to show children what their future can be and how it can help them to look to that. It has worked in these sorts of areas before. The World Health Organization has reported over 2,000 attacks on healthcare facilities, further straining Ukraine’s capacity to address mental and physical health needs. I urge His Majesty’s Government to enhance the support for mental health services, including training for healthcare professionals if that is possible. Perhaps they could come here, or there could be a safe place where they train or have extra training. The international community, including the United Kingdom, has a moral responsibility to act decisively. Last year, the UN and its partners launched an appeal for $435 million to assist over 1.7 million people through the winter, and we cannot let the Ukrainians down this year. The European Union has committed €40 million for winter preparedness, focusing on water systems, heating infrastructure and emergency repairs. The United Kingdom should complement those efforts, leveraging its resources to close the gaps in humanitarian assistance. I commend the Government’s pledge of over £100 million in additional humanitarian support for 2024-25 and their ongoing support for Ukraine. I urge continued action to provide immediate and meaningful relief. I also hope that those cases being dealt with by the Home Office will be looked on favourably before anybody is returned, or at least that people are given a period of time, not a day, if they have to go back for some reason or other. Many people do want to go back to Ukraine and rebuild their country once it is safe—many of those I have spoken to do not want to stay here indefinitely—but at present it is very difficult. The people of Ukraine have shown immense courage in the face of unimaginable adversity. Let us ensure that our support reflects the scale of their need and the depth of our commitment to their future.

16:17:00

My Lords, it is a pleasure to follow the noble Baroness, Lady Goudie, who feels very passionately about these issues. I too welcome this short debate and congratulate my noble friend Lady Tyler on her powerful and comprehensive opening speech. As my noble friend said, there have been many debates on Ukraine recently but inevitably, and correctly, they have concentrated primarily on defence and geopolitical issues. It is all too easy for war to become about statistics and to lose sight of the life or family behind each statistic that is shattered by the divisions of war. More than a thousand days since Russia invaded Ukraine, it is welcome that there remains a united front across all mainstream UK political parties in support of Ukraine. There is a general recognition that Ukraine’s future is our future. We should be proud of the support we continue to give to Ukraine, but sometimes it is good to stop and remind ourselves of the impact that war has had on individual lives—the impact of having had your home destroyed by a missile, having no power, heat or light, and the inevitable impact on well-being and mental health. I refer noble Lords to my register of interests and the various projects I have worked on in Ukraine since 2017, including as an ambassador for the homelessness charity Depaul International and as a trustee of the John Smith Trust. I thank the trust’s fellows in Ukraine for their suggestions and ideas for this speech. Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 changed people’s lives in an instant. Personal plans, careers and studies were all put on hold. In March 2022, just after the Russian invasion began, I went to the Polish border with Ukraine at Przemyśl. Seeing the young children sitting on their little suitcases with their soft toys and pets in cages on their laps, and the elderly looking so disorientated, shocked and bewildered, was an overwhelming experience that I shall never forget. The first thing that struck me when I saw the crowds outside Przemyśl railway station was that there were only women, children and the elderly. There were no young men; they had had to stay behind to fight. People had had to grab what possessions they could and flee for their lives. We are now in the third winter of this war and all my Ukrainian friends fear it will be the worst yet. A Ukrainian colleague said to me this week: “We are a critical juncture—not just for Ukraine, but for the whole democratic world. The war in Ukraine is not merely a regional conflict. It is a battle between democracy and tyranny. Supporting Ukraine’s energy independence, whether through renewable energy solutions, flexible backup systems, alternative routes, or timely repairs to existing infrastructure, is about more than just keeping the lights on. It is about ensuring Ukraine’s survival this winter and securing the future of democracy itself”. In terms of Ukraine’s energy supplies, the war did not start in 2022, or even in 2014 with the annexation of Crimea. The seeds were sown long before, with Russia’s gas wars in 2005-06. Even then, Putin’s intentions were clear: using energy as a weapon to undermine Ukraine. Building pipelines to bypass Ukraine was just one piece of his broader strategy. Ukraine’s energy infrastructure system is currently under tremendous strain. Frequent equipment failures, compounded by ongoing missile and drone attacks, threaten its ability to function. These challenges are made worse by the system’s outdated infrastructure and bureaucratic barriers that complicate efforts to secure vital equipment. I appreciate that we have already given considerable financial resource to Ukraine’s energy sector, but I would be grateful if the Minister could say a little more in his concluding remarks about our plans to assist the energy sector this winter. In particular, I have heard from colleagues in Ukraine that they urgently need critical equipment such as valves, gas cleaning and drying installations, regulating fittings and pipelines. These items, whether unused, decommissioned or donated, are essential to maintaining operations. I am told that bureaucratic obstacles, both on a domestic and international level, are currently slowing down the provision of such equipment. I suspect that, like me, the Minister is not an expert in these matters, but I would be grateful if he or the relevant Minister could reply in more detail about these energy matters in writing. Supporting Ukraine’s energy sector and gas supply companies is going to be absolutely key this winter. That is something that President Putin is very well aware of, which is precisely why he is so cynically targeting Ukrainian power stations. Nothing saps morale like the icy cold and the dark and, as someone who used to work in Ukraine, I can testify to quite how cold it gets in the winter. I believe the UK can play a vital role in this. Working with our European partners, we must be able to find creative ways around any barriers to ensure uninterrupted heating and electricity supplies for millions of Ukrainian households this coming winter. According to a recent report commissioned by Depaul—the homelessness charity that has been doing amazing and very important work in Ukraine for many years, but most especially since the war—3.5 million people are now internally displaced and the homes of 2 million households have been destroyed or damaged. Almost a quarter—22%—of people sleeping rough or in emergency shelters are displaced because of the war. The United Nations has described conflict as a “systematic driver” of homelessness. To be clear, housing and homelessness were already issues in Ukraine before the war. In 2017, I worked on a public health project to raise awareness of tuberculosis in Odesa. During that project, I met many homeless people who were living with TB. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 and the difficult transition years following independence, Ukraine was already facing many social issues. But the invasion of 2022 has served to make so many of these issues so very much worse in Ukraine. I would be grateful if the Minister could say a little more about specific support that we can give this winter to provide shelters and rebuild homes, as well as support the most vulnerable. Living in Broadstairs, Kent, I have had the privilege, over the last few years, of being involved with an excellent organisation called Canterbury for Ukraine. Through it, I have been able to get to know many of the Ukrainians currently living and seeking shelter in Kent. I am proud of the warmth of so many people in the UK who have opened their homes to Ukrainian families. Understandably, many Ukrainians have chosen to stay in Ukraine; however difficult the situation becomes, it remains their home. As other noble Lords have said, I know that the UK has committed to giving £100 million in humanitarian assistance in 2024-25, but can the Minister give reassurances that a sizeable proportion of this funding will be targeted towards measures for long-term programmes for internal resettlement to safer regions in Ukraine? It is also key that we continue to give support to vulnerable groups, including pensioners, low-income families and people with disabilities. This will not only help people survive the winter but lay the groundwork for sustainable social reforms, keeping Ukrainian citizens connected to their country. My second issue is that of displaced children. More than 2.5 million Ukrainian children are now displaced; many face broken family ties, psychological trauma and limited access to education. Some 30% of the children who left Ukraine with one parent have completely lost contact with the other parent who remains in Ukraine. Some 80% of children whose parents are serving in the armed forces of Ukraine have minimal or no contact with them. The provision of professional psychological rehabilitation centres, training programmes for social workers and comprehensive family law reforms will be vital in the future, and the UK is well placed to give assistance in this regard. To conclude, I stress once again, as I have in previous debates, that whatever happens geopolitically in the months ahead and as a result of the Trump presidency, it is for Ukraine to decide its own future. All my Ukrainian friends and contacts are hugely grateful for the tremendous support that the UK continues to give, both militarily and through humanitarian support, but in this most difficult of winters ahead it is more important than ever that we keep up this support.

16:26:00

My Lords, I also thank the noble Baroness, Lady Tyler of Enfield, for securing this important discussion. We all look forward to hearing what the Minister has to say to update the House on the progress of UK support for Ukraine. Over the past few weeks, as we move into winter, the people of Ukraine have continued to suffer greatly. Putin’s war machine is trying new and insidious tactics to break the spirits of those brave people. On the morning of 26 August alone, Russia fired more than 200 missiles and drones in one of the largest aerial attacks on Ukraine. The main targets were the country’s energy infrastructure, in the most cynical attempt to freeze the country into submission—no military targets were targeted in that bombardment. As other noble Lords observed, around 8 million households, hospitals and schools were hit without warning. The capital, Kyiv, experienced its first unscheduled blackout since November 2022. According to the International Energy Agency, Ukraine’s energy system has been the subject of regular targeting by Russia since its first full-scale invasion in 2022, with attacks intensifying since the spring of this year. On 28 November, after Russia’s 11th mass attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, President Putin threatened to strike again with new ballistic missiles, this time having nuclear capabilities. We are aware that he has made these threats fairly regularly. Thankfully, none of them has borne fruit yet, but we should bear in mind that someday they might. Furthermore, Ukraine is having to import increasing amounts of electricity from Poland, Slovakia, Romania, Hungary and Moldova. According to the BBC, on the subject of housing, at least 12 million people have fled their homes in Ukraine since Russia’s first invasion. It estimates that 5 million have left the country and 7 million are still internally displaced in Ukraine. The Council of Europe Development Bank noted earlier this year that housing continued to be one of the sectors most impacted by the war, with over 10% of the total housing stock in the country either damaged or destroyed. I am proud of the record of the previous Government. We launched the highly successful Homes for Ukraine scheme, with the latest figures showing that since the scheme was set up in March 2022 around 131,000 Ukrainians have been successfully supported to arrive in the UK, with £2.1 billion of funding provided. I am sure that work is continuing, and would be grateful for an update from the noble Lord when he sums up. It is truly tragic that so many Ukrainians have lost their homes and I commend all the Government Ministers, civil servants and most of all the volunteer families who have helped to provide sanctuary for Ukrainians and welcomed them into their homes. I would be grateful if the noble Lord could update us on progress and on whether the Government intend to extend this scheme. Furthermore, many of the visas issued under this scheme are set to expire after three years, with many expiring early next year. Again, can the Minister update the Committee on whether those Ukrainians will be able to have their visas extended? Finally, the conflict has obviously had a severe impact on the mental health of the Ukrainian people. According to the Ukrainian health ministry, the number of patients reporting mental health problems in 2024 had doubled since a year earlier. In addition, a study published in the Lancet earlier this year suggested that over 50% of surveyed non-displaced persons, 55% of internally displaced persons and 62% of refugees all met the diagnostic criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder. I can imagine nothing more traumatic than living in a war zone, whether as a soldier fighting the illegal occupation or as a civilian just doing your best to even survive. We have to highlight, as we do constantly—but we should never be afraid to say it—the sheer brutality of Russian’s campaign in Ukraine, targeting markets, petrol stations, cafés, post offices and humanitarian aid centres, and targeting the civilian population in playgrounds and public squares in many non-occupied areas of Kherson. None of these is a military target. With such distressing stories, we must continue to do all we can to support Ukraine. I know that the Government are doing that and we support them fully. When the noble Lord summarises the debate, I hope that he will be able to update the Committee on what steps the Government are taking. As we move into the new year, we are all waiting with some trepidation for the incoming American President and the effect of any policy changes on Ukraine. I am sure that the Government are using all the diplomatic sources at our disposal to try and influence the new Administration. Some of the appointments that incoming President Trump has announced give me a little more hope; some of the statements from the likes of Marco Rubio and others on Ukraine have been slightly more encouraging. This really is an existential conflict for us in Europe. I argue that it is also an existential conflict for the US. We have to continue to supply the crucial support to Ukraine in its battle for survival. I look forward to hearing what the noble Lord has to say.

16:33:00

I thank the noble Baroness for securing this debate. I think the closing remarks of the noble Lord, Lord Callanan, are absolutely correct. Russia’s illegal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine poses a direct threat to European security. His comments reflect is that we are united in supporting Ukraine in its fight against this illegal invasion. The Prime Minister has made it clear that we need to double down on our support for Ukraine. As the Foreign Secretary told the United Nations Security Council last month, we will stand with the people of Ukraine for as long as it takes. The noble Baroness, Lady Tyler, highlighted the humanitarian situation as being dire. It certainly is. September saw the highest number of recorded civilian casualties since the invasion, and the numbers continue to grow. As much as 40% of the population is in need of humanitarian assistance this year. Over the past month Russia has intensified its air strikes, primarily targeting energy infrastructure, causing blackouts in several regions, as all noble Lords have highlighted. Its continuing assault has led to Ukraine losing over two-thirds of its power generation, leaving it to manage an energy deficit this winter—a very difficult winter. As the noble Baroness, Lady Tyler, pointed out, further attacks and low temperatures risk making access to power, water and heating intermittent, further aggravating the humanitarian situation on the ground. As ever, it will be the vulnerable who suffer, leaving millions without heating, electricity, clean water and medical care. Let me explain how the United Kingdom is helping. We remain a leading bilateral donor and will provide over £240 million this year for humanitarian support, energy and recovery reconstruction programmes. As the noble Baroness, Lady Tyler, asked me, I will give a breakdown of this support. First, on humanitarian support: when the Foreign Secretary visited Kyiv alongside US Secretary of State Blinken in September—the first such joint visit to any country in over a decade—he announced that the United Kingdom would provide at least £100 million in humanitarian support this year. The allocation is still to be determined, but this will bring the United Kingdom’s humanitarian aid to £457 million. This support is helping people, especially the most vulnerable, cope with the endless onslaught of the war, including by providing, as the noble Lord, Lord Callanan, pointed out, mental health and psychosocial support. Again, this was referred to by the noble Baroness, Lady Tyler. The Ukrainian Red Cross Society—funded by UK assistance channelled through the British Red Cross—provides that psychosocial support to about 1,500 vulnerable children and adults in the front-line oblast regions in Ukraine. In practical terms, that means providing child-friendly spaces and support sessions for adults and older people. We will have given £9.5 million to the Red Cross to achieve this. We also support the Kyiv burns unit and train Ukrainian Red Cross staff and volunteers. As asked by my noble friend Lady Goudie, we also enable the WHO to rehabilitate professionals through stress management training. This helps to reduce the psychological distress and increase referrals for specialised care among healthcare workers and patients. I move now to our energy support—another issue raised by the noble Baroness, Lady Suttie. The UK has been working closely with Ukrainian officials and international donors to fund repairs and provide back-up power generation during the colder months, while also supporting efforts to ensure that civilians have access to warm places. During his visit in September, the Foreign Secretary also announced £20 million for emergency energy needs. Our funds, worth over £60 million, are bolstering the Ukraine energy support fund, helping to protect energy infrastructure. When it comes to long-term recovery, we are supporting innovations across both countries to develop new technologies that can rebuild a greener and more resilient energy grid. Finally, we are also providing essential fuel to nuclear power plants to ensure that Ukraine does not have to rely on Russian fuel. To turn to UK support for recovery and reconstruction, our non-military support is helping address immediate needs, including public services, while also funding rebuilding efforts in Ukraine. That is why we are supporting investments now and developing a pipeline of early recovery projects with partners to build local capacity to prioritise, plan and deliver these initiatives. It is why we are working with industry and development partners to improve access to finance for firms in Ukraine and extend war risk insurance cover to investors in Ukraine. Finally, we are helping the UN refugee agency to prepare safe places for internally displaced persons. It has helped to host over 100,000 people in temporary accommodation across Ukraine. The noble Lord asked about Homes for Ukraine in the UK; it is a Home Office lead, but I will ensure that we write to him on that question. An area that every noble Lord highlighted is the scale of destruction caused by Russia. That is why we are in no doubt that it must pay for the damage. The G7 will provide Ukraine with up to $50 billion as part of the extraordinary revenue acceleration loans to Ukraine scheme. These loans will be repaid using the extraordinary profits generated on immobilised Russian sovereign assets in the EU. The UK’s contribution of £2.26 billion is earmarked for additional military support for Ukraine. We are also holding Russia accountable by supporting Ukrainian investigations, pursuing an international register of damages and joining the core group with our international partners on the crime of aggression. We will continue to help the International Criminal Court increase its capacity to collect evidence and support survivors. We will not let Russia get away with its crimes. In conclusion, the United Kingdom will do whatever it takes to support Ukraine’s self-defence. The alternative would be to confirm the worst claims—that international law is merely a paper tiger and that aggressors can do what they want. The suffering in Ukraine cannot be ignored. It is our collective responsibility to act decisively to end this war and work towards a future where a just and lasting peace can prevail.

My Lords, can I just ask the Minister whether he will meet me in the new year to discuss the particular support for mental health?

I am very happy to do so.

Committee adjourned at 4.42 pm.