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  • Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2016-09-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the Israeli government and the Palestinian Authority on the expansion of Israeli settlements into (a) Susiya, (b) Umm al-Hiran and (c) other areas occupied by Palestinian Bedouins.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The increase in Israeli demolitions and illegal settlement expansion remains an area of serious concerns for the UK Government. On 7 September, during a meeting with Israeli Defence Minister Lieberman in London, I raised our concerns about settlements and demolitions. I also issued a statement on 2 September stating that the UK Government was deeply concerned by reports regarding over 450 new settlement units in the West Bank.

    And as I told the House recently, our Embassy in Tel Aviv has repeatedly raised our opposition to demolitions with the Israeli authorities, including our specific concerns about Susiya, and urged them to provide a legal route for Palestinian construction. On 18 August officials from the British Consulate General in Jerusalem, along with an official from our Embassy in Tel Aviv, visited Susiya again to highlight our serious concern and demonstrate our continuing support for the village. Our officials most recently raised Susiya with Defence Minister Lieberman on 24 August.

    Umm al-Hiran is in Israel. The UK has been encouraging the Israeli authorities and Bedouin communities to find a satisfactory solution to Umm al-Hiran, respecting the equality of all of Israel’s citizens in a way which avoids forcible relocations.

  • Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Barry Sheerman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Barry Sheerman on 2016-09-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to help promote and protect the human rights of the Bedouin community in Israel and the Occupied Territories.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The UK is firmly committed to the promotion and protection of human rights and compliance with international law in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs). We have a regular dialogue with the Government of Israel with regard to the implementation of their obligations under international law, and regularly and robustly raise our serious concerns on issues relating to Israeli actions in the OPTs.

    We have supported Bedouin communities and Palestinians in Area C facing demolition or eviction through support to Rabbis for Human Rights and the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) legal aid programme. This helps individuals challenge decisions in the Israeli legal system. The NRC has successfully suspended demolitions and evictions so that Palestinians can remain in their homes in 97% of the cases they represent.

    The treatment of the Bedouin within Green Line Israel is a separate matter. We have been encouraging the Israeli authorities and Bedouin communities to find a satisfactory solution to this issue, respecting the equality of all of Israel’s citizens in a way which avoids forced relocations.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-09-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what support the Government provides to the Kurdistan regional government related to the provision of education and language training in that region.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The UK is working with the Kurdistan Regional Government to promote education and language training, particularly through the work of the British Council. Working with institutions across the Kurdistan Region, the British Council is supporting projects to develop skills and build capacity in various sectors including in the vocational education sector. The British Council is also providing online English language opportunities for Kurdish learners and English training for educators. Some of this support is specifically targeted to assist refugees and host communities. We also support further education through our Chevening programme.

    Since June 2014, the UK has committed £129.5 million in humanitarian assistance to Iraq. The UK is the largest contributor to the UN’s Iraq Humanitarian Pooled Fund, which has funded education projects for the most vulnerable displaced Iraqi children, amongst other programmes.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-09-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Iraqi government on devolution of powers to the Kurdistan regional government.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The autonomy of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq remains enshrined in the 2003 Iraqi Constitution. The Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip (Boris Johnson), our Ambassador to Baghdad, our Consul General in Erbil and I emphasise regularly with both the Government of Iraq and Kurdistan Regional Government the UK’s aim to see a stable, democratic, prosperous and unified Iraq. We also work actively to ensure that both the Kurdistan Regional Government and Government of Iraq cooperate to resolve their differences. In that context we welcome the recent revenue sharing agreement over Kirkuk oil.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-09-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to promote private sector investment in Kurdistan.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    In recognition of the potential investment opportunities in Iraq as a whole, the Department for International Trade has recently finalised an ambitious five-year Business Plan. That plan seeks to underpin the promotion of British trade across Iraq, including the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI), to deliver maximum export opportunities for UK companies and ensure that we take advantage of the opportunities that the KRI market offers.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-09-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions the Government has had with the Iraqi government on steps to tackle drug abuse in Iraq.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We are aware of reports of drug abuse in Iraq but we have not had discussions with the Government of Iraq on this subject. We continue to support vulnerable communities through our humanitarian assistance. Since June 2014 the Department for International Development has committed £129.5 million to the humanitarian effort in Iraq. That assistance reaches hundreds of thousands of people across the country and includes essential medicine, emergency kits and psychological support.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-09-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what support the Government is providing to the Kurdistan regional government related to internally displaced people in that region.

    Rory Stewart

    Since June 2014, the UK has committed £129.5 million in humanitarian assistance to the crisis in Iraq. This includes cash assistance, access to clean water, food, medicines and other life-saving assistance for the most vulnerable people, including internally displaced people in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

    Given the importance of a coordinated response, we have provided £1 million of funding to UNDP to support the Kurdistan Regional Government’s Joint Crisis Centre (JCC), and its equivalent for the Government of Iraq, the Joint Crisis and Monitoring Centre (JCMC). The JCC is leading humanitarian efforts for the Kurdistan Regional Government.

  • Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-09-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if the Government will hold discussions with Greek Orthodox leaders in (a) Iraq and (b) Kurdistan on (i) support for internally displaced people from and (ii) returning internally displaced people to (A) Mosul and (b) Nineveh.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We are working with partners to ensure stabilisation efforts in liberated areas allow internally displaced persons to return to their homes safely. On 21 July, the Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip (Boris Johnson), announced £10.5 million in additional UK funding for stabilisation in Iraq, this includes £1.75 million to support planning associated with the Mosul campaign. This announcement brings the UK’s Iraq contributions on immediate stabilisation to £9.25 million, and on explosive hazards to £7.75 million.

    Since summer 2014, the UK has pledged £129.5 million of humanitarian support. This includes £50 million of additional assistance announced on 20 July 2016. To date, we have provided cash assistance, access to clean water, food, medicines and other life-saving assistance for the most vulnerable – irrespective of race, religion or ethnicity.

  • Natalie McGarry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Natalie McGarry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Natalie McGarry on 2016-09-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Pakistani counterpart on reports of the persecution of Christians and other minorities living in Pakistan.

    Alok Sharma

    We are concerned about continuing reports of abuses against Christians and other religious minorities in Pakistan. The Government strongly condemns the persecution of all minorities, including the targeting of innocent people based on their religion or beliefs. Our concerns are reflected in the latest update to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office annual human rights report. We regularly raise our concerns about the protection of minority communities, including religious minorities, with the Pakistani Government at a senior level. In April, the previous Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Philip Hammond), raised the importance of safeguarding the rights of all minorities with Sartaj Aziz, Advisor to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs. It is encouraging that the Government of Pakistan has enacted legislation to protect religious minority groups. The United Kingdom continues to urge Pakistan to honour in practice its human rights obligations, including those related to religious minorities, and to uphold the rule of law.

  • Natalie McGarry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Natalie McGarry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Natalie McGarry on 2016-09-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Chinese counterpart on reports of the persecution of Christians and other minorities living in China.

    Alok Sharma

    The Government is concerned by restrictions placed on Christianity in China, such as the demolition of churches, the removal of crosses from buildings, and harassment or detention of individuals for their beliefs. The freedom to practise, change or share your faith or belief is a fundamental human right that all people should enjoy.

    We are robust in raising religious freedoms with the Chinese authorities. The Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my noble Friend, the Rt Hon. the Baroness of Anelay of St Johns DBE, raised the destruction of churches and religious symbols with the Director of the National People’s Congress Foreign Affairs Committee on 7 July 2016. I also raised the case of Ding Cuimei, who reportedly died while protesting the demolition of her church in Zhejiang province, with the Chinese Ambassador on 1 August.