Author: admin

  • Madeleine Moon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Madeleine Moon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Madeleine Moon on 2016-10-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her oral contribution of 18 October 2016, Official Report, 301WH, which directives are no longer fit for purpose; and if she will make a statement.

    Dr Thérèse Coffey

    The Government is currently considering future arrangements for existing EU legislation in preparation for the repeal of the European Communities Act 1972. This ‘Great Repeal Bill’ will end the authority of EU law and return power to the UK. The Bill will effectively convert current EU law into our domestic law. We look forward to working with the industry, rural communities and the wider public to shape our plans for a future outside the EU when we can assess the benefits of moving to an outcomes-focussed regulatory framework.

  • Madeleine Moon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Madeleine Moon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Madeleine Moon on 2016-10-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her oral contribution of 18 October 2016, Official Report, 301WH, which aspects of Natura 2000 will need to be incorporated into UK law; what the other elements she referred to are; and if she will make a statement.

    Dr Thérèse Coffey

    The Government is currently considering the impacts of leaving the EU, including future arrangements for existing legislation. This will include future arrangements for the Natura 2000 suite of sites.

  • Madeleine Moon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Madeleine Moon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Madeleine Moon on 2016-10-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her oral contribution of 18 October 2016, Official Report, 301WH, whether she plans for the UK’s participation in Natura 2000 to continue; and if she will make a statement.

    Dr Thérèse Coffey

    The Government is currently considering the impacts of leaving the EU, including future arrangements for existing legislation. This will include future arrangements for the Natura 2000 suite of sites.

  • Justin Tomlinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Justin Tomlinson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Tomlinson on 2016-10-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the diplomatic and trade opportunities presented for the UK by the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    Qatar has an ambitious infrastructure programme for the 2022 World Cup worth over £140billion, offering significant opportunities for UK companies. UK Government officials are in regular contact with the Qatari World Cup’s organising body, the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy. As part of their discussions they highlight British companies’ expertise in fields such as security, hospitality, stadium management in staging global sports events.

    The UK wants Qatar’s 2022 World Cup to be a success and to be Qatar’s key delivery partner. As the UK showed during London 2012, international sporting events help to build stronger friendships between people of different countries. This is the first time that the Gulf has hosted this tournament and the UK has lots of experience it can share. This means opportunities for even stronger cooperation and engagement across all aspects of our bilateral relationship.

  • Madeleine Moon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Madeleine Moon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Madeleine Moon on 2016-10-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what funds for which purposes the Government pledged at the Brussels conference on Afghanistan, held on 4-5 October 2016; what measures she has put in place to monitor how those funds are (a) distributed and (b) spent; and if she will make a statement.

    Rory Stewart

    On 2 October the Secretary of State announced that the UK would spend up to £750m in ODA to Afghanistan to 2020, depending on Afghan government performance and security conditions. UK support will help build a safer, more stable and prosperous Afghanistan through increased state capacity and legitimacy; it will support increased economic growth and self-reliance and decreased poverty and vulnerability. It will be delivered via multi-donor trust funds and contracts with commercial providers of good and services, UN agencies and UK, Afghan, and international NGOs, and monitored by both internal and external mechanisms.

  • Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2016-10-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to his Chinese counterpart on the case of Tashi Wangchuk who is currently awaiting trial in Yushu, Qinghai Province.

    Alok Sharma

    We raised the case of the Tibetan language advocate Tashi Wangchuk at the UK-China human rights dialogue, scheduled which took place on 27 October.

    I previously raised our concerns about Tashi Wangchuk with the Chinese Ambassador, in writing, on 1 August 2016.

  • Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2016-10-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policy on China of the recommendations contained in the Conservative Party Human Rights Commission report, published on 28 June 2016.

    Alok Sharma

    ​I refer my Hon. Friend to the answer given by the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my noble Friend, the Rt Hon. Baroness Anelay of St Johns, to the noble Lord Alton of Liverpool, on 26 September 2016 (PQ HL1811), copied below for ease of reference: "My officials and I have read the report with interest. Although the Government was not asked to give evidence to it and the views stated within it do not reflect Government policy, there is much in the report with which we agree. We are already pursuing an approach consistent with many of the recommendations. For example my Ministerial colleagues and I regularly raise concerns about the crackdown on human rights lawyers, repressive legislation, and challenges to freedom of religion or belief. Equally, there are parts of the report which require further investigation to substantiate the claims made, for instance about organ harvesting."

  • Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2016-10-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has made to his Chinese counterpart on religious freedom in Tibet; and whether he has received reports on expulsions of Buddhist students and the demolition of dwellings at the Larung Ghar Buddhist Institute in Sichuan province.

    Alok Sharma

    ​I refer my Hon. Friend to my answer of 18 October 2016 (PQ 48663). We are aware of, and concerned by, reports of the closure or demolition of churches and monasteries and that individuals are being harassed or detained for their beliefs across China. However, I am unable to comment in detail on the demolitions at Larung Gar, as British diplomats are not currently allowed to travel to the area, so my information is partial. Our Consulate General in Chongqing is seeking further information on the situation.

  • Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2016-10-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent steps he has taken to raise the issue of harassment and persecution of Tibetan Buddhists in Tibet with the Chinese government.

    Alok Sharma

    ​I refer my Hon. Friend to my answer of 18 October 2016 (PQ 48663).

  • Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Catherine West – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-10-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will confirm which Minister of his Department has responsibility for (a) Akrotiri and Dhekelia and (b) Gibraltar.

    Sir Alan Duncan

    ​The Foreign and Commonwealth Office Minister responsible for Cyprus and Gibraltar is the Minister for Europe and the Americas (Sir Alan Duncan MP). The Secretary of State for Defence, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Sevenoaks (Michael Fallon) is responsible for the Sovereign Base Area of Akrotiri and Dhekelia.