Author: admin

  • James Cartlidge – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    James Cartlidge – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by James Cartlidge on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to the German government urging it to follow up on the meeting between German officials and the National Advisory Council of the Thalidomide Trust in July 2015 and work towards its making financial contributions to those affected by Thalidomide.

    Mr David Lidington

    We continue to support the Thalidomide Trust in making their own representations directly to the German Government. Officials in London and at the British Embassy in Berlin remain in contact with both the National Advisory Council and the German authorities following their July meeting, including to encourage further meetings.

  • Chris Stephens – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Chris Stephens – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Stephens on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what meetings his Department has had with representatives of (a) the Taxpayers’ Alliance, (b) the Confederation of British Industry, (c) the Institute of Economic Affairs, (d) the Adam Smith Institute, (e) the Freedom Association, (f) the Politics and Economics Research Trust and (g) the Midlands Industrial Council in the last 12 months.

    Mr David Lidington

    Details of Ministers’ and Permanent Secretaries meetings with external organisations are published up to 31 March 2015 and can be accessed on Gov.uk at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/ministers-transparency-publications

    Further publications of Ministerial and Permanent Secretaries meetings will be published in due course.

  • Fiona Mactaggart – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Fiona Mactaggart – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Fiona Mactaggart on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he plans to raise the human rights of ethnic and religious minorities in India during the visit of Prime Minister Modi to the UK in November 2015; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    India and the UK have a rich, wide-ranging and mature bilateral relationship. We will discuss a broad spectrum of issues during Prime Minister Modi’s visit.

    The UK raises a range of human rights matters with India, including religious freedom and the treatment of ethnic minorities, both bilaterally and through the EU. This includes meeting Union and State level government institutions, such as the Indian National Commission for Minorities, which the British High Commission in New Delhi met earlier this month. The High Commission also stays in regular contact with civil society organisations and senior faith leaders working on religious freedom across India.

  • Chris Stephens – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Chris Stephens – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Stephens on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the legal status of Scottish, Northern Irish and Bank of England banknotes is within the Overseas Territory of Gibraltar; and what the official policy of the Government of Gibraltar is on the use of Scottish and Northern Irish banknotes within that Territory.

    Mr David Lidington

    Finance and related issues are the constitutional competence of Her Majesty’s Government of Gibraltar. It is therefore for them to determine both the legal status and the policy on the use of the Scottish, Northern Irish and Bank of England banknotes within their territory.

  • Vicky Foxcroft – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Vicky Foxcroft – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Vicky Foxcroft on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that same-sex marriages are recognised in all Commonwealth countries; and what (a) meetings and (b) correspondence he has had on this issue.

    Mr David Lidington

    Our High Commissions continue to lobby at the highest levels on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) rights, particularly in countries where same-sex relations are criminalised. The UK wants the Commonwealth to do more to ensure that same-sex marriages are recognised across all member states. This has been a contentious issue for Commonwealth members, but we believe progress is fundamental to the Commonwealth’s ability to improve the lives of its people and develop peaceful societies.

    Commonwealth members share a collective responsibility to live up to the values of the Commonwealth Charter and we will continue to be clear in pressing them to embrace these values. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) wrote to the Commonwealth Secretary General in March and raised the importance of implementing the aims and aspirations of the Charter.

    Last month, The Minister of State, my noble Friend, the right hon. Baroness Anelay of St Johns DBE, met the US Special Envoy for the Rights of LGBT persons to discuss how the UK could work with likeminded partners, including in the Commonwealth, to strengthen the work of civil society organisations and all those fighting to end discrimination.

  • Roger Godsiff – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Roger Godsiff – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will discuss the arrest of human rights activist Dr Chandra Kant Raut with the government of Nepal.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    We are aware of Dr C K Raut’s arrest and are following his case closely. The UK regularly raises human rights with the Government of Nepal and Nepalese political parties. We are aware of concerns raised by some sections of civil society about his treatment. We urge the authorities to observe due process and ensure the right to peaceful freedom of expression in accordance with Nepal’s new Constitution.

  • Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Paul Flynn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for the security of sensitive nuclear information of the agreement announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 21 September 2015 on commercial nuclear co-operation with China.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    Security in the civil nuclear industry is of paramount importance to the Government. The UK has in place, robust security regulations which are enforced by an independent regulator, the Office for Nuclear Regulation. These regulations cover sensitive nuclear information as well as holdings of nuclear material and nuclear sites. The Government keeps the regulatory framework for security in the civil nuclear industry under continuous review. The Government welcomes Chinese investment to the UK, including in the nuclear energy sector.

  • Mark Pritchard – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Mark Pritchard – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Pritchard on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to his Georgian countertpart on freedom of expression and freedom of the media in that country.

    Mr David Lidington

    We raise human rights concerns with Georgian Ministers and officials, including freedom of expression and freedom of the media, at every appropriate opportunity.

    We are closely monitoring the recent and ongoing court case involving the Rustavi 2 television company and continue to encourage Georgia to abide by the rule of law and due process in relation to all legal cases. We also impress the importance of creating a positive environment for media and civil society organisations working in Georgia.

  • Mark Pritchard – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Mark Pritchard – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Pritchard on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to the government of Japan on the abolition of the death penalty in that country.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    We remain strongly opposed to the death penalty. Together with EU partners, we will continue to express our opposition to the death penalty. We recently co-funded a report on Japanese attitudes to the death penalty and will use this report to influence Japanese policy makers.

  • Wayne David – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Wayne David – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Wayne David on 2015-10-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations the Government has made to the government of Saudi Arabia on the case of Ali Mohammed al-Nimr who was sentenced to death by crucifixion.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We are very concerned about the case Ali Mohammed Al Nimr. We have raised this case with the Saudi Arabian authorities at a senior level including by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond). We will continue to follow this case closely. The UK opposes the death penalty in all cases. Ministers, our Ambassador, and the Embassy team frequently raise the issue of the death penalty with the Saudi authorities, bilaterally and through the European Union.