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  • Andy Slaughter – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Andy Slaughter – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the country of origin was of each special mission to the UK since 4 March 2013; and whether any person travelling on a special mission to the UK has been the subject of (a) an arrest warrant or (b) a criminal investigation conducted by SO15 since 4 March 2013.

    Mark Simmonds

    I refer to the statement made by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), to the House on 4 March 2013, Official Report, columns 55-56WS. The Foreign Secretary announced a new process by which we would be informed of visits that may qualify for special mission status. The pilot process has improved the process for communicating and decision-making in respect of visits that may qualify for special mission status. Since the pilot’s inception, we have received six such requests. There are no requests outstanding.

    The former Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for North East Bedfordshire (Alistair Burt), confirmed to the House on 12 July 2013, Official Report, columns 427W and 429W, that two of the requests which were granted, related to visits by Lieutenant General Benny Gantz of the Israeli Defence Forces and Doron Almog, Prime Minister Netanyahu’s Chief of Staff for Bedouin Status improvement. In view of the confidentiality of diplomatic exchanges, we have no plans to publish further details about requests that have been granted or refused. But if those applying for special mission status wish to announce the details of their visit to the UK, they are of course at liberty to do so.
    All applications for special mission status are considered carefully in view of both obligations incumbent upon the UK under customary international law and our policy of ending impunity for the most serious of international crimes and a commitment to the protection of human rights. Above this, it is for the courts to decide on the legal consequences of any decision to grant special mission status.

  • Andy Slaughter – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Andy Slaughter – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the written statement of 4 March 2013, Official Report, columns 55-6WS, on special mission immunity, how many special missions have been (a) consented to and (b) refused under the pilot process; and if he will make a statement.

    Mark Simmonds

    I refer to the statement made by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), to the House on 4 March 2013, Official Report, columns 55-56WS. The Foreign Secretary announced a new process by which we would be informed of visits that may qualify for special mission status. The pilot process has improved the process for communicating and decision-making in respect of visits that may qualify for special mission status. Since the pilot’s inception, we have received six such requests. There are no requests outstanding.

    The former Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for North East Bedfordshire (Alistair Burt), confirmed to the House on 12 July 2013, Official Report, columns 427W and 429W, that two of the requests which were granted, related to visits by Lieutenant General Benny Gantz of the Israeli Defence Forces and Doron Almog, Prime Minister Netanyahu’s Chief of Staff for Bedouin Status improvement. In view of the confidentiality of diplomatic exchanges, we have no plans to publish further details about requests that have been granted or refused. But if those applying for special mission status wish to announce the details of their visit to the UK, they are of course at liberty to do so.
    All applications for special mission status are considered carefully in view of both obligations incumbent upon the UK under customary international law and our policy of ending impunity for the most serious of international crimes and a commitment to the protection of human rights. Above this, it is for the courts to decide on the legal consequences of any decision to grant special mission status.

  • Mark Hendrick – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Mark Hendrick – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Hendrick on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how much the UK contributed towards the funding of the United Nations and International Monetary Fund in (a) 2011, (b) 2012 and (c) 2013.

    Mr David Lidington

    The UK makes numerous contributions to the many different parts of the UN system and UN-led activities. Payments come from a wide range of British Government Departments. Our two largest assessed, or mandatory, payments are for the UN Regular Budget and the UN Peacekeeping Budget.

    The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) pays the UK’s share of the UN Regular Budget, which covers core UN Secretariat costs and the UN’s political activities. During the last three calendar years the UK made assessed contributions to the UN Regular Budget in US dollars as follows:

    2011 $155.3 million
    2012 $156.1 million
    2013 $132.0 million

    The UN Peacekeeping Budget follows the UN’s financial year (July-June). The UK’s assessed contributions in the last four UN financial years in US dollars were:

    2010-11 $602.8 million
    2011-12 $576.4 million
    2012-13 $477.1 million
    2013-14 $476.6 million

    The UK, typically through the relevant lead Whitehall department in the appropriate field, also makes many other substantial payments into the UN system. For UN specialised agencies these are mostly voluntary contributions, with some assessed contributions e.g. for core costs. Additionally there are many significant voluntary contributions to UN funds and programmes and other UN bodies depending on how they support UK objectives and priorities. The Department for International Development is the largest contributor of voluntary funding, of all British Government Departments.

    The UK does not have an annual subscription to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and does not contribute to its administration costs. These are financed out of the IMF’s own revenue. As per the annual accounts of the National Loan Fund, published to Parliament, the Government’s Quota Subscription and Lending to the IMF at the end of each financial year stood at:

    Quota (£m) Lending (£m) Total (£m)
    31 March 2011 10,581 1,109 11,690
    31 March 2012 10,391 2,030 12,421
    31 March 2013 10,638 2,320 12,958
  • Mark Hendrick – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Mark Hendrick – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Hendrick on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what progress he has made on establishing a date for a third round of negotiations for the Geneva Conference on Syria.

    Hugh Robertson

    The Geneva 2 process is currently stalled because of the Syrian regime’s refusal to accept UN / Arab League Joint Special Envoy Brahimi’s proposal on the agenda for a further round of talks. We remain in very close contact with the UN and our international partners in our efforts to find a way to make progress on the political track.

  • Ian Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Ian Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Lucas on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many UK Government Ministers have visited Lesotho since 2010.

    Mark Simmonds

    I visited Lesotho in March 2013 as part of a larger tour of the Southern African region. My visit to Lesotho was the first bilateral Ministerial visit to the Kingdom since 2002. I was delighted that the Prime Minister of Lesotho was able to visit the UK between 4-9 April, further strengthening bilateral relations and the ongoing links between our two countries. The Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for East Devon (Mr Swire) and I both enjoyed meeting the Prime Minister of Lesotho during his visit to the UK.

  • Steve Rotheram – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Steve Rotheram – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve Rotheram on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which police forces failed to meet her Department’s deadline of 4 April 2014 for handing over to the Independent Police Complaints Commission any evidence relating to the Hillsborough disaster.

    Mrs Theresa May

    I wrote to all Chief Constables in England and Wales on 4 March 2014 to request
    that all police forces search their records to establish whether they possess
    any material that relates to the Hillsborough tragedy. The purpose of the
    letter was to assist the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) and
    Operation Resolve in recovering any material which had not already been
    provided. I understand that all forces have now responded to the IPCC and I am
    aware that the IPCC is currently assessing these responses. I am expecting a
    full report from them in due course.

  • Sir John Randall – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Sir John Randall – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Sir John Randall on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make a comparative assessment of the sources, reliability and mutual compatibility of the statistics on the number of human trafficking victims from Albania given in parliamentary written answers and in the annual reports of the National Crime Agency.

    Karen Bradley

    A comparative assessment has been made.

    Parliamentary questions regularly ask for specific details about suspected
    victims of trafficking referred to the trafficking victim support service
    operated by The Salvation Army.

    The source of this data is The Salvation Army records.

    The National Crime Agency (NCA) publishes statistics each year on the number of
    potential victims who have been referred to the National Referral Mechanism.

    The source of this data is the NCA records.

    The two sets of figures measure slightly different things but are mutually
    compatible.

    Not all of the potential victims who are referred to the National Referral
    Mechanism will then be referred to The Salvation Army for victim support. Some
    might not receive a positive reasonable grounds decision and others might not
    want Government-funded support.

    We would therefore expect the number of cases referred to the National Referral
    Mechanism, reported by the NCA, to be higher than the number of cases referred
    to The Salvation Army for victim support, reported by the regular Parliamentary
    questions.

    This is borne out by our comparative assessment. The table below lists the PQs
    that have requested data about the numbers of potential victims referred to The
    Salvation Army, and lists the number of Albanian victims supported each month.

    In total, this data indicates that there were 139 Albanian adult victims
    referred to The Salvation Army for victim support in 2013 in England and Wales.

    This is lower than the 208 potential adult Albanian victims who were originally
    referred to the National Referral Mechanism in 2013 from England and Wales, as
    reported in the NCA’s annual report.

    Month

    MP

    Hansard Reference

    No. of Albanian Victims Supported

    January

    Tony Baldry

    14 February 2013, c866W

    5

    February

    Amber Rudd

    11 March 2013, c33W

    9

    March

    Margot James

    3 June 2013, c925W

    7

    April

    Robert Buckland

    3 June 2013, c927W

    14

    May

    David Simpson

    19 June 2013, c712W

    10

    June

    Chris Ruane

    10 July 2013, c276W

    9

    July

    Fiona Bruce

    6 February 2014, c325W

    12

    August

    Caroline Spelman

    28 October 2013, c358W

    9

    September

    Peter Bone

    14 October 2013, c512W

    16

    October

    Fiona Bruce

    3 December 2013, c613W

    23

    November

    John Randall

    9 January 2014, c277W

    17

    December

    Frank Field

    14 January 2014, c481W

    8

    TOTAL

    139

  • Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Chris Ruane – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chris Ruane on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average time is between the expiry of a visa and (a) the person voluntarily leaving the country and (b) the forcible removal of the visa holder.

    James Brokenshire

    The information requested is not available.

  • Margaret Beckett – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Margaret Beckett – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Margaret Beckett on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many family visit visa applications to the UK were made between June 2013 and December 2013; and how many such applications were (a) granted, (b) refused, (c) withdrawn, (d) lapsed and (e) given the right to appeal.

    James Brokenshire

    From the 1st of June until the 31st of December 2013 there were 149,995
    applications for family visit visas. Of those applications:

    • 111,990 were issued
    • 37,370 were refused
    • 65 were lapsed
    • 330 were withdrawn
    • 4,570 were given the right to appeal

    These figures are based upon management information, and have been rounded to
    the nearest 5. Until the 24th June 2013, any family visit visa that was refused
    was given a right of appeal against that decision. The numbers above reflect
    this change to appeal rights.

  • Ian Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Ian Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Lucas on 2014-04-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what criteria are used to decide in which countries to have UK consular and visa offices.

    James Brokenshire

    Decisions regarding the location of our visa application centres, and the
    places in which the applications are decided, are based on a number of
    different factors, including geography, security issues, distribution of
    demand, political and economic impacts, as well as the financial cost. The
    Home Office uses commercial partners to help run its network of visa
    application centres, which are the customer-facing end of the service. Under
    new contracts which came into effect on 1 April, we will have 340 visa
    application points in 142 countries around the world. Applications submitted at visa
    application centres are then sent to one of our 32 decision-making hubs for
    consideration.

    On the Consular side, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) supports
    British nationals through the Diplomatic network of 220 Posts around the world, in 170
    countries. They also have a network of 230 Honorary Consuls who provide
    support in places where the UK is not otherwise represented. Having consular
    partners present in countries where the UK is not represented ensures British
    nationals have immediate access to assistance. There are only three countries
    in the world where there is no in country consular representation by the UK or
    any of our main consular partners (EU, Australia, Canada, US or New Zealand).

    These are Palau, Sao Tome & Principe and Tuvalu. In these cases, UK Travel
    Advice instructs British nationals to seek assistance when needed through the
    nearest country with British diplomatic representation: Philippines, Angola and
    Fiji respectively. The FCO currently advise against all travel to Syria and
    warn British nationals who travel there that the FCO will not be able to
    provide them with any assistance. The FCO also advise against all but
    essential travel to Iran and advise British nationals to seek assistance from
    any EU Member State present in the country.