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  • Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the existing Vineyard Register is maintained in accordance with EU regulations.

    Jane Ellison

    The Food Standards Agency (FSA) currently maintains a Vineyard Register for the United Kingdom on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. This was established and managed in accordance with the European Union requirements set out in Regulation (EC) 436/2009. This statutory obligation was removed on the 1 January 2016 as a result of Regulation (EC) 1308/2013.

    The FSA uses the register for the purposes of official controls relating to UK wine production and to underpin traceability for the various UK wine schemes.

  • Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Tim Loughton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tim Loughton on 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will publish the diary of engagements of the Chief Social Worker for Children since 1 January 2015.

    Edward Timpson

    The Department does not publish the diaries of staff members. Diaries often contain sensitive information and releasing them could impact both on the policy making process and the willingness of officials to meet with particular groups if this information were to be freely available.

    Since her appointment, the Chief Social Worker for Children and Families, Isabelle Trowler, has visited the following local authorities: Bexley; Birmingham; Blackpool; Calderdale; Cambridgeshire; Camden; Central Bedfordshire; Cheshire West and Chester; Derbyshire; Doncaster; Enfield; East Sussex; Gloucestershire; Greenwich; Hackney; Hammersmith and Fulham; Haringey; Hull; Islington; Kensington and Chelsea; Kent; Kingston on Thames; Kirklees; Lancashire; Leeds; Liverpool; Manchester; North Lincolnshire; Northamptonshire; Portsmouth; Redcar and Cleveland; Richmond upon Thames; Rotherham; Sheffield; Slough; Solihull; Staffordshire; Tower Hamlets; Wandsworth; Westminster; Wigan; Wolverhampton; Worcestershire; and York.

    As well as visiting local authorities, the Chief Social Worker meets with representatives of many children’s services departments.

  • Gregory Campbell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Gregory Campbell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gregory Campbell on 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Colombian government in the last three months on the security situation for human rights defenders in that country.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    On 21 December, Officials from the British Embassy in Bogota raised human rights and protection issues with the national Ombudsman who also explained the role the Ombudsman’s Office will play in post-agreement in Colombia.

  • Douglas Chapman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Douglas Chapman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Douglas Chapman on 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he and the Secretary of State for Defence met in a 2 plus 2 bilateral meeting with their Russian counterparts.

    Mr David Lidington

    The then Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my noble friend the Lord Hague of Richmond and the then Secretary of State for Defence, my right hon. Friend the member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) met their Russian counterparts at the UK-Russia Joint Foreign and Defence Ministerial Dialogue in London on 13 March 2013. The Government suspended the ‘2+2’ format and wider military cooperation with Russia following Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea in March 2014.

  • Michael Fabricant – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Michael Fabricant – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Michael Fabricant on 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received on Hamas’ rearmament in Gaza; and if he will make an assessment of the potential effect on the Middle East Peace Process of that rearmament.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We are aware of reports of Hamas’ rearmament in Gaza. We remain deeply concerned by Hamas’ attempts to rearm and its efforts to rebuild infrastructure, including the tunnel network in Gaza. We are clear that Hamas and other militant groups in Gaza must permanently end rocket fire and other attacks against Israel. Any Hamas rearmament undermines efforts to improve the situation in Gaza and harms prospects for peace and stability in the Middle East.

  • Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Ministerial Correction of 11 January 2016 on Saudi Arabia, what work has taken place under the memorandum of understanding since it came into force.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    It is the policy of this Government and previous Governments to treat such Memorandum of Understandings with other countries as confidential.

  • Eric Pickles – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Eric Pickles – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Eric Pickles on 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with representatives of the Iranian government on the effect on regional relations of the international competition for cartoons and caricatures on the Holocaust organised by the House of Cartoons, under the auspices of the municipality of Tehran.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    Our officials in Tehran have raised our opposition to the proposed Holocaust cartoon competition with their counterparts at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

  • Martyn Day – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Martyn Day – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Martyn Day on 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will (a) take steps to ensure that Saudi Arabia works for an immediate ceasefire in Yemen and (b) support the establishment of an international, independent, impartial mechanism to investigate alleged violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law by all parties in that conflict.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We are urging all parties to the conflict to work towards resuming a meaningful and sustainable ceasefire that is respected by all sides. We are also doing all we can to support the UN to convene a further round of UN-facilitated peace talks over the coming weeks and firmly believe that a political solution is the best way to bring long-term stability to Yemen.

    The Resolution on Yemen adopted at the Human Rights Council Session in September 2015 committed the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights to work with the Government of Yemen to help them investigate human rights abuses and violations. We urge the Government of Yemen to co-operate fully with this process. Yemen will remain on the Human Rights Council’s agenda: an oral report on developments will be given at the next session in March 2016 (31st session) and a written report will be presented to the Council in September 2016 (33rd session).

  • Martyn Day – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Martyn Day – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Martyn Day on 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent steps he has taken to ensure that UK-made arms are not being used to commit human rights abuses in Yemen.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We remain deeply concerned about the human rights situation in Yemen. We continue to raise the importance of compliance with International Humanitarian Law with all sides to the conflict.

    The UK operates one of the most rigorous and transparent export control regimes in the world. All exports of arms and controlled military goods are assessed on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing, taking account of all relevant factors at the time of the application. Risks around human rights violations are a key part of our assessment against the Consolidated Criteria. A licence will not be issued, for any country, if to do so would be inconsistent with any provision of the mandatory Criteria.

  • Jeremy Lefroy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Jeremy Lefroy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeremy Lefroy on 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the conduct of the first round of the general elections in the Central African Republic.

    James Duddridge

    I welcome the holding of presidential and legislative elections in the Central African Republic on 30 December. The people of the Central African Republic showed a strong determination to move towards a democratic future by turning out to vote in large numbers. The holding of elections, which passed off peacefully, is a huge achievement. It was however unacceptable that many refugees, largely from Muslim communities, were unable to vote in the elections.

    We will work with international partners and the newly elected President to ensure that an inclusive government is appointed which is representative of Central African Republic groups, regions and refugees.