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  • Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Greg Mulholland – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2016-04-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his US and Russian counterparts on ensuring the Syrian High Negotiations Committee is involved in drafting Syria’s new constitution.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) has frequent discussions with his US counterpart about all aspects of the Syrian conflict including the involvement of the High Negotiations Committee (HNC) in the political process. Most recently they spoke at the G7 meeting in Hiroshima on 10-11 April. The UK also continues to engage with Russia, including through visits of senior officials to Moscow. These countries are active members of the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) which is committed to achieving a Syrian-led political solution to the conflict. Working alongside ISSG counterparts, we are supporting the UN-facilitated intra-Syrian negotiations currently underway in Geneva, where the HNC is representing the Opposition in negotiations on a political settlement. Discussions on a new Syrian constitution will need to take place in this forum.

  • Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-04-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of its recent increases in financial support for non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Egypt on the ability of those NGOs to operate effectively.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    Our assessment is that programme effectiveness has not been compromised to date, despite growing restrictions on civil society. However, we continually review our programming to ensure it has maximum impact and represents value for money for the taxpayer.

  • Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Brennan on 2016-04-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the state of democracy and human rights in Bahrain.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We welcome the progress made by Bahrain on their reform programme particularly in the areas of youth justice, the establishment and increasing effectiveness of the Ombudsman’s office, the Prisoner and Detainees’ Rights Commission and the reformed National Institute of Human Rights. Some challenges remain and we regularly discuss human rights and reform with the Government of Bahrain. I did so most recently when I met the Bahraini Ambassador to the UK, Shaikh Fawaz bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, on 8 March 2016.

  • Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Kevin Brennan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kevin Brennan on 2016-04-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will raise with his Bahraini counterpart the treatment of Hassan Mushiema.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We are aware of the case of Hassan Mushaima and we have raised it with the Government of Bahrain. We continue to encourage the Government of Bahrain to deliver on its international and domestic human rights commitments and to appropriately address all reports of ill-treatment of detainees. We also encourage all those with concerns about their treatment in detention to report these directly to the Ombudsman.

  • Stephen Gethins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Stephen Gethins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Gethins on 2016-04-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations his Department has made to the Egyptian government on recent actions taken against Egyptian non-governmental organisations.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We are deeply concerned by growing restrictions on civil society in Egypt, including a proposed asset freeze against investigative journalist Hossam Bahgat and human rights defender Gamal Eid. After issuing a statement on 22 March, I raised this with the Egyptian Ambassador on 23 March, and again on 11 April. Our Ambassador to Cairo raised our concerns over restrictions on civil society with the Minister of Health and with senior officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in February 2016.

    I encourage the Government of Egypt to work with civil society organisations to implement the rights guaranteed by the Egyptian constitution and allow non-government organisations to operate freely.

  • Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-04-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the compliance of the in absentia death sentence handed down to Andy Tsege in Ethiopia with international human rights standards.

    James Duddridge

    The UK Government is opposed to the death penalty in all circumstances as a matter of principle. We remain deeply concerned about the process by which Mr Andargachew Tsege was detained and his ongoing lack of access to legal counsel. The Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) and I have raised this case repeatedly with our Ethiopian counterparts, which has resulted in frequent consular access to Mr Tsege. We continue to press the Ethiopian government to provide a legal process through which Mr Tsege can challenge his detention, that is consistent with domestic and international law. We will continue to lobby the Ethiopian government until our concerns have been fully addressed.

  • Diane Abbott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Diane Abbott – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diane Abbott on 2016-04-12.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the contribution by the hon. Member for Rochford and Southend East of 23 February 2016, Official Report, when the fully accessible public register of beneficial ownership in UK Crown dependencies will be complete.

    Matthew Hancock

    I refer the hon. Member to the Oral Statement given by the Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron) on 11 April 2016, Official Report, column 23.

    https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2016-04-11/debates/1604111000001/PanamaPapers#contribution-1604116000104

    “

  • Philip Hollobone – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Philip Hollobone – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Hollobone on 2016-04-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what information he holds on when Greece will have taken steps to ensure that its asylum system is compliant with Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights and the ruling of the European Court of Human Rights on 21 January 2011 in the case of MSS vs Belgium and Greece.

    Mr David Lidington

    The Asylum Agency in Greece was founded in 2011 in response to criticism of the previous system and the case of MSS v. Belgium and Greece. The same law adapted Greek legislation to Directive 2008/115/EC on returning illegally residing third country nationals and related issues.

    The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe monitors the case of MSS v. Belgium and Greece under the “enhanced supervision” procedure. They last considered it in December 2015 and will do so again in December 2016. There was no debate in 2015, which means the Secretariat were satisfied with the information Greece had provided.

    The UN’s Universal Periodic Review of Greece will take place in early May. The review will cover the full range of human rights in Greece, including the asylum system. Greece’s self-assessment will be available on the website of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

  • Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-04-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the threat posed by Daesh in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The Taleban remain the main threat to Afghans’ security. Although the Daesh affiliate in Afghanistan is under pressure from the US and Afghan armed forces, local militias and the Taleban (with whom they are competing for influence), we assess that Daesh aims to expand its presence in Nangarhar Province in the east of Afghanistan.

  • Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Gareth Thomas – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gareth Thomas on 2016-04-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to assist the government of Afghanistan in tackling corruption in that country.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    I have been asked to reply.

    Helping Afghans to tackle corruption is critical to the UK’s engagement in Afghanistan. We are taking a leading role in raising the profile and priority of anti-corruption efforts and coordinating international efforts focused on interventions that contribute to the building of a stable political settlement and a viable state.

    The UK’s objectives are to:

    • Change norms and incentives: supporting increased transparency, citizen engagement, civil society advocacy and oversight, and applying greater political pressure;
    • Strengthen systems to reduce opportunity: supporting stronger private sector regulation, strengthening public financial management and administrative controls;
    • Increase risk to individuals: supporting enforcement to increase sanctions, controlling access to the UK and increasing reputational risk; and
    • Minimise risk in UK-funded activity: improving use of evidence and further strengthening programme and risk management.