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  • Helen Goodman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Helen Goodman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Goodman on 2016-04-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many diplomatic certificates his Department has issued in the last two years; to whom such certificates were issued; and for what roles such certificates were issued.

    James Duddridge

    The Foreign and Commonwealth Office may be asked to produce a certificate confirming a person’s entitlement to privilege or immunity whenever required in any legal proceedings, under section 4 of the Diplomatic Privileges Act 1964. Details of these certificates are not recorded centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

  • 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 2016-04-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to support a peaceful resolution to violence in Burundi after the African Union’s decision not to send in peacekeeping troops to that country; and if he will make a statement.

    James Duddridge

    The UK remains at the forefront of international efforts to end the violence in Burundi. I addressed the Security Council and regional leaders of the Great Lakes last month, highlighting the need for urgent action. Alongside our partners in the UN Security Council, we worked to agree Resolution 2279 on 1 April which strengthens the mandate of the UN’s Special Adviser and presents the possibility of a UN police deployment to Burundi.

    The deployment will monitor the security situation, promote the respect of human rights and advance the rule of law.

    We continue to press the Government of Burundi to facilitate the deployment of 200 African Union observers, as it publicly stated it would in February. However, ending the violence in the long-term will require a negotiated solution, agreed by the Burundians themselves.

    I welcome the appointment of former Tanzanian President, Benjamin Mkapa, as facilitator of the East African Community led dialogue and urges all parties to engage in this dialogue without preconditions. We stand ready to support President Mkapa’s efforts to bring a halt to the violence and other human rights abuses.

  • 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 2016-04-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect of refugees from Burundi on neighbouring countries; what discussions he has had with his counterparts in (a) Uganda, (b) Tanzania, (c) Rwanda and (d) the Democratic Republic of Congo on the humanitarian situation related to refugees from Burundi; and if he will make a statement.

    James Duddridge

    The UK is very concerned about the ongoing political and human rights crisis in Burundi, and the flow of refugees to neighbouring countries. Over 257,000 Burundians have become refugees since April 2015. The UK’s humanitarian response has concentrated on the region, particularly in Tanzania and Rwanda, for which we have provided £21.15 million since April 2015. We are also supporting refugees in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda through existing programmes and the provision of technical advice. In December 2015 I visited Uganda and Rwanda where I highlighted the deteriorating situation and urged regional players to take concrete steps to find a solution. My Hon. Friend and the Department for International Development Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State Nick Hurd MP visited Nyarugusu refugee camp in western Tanzania in March, and met with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and donor partners. He continues to raise the plight of Burundian refugees with influential regional partners, including during his recent visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and with interested parties, including the Archbishop of Canterbury and David Miliband of the International Rescue Committee. Whilst there are no plans to make a statement at this stage, we will continue monitoring the political and human rights situation in Burundi.

  • 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 2016-04-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations his Department has made to the governments of Armenia and Azerbaijan on the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh.

    Mr David Lidington

    The UK is deeply concerned about the recent upsurge in fighting on the Nagorno-Karabakh line of contact. I issued a statement on 2 April calling for the sides to halt the fighting and to exercise restraint. After four days of intense fighting, a ceasefire was announced on 5 April; although the situation remains tense. While the UK has no direct role in negotiations, we strongly support the work of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group Co-Chairs, who have recently visited the region. We will continue to urge the sides to work with the Minsk Group Co-Chairs to reach a negotiated peace settlement.

  • Hilary Benn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Hilary Benn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2016-04-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of compliance by the United Arab Emirates with international treaties and norms on the use of torture.

    Mr Philip Hammond

    The British Government consistently and unreservedly condemns torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment and it is a priority for us to combat it wherever and whenever it occurs. We are aware of recent allegations made against the United Arab Emirates and we have expressed our concerns to the authorities, including our expectation that all cases will be thoroughly investigated in line with international standards. During those representations the United Arab Emirates confirmed that they are committed to investigating any allegations of mistreatment. The United Arab Emirates are a State Party to the Convention against Torture.

  • Stewart Malcolm McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Stewart Malcolm McDonald – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stewart Malcolm McDonald on 2016-04-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what (a) immediate and (b) long-term support the Government is giving to the government of Pakistan in response to the most recent attacks in that country.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    I utterly condemn the attack which took place on Easter Sunday in Lahore, Pakistan.

    The UK continues to stand with Pakistan in tackling terrorism, and the extremism that sustains it. In the immediate and long term, we are working with Pakistan to increase its ability to detect and disrupt improvised explosive devices, and to support capacity building and reform of the civilian criminal justice system so that those responsible for attacks are held to account in line with international standards on human rights. We also support Pakistan to confront extremist narratives and address the root causes of extremism and terrorism.

  • Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Tom Brake – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-04-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what proportion of expenditure earned from UK arms exports comes from exporting arms to countries in the Middle East.

    Anna Soubry

    The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills does not hold data on earnings from UK arms exports. However, we publish official statistics on the value of defence exports, which includes data for the Middle East. Further details can be found on the GOV.UK website.

  • Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-04-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what commitments on compensation and other matters the UK and other EU member-states agreed to implement under the provisions of the EU Political and Security note of December 2014, contingent on the EU Structured Dialogue with the State of Israel halting demolitions by 17 March 2016.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    There has been a significant increase in Israeli demolitions since the start of 2016. The EU is considering how to respond to the demolition and confiscation of EU-funded structures in Area C. The UK and the EU continue to raise concerns about demolitions with the Government of Israel and make it clear that demolitions are contrary to international humanitarian law in all but the most exceptional cases.

  • Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Stephen Timms – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-04-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, for what reason there was a shortage of the BCG vaccine in 2015; and what steps his Department is taking so that such shortages do not occur in the future.

    Jane Ellison

    The supply of United Kingdom licensed Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) vaccine continues to be subject to intermittent manufacturing problems, which have impacted deliveries of vaccine into the UK. This delay has resulted in the depletion of the UK buffer stock and impacted onward supply to the National Health Service in 2015. The NHS remains subject to periods of intermittent supply.

    This is in the context of a global shortage of BCG vaccine where Public Health England (PHE) and the Department are actively engaging alternative manufacturers of BCG vaccine to secure supply during this period of disruption as quickly as possible. PHE continues to provide prioritisation advice to healthcare professionals during the period of constrained supply.

  • Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Steve McCabe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve McCabe on 2016-04-14.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the average change in the level of financial support given to a person over (a) five, (b) 10 and (c) 30 years under his Department’s proposals to reform financial support for people affected by HIV or hepatitis C through treatment with NHS-supplied blood or blood products if compensation is not linked to inflation.

    Jane Ellison

    The proposal to uncouple the link between annual payments and the Consumer Price Index (CPI) was contained in in the consultation document “Infected Blood: Reform of financial and other support”. The aim of this proposal was to provide certainty about the amount of the annual payment and no estimation of the average change in the payments made to an individual claimant was made. No decisions have yet been made and details of the shape and structure of a reformed scheme, including the link to the CPI, will be decided following the end of the public consultation, which closed on 15 April.