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  • Kerry McCarthy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Kerry McCarthy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2016-04-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many organisations in receipt of grant funding awarded by her Department were found to have engaged in activity that (a) influenced or attempted to influence Parliament, Government or the European Commission and (b) attempted to influence legislative or regulatory action in each of the last five years.

    George Eustice

    Defra does provide grants to help fund certain bodies which are trying to achieve objectives that are aligned to those of the department. However, these primarily have a global focus in relation to protecting eco-systems, the environment and protecting wildlife and whilst their activities may include lobbying international bodies and governments, we do not have specific details on this.

  • Paul Flynn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Paul Flynn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Paul Flynn on 2016-04-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he has taken to encourage US-based IT companies to make customer use data available to UK intelligence services to help tackle international terrorism.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The Government works with IT companies around the world to ensure that we have the information required to tackle threats to the UK.

    UK law grants warrants issued in pursuit of such data extra-territorial jurisdiction. The Government is also in the process of negotiating a bilateral agreement with the US which will aid the ability of US companies to respond to UK warrants.

  • 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 2016-04-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received on action taken by the Egyptian government against Reuters as a result of that company’s reporting of the case of Giulio Regeni; and what representations he has made to that government on such reports.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We are concerned by reports that Reuters is under investigation in relation to an article published on 21 April about Giulio Regeni’s case, and are in contact with Reuters to establish the facts. We consider a free and independent media to be a vital element of a stable and democratic state. As well as calling on the Egyptian authorities to ensure a full and transparent investigation in full cooperation with the Italian authorities, we continue to call on the Egyptian government to ensure that the rule of law and rights enshrined in the Egyptian constitution are protected, so that journalists are able to operate freely without fear of persecution.

  • 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 2016-04-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has made to the Indian government on the release from prisons of the five Britons working for the AdvanFort Security Company.

    Mr Philip Hammond

    We continue to make representations on behalf of the six British men in this case. On 1 April the Prime Minister, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), raised this case for the fourth time with the Indian Prime Minister at a summit in Washington. During April it has been raised again with both the Indian Minister of External Affairs and the Indian Foreign Secretary and with the State Government during the 27-28 April visit to Chennai of the new High Commissioner.

  • Emily Thornberry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Emily Thornberry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Emily Thornberry on 2016-04-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many members of his Department’s staff from which of his Department’s sections were seconded to (a) the Joint Intelligence Organisation’s Assessments Staff and (b) the National Security Secretariat in the Cabinet Office during 2015.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We are not able to provide the number of Foreign and Commonwealth Office staff seconded to the Joint Intelligence Organisation’s Assessment Staff or the National Security Secretariat for operational security reasons.

  • Charles Walker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Charles Walker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charles Walker on 2016-04-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received of confiscation of land (a) in Biafra and (b) owned by Biafrans by the Nigerian government.

    James Duddridge

    The UK fully supports the territorial integrity of Nigeria and President Buhari’s commitment to work for a secure and prosperous Nigeria for all Nigerians. We are committed to working with Nigeria to help tackle threats to Nigeria’s security and to address the underlying causes of instability which exist within Nigeria. We do not assess that there is institutionalised persecution of the Igbo or any other peoples by the Nigerian authorities.

    We are not aware of any patterns of land confiscation in Nigeria by the Nigerian Government. Nigeria does face the challenge of inter-communal violence between farmers and herdsmen over land, farming rights, grazing routes and access to water. We are aware that the Nigerian legislature is currently debating a bill on grazing routes and reserves for Nigerian herdsmen. Part of that debate focuses on balancing the rights of land owners with the requirements of herder communities.

    Through our development assistance the UK supports initiatives to reduce these conflicts and build bridges between communities. We will continue to work with the Nigerian Government, non-governmental organisations and civil society to improve the security situation and human rights for all the people of Nigeria.

  • Charles Walker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Charles Walker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charles Walker on 2016-04-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has undertaken of the incidence of repression of Christians by the Nigerian government; and if he will make a statement.

    James Duddridge

    In Nigeria, the right to freedom of religion is protected by the Constitution. Boko Haram seeks to undermine this right by attacking Nigerians of all faiths who do not subscribe to its extremist views. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not hold information on the number of churches that have been destroyed in Nigeria, but it is clear that Boko Haram has caused immense suffering in both Christian and Muslim communities. We assess that the majority of their victims are Muslim.

    We are providing a substantial package of intelligence, military, development and humanitarian support to Nigeria in the fight against Boko Haram, including training and advice on counter insurgency and £5 million of support to a regional military taskforce.

    Nigeria also faces the challenge of inter-communal conflicts between farmers and herdsmen over land, farming rights, grazing routes and access to water. Through our development assistance, the UK supports initiatives to reduce these conflicts and build bridges between communities.

    We will continue to work with the Nigerian Government, non-governmental organisations and civil society to improve the security situation and human rights for all in Nigeria.

  • Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Diana Johnson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diana Johnson on 2016-04-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the Government supports the request made by the Italian government to the Egyptian government to access telephone records relating to the case of Giulio Regeni; and whether he has made representations on that request to the Egyptian government.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We have consistently called on the Egyptian authorities to conduct a full and transparent investigation, in support of action by the Italian authorities. I spoke in depth with the Egyptian Ambassador in London on 11 April about Giulio Regeni’s case, including the Italian request for telephone records. We are disappointed by the limited progress made in the case over the last three months and are concerned that Italy has not found the cooperation that Egypt has provided to them to be sufficient.

  • Charles Walker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Charles Walker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charles Walker on 2016-04-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what information his Department holds on the number of Christian churches that have been destroyed in Nigeria since 1990; and if he will make a statement.

    James Duddridge

    In Nigeria, the right to freedom of religion is protected by the Constitution. Boko Haram seeks to undermine this right by attacking Nigerians of all faiths who do not subscribe to its extremist views. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not hold information on the number of churches that have been destroyed in Nigeria, but it is clear that Boko Haram has caused immense suffering in both Christian and Muslim communities. We assess that the majority of their victims are Muslim.

    We are providing a substantial package of intelligence, military, development and humanitarian support to Nigeria in the fight against Boko Haram, including training and advice on counter insurgency and £5 million of support to a regional military taskforce.

    Nigeria also faces the challenge of inter-communal conflicts between farmers and herdsmen over land, farming rights, grazing routes and access to water. Through our development assistance, the UK supports initiatives to reduce these conflicts and build bridges between communities.

    We will continue to work with the Nigerian Government, non-governmental organisations and civil society to improve the security situation and human rights for all in Nigeria.

  • Charles Walker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Charles Walker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Charles Walker on 2016-04-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received of the potential effects of the grazing bill being considered by the Nigerian National Assembly on land rights in Biafra.

    James Duddridge

    The UK fully supports the territorial integrity of Nigeria and President Buhari’s commitment to work for a secure and prosperous Nigeria for all Nigerians. We are committed to working with Nigeria to help tackle threats to Nigeria’s security and to address the underlying causes of instability which exist within Nigeria. We do not assess that there is institutionalised persecution of the Igbo or any other peoples by the Nigerian authorities.

    We are not aware of any patterns of land confiscation in Nigeria by the Nigerian Government. Nigeria does face the challenge of inter-communal violence between farmers and herdsmen over land, farming rights, grazing routes and access to water. We are aware that the Nigerian legislature is currently debating a bill on grazing routes and reserves for Nigerian herdsmen. Part of that debate focuses on balancing the rights of land owners with the requirements of herder communities.

    Through our development assistance the UK supports initiatives to reduce these conflicts and build bridges between communities. We will continue to work with the Nigerian Government, non-governmental organisations and civil society to improve the security situation and human rights for all the people of Nigeria.