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  • Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-05-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the violations of the conditions of the EU Association Agreement by the government of Israel, what discussions they have had with other members of the EU, and the EU institutions, concerning the suspension of that agreement.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The EU Association Agreement provides an important framework to discuss the EU’s human rights concerns, and we work with the EU and Israel to address these. The EU regularly raises its concerns with Israel in meetings at all levels through the structures of the Association Agreement.

  • Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-05-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government in the light of the news that the HALO Trust has been granted approval to clear mines around the site of the baptism of Christ, what representations they plan to make to the government of Israel about clearing mines along the River Jordan that were laid during the 1967 war.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We welcome the HALO Trust’s work in the West Bank and are pleased that the UK has provided support to this. We will continue to liaise with Israeli and Palestinian authorities on these activities. The British Government has not lobbied the Israeli government to clear mines laid in 1967 along the rest of Jordan River.

  • Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-05-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to participate in the initiative of the government of France for ending the conflict in Israel and Palestine.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We will continue to work closely with the French government to ensure that their initiative makes a constructive contribution that encourages the parties to resume negotiations.

  • Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-05-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they plan to take, in the light of the recent deaths caused by the electricity crisis in Gaza, to (1) initiate discussions with other EU member states to end import restrictions, (2) assess the humanitarian situation first-hand, and (3) put forward a plan of action to rehouse citizens of Gaza who are forced to move owing to pollution.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We are concerned by the electricity shortage in Gaza and the serious impact it is having on the humanitarian situation. We, and the EU, regularly raise Gaza’s energy and the need to ease movement and access restrictions with the Israeli authorities. Our staff who visit and work in Gaza assess the humanitarian situation frequently. We have not put forward a plan rehouse citizens of Gaza who are forced to move owing to pollution.

  • Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-05-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel regarding the firing of tear gas canisters at journalists in front of Ofer Prison.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We have not raised this issue with the Government of Israel. However, the UK has repeatedly made clear to Israel our longstanding concerns about the manner in which the Israeli Defence Forces police non-violent protests. We are clear that protection of the freedom of the media is an important part of respecting human rights.

  • Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-05-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel regarding the firing of live bullets at Palestinians protesting against the Israeli incursion in al-Azza refugee camp, which wounded one protester.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    While we have not made any representations to the Israeli authorities on this issue, we have an ongoing dialogue with the Israeli authorities about the Israel Defence Forces’ use of live fire.

  • Baroness Walmsley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Baroness Walmsley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Walmsley on 2016-05-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether total Accident and Emergency (A&E) waiting times are calculated, for the purposes of reporting, from the time the ambulance arrives at A&E or from the time the patient enters the A&E Department.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    Accident and emergency (A&E) waiting times for patients who arrive by ambulance start either when the ambulance crew hand over the patient to the A&E department, or 15 minutes after the ambulance registers its arrival at A&E, whichever is earlier.

  • Lord Judd – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Judd – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Judd on 2016-05-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made, bilaterally and multilaterally, to the government of Ethiopia about the case of Bekel Gerba, deputy chairman of the Oromo Federalist Congress, and 21 others, recently charged under the counter-terrorism law.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We remain deeply concerned about the handling of demonstrations in Oromia and the reported deaths of a number of protestors. We have repeatedly made representations to the Ethiopian government, including Prime Minister Desalegn, over the situation in that region. We also have concerns about those detained under the Anti-Terrorism Proclamation, including members of the opposition groups, journalists, peaceful protesters, and others seeking to express their rights to freedom of assembly or expression. We are developing a coordinated response in concert with international partners to consider how best to raise our concerns with the Government of Ethiopia on the continued detention of opposition leaders like Bekele Gerba.

  • Lord Judd – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Judd – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Judd on 2016-05-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of conditions faced by detainees in Maekalawi prison in Ethiopia.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We do not have access to Maekalawi prison and, therefore, are not in a position to make an assessment of the conditions within the prison. However, we are aware of the allegations contained in the Human Rights Watch 2013 report titled “They Want a Confession” and the subsequent response from the Government of Ethiopia to the report. Through our bilateral relationship with Ethiopia we will continue to lobby the government on the treatment of high-profile political prisoners, some of who are detained at Maekalawi prison.

  • Lord Judd – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Judd – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Judd on 2016-05-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the prevalence of torture in Ethiopia.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We continue to be concerned about allegations of torture in Ethiopia made by organisations such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International in relation to people detained under the Anti-Terrorism Proclamation. Those include members of the opposition groups, journalists, peaceful protestors, and others seeking to express their rights to freedom of assembly or expression. We continually monitor and assess a range of human rights issues in Ethiopia, including allegations of torture. We continue to make representations to the Government of Ethiopia on individual cases as well as more broadly through our Human Rights Dialogue. We also support the continued human rights discussions between international partners and the Government of Ethiopia.