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  • 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 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent bilateral discussions he has had with members of the International Syria Support Group on achieving a ceasefire in Syria.

    Mr Philip Hammond

    Since the last meeting of the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) on 18 December in New York I have spoken personally to my French, US, Saudi Arabian, Turkish, Chinese and German counterparts about our common goal of achieving an end to the Syrian crisis. British officials continue to engage with their counterparts from the full range of ISSG countries and organisations over Syria. Next month we are co-hosting an international conference in London to address the appalling situation in Syria and the impact on neighbouring countries. This event will provide a further opportunity to engage with ISSG counterparts.

  • 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 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what planning for post-conflict stabilisation and reconstruction in Syria the Government has undertaken.

    Mr Philip Hammond

    The UK has factored the need for post-conflict stabilisation and reconstruction into our planning from the beginning of the crisis and committed £1bn towards this. We are now working with international partners to coordinate stabilisation efforts as they develop, and to update our post-conflict planning to reflect the timeline envisaged in the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) process. We are ensuring that an internationally coordinated stabilisation mechanism is ready for a scenario in which transition has taken place, when delivery of stabilisation efforts to support political transition will be necessary. This all rests on an inclusive political settlement, which is why the UK is pushing hard for the ISSG to deliver transition leading to a ceasefire and an inclusive government which represents all Syrians. The Syria Conference in February provides an important opportunity to advance stabilisation and reconstruction planning.

  • 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 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what support the Government is providing to the Kurdish Peshmerga in their efforts against Daesh.

    Mr Philip Hammond

    As part of our wider support to the Government of Iraq and in close cooperation with the Global Coalition to Counter ISIL, we are providing substantial assistance to the Kurdish Peshmerga. In addition to the air support being provided by the RAF, the UK military training team in northern Iraq we have trained over 2,700 Peshmerga fighters in infantry fighting skills, weapons handling and C-IED procedures. We have also gifted weapons and ammunition, including 40 heavy machine guns, non-lethal equipment and airlifted support provided by other Coalition partners.

  • 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 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to disrupt and prevent the sale of antiquities by Daesh to finance their terrorist activities.

    Mr Philip Hammond

    Daesh has two main sources of funding. About 40% comes from extorting communities living in territory it controls; and around 40% from selling oil. It also gets a small amount of funding from selling looted antiquities and donations from individuals in the region and around the world. The trade in stolen cultural property accounts for only a small proportion of Daesh revenues, and is mostly carried out by third parties operating in Daesh territory.

    UK efforts in this area have focussed on limiting the market into which Daesh can sell looted antiquities into. UN Security Council 2199, which we co-sponsored in February 2015, sanctions those trading with Daesh and includes provisions on cultural heritage. The UK has an effective domestic legal framework for matters of cultural property. All import or export of illegally removed Iraqi and Syrian cultural property is prohibited, and it is a criminal offence in the UK to deal dishonestly in tainted cultural property from anywhere in the world.

    The Government announced at the end of 2015 that a new Cultural Protection Fund would be established to help address recovery from acts of cultural destruction overseas, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office co-hosted a summitt in October 2015, with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, to support this.

  • John Howell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    John Howell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Howell on 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Palestinian Authority on reports of senior official Jibril Rajoub praising terror attacks against Israelis.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We absolutely condemn the glorification of terrorism and all incitement to commit violence, whichever side it comes from, and we will seek to raise this specific issue with the Palestinian Authority in the near future. Since the start of the current violence we have spoken regularly to both the Israeli government and the Palestinian Authority, urging them to use their influence to de-escalate the tensions. We regularly raise incitement with the Palestinian Authority, and have urged key figures to encourage calm and condemn violence. We continue to support the reinstatement of the Tripartite Committee as the appropriate channel to deal with allegations of incitement from either side.

  • John Howell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    John Howell – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Howell on 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received of the glorification by the Fatah movement of terrorists who have murdered Israelis.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    I am aware of reports of statements praising the actions of terrorists. This includes the recent statement from the Palestinian Ministry of Health, which praised Nashat Milhem as a martyr following his attack in Tel Aviv on New Year’s Day. We condemn the glorification of terrorism and all incitement to commit violence, whichever side it comes from. We regularly raise incitement with the Palestinian Authority, and have urged key figures to encourage calm and condemn violence.

  • 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 2016-01-13.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what statistical information his Department holds on the age, gender, ethnic group and religious identification of people in Bahrain.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not hold this information. We consult a number of published sources, including the Government of Bahrain and those from international organisations such as the United Nations and World Bank.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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).