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  • Andrew Murrison – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Andrew Murrison – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Murrison on 2016-01-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he next plans to visit the Kingdom of Morocco.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    I led a trade delegation of 40 companies to Morocco in November, reconfirming our close bilateral relationship and demonstrating the potential to expand our trade links.

    I have no firm plans to return at present, but am pleased that the Moroccan Ministers of Energy and Justice are visiting the UK later this month.

  • 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 2016-01-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received on the recent arrests of lawyers and opposition activists in China.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    We remain concerned that a number of Chinese lawyers and activists detained since July have not been released.

    The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymeade and Weybridge, (Mr Hammond), raised this issue with the Chinese Foreign Minister last week, requesting clarification about the situation of those detained.

  • Anne-Marie Trevelyan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Anne-Marie Trevelyan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anne-Marie Trevelyan on 2016-01-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for the UK’s relations with Argentina of the presidential election in that country in November 2015.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    It is no secret that we have long hoped for a more mature bilateral relationship with whomever succeeded the Kirchner administration.

    There are undoubted economic benefits for both of our countries, if President Macri can help Argentina to overcome years of mismanagement.

    But let me assure this House that our position on the Falklands will not change.

  • Luke Hall – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Luke Hall – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Luke Hall on 2016-01-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the political situation in Libya.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We welcome the signature of the Libyan Political Agreement on 17 December which paves the way for a new Government of National Accord in Libya. The security situation remains fragile and it is vital that the new government is formed quickly to tackle the threats from Daesh and people smuggling.

  • David Rutley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    David Rutley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Rutley on 2016-01-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation on the situation in Syria.

    Mr Philip Hammond

    I have discussed Syria with Foreign Minister Lavrov at meetings of the International Syria Support Group, most recently on 18 December in New York. The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), discussed Syria with President Putin at the G20 Summit in Antalya, and in a telephone conversation on 9 December following Parliament’s vote to support military action against Daesh in Syria.

  • Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Andy Slaughter – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andy Slaughter on 2016-01-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the human rights situation in Saudi Arabia.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    I refer the hon. Gentleman to my statement of 5 January on Saudi Arabia, Official Report, column 93. The British Government is concerned about the executions of 47 people over the New Year. We have raised our concerns with the Saudi authorities. I did so most recently on 4 January. We use the strength of our relationship to encourage reform.

  • Pat Glass – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Pat Glass – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Pat Glass on 2016-01-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had in the Council of the EU as part of negotiations on the UK’s membership of the EU on free movement of people in the EU and access to in-work benefits.

    Mr Philip Hammond

    The Government is negotiating reform of the EU and a new relationship for Britain with the EU to fix the aspects of our membership that cause so much frustration in Britain. Following a substantive and constructive discussion at the December European Council, Member States agreed to work toward ‘mutually satisfactory solutions’ at the February European Council.

  • Debbie Abrahams – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Debbie Abrahams – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Debbie Abrahams on 2016-01-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions were held during the recent visit to the UK by the Indian Prime Minister on Kashmir.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    I refer the hon. member to my answer of 23 November 2015 (PQ No 16855).

  • Stephen Hepburn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Stephen Hepburn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Hepburn on 2016-01-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claimants of jobseeker’s allowance in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK have received a sanction of their benefit in each of the last five years.

    Priti Patel

    The latest available information on Jobseeker’s Allowance sanctions, including the number of Mandatory Reconsiderations and Appeals, is published at:

    https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/:

    Guidance on how to extract the information required can be found at:

    https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started—SuperWEB2.html

    Please note Mandatory reconsiderations were introduced in 28th October 2013.

    Information for Northern Ireland is the responsibility of the Department for Social Development. Northern Ireland statistics can be found at:

    http://www.dsdni.gov.uk/index/stats_and_research/benefit_publications.htm

    “

  • Louise Ellman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Louise Ellman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Louise Ellman on 2016-01-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what representations he has made to the Danish government on the death of Stephen O’Malley since the adjournment debate of 25 November 2015.

    Justin Tomlinson

    A transcript of the debate was passed to the Danish authorities, via the Danish Deputy Chief Prosecutor, on 27 November 2015.

    The Danish authorities have since confirmed that their State Attorney is reviewing the case, and is expected to make a decision on whether to re-open the case or agree that the original findings were correct, in January 2016.