The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what recent support the Government has provided to Egypt for oil and shale gas development.
Anna Soubry
We are not aware of any support given by the Government to the Egyptian authorities for oil and shale gas development.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Iranian counterpart on the human rights of the Bahai community in Iran.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
We have repeatedly expressed our concern at the harassment faced by Baha’is in Iran and at the sentencing of seven Baha’i leaders to 20 years in prison. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) raised human rights concerns during his visit to Tehran in August, including lack of freedoms for all citizens. We will continue to urge the Iranian Government to ensure that all Iranian citizens are able to practise their faith freely, as required by international conventions.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-11-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the Government has provided support for the fish farming industry in Egypt.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
The Government does not provide support for the fish farming industry in Egypt.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Steve Reed on 2015-11-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the political situation in Kurdistan and the effect this situation has on the threat from Islamic State; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
The UK Government is following the political situation in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq closely. Her Majesty’s Ambassador in Baghdad and Consul General in Erbil are encouraging Kurdish political leaders to resolve their differences peacefully, in the spirit of compromise and respecting democratic principles. We welcome the major contribution made by the Kurdistan Regional Government and Kurdish people to counter ISIL, and encourage them to continue to unite against this threat.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Henry Smith on 2015-11-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the governments of the Gulf Co-operation Council on improving bilateral trade and security.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
Our mutual security and prosperity are key parts of our bilateral relations with the Gulf states. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) discussed security and bilateral trade with the governments of Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on his visit to the Gulf at the end of October.
In the last month, I have discussed these issues with Oman and Qatar, at our regular working group meetings; with the Bahraini Royal Court Minister for Follow Up Affairs, Sheikh Ahmed bin Attiyatallah al Khalifa; and with UAE Minister of State for Federal National Council Affairs, Dr Anwar Mohammed Gargash, at the Coalition Counter ISIL Strategic Communications meeting.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Doughty on 2015-11-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he last met (a) the Afghan ambassador to the UK or (b) other representatives of the Afghan government.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) most recently met with Chief Executive Officer Abdullah Abdullah at the UN General Assembly in New York on 28 September 2015.
The Embassy of Afghanistan in London has been without an Ambassador since 23 March 2015, but Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials are in regular contact with Afghan Embassy representatives, including the Chargé d’Affaires Mr Siamak Herawi.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Doughty on 2015-11-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the (a) security and (b) political situation in the Central Africa Republic.
James Duddridge
The security situation in the Central African Republic (CAR) is grave. Outside the capital Bangui, violence, looting, hostage-taking and human rights abuses continue to occur with relative impunity. The security situation in Bangui is more stable than the rest of the country, having improved following the surge in violence in late September, but tensions still run high and we continue to advise against all travel to CAR. The political situation is precarious. The transitional government, led by President Catherine Samba-Panza, is being undermined by actors from armed groups and dates for elections have been moved a number of times in the last months. The first round is currently planned for late December 2015, with additional rounds planned for January 2016. Great efforts have been made to register all CAR citizens both in CAR and in refugee camps in neighbouring countries. We expect a deterioration in the political situation, in parallel with the security situation, in the lead up to these elections.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2015-11-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his Department’s expenditure against Departmental Expenditure Limits is in 2015-16; and what his Department’s Annually Managed Expenditure in 2015-16 was (a) at the time of the March Budget, (b) at the time of the Summer Budget and (c) on 10 November 2015.
Mr Philip Hammond
Audited spend information for 2015-16 will not be available until the FCO Accounts are published after the end of the financial year. Audited departmental outturn for 2014-15 against both Departmental Expenditure Limits and Annually Managed Expenditure is published in the FCO Annual Report and Accounts which has been placed in the Library of the House of Commons.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Durkan on 2015-11-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his estimate is of the number of human rights activists and community leaders killed in Colombia during the first eight months of 2015.
Mr Hugo Swire
The latest report from the NGO coalition ‘Somos Defensores’ recorded 51 murders of human rights defenders in the first nine months of 2015, compared to 55 for the whole of 2014 which indicates a worrying upward trend. Despite recent significant developments on the peace process we remain concerned by this increase in violence and threats against human rights defenders there. I again raised the issue of human rights with the Colombian Deputy Foreign Minister, Patti Londono, on 29 September. Officials in London met British NGOs on 9 November, to understand their concerns in greater detail.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Williams on 2015-11-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the options that were agreed by the UK, Morocco and the Saharawi under the 1990-91 ceasefire agreement for a referendum on self-determination in Western Sahara have changed.
Mr Tobias Ellwood
The options for a referendum on the self-determination of Western Sahara, as set out in the UN Secretary General’s 1990 report and the 1991 MINURSO mandate, have not changed. The UK fully supports UN-led efforts to encourage Morocco and the Polisario Front to agree a lasting and mutually acceptable political solution that provides for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara.