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  • Andrew Rosindell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Andrew Rosindell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-10-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions his Department has had with the government of Iran on alleged Iranian support to the Houthi rebels in Yemen; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We are concerned by Iranian support to the Houthis, including reports that Iran has transferred weapons to Yemen, which would be contrary to UN Security Council Resolution 2216 and the Security Council’s embargo on the export of weapons by Iran. We encourage Iran to show it can be a constructive part of the solution through promoting stability and showing commitment to the unity, sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Yemen. We have raised our concerns with the Iranian government, including with President Rouhani. The newly opened Embassy in Tehran is an opportunity to discuss a range of issues with Iranian counterparts, including regional issues.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Andrew Rosindell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-10-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his counterparts in the (a) Palestinian Authority and (b) Israeli government on recent violent attacks in that region.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We are deeply concerned by the recent violence across the Occupied Palestinian Territories and Israel. We strongly condemn all acts of violence and all incitement to commit acts of violence.

    Since the start of the current violence we have spoken regularly to both the Palestinian Authority and the Israeli government, urging them to use their influence to de-escalate the tensions.

    The most recent discussion with the Palestinian Authority was on 9 October when the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymead and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) spoke to President Abbas about the violence. On 8 October, our Consul General in Jerusalem raised our concerns in his meetings with President Abbas’ political adviser, Majdi Khaldi; Palestinian chief negotiator and Secretary-General of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation, Sa’eb Erekat; and the Palestinian Chief of Police, Hazem Attallah.

    The most recent discussion with the Israeli government was on 19 October when Her Majesty’s Ambassador in Tel Aviv raised our concerns with Israel Cabinet Secretary, Avichai Mandleblit. On 16 October, the Prime Minister’s National Security Adviser, Mark Lyall Grant, spoke to Israel’s National Security Adviser, Yossi Cohen, and reiterated the need for both sides to do everything in their power to calm the situation.

  • Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-10-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to protect the integrity of British territorial waters (a) in relation to Spain and (b) otherwise.

    Mr David Lidington

    The United Kingdom has a range of measures in place to defend British territorial waters, including British Gibraltar Territorial Waters (BGTW). The Royal Navy challenges all unlawful incursions by Spanish state vessels into BGTW, the United Kingdom makes diplomatic protests to Spain in respect of all such incursions. Incursions are violations of, rather than threats to, UK sovereignty over BGTW.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Andrew Rosindell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-10-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for peace in the Arabian peninsular of the Gulf coalition’s efforts to restore President Abd-Rabbuh Mansour Hadi’s government to power in Yemen.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We support the Saudi Arabia-led coalition military action following President Hadi’s request for support by ‘all means and measures to protect Yemen and deter Houthi aggression’. The Houthis have consistently failed to implement their commitments made in the Peace and National Partnership Agreement, adhere to UN Security Council Resolutions and continue to use force to achieve their aims.

    The Coalition has played a crucial role in reversing the military advance of the Houthis and forces loyal to former president Saleh, which is now helping create the conditions for the return of the legitimate Yemeni Government. Military gains must now be used to push forward the political process, which remains the best way to bring long-term stability to Yemen.

  • Crispin Blunt – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Crispin Blunt – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Crispin Blunt on 2015-10-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, in what form he expects the results of the renegotiation of the UK’s membership of the EU to be presented (a) by the European Council and (b) by the Government to the electorate.

    Mr David Lidington

    At the conclusion of any deal, the public will rightly expect Ministers to set out the results of the renegotiation, how the relationship with Europe has been changed and if – and how – those changes address their concerns. As the Chancellor of the Exchequer, my right hon. Friend the member for Tatton (Mr Osborne) said in June, the Government will publish assessments of the merits of membership and the risks of a lack of reform in the European Union, including the damage that that could do to Britain’s interests.

  • Greg Mulholland – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Greg Mulholland – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Greg Mulholland on 2015-10-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with Interserve about members of his Department’s cleaning staff facing disciplinary action over a pay dispute.

    Mr David Lidington

    Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials asked Interserve to comment in light of allegations from Citizens UK that Interserve cleaners had been disciplined because of a letter written to The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) in July about the London Living Wage. Interserve replied to to say that they had carried out an investigation to establish whether the letter had breached their confidentiality agreement with their staff. Interserve has since confirmed that their investigation has concluded and that no disciplinary action will be taken against the staff members concerned.

  • Stephen Hammond – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Stephen Hammond – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Hammond on 2015-10-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department has taken to prepare for the implementation of the proposed General Data Protection Regulation; which non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) and agencies overseen by his Department will be affected by that regulation; and what estimate he has made of the potential liability of his Department, its agencies and NDPBs in connection with that proposed regulation.

    Mr David Lidington

    Negotiations on the proposed General Data Protection Regulation are ongoing. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) is closely involved in work led by the Department for Culture, Media & Sport to consider the implications of the text and to ensure that UK interests are reflected. Once the outcome of trilogue negotiations between the Council of the European Union, the European Parliament and the Commission are complete, and the Regulation has been adopted, the liabilities will be further assessed. There will then follow a maximum implementation period of two years. We will also be considering the impact on our Executive Agencies (FCO Services and Wilton Park) and our Executive Non-Departmental Public Bodies (NDPBs) (the British Council, the Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission, the Great Britain China Centre and the Westminster Foundation for Democracy), all of which will affected by the Regulation.

  • Stephen Hammond – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Stephen Hammond – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Hammond on 2015-10-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department has taken to prepare for the implementation of the proposed General Data Protection Regulation; which non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) and agencies overseen by her Department will be affected by that regulation; and what estimate she has made of the potential liability of her Department, its agencies and NDPBs in connection with that proposed regulation.

    George Eustice

    Negotiations on the proposed General Data Protection Regulation are still continuing, led by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). Defra is working closely with DCMS on this issue.

    A high level assessment of the current draft proposals has been completed but we have not looked specifically at which bodies will be affected or the potential liabilities.

    Once the outcome of trilogue negotiations between the Council of the European Union, the European Parliament and the Commission are complete, and the Regulation has been adopted, the impact and liabilities will be assessed for Defra and its NDPBs and agencies.

  • Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-10-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what regulatory arrangements apply to potential measures to control and cull invasive non-native waterfowl.

    George Eustice

    Defra, in conjunction with the Great Britain Non-Native Species Secretariat, takes the problems and risks associated with non-native waterfowl very seriously. Since the 1990s Defra has commissioned and invested in a range of research projects, carried out by the Animal and Plant Health Agency, on invasive non-native waterfowl, including an assessment of the options for large-scale control and field trials of removal techniques for Egyptian geese. Additionally, best practice management guidelines have been published for Canada geese.

    Since 2005 Defra has also supported the UK Ruddy Duck Eradication Programme, and recently, established an Invasive Species Action Plan for the sacred ibis, and is developing an action plan for zoos to reduce the risk of escapes of all species, including waterfowl.

    Section 14(1) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 makes it illegal to release or allow to escape into the wild, any animal or plant which is not ordinarily resident in Great Britain and is not a regular visitor to Great Britain in a wild state, or is listed in Schedule 9 to the Act. This applies to all animals including waterfowl. An amendment to the 1981 Act, introduced this year in the Infrastructure Act 2015, introduced the provision of Species Control Orders, which can be used to remove any non-native species where they cause significant threats to biodiversity, the water environment, human health or the economy, in cases where a voluntary approach with landowners has otherwise failed.

  • Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Jim Shannon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2015-10-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the effect on agricultural land of invasive non-native waterfowl.

    George Eustice

    A 2010 report produced by the Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International (CABI) (part funded by Defra) estimated the annual costs of non-native geese and swans to agriculture to be approximately £1.5 million. These costs included damage to crops due to grazing, trampling and reduction in soil quality, as well as costs of applying mitigation measures.