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  • Ian Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Ian Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Lucas on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the newly elected President of the Syrian National Council.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We are in constant contact with the Syrian opposition, including with the newly-elected President of the National Coalition, Hadi al-Bahra. We are increasing our support for them, as they counter the threats from extremists and Assad’s regime. UK Special Representative to Syria, Jon Wilks, met President al-Bahra on 10 and 15 July. In these discussions Mr Wilks stressed the UK’s strong support for the National Coalition’s goal of a transition to peaceful, democratic and inclusive Syria. I look forward to meeting and working with President al-Bahra in due course.

  • Andrew Bingham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Andrew Bingham – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Bingham on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to his Chinese counterpart on the health and whereabouts of human rights’ lawyer Mr Gao Zhisheng following his further detention by Chinese authorities.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    We remain concerned about human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng, who has been imprisoned in Xinjiang since 2011. We raised his case directly with Chinese officials during the UK-China Human Rights Dialogue on 19-20 May, and urged the Chinese authorities to respect the constitutionally guaranteed rights of all detainees, including access to family, lawyers and adequate medical care.

    We understand that Gao’s prison term is due to end soon, and we urge the Chinese authorities to ensure that his rights to freedom of movement and communication are duly protected on his release.

  • Mark Pritchard – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Mark Pritchard – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Pritchard on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received of the theft of antiquities by ISIS and their sale in the international arts market.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    The British Government takes the funding of terrorist organisations through any means very seriously. The Government is concerned by recent reports that stolen antiquities may be funding terrorist activity by groups such as the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL). The Government is also concerned by any destruction of important cultural heritage.

    The Government endorsed guidelines on countering trafficking in cultural property and related offences at the UN Office on Drugs and Crime Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice at its twenty-third session in May 2014.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Andrew Rosindell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what consular assistance is available to British nationals travelling to and around North Korea.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    The British Embassy in Pyongyang can only provide limited consular assistance to British Nationals in some parts of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) as a result of the limited access allowed to these areas. If a British National is based within the capital, where possible, regular consular services can be provided. British Nationals travelling independently should report their travel plans to the British Embassy in advance. Full travel advice for the DPRK is available at: www.gov.uk

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Andrew Rosindell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent steps his Department has taken to reduce tension in the on-going conflict between Israel and Palestine.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We are working to secure a ceasefire, to alleviate humanitarian suffering, and to keep alive the prospects for peace negotiations which are the only hope of breaking this cycle of violence and devastation once and for all. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) spoke with the Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman on 18 July and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on 19 July. The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron) also spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu on 20 July.

  • Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the value is of duplicate supplier payments identified by his Department since 2010; and what proportion of such payments have since been recovered in each of the last two financial years.

    Mr David Lidington

    The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) does not hold all of the required data centrally and could not answer this question in full without incurring disproportionate costs. However, we recently investigated duplicate supplier payments for the eight month period from April to November 2013 and identified just one duplicate invoice, with a value of £2,501. Our financial control system prevented any payment being made. The FCO has several controls in place to prevent duplicate payments.

  • John Hemming – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    John Hemming – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Hemming on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department has taken to tackle offences of child abuse on St Helena.

    Mark Simmonds

    Territory Governments have the principal responsibility for ensure the safeguarding of children in the Overseas Territories, for which the UK provides practical assistance and support. DFID and the FCO have been supporting child safeguarding initiatives in the OT’s for the last nine years, most recently through the Safeguarding Children in the Overseas Territories (SCOT) programme (2013-2016), which followed on from an earlier SCOT programme (2009-2013) and a regional Child Protection Programme (CPP, 2005-2008). Although tangible progress was made in earlier programmes to raise awareness and build capacity, the new programme will focus on gaining a deeper understanding of the problem including how to detect, prevent and address child abuse.

    In St Helena, the SCOT programme has helped encourage revised and updated legislation to protect children, established professional protocols and procedures for those involved in child services, improved the provision of training for St Helena officials, and helped to promote local ownership of the safeguarding agenda. Support has been provided to St Helena through a Lucy Faithfull Foundation review (2013) and technical expertise to take forward a robust child safeguarding action plan arising from review recommendations.

    The FCO and DFID have been working closely with the UK police who have investigated reports into child sex abuse of St Helena and continue to do so.

  • Ian Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Ian Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Lucas on 2014-07-15.

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

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We continue to monitor carefully the ongoing security situation in Tripoli and across Libya. We are deeply concerned at the attacks in and around Tripoli International Airport, and condemn actions which put lives in danger whether in the East or West of the country.

    We support the Libyan Government’s call for a ceasefire and urgent dialogue. Violence and the threat of violence are unacceptable, and should not be used to pursue political goals. The situation in which armed groups operate outside government control, and without respect for either Libyan or international law, threatens the stability of the state and Libyan people’s aspirations for a secure and prosperous future.

    Our travel advice remains current, and is updated as necessary to reflect the situation on the ground.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Andrew Rosindell – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, What recent assessment he has made of the security situation in Ukraine.

    Mr David Lidington

    The situation in eastern Ukraine is of grave concern. As the Prime Minister recently discussed with President Obama, Chancellor Merkel and President Hollande, Russia still needs to take steps towards de-escalation including support for a ceasefire; release of all hostages; and preventing the transit of weapons and fighters across the Russia-Ukraine border.

    The tragic incident involving Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 underlines the seriousness of the situation. The reason violence continues in eastern Ukraine is because Russian-backed armed separatists refused to respect a ceasefire and have continued to intimidate, mount attacks and disrupt the lives of ordinary people.

  • Ian Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Ian Lucas – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Lucas on 2014-07-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he had with his Libyan counterparts about violence in Tripoli.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    Since assuming office on 15 July, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) has yet to have direct discussions with the Libyan Foreign Minister. However, through our Embassy in Tripoli, we remain in direct contact with the Libyan Government at the highest levels. We share their concern at the attacks in and around Tripoli International Airport, and condemn all actions which put lives in danger whether in the East or West of the country. We support the Libyan Government’s call for a ceasefire and urgent dialogue.