Tag: Baroness Tonge

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-04-18.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they ensure that the government of Saudi Arabia complies with the regulatory regime established under the Export Control Act 2002, in particular in respect of arms used in Yemen and supplied by the UK.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

The British Government considers each export licence application on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria, taking account of relevant factors at the time of application. The Criteria implement the UK’s obligations under the Export Control Act 2002. This includes an assessment of Criterion 2c (whether there is a clear risk that the proposed exports might be used in the commission of a serious violation of international humanitarian law (IHL)).

A licence will not be issued for export of items to any country, including Saudi Arabia, if to do so would be inconsistent with any mandatory provision of the Criteria, including where we assess there is a clear risk that the items might be used in the commission of a serious violation of IHL. The Government is satisfied that extant licences for Saudi Arabia are compliant with the Criteria.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-05-05.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether Misoprostol is approved for usage in obstetrics and gynaecology in the UK, and if so, for what specific purposes.

Lord Prior of Brampton

Misoprostol is used in adults for the medical termination of developing intra-uterine pregnancy, in sequential use with mifepristone, up to 49 days of amenorrhoea. It is taken as a single 400 microgram oral dose 36 to 48 hours after taking a single 600 milligrams oral dose of mifepristone.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-05-23.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they are making to the government of Israel concerning the banning of two Palestinians from accessing Al Aqsa Mosque on the grounds of their having been involved in protests against the entry of Israeli settlers to the site.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

Whilst we have not raised this specific issue with the Israeli authorities, it is vital that the longstanding status quo of the Temple Mount/Haram al Sharif compound be preserved and we urge the Israeli authorities to comply with their obligations under international law as an occupying power in East Jerusalem.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-06-13.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many midwives have been trained in identifying female genital mutilation (FGM) and in the new mandatory FGM reporting duties, and what percentage of midwives that represents.

Lord Prior of Brampton

The Department does not hold information on the numbers of midwives who have been trained in identifying female genital mutilation (FGM) or the mandatory reporting duty to report FGM. Content on tackling FGM is included within the Level 3 Safeguarding training curriculum, published by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health on behalf of an inter-collegiate group, which all midwives are required to undertake. Many organisations also deliver additional training, the content of which is decided locally.

Last year the Department commissioned Health Education England to develop a range of FGM e-learning sessions available free of charge to National Health Service staff. As of 17 February almost 16,000 modules had been completed.

As part of the Department’s FGM Prevention Programme, a package of FGM awareness materials was sent to all hospitals and general practitioner practices in February 2016. In addition, we have developed a flyer insert about the FGM mandatory reporting duty which will be included in the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) magazine, sent to approximately 45,000 RCM members.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-07-19.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the progress of the UN Population Fund Supplies programme.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

As with all programmes in which DFID invests, the UNFPA Supplies programme is subject to thorough Annual Reviews, which were conducted in December 2014 and again in December 2015. The programme has expanded from 12 to 46 focus countries and has been found to be achieving value for money in procurement of contraceptive commodities. The recommendations from these Annual Reviews are being taken forward with UNFPA.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-09-13.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the UK has signed and ratified (1) Articles 1(c) and 2 of the Supplementary Convention on the Abolition of Slavery, the Slave Trade and Institutions, and Practices Similar to Slavery; (2) Articles 1, 2 and 3 of the Convention on Consent to Marriage, Minimum Age for Marriage and Registration of Marriages; (3) Articles 3 and 23 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; (4) Article 10 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; (5) Articles 2 and 16 of the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women; and (6) the Convention on the Rights of the Child; and if so, when.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

The UK has ratified all of these treaties and it is not possible to ratify single articles of these treaties. The UK ratified the Supplementary Convention on the Abolition of Slavery, the Slave Trade and Institutions, and Practices Similar to Slavery in 1957; acceded to the Convention on Consent to Marriage, Minimum Age for Marriage and Registration of Marriages in 1970; ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights in 1976; the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in 1976; ratified the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women in 1986; and ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1991.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-10-10.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what percentages of the Department for International Development’s total Official Development Assistance were spent on sexual, reproductive, maternal and child health in (1) 2013, (2) 2014, and (3) 2015.

Lord Bates

The Department of International Development spent 12.4% of its official development assistance on sexual, reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in both 2013 and 2014. Data for 2015 has not yet been published.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2015-10-20.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel following the shooting of Maram Abudl-Latif al-Qaddoumi and her father in September.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

While our officials in Tel Aviv have not raised these specific cases with the Israeli authorities, we do regularly raise our concerns with them about the manner in which the Israel Defence Forces polices protests, including the use of lethal and non-lethal ammunition. Most recently, an official from our Embassy in Tel Aviv raised the issue of the live fire with the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 22 October.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2015-10-19.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel and the Palestinian Authority concerning the disruption of the fuel supply to Gaza due to the closure of the crossing points during Jewish holidays.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

While the British Government has not raised this specific case with the Israeli government or the Palestinian Authority, we regularly urge both parties to intensify measures to support Gaza’s reconstruction and economic development, including on energy. On 10 September, during Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s visit to the UK the Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), and the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), emphasised the importance of improving daily life for the people of Gaza, for example through better power and water supplies and facilitating exports from Gaza.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2015-10-19.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they are making to the government of Israel regarding the need for road and rail links between Rafah, Hebron, Jerusalem, Nablus and Janin to serve Palestine.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

While the British Government has not raised this specific issue with the Government of Israel, our Embassy in Tel Aviv consistently urge relaxation of the Israeli movement and access restrictions across the Occupied Palestinian Territories and raise the need to improve conditions on the ground for Palestinians. Most recently, on 19 October, our Ambassador in Tel Aviv raised these concerns with Israeli Cabinet Secretary, Avichai Mandleblit.