Tag: Baroness Tonge

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-03-08.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the safety of aircraft flying over heavily populated areas of West London, in the light of the laser attacks on aircraft pilots and the possible expansion of Heathrow Airport.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

The UK aviation industry has an excellent safety record and safety is monitored continuously by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) as safety regulator. The safety of the public is the first consideration in any decision-making process.

The CAA has conducted extensive assessments of the risks to aircraft of laser attacks. The CAA Mandatory Occurrence Reports (MORs) provide statistical data on the frequency and geographical location of attacks on UK aircraft. In addition, the data provides details of the rate of reported attacks in relation to the number of aircraft movements at all UK airports including London Heathrow.

The assessments are supplemented with further enhanced statistical analysis of the MORs by Imperial College London.

The Government is actively working to draw together a plan to tackle the issues around the sale and misuse of lasers, and to ensure the safety of consumers and aircraft.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-03-21.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to support countries in combating breast ironing.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

The Government is concerned about the harmful practice of breast ironing in some Commonwealth and other African countries. Whilst there is little data on the number of girls suffering from this abuse, we have, for example, worked with the government and religious leaders in Cameroon on campaigns to raise awareness and to support community-led efforts to end breast ironing.

The Government condemns violence against women and girls in all its forms and places gender equality at the heart of our bilateral development programming. In Nigeria we are investing over £40 million to change harmful social norms towards women and girls, and to protect women and girls against violence. I raised these issues with the Government of Nigeria during my visit to the country in February. Baroness Verma, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary at the Department for International Development (DfID), discussed gender-based violence in South Africa in October 2015, including DfID’s support to the re-establishment of South Africa’s Sexual Offences Courts and its work with the African Prosecutor’s Association on research into preventing violence against women.

The manifestations of violence against women and girls may change but it is critical to address the structural causes of violence, including harmful beliefs and attitudes. We shall continue to work through diplomatic and development channels to engage with governments and local communities in Africa and beyond, to support the rights of women and girls, including ending harmful practices which constitute violence.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-04-11.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many Israeli government organisations have been given charitable status in the UK.

Lord Bridges of Headley

In England and Wales the law requires charities to be independent in the way they operate and they must be set up with exclusively charitable purposes for the public benefit. This precludes from charitable status any organisations that are established to further the purposes of any non-charity, which would include a national government.

Charity law is devolved in Scotland and Northern Ireland, but the requirements there are similar.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-05-03.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anelay of St Johns on 18 April (HL7718), what action they will now take to protect land designated as a future Palestinian state.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

We continue to robustly raise our concerns over Israel’s expropriation of land in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Such steps damage the prospects for a two state solution. The UK has consistently called for an end to settlement expansion, which is illegal under international law. If the Israeli government is committed to a two-state solution then it will reverse its policy.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-05-18.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel regarding the firing of live bullets at Palestinians protesting against the Israeli incursion in al-Azza refugee camp, which wounded one protester.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

While we have not made any representations to the Israeli authorities on this issue, we have an ongoing dialogue with the Israeli authorities about the Israel Defence Forces’ use of live fire.

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

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what strategy they have to prevent the annexation of the West Bank by Israel.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

The UK’s longstanding position is clear: we support a negotiated settlement leading to a safe and secure Israel living alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian state; based on 1967 borders with agreed land swaps, with Jerusalem as the shared capital of both states, and a fair and agreed settlement for refugees. We regularly urge Israel and the Palestinian Authority to work together to meet their obligations under the Oslo Accords. We also call on all parties to abide by International Humanitarian Law and to promote peace, stability and security.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-07-11.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they plan to make to the government of Israel in the light of remarks by the UN Secretary General following his visit to Israel on 28 June urging the Israeli Prime Minister to work towards a negotiated two-state solution.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

The British Government believes that a negotiated two-state solution is in the interests of both Israel and the Palestinians. While we do not plan to make specific representations to the Government of Israel about the remarks by the UN Secretary General, we will continue to work with our international partners, including the UN, in support of a two-state solution.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-09-12.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel regarding the data collected by the Coalition Against Construction Accidents, about the rates at which Palestinians, Israeli Arabs or foreign nationals have died on Israeli construction sites in the past five years.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

We have not raised this issue with the Israeli authorities.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-10-11.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to carry out a review of the system of granting visas to Palestinians coming to the UK on exchange schemes; and if so, when.

Baroness Williams of Trafford

There are no plans to change the visa system for Palestinians living in East Jerusalem or Ramallah.

As set out in the Immigration Rules, applications for a visit visa or EEA family permit can be made in any visa application centre, British diplomatic mission or consular post overseas where entry clearance applications are accepted. Applications for other types of entry clearance should be made in the applicant’s country of residence. Where there is no post in the country of residence, applications should be made to the designated application post.

There are three Visa Application Centres in the Occupied Palestinian Territories designated by the Secretary of State to accept visas applications. These are the Visa Application Centre at the American Colony Hotel in Jerusalem, the British Information and Services Office in Gaza City, and the British Council office in Ramallah. Applicants choose the location for their appointment to submit their application at the end of the online application process.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2015-11-17.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel about its decision to approve the construction of Israeli settlement units in Bethlehem and close to Ramallah.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

Officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv raised the issue of settlement announcements with the Israeli Ministry of Defence on 17 November and the Israeli Deputy National Security Adviser on 18 November. The Government has repeatedly condemned settlement announcements, and we will continue to call on the Israeli authorities to cease all settlement building and to remove illegal outposts, as required under international law.