Tag: Daniel Kawczynski

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Kawczynski on 2015-12-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to prevent the inadvertent use of Libyan financial assets for the funding of militias in that country.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

Funding of militias by the Libyan Government dates from the immediate aftermath of the 2011 revolution. The ongoing conflict has made it difficult for subsequent governments to regularise the situation. We welcome the announcement that the Libyan political dialogue members are expected to sign the Libyan Political Agreement. A ceasefire will be essential in order for a Government of National Accord (GNA) to operate. It will be crucial for the new GNA to quickly integrate supportive militias into a regularised national budgetary and security framework.

As underlined at the Rome Conference on 13 December, the United Kingdom stands ready with our international partners in supporting a new Government of National Accord in restoring stability, including economic, technical and security assistance, as requested.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Kawczynski on 2016-02-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to support the House of Representatives in Libya, Tobruk and General Haftar to take over the running of the state of Libya.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

The UK strongly supports the Libyan Political Agreement (LPA) signed at Skhirat on 17 December by the majority of the Libyan delegates to the UN facilitated political dialogue, and by a wide range of representatives of Libyan society, municipal leaders and political parties. The Agreement paves the way for a Government of National Accord (GNA) and was unanimously endorsed by the UN Security Council Resolution 2259. The House of Representatives, which endorsed the agreement with some reservations on 25 January, has a key role under the LPA. To ensure a lasting peace in Libya, we urge all parties to quickly take the necessary steps outlined in the Agreement, including the agreement of key leadership positions, to create a Government of National Accord based in Tripoli. Only a unified national government can begin the difficult work of establishing effective, legitimate governance, restoring stability and tackling the threat posed by Daesh.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Kawczynski on 2016-04-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the Government’s policy is on supporting proposals for a new Libyan government involving restoration of a monarchy and a return to the 1951 Libyan Constitution.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

The UK, along with our international partners, is focused on working closely with the Government of National Accord (GNA) as the only legitimate government in Libya. It is clear the GNA, agreed after more than a year of political talks between a range of Libyan parties, enjoys clear majority support as the institution to govern the country.

It is for the Libyan people to decide whether they want to pursue proposals for the restoration of the monarchy and return to the 1951 Libyan Constitution. There is no strong evidence that these proposals have broad support at this time.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Kawczynski on 2016-09-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the annual funding from the public purse is for English Speakers of Other Languages schemes.

Robert Halfon

Funding for English for Speakers of Other Languages is not ring-fenced but forms part of the Adult Education Budget (AEB). Providers will use their AEB allocation to put on appropriate provision based on their judgement of the economic and social needs of their local area. We expect that this will include ESOL where there is significant demand.

In addition, the Government has pledged up to £10 million over five years for a jointly funded DfE and Home Office programme to enable Syrian refugees across the UK to access language tuition and integrate into British society.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Kawczynski on 2015-12-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the implications for future Government policy of the suspension of the Temporary Financial Mechanism on Libyan assets following the 2011 revolution in that country.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

The Temporary Financial Mechanism (TFM), established by the Contact Group in Doha in 2011, was a temporary response to the urgent financial needs of the new Libyan National Transitional Council, intended to be used until the new Libyan administration was able to take control of Libyan state assets and revenues. The TFM was used to provide a range of critical financial support, including the import of refined fuel, the treatment of injured Libyans, and family support payments to Libyans who had depended on government welfare payments.

Our focus now is on supporting the expected signature of the Libyan Political Agreement and the establishment of a Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA). In addition to restoring stability and dealing with the threat of terrorism in Libya, a priority for the new GNA will be returning oil and gas production to pre-crisis levels to sustain stability and growth to the benefit of all Libyans.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Kawczynski on 2016-02-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what training is available for judges and barristers to assist them when questioning child witnesses in cases involving sexual offences.

Mr Shailesh Vara

Judicial training is a judicial matter and fulfilled by the Judicial College, which reports to the Lord Chief Justice. Training for barristers is a matter for their own professional bodies.

The Judicial College have advised me that a workshop on the cross examination of vulnerable witnesses is incorporated into their Serious Sexual Offences Seminar. This is mandatory training for all judges who have been authorised to hear cases involving serious sexual offences.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Kawczynski on 2016-04-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking through its membership of the UN Security Council to achieve (a) democratic sustainability, (b) economic viability and (c) physical security in Libya.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

The UK continues to play an active role in the UN Security Council in supporting the Government of National Accord (GNA) as the only legitimate government in Libya, endorsed unanimously by the UN Security Council Resolution 2259 (2015). That resolution, drafted by the UK, highlighted the importance of the Libyan State financial institutions, including the National Oil Corporation, the Central Bank of Libya, and the Libyan Investment Authority, continuing to function for the benefit of all Libyans, and stressed the need for the GNA to exercise sole and effective oversight over them as a matter of urgency.

The UK also worked in the UN Security Council for the adoption of Resolution 2278 (2016) on 31 March, which renewed measures against illicit oil exports from Libya, extended the mandate of the Expert Panel assisting the UN Libya Sanctions Committee, and affirmed the Security Council’s readiness to consider changes, when appropriate, to the UN asset freeze at the request of the GNA.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Kawczynski on 2016-09-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what role Ofsted has in its (a) reports and (b) other work in monitoring the level of integration of asylum seekers and refugees in schools.

Nick Gibb

Ofsted’s role is to inspect and report on the education provided by a school for all pupils, including all groups of pupils. Where asylum seekers make up part of the cohort, this will be included in the contextual information about the school.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Kawczynski on 2015-12-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment his Department made of the potential effect on Libya of the suspension of the Temporary Financial Mechanism before that suspension occurred.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

The UK led thinking on the Temporary Financial Mechanism (TFM), established by the Contact Group in Doha in 2011 as a temporary response to the urgent financial needs of the new Libyan National Transitional Council, intended to be used until the new Libyan administration was able to take control of Libyan state assets and revenues that supported Qadhafi’s regime. The UK provided the funding to prepare the TFM and to establish operating procedures that would provide confidence that there was transparent and independent oversight of the funds, and that they would be used in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions.

After National Transitional Forces (NTC) forces took control of Tripoli on 22 August 2011, the UK sponsored UN Security Council Resolution 2009. This established the UN Support Mission in Libya to support stabilisation in Libya, modified the asset freeze on four key listed state entities, provided for a new exemption to unfreeze their assets and mandated the Sanctions Committee to lift the remaining freeze as soon as practical (in consultation with the Libyan authorities). The TFM was used to provide a range of critical financial support, including the import of refined fuel, the treatment of injured Libyans, and family support payments to Libyans who had depended on government welfare payments.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Kawczynski on 2016-02-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department has taken to encourage the Russian government to return the 2010 Polish presidential air plane wreck to Poland.

Mr David Lidington

Immediately after the Smolensk tragedy, the UK Government extended our deepest condolences to the Polish government and people for the loss of their President, his wife and 94 others. The conduct of the investigation into the crash and the return of the wreckage is a matter for Poland and Russia, and we have received no requests to intervene.