Tag: Hilary Benn

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2016-10-10.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking with (a) HM Treasury and (b) the Bank of England to prepare for any fluctuations in the value of the pound during the process of negotiations on the UK leaving the EU.

Simon Kirby

The independent Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has operational responsibility for monetary policy. In determining monetary policy, the MPC takes account of the impact of the exchange rate on prices, but the UK does not have an exchange rate target. Instead, the exchange rate is allowed to adjust flexibly in response to economic conditions and movements in sterling are determined by market forces.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2015-11-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how much the Government has (a) spent to date and (b) allocated for future spending to (i) his Department, (ii) the Department for International Development and (iii) the UNHCR to identify people for the vulnerable Syrian Refugee Resettlement Programme.

Mr Philip Hammond

In the Financial Year 2014/15, Government expenditure on the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Relocation Scheme totalled £1.702m. These costs were partially offset by EU funding of £0.993m. Information on costs for FY 2015/16 is not yet available.

On 7 September, the Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron) announced an expanded scheme involving the Department for International Development, the Home Office and local authorities. The anticipated costs of this scheme are currently being analysed by these departments and we expect to agree indicative costings soon. Any further allocations to specific departments will be decided during the Government spending review.

The Government has offered funding and other support to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in order to identify individuals for resettlement. The Government’s Syria resettlement team, overseen by the Home Office, is currently finalising the details of this support package.

Overall, the UK has committed more than £1.1bn in aid towards alleviating the suffering of the Syrian people and bolstering Syria’s neighbours.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2015-11-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect of the creation of 28 states in South Sudan on the prospects for peace in that region.

Mr Philip Hammond

With our Troika partners, the United States and Norway, we issued a statement on 6th October expressing serious concern at President Kiir’s announcement of 2nd October concerning the creation of 28 states in South Sudan, as it contradicts the Government of South Sudan’s stated commitment to implement the peace agreement. The full text of this statement can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/south-sudan-troika-statement

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2016-01-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 4 January 2016 to Question 15523, when he last discussed alleged violations of international humanitarian law in Yemen with his Saudi counterpart.

Mr Philip Hammond

The UK government has regularly raised with the Saudi Arabian Government the need to comply with International Humanitarian Law (IHL) in Yemen. I raised the issue of compliance with IHL during my October visit to Saudi Arabia. We have also raised our concerns with the Houthis on the importance of compliance with IHL.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2016-01-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent reports he has received on fighting in Diyarbakir, Turkey, and surrounding areas.

Mr Philip Hammond

I receive regular reports of developments in Diyarbakir and the whole of south east Turkey. The fighting in the region is extremely concerning. The Sur district in Diyarbakir is currently under curfew as part of the government’s response to terrorist attacks from the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). The UK condemns these attacks as we condemn all terrorism. PKK violence must end and we support a return to the peace process, in the interests of Turkey and the region. We stand ready to help in any way we can. I passed my condolences for victims of a recent PKK attack in Diyarbakir to the Prime Minister of Turkey during my 14 January visit to Ankara.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2016-01-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of who is responsible for reported airstrikes that have (a) targeted and (b) hit as collateral damage (i) cultural heritage monuments, (ii) ancient heritage sites and (iii) museums in Yemen.

Mr Philip Hammond

We remain concerned about the damage to cultural property in Yemen during the current conflict in Yemen. We do not routinely make assessments of responsibility for damage to cultural property in Yemen. Yemen and many members of the Saudi-led coalition are parties to the 1954 Hague Convention on the Protection of Cultural Property in the event of Armed Conflict and to the 1972 World Heritage Convention. We have raised our concerns regarding protection of cultural property with both the government of Yemen and the Saudi Arabian government. A political solution is the best way to achieve long-term stability in Yemen and we remain fully and actively supportive of the UN’s efforts to bring an end to the conflict.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2016-02-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office raised the alleged breaches of international humanitarian law outlined in the final report of the UN Panel of Experts on Yemen with the Saudi Arabian government during his recent visit to Rome.

Mr Philip Hammond

We regularly raise the importance of compliance with International Humanitarian Law (IHL) with the Saudi Arabian government and other members of the military coalition. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon Friend the Member for Bournemouth East (Mr Ellwood), raised this issue of IHL compliance on 4 February with the Saudi Ambassador in London. The Saudi Arabian government has its own internal procedures for investigations and they announced more detail of how they investigate such incidents on 31 January.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2016-02-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 16 June 2015 to Question 1205, how many UK nationals are currently employed by the European Commission; and what proportion of the total number of Commission employees they represent.

Mr Philip Hammond

The latest figures from October 2015 state that there are 1000 British citizens working in the European Commission as Permanent Officials and Temporary Agents, which represents 4.3% of the total. In addition there are 142 employed as Contract Agents.

UK representation was at its peak in the late 70s but since then, it has been falling steadily across all EU institutions as UK officials retire and are not replaced by the same number of new UK entrants. The Government is committed to reversing this picture but recognises this will require sustained efforts over the long-term. The EU Staffing Unit, established in April 2013, works to promote EU careers across the UK and support candidates through the application process. It has increased secondments in positions of strategic importance to the UK. The European Fast Stream within the Civil Service has also been re-launched.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2016-03-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment the Government has made of whether Daesh has been responsible for (a) crimes against humanity and (b) ethnic cleansing.

Mr Philip Hammond

The Government is appalled by the brutal human rights abuses and violations of humanitarian law perpetrated by Daesh. There have been many credible reports of Daesh crimes, including public executions, torture, bodies routinely mutilated and put on public display, and mass executions. Any conviction of a person for Crimes Against Humanity, will be decided by a court after consideration of all the evidence available in the context of a credible judicial process.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2016-03-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the human rights situation in Liberia.

Mr Philip Hammond

Liberia has made significant progress since the end of its civil war in 2003. However, Liberia’s second Universal Periodic Review at the UN Human Rights Council in 2015, highlighted continuing concerns over gender-based violence and victims’ access to justice; the length of pre-trial detention; investigative capacity of the police and judiciary; and the death penalty. The government of Liberia accepted 147 of the 186 recommendations made. The UK Government regularly presses for concrete action in these areas through our Ambassador in Monrovia and in multilateral fora.

The UK is concerned about inflammatory statements by the Liberian opposition in the run-up to the country’s elections in 2017. In March, our Ambassador urged the Government of Liberia to show restraint by ensuring that their responses to such statements are proportionate.