Tag: Hilary Benn

  • Hilary Benn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Hilary Benn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2016-04-18.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if the Government will support the draft UN resolution on protection of medical facilities in conflict and investigations into incidents when such facilities are attacked.

    Mr Philip Hammond

    Medical personnel and facilities are entitled to respect and protection under specific provisions in international humanitarian law. We are concerned at the growing number of attacks on medical personnel and facilities in conflict situations. The UK is working with other members of the Security Council on a draft resolution on this issue, and it hopes that a text emerges that all Council members can support. The UK would like the text to reinforce the need for the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence in the provision of humanitarian assistance to be respected.

  • Hilary Benn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Hilary Benn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2016-04-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of freedom of speech for (a) bloggers and (b) other people in Bangladesh.

    Mr Philip Hammond

    Our assessment is that the rise in extremist attacks has increased pressure on free speech in Bangladesh. This is one of the reasons that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has named Bangladesh as one of its 30 Human Rights Priority Countries. The UK supports freedom of expression as both a fundamental right in itself and as an essential component of a full range of human rights. Ministers have unequivocally condemned the murders of secular online activists and minority groups, and called for free speech to be protected in Bangladesh. On Monday 25 April, the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for East Devon (Mr Swire) said that he was deeply saddened by the senseless murders of Xulhaz Mannan, Tanay Fahim and Rezaul Karim Siddique and called for the killers to be brought to justice. On 9 April, following the brutal murder of Nasimuddin Samad, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth East (Mr Ellwood) restated the Government’s position that the right to freedom of expression and open debate in Bangladesh must be upheld.

  • Hilary Benn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Hilary Benn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2016-05-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to his Department’s Human Rights and Democracy Report 2015, Cm 9245, what countries his Department is supporting to develop Preventing Violent Extremism action plans to tackle the root causes of extremism and prejudice; and what the support is which his Department is giving in each such case.

    Mr Philip Hammond

    The UK provides support to multilateral bodies and international organisations such as the UN, the Global Counter Terrorism Forum, the Hedayah Centre and the Commonwealth that work in partnership with countries developing their own national action plans against violent extremism. UK-funded programmes in fragile and conflict-affected states and our Democracy and Human Rights projects in over 40 countries, also support this global effort.

  • Hilary Benn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Hilary Benn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2016-09-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 5 September 2016 to Question 43364, what steps the Government has taken to work with international partners to hold Daesh to account for its crimes since 21 July 2016.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    On 21 July, The Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip (Boris Johnson), announced that the UK will work with international partners to drive a global campaign to hold Daesh to account for its crimes. Over the summer, Ministers and officials have been working with international partners in the Middle East, Europe, on the UN Security Council and more widely, to establish the character and scope of this campaign. We will take forward action on it in New York later this month.

  • Hilary Benn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Hilary Benn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2016-10-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of employer enquiries to the Employer Checking Service resulted in a response confirming that the subject of the enquiry had the right to work in each of the last five years.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The proportion of checks to the Employer Checking Service resulting in a response confirming that the subject of the enquiry had the right to work, by calendar year are as below:

    2011 41.2%

    2012 43.8%

    2013 51.1%

    2014 56.6% 56.0%

    2015 61.4% 58.2%

    2016 (to date) 67.3%

    “

  • Hilary Benn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Hilary Benn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    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.

  • Hilary Benn – 2022 Parliamentary Question on the Northern Ireland Protocol

    Hilary Benn – 2022 Parliamentary Question on the Northern Ireland Protocol

    The parliamentary question asked by Hilary Benn, the Labour MP for Leeds Central, in the House of Commons on 13 December 2022.

    Hilary Benn (Leeds Central) (Lab)

    What recent discussions he has had with the European Commission on the operation of the Northern Ireland protocol.

    Ian Paisley (North Antrim) (DUP)

    How many hours his Department has spent on negotiations with (a) EU member states and (b) the European Commission on the Northern Ireland protocol in the last month.

    The Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs (James Cleverly)

    Fixing the Northern Ireland protocol is a top priority for this Government. Since September I have been in regular contact with Vice-President Šefčovič. We last spoke on 1 December and I will be seeing him for further talks this week. My officials have also been working with our counterparts in the EU on a regular basis to try to resolve the issues, which we recognise—and we are impressing this upon them—are causing serious, genuine and damaging friction in relationships between the various communities in Northern Ireland.

    Hilary Benn

    I am grateful to the Foreign Secretary for that answer. It was reported recently that the Prime Minister has assured President Biden that an agreement will be reached with the EU in time for the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday agreement. We also read that the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill is on ice while the negotiations continue. Can the Foreign Secretary assure the House that if an agreement with the EU is reached—and we all hope that will happen—the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill will be dropped?

    James Cleverly

    The Northern Ireland Protocol Bill exists for a reason. The commitment that I made to Maroš Šefčovič in the conversations that I had with him and others was that we would not either artificially accelerate that process or artificially hinder or retard it. We have always said that our preferred option is through negotiations. We speak regularly, the tone is positive, and I think that there is now an understanding that the concerns that we have raised, and that have been raised particularly by the Unionist community in Northern Ireland, are not confected but real, and that any agreement would need to address them.

    Ian Paisley

    Is it not the case that there has not been one hour of actual negotiations, because the EU has not extended its mandate to allow for any changes whatsoever in the operation of the current protocol? That being the case, does the Foreign Secretary not believe that the EU will smell weakness in this Government if they take their foot off the pedal with the protocol Bill in the other place? I encourage him to press on with the Bill.

    James Cleverly

    I can assure the hon. Gentleman that the UK negotiating team are very conscious of the frustrations, particularly in the Unionist community in Northern Ireland. But we have also made the point to our interlocutors in the EU that, across communities in Northern Ireland, there is a recognition that the protocol is not working, that it needs to be addressed, and that the relationships between Northern Ireland and Ireland, and between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK—of which Northern Ireland is a part—all have to function properly. That is the underpinning of the Belfast/Good Friday agreement and that is what we seek to achieve through our negotiations.

    Kevin Foster (Torbay) (Con)

    One needs only to visit the port at Belfast and see the potential for new facilities there to realise the interruption there could be to the vital east-west trade routes that Northern Ireland relies on. Does the Foreign Secretary agree that it is vital that the Government are clear that we do not take anything off the table in getting to an agreement? Even though we want an agreement, we still need all the options to be on the table, to ensure that we get what we need for the United Kingdom.

    James Cleverly

    The United Kingdom’s position has been consistent. We recognise that the way the protocol is working is undermining community cohesion in Northern Ireland and disrupting business flows, particularly east-west between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK. These issues have to be addressed. That is, I think, something that the EU negotiating team understand, and we will continue negotiating in good faith. However, as I say, the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill exists for a reason, and we want to ensure that we get a good working resolution that is sustainable for all the communities in Northern Ireland.

    Mr Speaker

    I call the shadow Foreign Secretary.

    Mr David Lammy (Tottenham) (Lab)

    For 18 months we have been at an impasse on the Northern Ireland protocol. Instead of negotiations, we have had cheap rhetoric and threats to break agreements. With a UK Government showing determination and diplomatic skill, and an EU willing to be flexible, these problems would be easily resolvable. Is the real problem that the Prime Minister is in the pocket of the European Research Group, too weak to stand up to his Back Benchers, and putting his party before Northern Ireland?

    James Cleverly

    The right hon. Gentleman needs to keep up. We have had very well-tempered negotiations between the UK and EU negotiators. He will find in our public reporting of those negotiations that there has been a high degree of mutual respect. He says that there is an easy resolution. If he believes that, all I would say is that we are waiting to hear it. If it were easy, it would have been done already.

    Mr Speaker

    Let us hear from the SNP spokesperson.

    Alyn Smith (Stirling) (SNP)

    I say to the Foreign Secretary that if politics goes wrong for him, he has a great career in stand-up ahead of him.

    This discussion is not happening in a vacuum. The Foreign Secretary will be aware of a poll in The Irish Times yesterday that showed that 54% of the people of Northern Ireland are in favour of EU membership. I want to see a negotiated outcome over the protocol; we all do. There are things with the protocol that need to be addressed, and we all agree on that, but the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill is not the way to do that. Surely he must recognise that it is the biggest block to progress in these talks, and that now is the time to scrap it.

    James Cleverly

    I am the one who has been in the conversations with the EU. I know that it does not particularly like the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill, but, nevertheless, the conversations that I have had with my direct interlocuters and that our officials have been having with their opposite numbers in the EU system have been progressing. As I have said, there are still a number of serious issues that need to be resolved, but we are working in good faith. The Bill exists for a reason and it is important that it is there.

    I welcome the hon. Gentleman highlighting the fact that there is pretty much universal agreement now that the protocol needs to be changed, because that is what is driving an increased degree of community tension and disruption in Northern Ireland.

    While I am on my feet, let me welcome the hon. Gentleman resuming his place.

  • Hilary Benn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Hilary Benn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2015-10-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the Palestinian Authority on action to prevent terrorist attacks in Israel.

    Mr Philip Hammond

    I spoke to President Abbas on 9 October about the violence in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and urged him to do everything in his power to reduce tensions and restore calm. In recent weeks, Her Majesty’s Consul General in Jerusalem has also pressed several senior Palestinian figures on the need to de-escalate the current tension.

    I strongly condemn the recent terrorist attacks. The effect that they are having on innocent civilians is appalling. I also strongly condemn all incitement to commit acts of violence by both sides.

  • Hilary Benn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Hilary Benn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2015-10-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 12 October 2015 to Question 11278, who is responsible for restrictions on commercial and humanitarian shipping to Yemen.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    A number of parties are responsible for the conflict in Yemen which has led to the restrictions on commercial and humanitarian shipping to Yemen. At President Hadi’s request, Saudi-led Coalition airstrikes began in March 2015 following a rebellion against President Hadi and the Government of Yemen by the Houthi’s and forces loyal to former president Saleh. Intense fighting and insecurity on the ground has resulted in restrictions being placed on commercial and humanitarian shipping, and it is proving difficult to distribute food and fuel to those who need it making the humanitarian situation even worse.

    The most important action to address the humanitarian situation, beyond a ceasefire, is to open up access for commercial and humanitarian goods to reach those most in need. All parties to the conflict should take all reasonable steps to allow and facilitate humanitarian access, to facilitate immediate access to life-saving supplies both into and within Yemen. The Secretary of State for International Development recently reinforced this message at the United Nations General Assembly in September.

    The UK also supports the UN Verification and Inspection Mechanism, UNVIM, which is now being established to address commercial shipping needs. It involves setting up an internationally-staffed maritime verification centre to replace the existing informal Coalition mechanism. To be effective, all commercial cargo should be within the scope of UNVIM – including fuel.

  • Hilary Benn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Hilary Benn – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2015-10-16.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 12 October 2015 to Question 11278, who is currently responsible for impeding humanitarian access to people in need in Yemen.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    All parties to the conflict are responsible for impeding humanitarian access to people in need in Yemen. Intense fighting on the ground is making it increasingly hard for agencies to reach those in need within Yemen. This is compounded by restrictions on imports of commercial and humanitarian supplies into the country, including fuel. This in turn is hampering the distribution of humanitarian supplies within country, including essential food and medicines.

    The UK continues to call on all parties to facilitate rapid, safe and unhindered access to all people in need in Yemen. The UK is one of the largest donors to the crisis and has announced £75m to respond to the crisis in Yemen. UK aid is providing vital medical supplies, water, food and emergency shelter, working with trusted and impartial actors who have a strong track record in delivering assistance in difficult and dangerous places. We also support a UN-led process on access negotiations and the establishment of the Access Working Group where partners report cases of obstruction and accessible routes.