Tag: Lord Alton of Liverpool

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2014-06-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to seek a United Nations Security Council Resolution on the human rights situation in North Korea, following the findings of the United Nations Commission of Inquiry; and if so, whether they will sponsor such a Resolution if it appears to face resistance from Russia or China.

    Baroness Warsi

    The UK believes strongly that there should be no impunity for serious international crimes, such as those which the Commission of Inquiry found are being committed in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). We played an active role in ensuring a strong DPRK resolution at the March UN Human Rights Council, including a call for the UN General Assembly to submit the report of the Commission of Inquiry to the UN Security Council for its consideration and appropriate action. In April we and other Security Council members took part in a public “Arria” briefing by the Commission. This was the first time the Security Council had considered DPRK human rights in this way. We also raised the need for a continued focus on human rights during a UN Security Council Sanctions Committee meeting in May.

    On June 18 the Minister of State, my Rt Hon Friend the Member for East Devon (Mr Swire), visited Geneva, where he took part in an Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in the DPRK, Mr Mazuki Darusman. Mr Swire also raised the importance of DPRK human rights with the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon and stressed the importance of UN action. The next step will be to ensure there is an appropriate focus on DPRK human rights at this autumn’s UN General Assembly (UNGA) session and that there is a strong DPRK resolution, strongly supported, in the UNGA Third Committee.

    We will keep the prospect of a UNSC Resolution under review.

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2014-04-02.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they are having with the United States Special Envoy on North Korea, Ambassador Robert King, about ways to build international action to follow through the passage of United Nations Human Rights Council Resolution (A/HRC/25/L.17) on human rights violations in North Korea.

    Baroness Warsi

    The UK’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva met with Ambassador King on 18 March to discuss the UN Human Rights Council Resolution and how it could be used to build international action to improve the human rights situation in North Korea. In the near future we hope to welcome him.

    On 27 March, the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for East Devon (Mr Swire), discussed the resolution with US Assistant Secretary Russel. We will continue to work with the US and others to ensure that there is accountability for the horrifying human rights violations documented in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2014-06-12.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to ensure that long-term development projects can continue in South Sudan in areas not affected by the conflict.

    Baroness Northover

    Following a review of DFID South Sudan’s strategic objectives and the ability of existing programmes to deliver in the new environment, Ministers approved an interim one-year strategy in February. The interim strategy prioritises life-saving interventions and humanitarian support, while protecting support for basic services and livelihoods, and core work on governance.

    Under the interim strategy we are continuing our development work on health, education and livelihoods. This includes support through the Health Pooled Fund, the Integrated Community Case Management project, the Girls’ Education South Sudan project, the Building Resilience through Asset Creation and Enhancement Project and the Urban Food Security, Livelihoods and Markets project. In programming areas that are now affected by conflict we are working with implementers to develop emergency modalities which will allow continuing delivery where possible.