Tag: Lord Hylton

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2016-06-28.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what evidence they have of rocket and mortar attacks on civilians in the Sheikh Maqsoud area of Aleppo by the Fatah Halat coalition of Islamist militants or other groups; and whether they have received any reports that chemical weapons were used in that area in early April or since then.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

We are aware of reports of rocket and mortar attacks in civilian areas in the Sheikh Maqsood area of Aleppo in early April. These attacks were a result of clashes between the Kurdish People’s Protection Units and a range of armed opposition groups. There have also been allegations of chemical weapons use by armed groups in the area. We have been unable to verify these reports. The ongoing violence in Syria continues to put civilians at risk. Only a political settlement, with transition away from Asad, can bring an end to their suffering.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2016-07-11.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many unaccompanied child refugees have so far been officially identified in Europe, aside from the UK, and how many of those have reached the UK.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

The Government is firmly committed to bringing vulnerable unaccompanied refugee children from Europe to the UK, as underpinned by the Immigration Act 2016. Over 20 children who meet the criteria in the Immigration Act have been accepted for transfer from Europe since Royal Assent, the majority of whom have already arrived in the UK.

We are in active discussions with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, UNICEF and Non-Governmental Organisations in addition to the Italian, Greek and French governments to strengthen and speed up mechanisms to identify, assess and transfer children who meet the criteria to the UK where this in their best interests.

As is required by the Immigration Act 2016, we are consulting with local authorities to confirm available capacity and to ensure appropriate support systems are in place.

We cannot put a fixed number on arrivals at this point. The legislation is clear that consultation with local authorities is needed before any figure is set. It is vital that their capacity and ability to help is taken into account. We must also ensure that we are able to continue to fulfil our obligations to children who are already in the UK.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2016-09-13.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will make representations to the Kurdistan Region Government about the proposed closing of schools and institutions linked to the Gülen Movement, as a result of discussions between the government of Turkey and that government.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

We are aware of reports that all Gulen schools in the Kurdistan Region will come under the management of the Kurdistan Regional Government ‘s Ministry of Education, although we do not yet fully understand the rationale behind this decision. Officials at our Consulate General in Erbil will discuss this issue with representatives of the Kurdistan Regional Government at the earliest opportunity. Delivering a quality education remains an ongoing challenge for the government of Iraq. Reports suggest that almost one in five schools across Iraq is out of use due to conflict, which has left millions of Iraqi children of school-age outside of the education system. We continue to work with the government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government to promote education, particularly through the work of the British Council and our Chevening programme.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2016-10-19.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the recent official closing in Turkey of more than 20 media outlets; and whether they will make representations to the government of Turkey about those closures.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

In the aftermath of the coup attempt we have emphasised the need for Turkey to respect human rights, including press freedom, and the rule of law. It is vital that the Turkish Government’s response to the coup attempt be demonstrably lawful and measured, and undertaken in line with Turkey’s international obligations. The Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Rutland and Melton (Sir Alan Duncan) reiterated these messages to senior Turkish interlocutors, including President Erdogan, during his visit to Turkey on 19 October. We will continue to engage with the Turkish Government at all levels on these issues, and to monitor the situation closely.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2015-11-09.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they are making to the government of Turkey about the arrests of the senior editors of Nokta, and of journalists from Bugun and Milliyet.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

We continue to monitor these specific cases and regularly underline the importance of freedom of expression and all fundamental freedoms as part of our broader dialogue with the Turkish government. We welcomed the EU Commission’s Annual Progress Report on Turkey, released on 10 November, which highlighted the need for further reforms from Turkey in these areas. Freedom of expression must be respected and all media outlets must be allowed to report freely without intimidation.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2015-11-19.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are assisting Burundi and its neighbours to prevent further sectarian violence.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

The UK has been actively working with the international community to prevent sectarian violence in Burundi. Our activities in New York, the EU and the region, including calls from the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Rochford and Southend East (James Duddridge), to the Burundian Foreign Minister, Ugandan Foreign Minister and African Union (AU) Peace and Security Commissioner have had an impact. There are signs the Burundian government is taking a more conservative approach in using the police and security forces. We have also pushed for the EU to start Article 96 negotiations with Burundi. Burundi has agreed to participate in Article 96 negotiations, having initially refused. We support a sanctions regime for Burundi whereby four individuals have been listed so far and the EU and AU are considering further sanctions on individuals. We continue to work with the AU who are mobilising the financial and political resources to assist with the mediation process between the East Africa Community and Burundi.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2015-12-07.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government when further peace talks in Vienna on Syria will take place.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

The next meeting of the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) will take place before Christmas. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), will represent the UK. The ISSG agreed in Vienna on 14 November 2015 on the need “to convene Syrian government and opposition representatives in formal negotiations under UN auspices, as soon as possible, with a target date of January 1.”

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2015-12-14.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of why representatives of the cantons of Rojava were not invited to the recent conference of Syrian opposition groups in Riyadh, and whether they will call for their inclusion in any future meetings.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

The Kurds will play an important role in a political settlement for Syria. Members of all major communities of Syrian society participated in the Riyadh Opposition Conference. This included minorities such as the Kurds in the major political parties. Opposition representatives agreed to form a “High Negotiating Committee” to negotiate with the Syrian regime, under the auspices of the UN. The International Syria Support Group has agreed that protecting the rights of all Syrians regardless of ethnicity or religious domination is fundamental. The UK will continue to advocate this, as the political discussions continue.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2016-01-11.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the feasibility of dropping food by air to civilian communities now under siege in Syria and cut off from all external supplies.

Earl of Courtown

The UK has pledged over £1.1 billion in response to the crisis in Syria and the region, making us the second largest bilateral donor after the US. We have provided support to the UN and international NGOs (INGOs) since the start of the conflict to deliver aid in hard to reach and besieged areas of Syria. By the end of June 2015, UK support inside Syria and in the surrounding region had, for example, delivered almost 20 million food rations that feed one person for a month; over 2.5 million medical consultations; and relief items for 4.6 million people.

The UK will consider any option compliant with international law that might save lives in Syria. We rule nothing out. However, the use of air drops is high risk and should only be considered as a last resort when all other means have failed.

Attempting air drops without the consent of the parties to the conflict may risk undermining negotiations on humanitarian access to the 4.5 million people in hard to reach areas across Syria. Even in uncontested space air drops poise significant challenges. There is a requirement to identify clear drop zones, ensure safe access for the intended recipients and to co-ordinate with authorities on the ground. Instead, the UN, the Red Cross Movement and NGO partners are best placed to deliver aid to vulnerable people in besieged and hard to reach areas.

The desperate situation in besieged and hard to reach areas shows why we need the international community to come together at the London Conference for Syria and the Region on 4 February to support immediate needs and identify longer-term solutions to address the needs of those affected by the crisis.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2016-02-01.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they are making to the government of Turkey about attacks on the freedom of the media in the light of the number of journalists imprisoned, awaiting trial, and refused accreditation, and the number of TV channels that have been closed.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

I refer the noble Lord to my answer of 30 December 2016 (HL4542). The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), discussed the importance of Turkey’s reform agenda including media freedoms, with President Erdoğan when they met in Turkey on 14 January.