Tag: Lord Hylton

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2015-10-19.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have considered a comprehensive mandatory ban on the supply of arms and equipment to all of the combatants in Syria.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

We do not consider that a comprehensive mandatory ban on the supply of arms and equipment to all of the combatants in Syria would be advisable. EU-Syria trade embargoes prohibit the exportation of jet fuel, chemical weapons (and precursors) to Syria. EU sanctions have denied many of the regime’s pre-war funding streams, limited its supply of non-conventional arms, reduced its access to key resources and increased pressure on Assad from those close to him. UN Security Council Resolution 2170 prohibits the direct or indirect supply, sale, or transfer of arms and equipment to ISIL, Al Nusra Front and all other individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated with Al-Qaida. The UK supplies non-lethal goods to the Moderate Opposition to protect civilians and save lives. We assess all export licence applications on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria, and have one of the most robust export licensing systems in the world.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2015-10-21.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will revise the country guidance for Eritrea so that asylum applicants from that country are favourably considered for protection as refugees, in the light of the Report of the Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights on Eritrea and other reports of human rights abuses in that country.

Lord Bates

We have updated our country information and guidance on Eritrea. This takes into account the UN Commission of Inquiry’s report as well other sources reporting on the human rights situation. The revised documents, covering illegal exit and national service, were published on 9 September and are available on the Gov.uk website. They recognise that there are human rights challenges in Eritrea – particularly around the national service programme – but, as with all asylum applications, stress the need to consider each claim on its individual merits.

All EU Member States have a responsibility to respect the principle of non-refoulement. We are confident that our European partners understand and apply this, whether to Eritrea or anywhere else. We are in regular discussions with our EU counterparts – individually and via the European Asylum Support Office – to discuss various aspects of asylum policy and practice.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2015-10-13.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what evidence, if any, they have received about the use of illegal rocket-propelled cluster bombs by Saudi Arabia in Yemen; and whether they have made representations to Saudi Arabia on that subject.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

We are aware of recent reports that the Saudi Arabian led Coalition may have used cluster munitions in Yemen. We note that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is not yet a state party to the Convention on Cluster Munitions, but have encouraged Saudi Arabia to accede to the Convention. The British Government has always been clear that any action taken must be in accordance with International Humanitarian law (IHL). We have raised our concerns with the Saudi Arabian government and the Houthis and have received repeated assurances of their IHL compliance.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2015-02-10.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what resources they are providing to the Moving Energy Initiative for Middle Eastern Refugees; to what extent any such assistance will include solar energy for camps; and what other forms of energy, for instance solar ovens, are being planned.

Baroness Northover

Over the next two years, DFID’s Humanitarian Innovation and Evidence Programme is providing £2million to develop The Moving Energy Initiative. Initial research and evidence will guide subsequent pilots which will provide renewable and/or sustainable energy for displaced populations. A country in the Middle East will be one of the pilots.

The initiative will consider the applicability of a range of technologies in addition to solar photovoltaic and solar thermal systems, including clean or fuel efficient cookstoves, anaerobic digestion, appropriate energy efficient buildings, and wind power amongst others. One of the objectives of the research will be to identify the ‘best-fit’ renewable/sustainable energy option(s) for each specific location.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2015-02-10.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are making representations to the government of Bahrain about its revocation of nationality of citizens of that country.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

Our Ambassador to Bahrain has raised the revocation of citizenship of 72 Bahraini nationals at Ministerial level with the Government of Bahrain. All of the individuals affected have the right to appeal. Our Embassy in Bahrain will continue to follow these cases closely.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2015-02-12.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the ability of Operation Triton to save the lives of those at risk in the Mediterranean; and what proposals they will make to assist Spain, Italy and Greece in dealing with the flow of migrants and refugees.

Lord Bates

The EU’s external border agency, Frontex, has stated that since the launch of Operation Triton in November 2014 they helped to save 6,000 migrants on their way to Italy. The UK has responded positively to requests from Frontex to deploy two debriefers and a nationality expert to support Operation Triton, with further support committed for 2015. We have made clear that we are willing to consider any further requests from Frontex for UK support.

The recent deaths are a tragic reminder of the great risks to migrants attempting to reach Europe by crossing the Mediterranean in unseaworthy and ill-equipped vessels. During Italy’s Mare Nostrum operation in 2014 many thousands of migrants were intercepted and brought to Italy, but over 3,000 died at sea.

While EU Ministers have previously agreed that the principal responsibility for migrants and refugees rests with the Member State whose territory they arrive in, the Government continues to provide concrete support to those Member States under particular pressure both through the EU agencies and directly.

We are also investing in joint EU efforts to mitigate pressures on these Member States through work in key countries of origin and transit, including efforts to tackle the root causes of these dangerous journeys and the organised criminal gangs behind them, and to increase support for protection for refugees in North and East Africa and in the Middle East.

In particular we are we are playing a leading role in the new ‘Khartoum Process’ launched at a Ministerial Conference in Rome on 28 November, aimed at combating people smuggling and human trafficking in the Horn of Africa. We are also supporting the EU’s Middle East Regional Development and Protection Programme, which is seeking sustainable regional solutions for those fleeing the Syrian crisis, as well as providing over £700 Million in UK humanitarian aid.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2015-10-05.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, or other similar bodies, will be sending official observers to the general election on 1 November in Turkey; and if not, why not.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

The British Government has already deployed 2 Long Term Observers to Turkey to join the 18 other Long Term Observers in the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Limited Election Observation Mission for the early parliamentary elections in Turkey scheduled for 1 November 2015.

Delegations from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) and from the Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE will also observe the elections in Turkey on 1 November.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2015-10-05.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of whether the Joint Coordination and Monitoring Centre of Iraq and the Joint Crisis Coordination Centre of the Kurdistan Regional Government are working productively together; and what recommendations they plan to make to those bodies in the light of that assessment.

Baroness Verma

The Joint Coordination and Monitoring Centre (JCMC) in Baghdad and Joint Crisis Centre (JCC) in Erbil were formally launched in July 2015. Since then, they have been meeting regularly, working closely together to plan for future humanitarian operations as well as coordinating support for those currently requiring assistance. We recognise the necessity of a cohesive, joined-up humanitarian response between the Government of Iraq and Kurdish Regional Government and have been a strong supporter of both organisations. This is underpinned by a £1 million UK contribution to UNDP to deliver a capacity building programme for the JCMC and JCC.

In total, the UK has committed £79.5 million to the humanitarian crisis in Iraq since June 2014.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2014-06-25.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have offered any assistance to the government of Israel in finding the three youths who were recently kidnapped.

Baroness Warsi

The Government had offered practical support to help find the kidnapped Israeli teenagers. Following discovery of their bodies, the Prime Minister, my right hon Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), expressed his deep sadness at this appalling and inexcusable act of terror.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2015-10-05.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they are making to the government of Saudi Arabia about their air attacks on towns and cities in Yemen and the consequent civilian casualties.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

The British Government is in regular contact with the Saudi authorities about the situation in Yemen through our Embassy in Riyadh and our Yemen Office based in Jeddah. The UK has been consistently clear with all sides to the conflict over the importance of compliance with international humanitarian law and international human rights law during this conflict. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), spoke to Saudi Foreign Minister Al Jubeir on 29 September in the margins of the UN General Assembly, and underlined the importance the UK attaches to finding a political solution to the current crisis as soon as possible. He also reinforced the necessity of full compliance with international humanitarian law.