Tag: Lord Hylton

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.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2016-02-10.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether their new prosperity fund will give priority to countries with large refugee and migrant populations, lack of own resources, or tourism reduced by wars, such as Lebanon, Jordan and Tunisia.

Baroness Verma

The Government has not yet approved any country allocations from the Prosperity Fund.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2016-03-01.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to make representations to the governments of other European countries that all European states should act to mobilise goodwill and to help families, voluntary organisations and local groups to welcome and take responsibility for refugees reaching Europe.

Lord Bates

The UK is in regular contact with European partners regarding the migrant situation. The care and reception of people arriving in Europe needing international protection rests with the countries to which they arrive but the UK calls upon all European states to ensure all international obligations are met and asylum seekers and refugees are treated humanely. We continue to work together towards a sustainable and comprehensive response to the migrant situation.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2016-03-21.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the reply by Lord Gardiner of Kimble on 17 March (HL Deb, col GC297), whether they will provide a breakdown of the £45 million spent in Gaza since October 2014.

Baroness Verma

In October 2014, the UK pledged £20 million in early recovery assistance at the Gaza Reconstruction Conference in Cairo. This included funding for reconstructive surgery and rehabilitation for those injured, clearance of unexploded ordnance, short term employment schemes, shelter and basic services, support to the private sector to reopen factories and businesses, funding for the UN’s new construction materials monitoring mechanism, technical assistance and direct support to the Palestinian Authority. The UK has disbursed this pledge in its entirety. Since then the UK has provided more than £25 million of additional support to Gaza for a range of activities, including basic service delivery and further support to the private sector.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2016-04-18.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the action being taken, and by whom, to prevent life-threatening consequences arising from the closure of the Gaza power plant.

Baroness Verma

According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the closure of the Gaza power plant has triggered electricity blackouts of 12-18 hours per day. The electricity shortage, combined with the lack of affordable fuel, has resulted in a further reduction in the water supply to households and reduction in wastewater treatment and quality of sewerage discharged into the sea.

We are in regular dialogue with Israel, the Palestinian Authority and other development actors, specifically the EU and UN, on the extension of the 161 power line and conversion of the Gaza power station to gas.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2016-05-19.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their policy for enabling Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia and Kosovo to become members of as many European institutions as possible, with the minimum of delay and the maximum of co-operation.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

I refer my noble Lord to my answer of 27 April (HL7662). The British Government supports the accession of Western Balkans countries to European institutions such as Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the Council of Europe and Europol, as a means to deliver our rule of law and governance objectives in the region, once relevant criteria are met. Any decision to enlarge the EU requires the unanimous agreement of the governments of all existing Member States and ratification in accordance with each country’s constitutional arrangements. In the case of the UK, under the EU Act 2011 ratification cannot take place without an Act of Parliament to approve the new accession. We can therefore ensure that our requirements are respected in any future EU enlargement.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2016-05-25.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to respond to the report from the Prison Reform Trust In care, out of trouble; and whether they will publish an assessment of the position of children in care within the criminal justice system.

Lord Nash

As at 31 March 2015, five per cent of 10-17 year olds who had been in care for a year or more had been convicted of an offence or were subject to a final warning or reprimand.[1] Proven offending by young people, including looked after children has fallen significantly in recent years. Since the peak in youth offending in 2007, proven youth offending is down 79%; first-time entrants to the youth justice system are down 82%. Youth offending teams work with the police and other agencies to prevent looked after children from offending and coming in to contact with the youth justice system.

The Government has asked Sir Martin Narey to review residential care for looked after children and he will make recommendations on criminalisation. Charlie Taylor is leading a review of youth justice. We will respond to those reviews in due course.

I am grateful to the Prison Reform Trust for their contribution to this important debate. The Minister of State for Children and Families recently met with Lord Laming to discuss the contents of the Prison Reform Trust’s report ‘In care, out of trouble’.

[1] Department for Education Statistical First Release – 34/2015