Tag: The Marquess of Lothian

The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Marquess of Lothian on 2016-09-12.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the current security situation in Afghanistan and the stability of that country.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

The security situation in Afghanistan remains challenging. It is the second year of the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces’ (ANDSF) independent operations and their capability continues to gradually improve. The work of NATO’s non-combat advisory mission, Resolute Support, remains critical to this effort. In 2016, ANDSF have faced particular pressure from the insurgency in Helmand and Kunduz. Where significant population centres have been threatened, government forces have repelled Taleban assaults.

At the Warsaw Summit in July 2016, NATO agreed to sustain Resolute Support’s “Train, Advise and Assist” mission through 2017. Donors also pledged around $4.5bn in funding to the ANDSF through to 2020 and reaffirmed NATO’s Enduring Partnership with Afghanistan. This clear signal of international resolve demonstrates our collective commitment to safeguarding the gains made in Afghanistan and to supporting the Government of Afghanistan to deliver security for its citizens.

HMG Ministers will be discussing these issues, and related development issues, with partners at the Brussels Conference on Afghanistan on 4-5 October.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Marquess of Lothian on 2015-12-02.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what practical assistance they are providing to Burma to help that country in its democratic transition following the elections on 8 November.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

Our package of development assistance to Burma this year is £82 million and we have allocated £25 million between 2014 and 2019 specifically to strengthen democratic governance in Burma. This sum included support to elections through the provision of technical advice to the Burmese election commission, voter education and building capacity in monitoring and observation of the electoral process.

Following the November elections, we will continue to engage with Burma to encourage the country along its journey of democratic reform. The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), called Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on 10 November to offer continued political and economic support for the people of Burma. We will of course keep in close contact on a range of topics and look forward to working with the new administration, which takes office in March 2016.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Marquess of Lothian on 2016-02-01.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what contingency plans are in place, or in preparation, to address all possible outcomes of a referendum on the UK’s continued membership of the EU.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

The Government is fighting hard to fix the aspects of our EU membership that cause so much frustration in the UK, so we can get a better deal for our country and secure our future. We are confident that the right agreement can be reached. The civil service are working round the clock to support the renegotiation.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Marquess of Lothian on 2016-03-16.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they plan to take in the light of the recent report by the Office of the UNHCR detailing atrocities committed against civilians, particularly women, in the civil war in South Sudan; whether the Responsibility to Protect policy applies in that case; and if so, how it will be applied.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

The UK is deeply concerned by the findings of the recent UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights report. The Responsibility to Protect was agreed by all UN member states; it imposes an obligation on all states to protect their populations, and for the international community to assist. Due to the severity of the situation in South Sudan we are taking action on multiple levels. We are raising our serious concerns directly with the government, encouraging the African Union to establish the Hybrid Court for South Sudan, and pressing the UN Security Council to agree an arms embargo. At the UN Human Rights Council we are pressing for a UN Special Rapporteur to be agreed.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Marquess of Lothian on 2016-05-10.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress has been made towards implementation of the provisions of the EU–Turkey Joint Action Plan to tackle the migrant crisis in line with EU principles.

Lord Keen of Elie

The UK is committed to ensuring the EU Turkey deal is implemented in an effective and sustainable way. We believe it is going to make a genuine difference to managing the flows of migrants; preventing people from putting themselves in the hands of smugglers and from dying while attempting the crossing. The UK is working with our European partners to ensure that most migrants can be returned quickly, fairly and securely to Turkey. We have offered 75 expert personnel including staff to help with the processing and administration of migrants in Greek reception centres. This will help to ensure that vulnerable people, including children, are identified and can access asylum systems as quickly as possible, while other migrants will be returned to Turkey in accordance with the EU-Turkey deal. The first cohort of staff are due to arrive in Greece next week. The UK also continues to deploy three vessels in the Aegean assisting in Search & Rescue missions, and a Royal Navy vessel operating as part of the NATO mission.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Marquess of Lothian on 2016-09-12.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they are making to the government of Iran seeking the return of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and her daughter to the UK.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

I am deeply concerned by recent reports that Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe has been sentenced without confirmation of the charges against her. On 11 September our Acting Ambassador raised our concerns with the Iranian Government and pressed for urgent confirmation of the charges and sentencing against her. We continue to raise our strong concerns about British prisoners in Iran, including Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe, at the highest levels in both London and Tehran. The Prime Minister, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), did so in her introductory call with Iranian President Rouhani on 9 August and again on 20 September at the UN General Assembly in New York. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip (Mr Johnson), similarly raised this case in his introductory call with Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif on 4 August, and followed up in writing on 29 August. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth East (Mr Ellwood) met Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s family on 8 September to reassure them that we will continue to do all we can and that we remain ready to help them bring Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s daughter back to the UK if requested.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Marquess of Lothian on 2015-12-02.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the effect on UK citizens of the US proposal to tighten its visa waiver programme.

Lord Bates

We have a very close relationship with the USA and are confident the changes the administration is currently proposing will have minimal impact on UK citizens.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Marquess of Lothian on 2016-02-01.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, following his recent visits to France and Italy, whether there are plans for President Rouhani of Iran to visit the UK.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

We are gradually expanding our bilateral engagement with Iran, and reopened our Embassy in Tehran in August last year. This was a major step towards normalising our relationship with Iran. There are no fixed dates yet for President Rouhani to visit the UK, but we hope that we will be able to welcome him in the future. We welcomed Foreign Minister Zarif’s visit to the UK from 4-5 February, the first bilateral visit of an Iranian Foreign Minister in over ten years.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Marquess of Lothian on 2016-03-16.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to prevent the rise in cases of scarlet fever in children.

Lord Prior of Brampton

Public Health England (PHE) has endeavoured to keep healthcare professionals, schools and the general public informed of the increased incidence of scarlet fever through timely information, news stories and updates on the PHE website and by using social and other media. These awareness raising measures assist general practitioners and other frontline healthcare professionals in reaching a correct diagnosis more quickly and encourage patients to seek medical advice early so that suspected cases receive prompt antibiotic treatment to reduce the risk of complications and limit further transmission. Guidelines have been developed by PHE to assist local Health Protection Teams in controlling outbreaks in schools, nurseries and childcare settings. In addition, investigations are underway to explore the possible reasons for the rise in scarlet fever and the impact on patients.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Marquess of Lothian on 2016-05-10.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the current political crisis in Brazil on the country’s stability and security ahead of the 2016 Olympic Games

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

The ongoing impeachment process in Brazil is a domestic issue for the people of Brazil and their elected representatives. We continue to follow developments closely. Preparations for the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Games are being led by the State and City of Rio de Janeiro. Experts from the London 2012 team have been working closely with the Rio 2016 authorities and we are confident they will deliver a successful Games.