Tag: Tom Brake

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-03-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 9 March 2016 to Question 29390, what definition of principle of humanity his Department uses to assess whether an incident counts as a violation of international humanitarian law.

Penny Mordaunt

International Humanitarian Law is founded in customary international law but now extensively codified in international agreements, most notably the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and the Additional Protocols. The UK’s interpretation of the principles of proportionality, military necessity, humanity and distinction is set out in the Ministry of Defence’s Joint Service Publication (JSP) 383, the Manual of the Law of Armed Conflict, which is available online (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/jsp-383).

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-03-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information his Department holds on whether Passenger Service Performance by the TSGN has exceeded the Default Performance Level for any benchmark for any (a) three consecutive reporting periods, (b) four reporting periods within a period of 13 consecutive reporting periods or (c) any five reporting periods within a period of 26 consecutive reporting periods except in relation to any reporting periods falling within a no breach reporting period.

Claire Perry

The Department receives information on each franchised operators’ performance against respective benchmarks every four weeks. Delays and Peak Short formations have not exceeded the Default Performance level as defined in the Franchise Agreement. However, GTR exceeded the breach performance level for cancellations last year and the Secretary of State issued Govia Thameslink Railway with a Remedial Plan Notice requiring them to set out the measures they will take in order to improve performance. Subsequently, the Secretary of State has accepted the Remedial Plan that sets out the steps the operator is taking to improve their performance.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-04-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment the Government has made of the feasibility of introducing no-fly zones over parts of the Syrian border.

Penny Mordaunt

While the UK would consider any option compliant with international law which might save lives in Syria, and have considered the feasibility of attempting to create safe zones, our priority is to support UN-brokered intra-Syrian negotiations in Geneva. We believe this offers the best hope of bringing an end to the conflict and relief to civilian populations.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-04-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department has taken to promote the environmental practices developed during the construction of the Beddington Zero Energy Development in Hackbridge.

James Wharton

When completed in 2002 the Beddington Zero Energy Development (BedZed) in Hackbridge was at the forefront in its use of low carbon and energy efficient technologies and sustainability concepts. Since then the Government has made significant changes to both the Building Regulations and planning regimes to embed and mainstream energy efficiency and sustainability principles, taking learning where appropriate from BedZed and other similar innovative sustainable developments.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-04-21.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 13 July 2016 to Question 6002, when the liaison personnel in Saudi coalition headquarters were first deployed; how many liaison personnel worked in those headquarters between March 2015 and January 2016; what rules of engagement or memorandum of understanding governs the role of those personnel; and whether any of those personnel have a role in the commission of inquiry announced by the Saudi coalition on 31 January 2016.

Michael Fallon

The Liaison Officers were first deployed in May 2015. We do not discuss specific numbers for operational reasons. As Liaison Officers they are not expected to be in a situation where they would require Rules of Engagement nor provide advice to the Saudi investigatory committee.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-05-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the oral evidence given to the Committees on Arms Export Controls on 27 April 2016, if he will publish the reports the Saudi Arabian military has shared with his Department on airstrikes carried out by the Saudi-led Coalition in Yemen.

Mr Philip Dunne

We will not release this information as coalition military reporting shared with the UK is sensitive operational information which we have received on privileged terms and which belongs to another country and its disclosure would, or would be likely to prejudice relations between the United Kingdom and another state. Likewise, we would expect our allies and partners to protect any operational information we shared with them.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-06-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the Answer of 18 April 2016 to Question 33935, whether the UK Government considers that the Saudi Arabian-led coalition forces have committed any violation of International Humanitarian Law during the Yemen conflict.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

We regularly raise the importance of compliance with International Humanitarian Law with the Saudi Arabian Government and other members of the military Coalition. Saudi Arabia has publicly stated that it is investigating reports of alleged violations of IHL, and that lessons will be acted upon. The key test for our continued arms exports to Saudi Arabia in relation to IHL is whether there is a clear risk that those weapons might be used in a serious violation of IHL. Having regard to all the information available to us, we assess that this test has not been met.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-09-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 11 May 2016 to Question 36578, what the findings relevant to Tibet were of her Department’s-funded assessments of glacial melt and rivers in the Himalayas.

Rory Stewart

As noted in the Answer of 13 April 2013 to Question 151281, DFID funded two assessments on glacial melt in the Himalayan region. It has since piloted a method of assessing glaciers in the region using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). The studies indicate that the Himalayan glaciers have been shrinking overall at 0.4-0.5% per year since the 1950s. The studies are available on DFID’s Research for Development website.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-09-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his Department’s policies of the cases of (a) Ali al Nimr, (b) Dawoud al Marhoon and (c) Abdullah al Zaher who were sentenced to death as children for participating in political protests in Saudi Arabia.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

We remain concerned about the cases of Ali Mohammed al-Nimr, Dawood al-Marhoon and Abdallah al-Zaher and continue to follow them closely. We most recently got assurances on 7 September and our expectation remains that they will not be executed. Our Embassy in Riyadh also frequently raise our concerns and will continue to do so.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-10-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations the Government has made to Russia on the breaking of the ceasefire in Aleppo.

Sir Alan Duncan

The UK supported the Governments of France and Spain in their efforts to pass a UN Security Council Resolution on 8th October, calling for an immediate end to the bombardment of Aleppo. This resolution was vetoed by Russia. The UK’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations condemned Russia’s use of the veto in the strongest possible terms, as "a cynical abuse of the privileges and responsibilities of permanent membership". We have called repeatedly on Russia at the highest levels to implement a ceasefire in Syria, and to use its influence to deliver this. The Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip (Mr Johnson) raised his concerns directly with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov during their meeting on 21 September, and the Prime Minister discussed the situation in Syria with President Putin on 4 September at the G20 Summit. I also refer the Hon. Member to the Foreign Secretary’s statement of 11 October (Hansard 11 October 2016, Column 165).