Tag: Tom Brake

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-05-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to Freedom in the World 2016, published by Freedom House in January 2016, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the finding that Tibet is the second least free country in the world.

Mr Hugo Swire

The Government regards the Tibet Autonomous Region as part of the People’s Republic of China. We do have concerns about rights and freedoms in Tibet. We urge the Chinese authorities to respect freedom of religion, expression and association in Tibet in line with China’s constitution and the international frameworks to which it is a party.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-05-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policies of the finding of the report from Human Rights Watch entitled, We Feel We Are Cursed: Life under ISIS in Sirte, Libya, published on 18 May 2016.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

I am deeply concerned by this report of the horrors and misery endured by ordinary Libyan civilians living under Daesh. I condemn their barbaric and appalling crimes in Sirte and elsewhere in Libya. It is vital that those responsible are held accountable. Political instability and conflict in Libya, after 40 years of Gaddafi misrule, created the conditions for Daesh to become established. Only an inclusive government will deliver the peace and stability that the Libyan people desire and deny the space for Daesh and other extremist groups to operate.

Our consistent policy has been to support a lasting and inclusive political agreement and the establishment of a Government of National Accord (GNA) as the best way to tackle the threat in the long term. Following the Libyan Political Agreement, signed in December 2015, we now have a GNA, and the Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) visited Tripoli on 18 April to discuss how we could help the GNA bolster security and tackle Daesh. We have allocated £10 million in this financial year to help restore stability in Libya; rebuild the economy; fight Daesh; and tackle the criminal gangs that fuel illegal migration.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-06-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the potential role of the UK in reducing the number of people trying to cross the Mediterranean in dangerous circumstances; and what plans he has to tackle the issue of deaths in the Mediterranean of people attempting to make that crossing.

Mr David Lidington

The Government’s focus is on addressing the root causes of irregular migration so as to reduce the need for people to make perilous journeys to Europe. We have taken action to tackle smugglers and save lives at sea: HMS Enterprise is deployed as part of the EU’s counter migration operation, Operation Sophia. The UK has rescued almost 18,000 people, and disrupted suspected people smugglers, in the Mediterranean since 2015. At the G7 Summit in Japan on 27 May, the Prime Minister, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), announced that the UK will work on a plan to boost the capability of the Libyan coastguard to stem the flow of illegal migration across the Mediterranean into Europe. Following adoption of the UN Security Council Resolution 2292 on 14 June, we are working with EU partners to ensure Op Sophia can begin its new taskings as soon as possible, including capacity building for the Libyan Coastguard. As the Prime Minister announced following the June European Council, RFA Mounts Bay will also be deployed to stop the flow of weapons to terrorists, particularly Daesh, in Libya. As the Prime Minister also said at the G7, the UK stands ready to deploy an additional naval vessel to the South Central Mediterranean.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-09-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 13 June 2016 to Question 40083, what recent assessment her Department made of the feasibility of air drops of humanitarian aid in Syria.

Rory Stewart

My department’s assessment is that aid delivered by road, by trusted humanitarian partners who can ensure it gets to those who need it most, remains the best way of getting help to affected populations. The use of air drops to deliver aid is high risk and should only be considered as a last resort when all other means have failed, and if it is an effective way of getting humanitarian supplies to people. Air drops require certain conditions to be met for successful delivery that are difficult to meet in most of Syria; ideally including clear drop zones, safe air space and access for the intended recipients, and co-ordination with authorities on the ground to oversee distribution.

We therefore continue to deliver the majority of our supplies by road, although our partners have made occasional air-drops in the past.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-09-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the UK is a party to the Syrian Counter Terror Agreement made by the US and Russia on 9 September 2016; whether the UK plans to provide any assistance or reconnaissance intelligence for actions taken under that agreement; and whether British forces’ operations in Iraq and Syria will be affected by that agreement.

Mike Penning

The UK supported US efforts to reach agreement with Russia to reinstate a cessation of hostilities in Syria and will continue to work for the restoration of a credible cessation of Hostilities. The UK was not, however, a party to the US-Russia arrangement which was a purely bilateral one. While the UK would have considered seriously any requests received, we were not asked for either assistance or reconnaissance intelligence for its implementation.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when the ad hoc Ministerial committee established after the terrorist attacks in Tunisia in 2015 plans to publish its conclusions and recommendations on (a) the support provided by the Government to British nationals or residents affected by those attacks and (b) its recommended support for victims or witnesses of future incidents.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

As Chair of the Ad Hoc Ministerial Committee to Coordinate Support for People Affected by the Terrorist Attacks in Tunisia, I have updated the Prime Minister, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), MPs and victims regularly about the Committee’s work. There was no commitment to report publicly. The Committee recommended that the lessons it had learned from supporting those affected by the Tunisia attacks benefitted any future victims of terrorism. HMG will ensure that it builds on the work of the Committee in future arrangements.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what support her Department is giving to Palestinians displaced by Israeli settlement building and the demolition of Palestinian homes.

Rory Stewart

The UK remains extremely concerned about continued Israeli settlement expansion and the large increase in demolitions in the Occupied Palestinian Territories since the start of 2016, compared to the monthly average in 2015. We continue to raise these issues with the Israeli authorities. Demolitions and the evictions of Palestinians from their homes cause unnecessary suffering, are harmful to the peace process, and in all but the most exceptional of cases are contrary to international humanitarian law.

The UK supports Palestinians facing demolition or eviction and displacement by funding a legal aid programme to help individuals and communities challenge these decisions in the Israeli legal system.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-10-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if the Government will grant all children brought from Calais under the Dublin agreement or the Dubs amendment indefinite leave to remain.

Mr Robert Goodwill

The Government will process cases in line with the EU’s Dublin Regulation and Section 67 of the Immigration Act 2016.

The Dublin Regulation does not confer leave on individuals; it is a mechanism for transferring responsibility of asylum claims between Member States.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2015-11-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many benefit claimants in 2014-15 were not British citizens.

Priti Patel

The information as requested is not available.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Brake on 2016-01-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answers of 15 December 2015 to Questions 18901 and 18902, what the source is of the statement that 71 of the 131 neonatal critical care services now meet required staffing ratios; and if he will place a copy of the source document in the Library.

Ben Gummer

NHS England has used the Women and Children’s Derogation report to describe compliance against staffing ratios.

The source document is attached.