Asked by: Matt Western (Labour - Warwick and Leamington)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what progress he has made in appointing a special envoy for complex detention cases.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 19 March to question 37752.
Asked by: Brendan O'Hara (Scottish National Party - Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has raised reports of support for the Rapid Support Forces in Sudan by the government of the United Arab Emirates with her Emirati counterpart.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the responses provided in the Urgent Question debate on 5 November and the statement on Sudan made to the House by the Foreign Secretary on 18 November, when these issues were discussed at length.
Asked by: Brendan O'Hara (Scottish National Party - Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure no British-made weaponry is being used in the war in Sudan.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the responses provided in the Urgent Question debate on 5 November and the statement on Sudan made to the House by the Foreign Secretary on 18 November, when these issues were discussed at length.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will publish all correspondence from (a) her, (b) her ministers and (c) her officials to the Planning Inspectorate regarding the Chinese Embassy planning application.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer provided on 29 October in response to Question 84208.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking in response to the seizure of power by the military in Guinea-Bissau, and what assessment they have made of the location and safety of the political leaders who have been detained, targeted or disappeared since the coup.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The UK is concerned by recent developments in Guinea-Bissau and is monitoring the situation closely. It is essential that all parties respect constitutional order and democratic principles. We welcome the swift response of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union, and support their efforts to bring about a return to constitutional order.
Following his initial detention, former President Embaló has now left Guinea-Bissau. We remain concerned over the safety of other political leaders who are still in detention or seeking refuge abroad, and we support ECOWAS efforts to ensure that the rights of all those individuals are respected.
Asked by: Jim McMahon (Labour (Co-op) - Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions have been had with US counterparts about potential US political interference in UK domestic political discourse.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
UK ministers and officials are in regular dialogue with their US counterparts on a wide range of issues. Most recently, the Foreign Secretary met the US Secretary of State in Washington DC on 8 December to discuss the cooperation between our two countries on areas vital to our shared interests and security.
Asked by: Brendan O'Hara (Scottish National Party - Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of reports of the United Arab Emirates support for the Rapid Support Forces in Sudan.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the responses provided in the Urgent Question debate on 5 November and the statement on Sudan made to the House by the Foreign Secretary on 18 November, when these issues were discussed at length.
Asked by: Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice - North Antrim)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what determinations govern jurisdiction in Lough Foyle; and what measures are in place to regulate aquaculture in the Lough.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government's position on Lough Foyle has not changed. The regulation of activities in Lough Foyle is the responsibility of the Loughs Agency, a cross-border body established under the Belfast Agreement of 1998. We remain fully committed to these arrangements, while open to ways to improve the management of the Lough.
Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds Central and Headingley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the National Security Adviser discussed media freedoms in his recent meeting with President Vučić.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer given on 20 October to Question 81835.
Asked by: Lord Naseby (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, following the extensive damage in Sri Lanka from torrential rain and a cyclone, what consideration they have given to providing extra and urgent practical support.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
I refer the Noble Lord to the topical statement made by the Foreign Secretary in departmental oral questions on 2 December, which - for ease of reference - is reproduced below:
"May I send my condolences and those of the Government to all those who have lost loved ones in the deadly storms in India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam? Many have lost homes and livelihoods. I praise the emergency responders who have worked tirelessly and are committed to helping those affected, often at great personal risk.
"In response to requests for support that we have already received, the UK is providing £1,000,000 to address immediate humanitarian needs in Sri Lanka and has contributed £800,000 in response to the multiple typhoons that have struck Vietnam. The UK is closely monitoring the situation and stands ready to provide further support as needed."