Asked by: Baroness Helic (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the use of Magnitsky-style sanctions arising from the Global Human Rights Sanctions Regulations 2020 against individuals based in Bosnia-Herzegovina who are deemed to have been involved in an activity which, if carried out by or on behalf of an entity within the territory of Bosnia-Herzegovina, would amount to a serious violation of human rights.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We fully support the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. We will continue to take measures against those who threaten that. It is not appropriate to speculate on future designations, as to do so could reduce their impact. We designated two individuals under our Bosnia and Herzegovina autonomous sanctions regime last year.
Asked by: Baroness Helic (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the introduction of a closed season for hunting activities to coincide with the breeding and rearing of brown hares; if so, what progress they have made in this work; and if not, what alternative measures or strategies they assess would be needed to address the impact of hunting practices on dependent young hares.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
In May 2021, a commitment was included within the Government’s Action Plan for Animal Welfare to consider legislation to introduce a close season for brown hares in England. It was considered that a close season, prohibiting the killing of hares during their breeding season, would be likely to reduce the number of leverets (young hares) left motherless, giving them a better chance of survival. This is consistent with Natural England’s advice on wildlife management, which is to avoid controlling species in their peak breeding season unless genuinely essential and unavoidable. Introducing a close season for brown hares remains an option. An industry-led, non-statutory code of practice to protect hares in England is already in place which states that lethal control to prevent damage to crops should only be carried out in the winter months of January and February when vegetation is low and hares are easily visible. These months avoid the main breeding season and thereby reduce risks to dependent young.
In the absence of a close season, the Government has taken other forms of action which should have beneficial effects for our brown hares. Last year we introduced new measures to strengthen law enforcement and increase the powers of the courts through the Police, Crime Sentencing and Courts Act to clamp down on the scourge of hare coursing. They have been widely welcomed. The new offences and higher penalties introduced by the Act are all being used and imposed by the courts. Further to this, brown hare is one of the indicator species for our legally binding targets in England to halt the decline in species abundance by 2030 and then reverse declines by 2042. We know that in order to meet these targets we will need large-scale habitat creation, restoration and improved connectivity. Our legally binding target to restore or create more than 500,000 hectares of wildlife-rich habitat is already driving action on this front, including for habitat on which hares rely to flourish, such as open grassland.
Asked by: Baroness Helic (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessments they have undertaken in the last 20 years of the impact of hunting practices on the orphaning of brown hare leverets in England and Wales.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
In May 2021, a commitment was included within the Government’s Action Plan for Animal Welfare to consider legislation to introduce a close season for brown hares in England. It was considered that a close season, prohibiting the killing of hares during their breeding season, would be likely to reduce the number of leverets (young hares) left motherless, giving them a better chance of survival. This is consistent with Natural England’s advice on wildlife management, which is to avoid controlling species in their peak breeding season unless genuinely essential and unavoidable. Introducing a close season for brown hares remains an option. An industry-led, non-statutory code of practice to protect hares in England is already in place which states that lethal control to prevent damage to crops should only be carried out in the winter months of January and February when vegetation is low and hares are easily visible. These months avoid the main breeding season and thereby reduce risks to dependent young.
In the absence of a close season, the Government has taken other forms of action which should have beneficial effects for our brown hares. Last year we introduced new measures to strengthen law enforcement and increase the powers of the courts through the Police, Crime Sentencing and Courts Act to clamp down on the scourge of hare coursing. They have been widely welcomed. The new offences and higher penalties introduced by the Act are all being used and imposed by the courts. Further to this, brown hare is one of the indicator species for our legally binding targets in England to halt the decline in species abundance by 2030 and then reverse declines by 2042. We know that in order to meet these targets we will need large-scale habitat creation, restoration and improved connectivity. Our legally binding target to restore or create more than 500,000 hectares of wildlife-rich habitat is already driving action on this front, including for habitat on which hares rely to flourish, such as open grassland.
Asked by: Baroness Helic (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to (1) address the issue of orphaning in the brown hare population, and (2) protect dependent young hares.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
In May 2021, a commitment was included within the Government’s Action Plan for Animal Welfare to consider legislation to introduce a close season for brown hares in England. It was considered that a close season, prohibiting the killing of hares during their breeding season, would be likely to reduce the number of leverets (young hares) left motherless, giving them a better chance of survival. This is consistent with Natural England’s advice on wildlife management, which is to avoid controlling species in their peak breeding season unless genuinely essential and unavoidable. Introducing a close season for brown hares remains an option. An industry-led, non-statutory code of practice to protect hares in England is already in place which states that lethal control to prevent damage to crops should only be carried out in the winter months of January and February when vegetation is low and hares are easily visible. These months avoid the main breeding season and thereby reduce risks to dependent young.
In the absence of a close season, the Government has taken other forms of action which should have beneficial effects for our brown hares. Last year we introduced new measures to strengthen law enforcement and increase the powers of the courts through the Police, Crime Sentencing and Courts Act to clamp down on the scourge of hare coursing. They have been widely welcomed. The new offences and higher penalties introduced by the Act are all being used and imposed by the courts. Further to this, brown hare is one of the indicator species for our legally binding targets in England to halt the decline in species abundance by 2030 and then reverse declines by 2042. We know that in order to meet these targets we will need large-scale habitat creation, restoration and improved connectivity. Our legally binding target to restore or create more than 500,000 hectares of wildlife-rich habitat is already driving action on this front, including for habitat on which hares rely to flourish, such as open grassland.
Asked by: Baroness Helic (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what was the value of support given in respect of exports to Serbia under the (1) Bond Insurance Policy, (2) Bond Support Scheme, (3) Buyer Credit Facility, (4) Direct Lending Facility, (5) Export Development Guarantee, (6) Export Insurance Policy, (7) Export Working Capital Scheme, (8) General Export Facility, (9) Overseas Investment Insurance, (10) Standard Buyer Loan Guarantee, (11) supplier credit facilities, and (12) Supply Chain Discount Guarantee in the past five financial years for which figures are available.
Answered by Lord Offord of Garvel - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Total UKEF support for exports to Serbia over the past five financial years (2017-18 to 2021-22) for which we have audited figures is shown in the table:
UKEF Product | Value of UKEF support |
Bond Insurance Policy | - |
Bond Support Scheme | £130,394 |
Buyer Credit Facility | £405,348,227 |
Direct Lending Facility | - |
Export Development Guarantee | - |
Export Insurance Policy | £76,808 |
Export Working Capital Scheme | £6,978 |
General Export Facility | - |
Overseas Investment Insurance | - |
Standard Buyer Loan Guarantee | - |
Supplier Credit Facilities | - |
Supply Chain Discount Guarantee | - |
Asked by: Baroness Helic (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what additional steps they are taking to support the documentation of conflict-related sexual violence in Sudan since the outbreak of hostilities in April.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
There has been an escalation of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) against women and girls in Sudan since the start of the conflict on 15 April. The UK is working to ensure gender and inclusion conflict analyses underpin all aspects of the crisis response. The UK continues to provide funds to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Sudan (OHCHR), a UN body that has a crucial role in monitoring and reporting on human rights violations. They are setting up remote monitoring mechanisms. Through the Women's Integrated Sexual Health programme, the UK is also providing integrated sexual and reproductive services, and provisions of family planning and management of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).
Asked by: Baroness Helic (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion of UK aid and development funding to Sudan was allocated to gender-based violence programming in each financial year between 2012 and 2023.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We do not hold data broken down in this way. The UK is committed to tackling gender-based violence (GBV) and conflict-related sexual violence globally. On 24 May, the Minister for Development and Africa announced £21.7 million humanitarian funding for people in need in Sudan, part of a £143 million package of humanitarian aid for East Africa. This includes support for the protection of GBV survivors inside Sudan. The UK is providing £5 million to support refugees and returnees fleeing the violence to South Sudan and Chad. Of this, £500,000 will support UNICEF South Sudan and £45,000 will support International Red Cross and Concern Worldwide in Eastern Chad to provide GBV protection services. The UK Government is pursuing all diplomatic avenues, including at the UN Security Council and Human Rights Council, through engagement with the conflicting parties, and through cooperation with international partners, including the African Union, to end the violence in Sudan.
Asked by: Baroness Helic (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion of the UK's humanitarian support for (1) people inside Sudan, and (2) people fleeing violence in Sudan, is allocated to gender-based violence programming.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We do not hold data broken down in this way. The UK is committed to tackling gender-based violence (GBV) and conflict-related sexual violence globally. On 24 May, the Minister for Development and Africa announced £21.7 million humanitarian funding for people in need in Sudan, part of a £143 million package of humanitarian aid for East Africa. This includes support for the protection of GBV survivors inside Sudan. The UK is providing £5 million to support refugees and returnees fleeing the violence to South Sudan and Chad. Of this, £500,000 will support UNICEF South Sudan and £45,000 will support International Red Cross and Concern Worldwide in Eastern Chad to provide GBV protection services. The UK Government is pursuing all diplomatic avenues, including at the UN Security Council and Human Rights Council, through engagement with the conflicting parties, and through cooperation with international partners, including the African Union, to end the violence in Sudan.
Asked by: Baroness Helic (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that, in any ceasefire and peace agreements in Sudan, (1) conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) is included as a prohibited act, (2) monitoring for CRSV is included, (3) amnesties for crimes under international law are prohibited, and (4) arrangements for justice and accountability mechanisms are included.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK condemns all human rights violations, including the escalation of Conflict Related Sexual Violence against women and girls in Sudan. A UK-drafted resolution passed at the UN Human Rights Council on 11 May highlighted the urgent need to protect civilians and humanitarian workers and ensure accountability for human rights violations. The UK Government has enhanced its atrocity risk monitoring, including monitoring of conflict-related sexual violence. We continue to support the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Sudan in monitoring and reporting on human rights violations. We call on both sides to abide by their responsibilities under International Law, protect civilians and grant immediate and unimpeded humanitarian access, including providing medical assistance and psychosocial support for survivors of sexual violence.
Asked by: Baroness Helic (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support the inclusion of women in ceasefire and peace negotiations in Sudan.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Prior to the outbreak of conflict on 15 April, the British Embassy in Khartoum had made considerable efforts to ensure the involvement of civil society, community representatives and marginalised groups, including women, in the political process. The UK is working closely with Saudi Arabia and the US as part of the Quad (UK, US, KSA and UAE) and supported the Jeddah Process. These talks are now suspended. The UK is working through a new African Union-led Core Group to ensure inclusive regional and international action to secure a viable peace process. We are working to ensure that gendered conflict analysis underpins all aspects of the crisis response, and to identify opportunities to amplify women's voices, particularly women mediators. To achieve sustainable peace, it is essential that ceasefire and peace negotiations involve civil society and women's groups.