Asked by: Baroness Kennedy of Shaws (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the report by the Yazidi Justice Committee State Responsibility and the Genocide of the Yazidis, published on 6 July, what plans they have to use dispute resolution mechanisms such as the International Court of Justice to ensure that (1) Syria, (2) Iraq, and (3) Turkey, adhere to their responsibilities under the Genocide Convention.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We note the findings from the Yazidi Justice Committee report. The UK is supporting the Government of Iraq to take the necessary actions to secure justice for the Yazidi people and many other victims of Daesh's crimes. We regularly emphasise the need for dialogue and cooperation between Turkey and Iraq, including the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, to combat terrorism, ensure regional security, and protect civilians including religious and ethnic minorities.
We will continue to use our position at the UN, including as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, and our leadership of the regular Syria resolutions at the UN Human Rights Council to draw international attention to the ongoing human rights violations and abuses in Syria, to raise situations of concern and to deploy all appropriate tools available to the UN in dealing with potential mass atrocities. Our focus is always on securing an end to violence, protecting civilians and calling for accountability.
Asked by: Baroness Kennedy of Shaws (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have (1) to provide visas to Afghan women at risk, especially judges, lawyers, MPs, journalists and human rights defenders, and (2) to work with domestic and international partners on identifying such women.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS), announced on 18 August, will provide those put at risk by recent events in Afghanistan with a route to safety. The scheme will prioritise:
In delivering the ACRS, the Government will work with the UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR and other international partners in the region to identify and resettle people at risk, including women and girls.
Asked by: Baroness Kennedy of Shaws (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many Afghan women at risk, including judges, lawyers, MPs, journalists and human rights defenders, were resettled to the UK in August and September.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The United Kingdom evacuated around 5,000 Afghan nationals under the ARAP scheme and around 500 special cases of particularly vulnerable Afghans, including Chevening scholars, journalists, human rights defenders, campaigners for women’s rights, judges, and many others. Around half of those resettled were women.
Asked by: Baroness Kennedy of Shaws (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what practical assistance they are providing to Afghan women, particularly judges, lawyers, MPs, journalists, human rights defenders and others at particular risk.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
A bespoke new safe and legal route will welcome Afghans most at risk who have been forced to flee the country, including women, girls and religious and other minorities given their particular vulnerability, to the UK. The ACRS will prioritise:
Those who have assisted the UK efforts in Afghanistan and stood up for values such as democracy, women’s rights and freedom of speech, rule of law (for example, judges, women’s rights activists, journalists); and vulnerable people, including women and girls at risk, and members of minority groups at risk (including ethnic and religious minorities and LGBT+).
Under Operation Warm Welcome, we are taking a cross-government approach to ensuring Afghans arriving in the UK are able to rebuild their lives, find work, pursue education and integrate with their local communities.
All those brought to the UK under ACRS will have the right to work, access to education and healthcare and be able to apply for public funds. To ensure they will be supported properly, changes will be made to legislation so that, if necessary, people arriving under ACRS do not need to meet the habitual residence test.
They will also receive comprehensive integration support as they start their new lives in the UK. A package of support to acclimatise to the UK, learn English, and find work, will enable rapid self-sufficiency and social integration in UK communities.
Asked by: Baroness Kennedy of Shaws (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people have had assets frozen in the UK in the last five years; how many of those had assets frozen due to possible involvement with Islamic State; how many such cases have involved legal challenge by the individuals affected; and in how many such cases was the decision to freeze assets upheld.
Answered by Lord Agnew of Oulton
Between 1 January 2015 and 31 December 2020, 118 individuals and entities were designated in the UK under UN, EU and UK counter-terrorism financial sanctions regimes. Of these 118 individuals and entities, 110 were designated under the United Nation’s ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions List and the EU Autonomous ISIL (Da’esh) and Al Qaida regime. We have not delineated between Al-Qaida and Islamic State affiliation for those designated during this period. Under the Terrorist Asset-Freezing etc. Act 2010 (“TAFA 2010”), the Treasury was required to report to Parliament, quarterly, on its operation of the UK’s counter-terrorism asset freezing regime mandated by UN Security Council Resolution 1373. Previous reports can be found on the 2015 to 2020 quarterly report to Parliament page. We are not aware of any legal challenges that have been brought in the UK to designations made under these two regimes between 1 January 2015 and 31 December 2020.Asked by: Baroness Kennedy of Shaws (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have frozen the assets of, and barred visas for, those Saudi nationals and their family members who have been identified as having been involved in, or as having been accessories to, the murder of Jamal Khashoggi.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
Asset Freezing is the responsibility of the FCO and HM Treasury, information on individuals whose assets have been frozen can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/office-of-financial-sanctions-implementation.
The Government has a long-established practice of not routinely commenting on the details of individual immigration cases.
Asked by: Baroness Kennedy of Shaws (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government which organisations they have commissioned to provide support to applicants to the EU Settlement Scheme.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
Details of the 57 organisations awarded EU Settlement grant scheme funding will be announced mid-May once the commercial activity has been concluded.
Asked by: Baroness Kennedy of Shaws (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether the individuals who have been put on trial in Saudi Arabia for the murder of Jamal Khashoggi are in fact those who committed the murder.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK attends the trial as part of a group of international observers. We attend all trials of international concern where host governments permit us to do so. It would not be appropriate for us to comment on an ongoing legal process.
Asked by: Baroness Kennedy of Shaws (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the government of Saudi Arabia has permitted access to British Embassy staff to the trial of those accused of the murder of Jamal Khashoggi by the Saudi authorities; if so, whether such staff are permitted to make a report of proceedings; and whether such staff were required to sign non-disclosure agreements to secure such access.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK attends the trial as part of a group of international observers. We attend all trials of international concern where host governments permit us to do so. It would not be appropriate for us to comment on an ongoing legal process.
Asked by: Baroness Kennedy of Shaws (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
Her Majesty's Government what measures will be contained in the domestic violence legislation announced in the Queen's Speech.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
As announced in the Queen’s Speech, the Government will bring forward legislation to protect the victims of domestic violence and abuse.
The Bill will contain a number of measures designed to protect victims and will give the justice system greater guidance and clarity about the devastating impact of domestic violence and abuse on families.
It will establish a Domestic Violence and Abuse Commissioner, to stand up for victims and survivors, raise public awareness, monitor the response of statutory agencies and local authorities and hold the justice system to account in tackling domestic abuse.
It will also define domestic abuse in law, and create a consolidated new domestic abuse civil prevention and protection order regime. The Bill will ensure that if abusive behaviour involves a child, then the court can hand down a sentence that reflects the devastating life-long impact that abuse can have on a child.
The Bill is part of a programme of work designed to transform our approach to domestic violence and ensure that victims have the confidence to come forward and report their experiences, safe in the knowledge that the state and justice system will do everything it can to both support them and their children, and pursue their abuser.