Baroness Stern

The Overseas Territories and the Crown Dependencies are self-governing jurisdictions with their own democratically elected governments, who are responsible for their own financial services policy. The Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies already share beneficial ownership information with UK law enforcement and have committed to introduce publicly accessible registers of company beneficial ownership. The UK Government welcomes this action; it is an important step forward and a positive response to the changing UK, global norms on corporate transparency. These commitments exceed the standards set by the Financial Action Task Force on beneficial ownership transparency, and put them ahead of most jurisdictions. The Overseas Territories Governments are making good progress, and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is providing support with this, as required.

Reports of human rights abuses and violations in Cameroon by both armed separatists and the security forces are disturbing, including against activists and journalists. We continue to regularly raise specific human rights concerns with the Government of Cameroon. We have consistently called for an end to arbitrary detentions and media infringements. Journalists should be protected and have the right to report freely without fear of violence. We also continue to urge the Cameroonian Government to remain engaged with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. Finally, we are working with international partners, including France and the United States, to raise the North-West and South-West crisis in multilateral fora. At the UN Human Rights Council in September 2021, the UK called for an end to violence and impartial investigations to hold the perpetrators of human rights violations and abuses to account.

Reports of human rights abuses and violations in Cameroon by both armed separatists and the security forces are disturbing, including against activists and journalists. We continue to regularly raise specific human rights concerns with the Government of Cameroon. We have consistently called for an end to arbitrary detentions and media infringements. Journalists should be protected and have the right to report freely without fear of violence. We also continue to urge the Cameroonian Government to remain engaged with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. Finally, we are working with international partners, including France and the United States, to raise the North-West and South-West crisis in multilateral fora. At the UN Human Rights Council in September 2021, the UK called for an end to violence and impartial investigations to hold the perpetrators of human rights violations and abuses to account.

The UK continues to call on the UN Secretary General for greater transparency on listing decisions. The UK is firmly committed to ending the recruitment and use of child soldiers and to protecting all children affected by armed conflict. We use our permanent UN Security Council (UNSC) membership to ensure conflict-related child protection issues remain a key part of UNSC discussions and that UN operations address child protection issues.

The UK is firmly committed to ending the recruitment and use of child soldiers and to protecting all children affected by armed conflict. In the coming months, we will be reviewing the UK's approach to tackling violent conflict, and will continue to ensure that the children and armed conflict agenda is reflected in this.

The Secretary-General's Annual Report on Children and Armed Conflict (CAAC) shows how far we still need to travel to end the suffering of children. The UK is particularly concerned about the increase in violations committed against children in countries already on the Council's agenda, like Somalia. We have called on the Secretary General to ensure that next year's report includes the plight of children in Ethiopia and Mozambique. As a member of the UN Security Council CAAC Working Group, the UK applies diplomatic pressure to perpetrators to enter into UN action plans to verify and release any children associated with armed groups and forces, to prevent re-recruitment and ensure the provision of appropriate reintegration and rehabilitation assistance. Recently, we have negotiated strong calls to action for parties to conflict in Somalia, Nigeria, Sudan, South Sudan, Mali, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Colombia.

We have followed the detention of Sayed Hasan Ameen who was arrested with others for arson, endangering the lives and property of others, and preparing and possessing Molotov cocktails. We understand his case is pending legal proceedings, and is being supervised by social work specialists. We will continue to monitor and raise this case if/when appropriate. The Government of Bahrain has been clear that access to medical care for those in detention is provided in line with the constitution of Bahrain.

We are following recent juvenile detention cases in Bahrain, which are pending legal proceedings, and will continue to monitor them and raise them if/when appropriate. We understand they are being supervised by social work specialists. We continue to encourage the Government of Bahrain to follow due process in all cases and to meet its international and domestic human rights commitments, including in the case of juveniles.

We believe the recent ratification of the Correctional Justice Act is a positive step. We note that this law will be enforced 6 months after its ratification on 18 February 2021. We understand that Article 87 will permit a Judicial Committee to hear cases and potentially replace penalties that were decided before the law was enforced. We will monitor the implementation of this new law, in light of international human rights standards.

The UK is an active permanent member of the United Nations Security Council Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict (CAAC), which leads the international response to violations committed against children in conflict. These violations include: the recruitment and use of children, sexual violence against children, killing and maiming of children, abduction, attacks on schools and hospitals and the denial of humanitarian access to children in conflict.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) updated its guidance on Overseas Security and Justice Assistance (OSJA) in 2017 by written ministerial statement. Since then, information on its implementation has been included in the FCO's Annual Human Rights and Democracy Report. The OSJA guidance applies to issues of international humanitarian law as well as human rights risks. As part of implementation of the OSJA guidance, Her Majesty's Government missions pool expertise from a range of sources including civil society partners and international organisations, according to the situation in the country concerned. This includes relevant UN sources of expertise.

The UN CAAC Working Group focuses on responding to the UN Secretary-General's annual report on CAAC which lists governments and armed groups for committing grave violations against children. As a member of the group, the UK applies diplomatic pressure to listed parties to enter into concrete UN action plans to verify and release any children associated with armed groups and forces, to prevent re-recruitment and ensure the provision of appropriate reintegration and rehabilitation assistance. We ensure that the technical assistance we provide is in line with international standards, and fully complies with our human rights obligations.

The UK is an active permanent member of the United Nations Security Council Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict (CAAC), which leads the international response to violations committed against children in conflict. These violations include: the recruitment and use of children, sexual violence against children, killing and maiming of children, abduction, attacks on schools and hospitals and the denial of humanitarian access to children in conflict.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) updated its guidance on Overseas Security and Justice Assistance (OSJA) in 2017 by written ministerial statement. Since then, information on its implementation has been included in the FCO's Annual Human Rights and Democracy Report. The OSJA guidance applies to issues of international humanitarian law as well as human rights risks. As part of implementation of the OSJA guidance, Her Majesty's Government missions pool expertise from a range of sources including civil society partners and international organisations, according to the situation in the country concerned. This includes relevant UN sources of expertise.

The UN CAAC Working Group focuses on responding to the UN Secretary-General's annual report on CAAC which lists governments and armed groups for committing grave violations against children. As a member of the group, the UK applies diplomatic pressure to listed parties to enter into concrete UN action plans to verify and release any children associated with armed groups and forces, to prevent re-recruitment and ensure the provision of appropriate reintegration and rehabilitation assistance. We ensure that the technical assistance we provide is in line with international standards, and fully complies with our human rights obligations.

The UK is an active permanent member of the United Nations Security Council Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict (CAAC), which leads the international response to violations committed against children in conflict. These violations include: the recruitment and use of children, sexual violence against children, killing and maiming of children, abduction, attacks on schools and hospitals and the denial of humanitarian access to children in conflict.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) updated its guidance on Overseas Security and Justice Assistance (OSJA) in 2017 by written ministerial statement. Since then, information on its implementation has been included in the FCO's Annual Human Rights and Democracy Report. The OSJA guidance applies to issues of international humanitarian law as well as human rights risks. As part of implementation of the OSJA guidance, Her Majesty's Government missions pool expertise from a range of sources including civil society partners and international organisations, according to the situation in the country concerned. This includes relevant UN sources of expertise.

The UN CAAC Working Group focuses on responding to the UN Secretary-General's annual report on CAAC which lists governments and armed groups for committing grave violations against children. As a member of the group, the UK applies diplomatic pressure to listed parties to enter into concrete UN action plans to verify and release any children associated with armed groups and forces, to prevent re-recruitment and ensure the provision of appropriate reintegration and rehabilitation assistance. We ensure that the technical assistance we provide is in line with international standards, and fully complies with our human rights obligations.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) updated its guidance on Overseas Security and Justice Assistance (OSJA) in 2017 by written ministerial statement. Since then, information on its implementation has been included in the FCO's Annual Human Rights and Democracy Report. Information on the number of times that projects informed by the OSJA guidance have been either refused or modified on the basis of specific forms of human rights risks, is not held centrally nor readily available. Any technical assistance we provide is kept under regular review to ensure it is in line with international standards, and fully complies with our human rights obligations and the Overseas Security and Justice Assistance process.

​The British Government and the Overseas Territories developed an Action Plan as a more effective tool for measuring progress following the Joint Ministerial Council. I laid a Written Ministerial Statement on 17 December 2018 (HLWS1153) which covered the main issues in the Action Plan. The next Overseas Territories Joint Ministerial Council will take place in London on 26 and 27 November 2019.

My Department is working with other Government Departments on the support and expertise the UK Government can offer the Overseas Territories. As part of that, we plan to hold a technical workshop this summer, and are currently liaising with the Overseas Territories to agree the issues they would find it most useful to cover in the workshop. These issues could include policy, technical and legal areas.

​We are aware of the case of Ahmed Aliouat, and of the UN Human Rights Council Working Group on Arbitrary Detention report on his case. Human rights forms part of our ongoing dialogue with Morocco, and we raise concerns where appropriate.

​I announced at the Overseas Territories Joint Ministerial Council the setting up of technical workshops between the UK and the British Overseas Territories that will be scheduled from spring next year to support the introduction of public registers of company beneficial ownership.

​The British Government is considering what financial support is possible for the Official Development Assistance-eligible territories to support the introduction of public registers of company beneficial ownership.

The British Government will aim to bring expertise from a range of departments and executive agencies, including Companies House, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, the Department for International Development and the Home Office. I announced at the Overseas Territories Joint Ministerial Council the setting up of workshops between the UK and the British Overseas Territories that will be scheduled from spring next year to provide technical support to the territories. The British Government is considering what financial support is possible for the Official Development Assistance-eligible territories.

Anguilla, the Cayman Islands and the Turks and Caicos Islands have proposed amendments to their constitutions, and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is analysing these. I will be discussing the proposals with individual Territory leaders in the margins of the Joint Ministerial Council taking place 4-5 December.

The British Government will discuss any initial requests for support from the Overseas Territories with respect to the implementation of public registers during the Joint Ministerial Council, taking place in December this year. Subsequent to those discussions, officials will discuss which departments will be involved in providing financial and technical assistance.

Everyone who returns from taking part in the conflict in Syria or Iraq must expect to be investigated by the police to determine if they have committed criminal offences, and to ensure that they do not pose a threat to our national security.

Those who have committed criminal offences should expect to be prosecuted for their crimes under the full range of existing counter terrorism legislation. Any decision on whether to prosecute will be taken by the police and Crown Prosecution Service on a case by case basis

We continue to work closely with the US and our other partners in the Global Coalition to defeat Daesh and to ensure justice for those who have suffered at their hands. The Foreign Secretary discusses the Global Coalition's action against Daesh on a regular basis with US colleagues.

The Government have not discussed the killings of the Herero and Nama peoples with the Government of Germany.

It is the policy of the Government that any judgment on whether genocide has occurred is a matter for judicial decision, rather than for governments or non-judicial bodies.

The UK has delivered over £85 million in non-humanitarian support to Syria, Jordan and Lebanon since the start of the crisis, in addition to the £1.12 billion that has been allocated in humanitarian aid. This has focussed on strengthening the moderate opposition, building resilience against extremists, fostering civil society structures in besieged areas, and laying the foundations for a more peaceful and inclusive future for Syria.

On 10 December the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) Pre-Trial Chamber dealing with Saif Qadhafi’s case issued a decision, which found that Libya had failed to comply with the Court’s request to surrender Qadhafi. It decided to refer Libya’s non-compliance to the United Nations Security Council. The United Kingdom fully supports the ICC’s decision and urges Libya to surrender Qadhafi to the Court. We will work within the Security Council for an effective response to the ICC.

We have no plans to respond in writing to the report by the UN Special Rapporteur on Counter-Terrorism dated 28 February 2014. However, the UK was represented at the UN Human Rights Council expert meeting on 22 September, where we once again set out our position on the legality of Remotely Piloted Air Systems.

Published Home Office policy on use of force on pregnant women states that it may, if necessary be used only for the prevention of harm either to the pregnant woman or to other persons. It must not be used for reasons of non-compliance by the woman in question. Any action taken must be justified, appropriate and proportionate. Following the introduction of the bespoke Home Office Manual for Escorting Safely (HOMES) restraint system from June 2014 for escort detainee custody officers, operational guidance was implemented in August 2014. The latest guidance is at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/use-of-restraints-for-escorted-moves.

The UK is willing and committed to helping international partners and will consider any request on a case by case basis. However as a matter of longstanding policy and practice the Home Office can neither confirm nor deny the existence, content or status of any individual request.

Money laundering investigations are conducted by law enforcement agencies with access to the powers in the Proceeds of Crime Act, such as the National Crime Agency, the Serious Fraud Office, and the police. All of these law enforcement agencies are operationally independent of the Government.