Corruption: Low and Middle-income Countries
Debate between Baroness Whitaker and Baroness Chapman of Darlington
The Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Baroness Chapman of Darlington) (Lab)
My Lords, the Government remain committed to reducing the harms of illicit finance on developing countries and to holding those responsible to account. The National Crime Agency’s international corruption unit and international anti-corruption co-ordination centre provide critical assistance to help developing countries trace and recover stolen assets and pursue justice via the UK courts. The Government plan to publish a new anti-corruption strategy, which will set out ambitious actions and reforms in this area.
Lord Oates (LD)
My Lords, I welcome the Government’s focus on this critical issue. The Minister will be aware of the particular role of the illicit gold trade in fuelling the conflict in Sudan and conflicts elsewhere, and in laundering the proceeds of corruption around the globe. Will the Government, therefore, use their forthcoming illicit finance summit to designate additional sanctions packages against corrupt elites, such as those members of the Zimbabwe gold mafia, who have not yet been sanctioned, and their professional enablers, who launder proceeds from the illicit gold trade through the UK and through the United Arab Emirates?
Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)
As he knows, we do not comment on future designations, but I thank him for reminding us of the role of illicit gold mining, in particular, in this. This is how many billions of dollars are hidden. It is also associated with horrendous abuses of people and all kinds of illicit activities, including criminal activity across borders. I thank him also for reminding the House of our plans to hold a summit next year, and I look forward to his full engagement in that.
Baroness Whitaker (Lab)
My Lords, first, I apologise that my interest overran courtesy. Following the speaker’s question, there is already a plan for measures to deal with corruption on an international scale, which, I am sure my noble friend will agree, totally undermines both democracy and our overseas aid. That is the international anti-corruption court. Can the Minister tell us what progress there is on that project?
Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)
I suspect that my noble friend Lord Hain is about to ask something along these lines, so I came prepared. The Government are committed to ensuring that those responsible for the most egregious acts of international corruption are prosecuted for their crimes. We are supportive of the ambition to strengthen international mechanisms to hold kleptocrats to account, but are realistic about the geopolitical challenges associated with the proposal for an international anti-corruption court at this time. However, we look forward to considering the draft treaty of the court, which is due later this year.
Chagos Islands
Debate between Baroness Whitaker and Baroness Chapman of Darlington(11 months, 3 weeks ago)
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Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)
My understanding is that the process will be the usual one for agreeing these treaties. We need to be careful about the use of the word “consultation”, because there will be an opportunity to listen to the views of Chagossian communities and to understand that there is more than one view among them about this deal. It would be wrong to give the impression that there would be an opportunity to have a treaty changed in light of Chagossian voices. We can all have a view on that, and some of us might wish that it could be otherwise, but when we are dealing with a matter of security like this in the Indian Ocean, and with a treaty between two Governments, it is far better if we are up front and honest about what will be possible during that process.
Baroness Whitaker (Lab)
My Lords, is this not something of a trumped-up objection on the part of the Opposition? Does my noble friend agree that the previous Government never questioned the legitimacy of Mauritius’s eventual sovereignty over the Chagos Islands, very many years ago and internationally confirmed? Does she further agree that the majority of Chagossians do agree with this, and that all Chagossians are now being consulted by the Government? But can she say whether our Government are also discussing the resettlement plans with Mauritius?
British Indian Ocean Territory: Negotiations
Debate between Baroness Whitaker and Baroness Chapman of Darlington(1 year ago)
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Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)
I did not say that we would not disclose what we are putting in the fund for Chagossian resettlement; I said that the Foreign Secretary will make a more detailed statement at the time that the treaty is signed. We do not disclose the costs of basing overseas. We do not, and I do not think other nations do, either. We are very clear about that. We do disclose some of the associated costs; the noble Lord, Lord Callanan, mistakenly tried to make an equivalence between the two, but we will not be disclosing the costs of basing.
Baroness Whitaker (Lab)
When James Cleverly announced the Conservative Government’s policy of negotiations with Mauritius, one outlying MP, who has since lost his seat, under the banner of the anxiety of a small group among all other Chagossians, asserted that colonial ownership of the so-called British Indian Ocean Territory was better than the decision of concerted international and much British opinion on the rights of this long-running injustice. The agreement preserves the long-standing UK/US base on Diego Garcia. Do the Opposition not want that to be funded? It is mysterious to me why, all of a sudden, this furore has erupted.
Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)
The noble Baroness puts it very well and I think she does know why this furore may have erupted. I have said all I need to say about my views on that.
British Indian Ocean Territory
Debate between Baroness Whitaker and Baroness Chapman of Darlington(1 year ago)
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Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)
Noble Lords may or may not be aware that there is no single Chagossian voice on these issues; Chagossians live here in the UK, but many also live in Mauritius itself and in the Seychelles. The treaty will come before both Houses in the usual way, and there will be amendable primary legislation alongside it that will deal with some of the changes we need to make to the law in order to ratify the treaty.
Baroness Whitaker (Lab)
My Lords, I congratulate my noble friend on solving this issue, which was handled appallingly for many years during the last Government, and which has rightly been applauded by all the American players. First, will she confirm that the Government of Mauritius, one of the African democracies, have never shown any interest in an alliance with China, least of all over anything like this? Secondly, will the question of the right of the Chagossians not only to return, which is enormously welcomed by them, but to live on the outer islands remain on the table for discussion with the Americans so that, in due course, a resolution to that problem can be made?
Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)
The agreement, which noble Lords will be able to look at in detail in the treaty, will allow for Chagossians to return to the outer islands. There has been a lot of old nonsense spoken about China in relation to Mauritius. Mauritius is one of only two African countries that do not take part in belt and road. It is a member of the Commonwealth and a close ally of India.