Asked by: Lord Beamish (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration is adhered to by all parties.
Answered by Heather Wheeler
We believe that meaningful political dialogue, taken forward by Hong Kong under its high degree of autonomy, is the best way to resolve the current impasse. It is important that the basic freedoms enshrined in the Sino-British Joint Declaration are maintained.
The Sino-British Joint Declaration is a legally binding treaty, registered with the UN, that remains in force. The UK, as a co-signatory, has an obligation to monitor its implementation closely, and we are committed to doing so.
The Prime Minister discussed developments in Hong Kong with other leaders at the recent G7 Summit, and the Foreign Secretary has recently spoken with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam.
Asked by: Lord Beamish (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the Written Statement of 5 November 2018, on uploading the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, HCWS1061 whether he has plans to allow UK registered subsidiaries of US companies to trade with Iran through the Special Purpose Vehicle; and what discussions officials in his Department have had with representatives of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
Answered by Alistair Burt
Undertaking trade with Iran is a commercial decision for individual businesses to take on the basis of considering all possible risks, and firms should seek their own legal advice before doing so. Once it is established, the same will be true for companies that may wish to use the Special Purpose Vehicle. As a party to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA), the British Government remains committed to its full implementation and is in regular communication with the remaining parties to the deal.
Asked by: Lord Beamish (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his Department's annual spend on consular services in India was in each of the last five years.
Answered by Mark Field
The full costs attributed to providing consular services fluctuate from year to year depending on the overall cost to Government of operating the overseas network and how these costs are shared amongst the different Government Departments and FCO services using the platform. The full costs attributed to providing consular services in India for the last five years were:
Financial Year | Spend (to the nearest £) |
2017-18 | £2,789,001 |
2016-17 | £2,517,064 |
2015-16 | £3,145,730 |
2014-15 | £4,116,127 |
2013-14 | £2,460,504 |
Asked by: Lord Beamish (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many departmental personnel were assigned to consular service roles relating to Indian casework in each of the last five years.
Answered by Mark Field
We currently have 19 staff in India assigned to consular service roles, of whom two are British diplomats. Staffing numbers for consular services have remained steady across the consular overseas network during the last five years. Our Consular staff in India are supported by colleagues in the High Commission and Deputy High Commissions, and specialist colleagues in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London.