Asked by: Lord Luce (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they plan to make a decision on the resettlement and future of the Chagossian people, and whether Parliament will be consulted in advance of that decision.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The Government is considering all relevant advice and material, including the recent independent feasibility study published in February 2015, and the results of the public consultation, published in January this year. The consultation period has now ended. The Government hopes to make a decision soon.
Asked by: Lord Luce (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are considering recognising Palestine as a state.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The UK is a longstanding supporter of seeing a sovereign, democratic and viable Palestinian State living side by side in peace and security with Israel, and continues to be one of the largest donors to Palestinian state building efforts to that end. We reserve the right to recognise a Palestinian state at a time of our choosing and when we judge it will best help bring about peace.
Asked by: Lord Luce (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether NATO has a policy concerning the access of Russian ships to NATO ports.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
Access to ports in North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) Member countries is the responsibility of national authorities. NATO Allies can and do coordinate with NATO on the transit of ships but NATO does not set policy.Asked by: Lord Luce (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the planned monument dedicated to those who were tortured during the Mau Mau uprising in the 1950s has been opened in Nairobi; and if so, what was the cost to the United Kingdom public purse of that monument; what wording is inscribed on it; and what the purpose of that monument is.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
On 6 June 2013, the then Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, the right hon. the Lord Hague of Richmond, informed Parliament that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office would settle the Mau Mau claims brought by Leigh Day on behalf of 5,228 Kenyans. This settlement included a commitment of support towards construction of a memorial in Nairobi to the victims of torture and ill-treatment during the colonial era.
The UK worked with the Kenyan Human Rights Commission, the Mau Mau War Veterans Association, the Nairobi Governor’s Office, and the National Museums of Kenya to make sure the proposed memorial is as inclusive as possible. The Overseas Service Pensioners’ Association was also consulted. The purpose of the memorial is to promote reconciliation and remember all those that were victims of torture and ill-treatment.
The ‘Memorial to the Victims of Torture and Ill-Treatment during the Colonial Era (1952-1963)’ was inaugurated in Nairobi on 12 September 2015 at a final cost of £90,000. The inscriptions on the memorial are attached.
Asked by: Lord Luce (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the public will be properly and impartially informed about the full range of consequences of withdrawal from membership of the European Union.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), is focused on success: he believes he can and will succeed in reforming and renegotiating our relationship with the EU and campaigning to keep the UK in the EU on that basis. The public will expect Ministers to set out the results of the renegotiation, how the relationship with Europe has been changed and if, and how, those changes address their concerns. As the Chancellor of the Exchequer, my right hon. Friend the Member for Tatton (Mr Osborne), said in response to Oral Questions to the Treasury on 16 June 2015, Official Report Column 166: 'I am sure that the Treasury will publish assessments of the merits of membership and the risks of a lack of reform in the European Union, including the damage that that could do to Britain's interests.'
Asked by: Lord Luce (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what were the circumstances concerning the incursion of a Spanish customs vessel into Gibraltar British Territorial waters on 11 September, and what discussions they have had with the government of Spain on the matter.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
On 11 September a Spanish Guardia Civil vessel made an illegal incursion into British Gibraltar Territorial Waters (BGTW) and attempted to stop and board a Gibraltarian pleasure boat. The Royal Gibraltar Police, Gibraltar Customs and the Royal Navy attended the incident, during which the Guardia Civil vessel repeatedly manoeuvred recklessly endangering the other vessels and those on board. The Royal Navy challenged the Guardia Civil vessel as they always do, after which the Guardia Civil left BGTW. The Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Aylesbury (Mr Lidington), raised this unacceptable incursion and the dangerous behaviour of the Guardia Civil vessel at Ministerial level with the Spanish government.
Asked by: Lord Luce (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their current assessment of the conflict in Yemen.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The Government of Yemen and Saudi-led Coalition have made military gains in recent weeks against the Houthis and forces loyal to former president Saleh. We hope this will help build a base for the future return of the legitimate Yemeni government. A political solution is the best way to achieve long-term stability in Yemen, and we remain fully supportive of the UN’s efforts to achieve a lasting ceasefire and resumption of an inclusive political process. The humanitarian situation remains dire, with eighty per cent of the population in need of assistance. The Department for International Development has allocated £55 million, through UN agencies and humanitarian non-governmental organisations, to support Yemenis affected by the crisis. We remain extremely concerned by reports of alleged violations of international humanitarian and human rights law, and continue to raise the importance of compliance with all parties to the conflict. The risk of terrorist groups, such as al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in Yemen, exploiting the instability is also a major concern. We continue to work with regional and international partners to tackle the threat.