Asked by: Lord Maginnis of Drumglass (Independent Ulster Unionist - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what have been the practical benefits to the UK of the July 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action with Iran, and of the Foreign Secretary’s visit to Iran in August 2015, in respect of obtaining the release back to the UK of prisoners such as Kamal Foroughi, and Nazanin Ratcliffe and her child.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action applies only to Iran’s nuclear programme, but offers a real opportunity for Iran to normalise its relations with the international community. Reopening our Embassies in August 2015 offers greater opportunity to discuss a range of issues, including consular cases. We regularly raise our concerns on all consular cases, both in London and Tehran. Most recently the Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), raised them with Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif on 17 May, and the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth East (Mr Ellwood), raised them with the Iranian Charge d’Affaires in London on 18 May.
Asked by: Lord Maginnis of Drumglass (Independent Ulster Unionist - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many Iranians have been executed since the visit of the Foreign Secretary to Iran and the re-opening of the UK embassy in Tehran last year, and what assessment they have made of whether that figure indicates any improvement in the human rights position of Iranian citizens.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Iran believes that between 966 and 1,025 people were executed in 2015. The UK repeatedly calls on Iran to bring an end to the use of the death penalty.
Asked by: Lord Maginnis of Drumglass (Independent Ulster Unionist - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions the Cabinet had prior to the visit of the President of the United States to the UK about any remarks that he might make regarding the EU referendum, and who was responsible for advising him regarding normal courtesy and protocol for such state visits.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The views expressed by the US President during his recent visit to the UK were his own.
I refer the noble Lord to the Prime Minister, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron)'s oral response to the Rt Hon. Member for Exeter (Mr Bradshaw), on Wednesday 27 April, Official Report, Column 1427, which is copied below for ease of reference:
'Obviously I think we should listen to our friends and our allies, and as I look around the world it's hard to find the leader of a country that wishes us well that wants us to do anything other than stay inside a reformed European Union.'
Asked by: Lord Maginnis of Drumglass (Independent Ulster Unionist - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to invite any leaders of foreign countries to come to the UK ostensibly on a courtesy visit but with the intention that they should canvass directly on any internal national issue.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The views expressed by the US President during his recent visit to the UK were his own.
I refer the noble Lord to the Prime Minister, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron)'s oral response to the Rt Hon. Member for Exeter (Mr Bradshaw), on Wednesday 27 April, Official Report, Column 1427, which is copied below for ease of reference:
'Obviously I think we should listen to our friends and our allies, and as I look around the world it's hard to find the leader of a country that wishes us well that wants us to do anything other than stay inside a reformed European Union.'
Asked by: Lord Maginnis of Drumglass (Independent Ulster Unionist - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether there is any precedent for an invitation to the leader of a foreign country to visit the UK in order to campaign on an internal national issue such as the forthcoming EU referendum.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The views expressed by the US President during his recent visit to the UK were his own.
I refer the noble Lord to the Prime Minister, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron)'s oral response to the Rt Hon. Member for Exeter (Mr Bradshaw), on Wednesday 27 April, Official Report, Column 1427, which is copied below for ease of reference:
'Obviously I think we should listen to our friends and our allies, and as I look around the world it's hard to find the leader of a country that wishes us well that wants us to do anything other than stay inside a reformed European Union.'
Asked by: Lord Maginnis of Drumglass (Independent Ulster Unionist - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by Baroness Anelay of St Johns on 30 December 2015 (HL4261) and 2 February (HL5328), how many UK nationals or dual nationals they have succeeded in having repatriated, following incarceration by the Iranians, since 1 January.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The Government is not aware of any UK nationals who have been repatriated following incarceration by the Iranians in 2016. Mr Bahman Daroshafaei, a UK/Iranian dual national who was arrested in Iran in February 2016 was released on bail later that month.
Asked by: Lord Maginnis of Drumglass (Independent Ulster Unionist - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by Baroness Anelay of St Johns on 30 December 2015 (HL4261) and 2 February (HL5328), how the US and Canada have succeeded in having political prisoners in Iran freed while dual UK national Kamal Foroughi remains incarcerated.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
We welcome the release of US and Canadian prisoners held in Iran. Iran has not changed its policy of not recognising dual nationality. However we continue to raise our own consular cases, including Mr Foroughi, with the Iranians at the highest levels and to urge for their release, including during Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif’s recent visit to London.
Asked by: Lord Maginnis of Drumglass (Independent Ulster Unionist - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to revise their position on the Cyprus peace talks in the light of the negotiations by President Anastasiades with President el-Sisi on strategic military co-operation, with President Putin on similar issues, and with Prime Minister Netanyahu on oil exploration.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
It is for the Republic of Cyprus to decide on its external relations. Given the threats facing the Eastern Mediterranean, the need for improved co-operation across the whole region remains crucial. A Cyprus settlement would provide an important boost for regional stability. The UK commends President Anastasides and Mr Akinci for their positive leadership in the Cyprus settlement talks. As the Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), made clear during his visits to Cyprus last year, the UK will continue to do whatever we can to support the efforts of both communities, and their leaders, to seize the historic opportunity that exists to reunite Cyprus.
Asked by: Lord Maginnis of Drumglass (Independent Ulster Unionist - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of whether, in the event of successful Cyprus peace talks, the entire island of Cyprus, including both traditions, would be inextricably tied to outcomes deriving from strategic decisions that may, in the interim, have been agreed exclusively by Greek Cypriot President Anastasiades.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
It is for the Republic of Cyprus to decide on its external relations. Given the threats facing the Eastern Mediterranean, the need for improved co-operation across the whole region remains crucial. A Cyprus settlement would provide an important boost for regional stability. The UK commends President Anastasides and Mr Akinci for their positive leadership in the Cyprus settlement talks. As the Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), made clear during his visits to Cyprus last year, the UK will continue to do whatever we can to support the efforts of both communities, and their leaders, to seize the historic opportunity that exists to reunite Cyprus.
Asked by: Lord Maginnis of Drumglass (Independent Ulster Unionist - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether there is any viable evidence that President Anastasiades’ current negotiations with President el-Sisi, with President Putin and with Prime Minister Netanyahu are taking place based on agreement among the current parties participating in the Cyprus peace talks.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
It is for the Republic of Cyprus to decide on its external relations. Given the threats facing the Eastern Mediterranean, the need for improved co-operation across the whole region remains crucial. A Cyprus settlement would provide an important boost for regional stability. The UK commends President Anastasides and Mr Akinci for their positive leadership in the Cyprus settlement talks. As the Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), made clear during his visits to Cyprus last year, the UK will continue to do whatever we can to support the efforts of both communities, and their leaders, to seize the historic opportunity that exists to reunite Cyprus.