Asked by: Lord Marlesford (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what public funds have been made available, through the aid budget, to the Gaza Strip in each of the last three years; what safeguards they have put in place to ensure that such funds were not diverted to military purposes by Hamas; and whether such safeguards were applied.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
FCDO delivers its aid in Gaza through trusted partners with a proven record of delivery. Thorough due diligence assessment of all aid donations is carried out and the FCDO ensures partners have procedures in place to manage the main risks of aid diversion from activities it funds, including specific controls to ensure that cash/food assistance goes direct to the intended beneficiaries. Additionally, FCDO humanitarian assistance in the Occupied Palestinian Territories operates with an enhanced sensitivity and existing additional safeguards to protect against any possibility of aid diversion. These safeguards include measures on verification and mapping of downstream partners, non-payment of local taxes and enhanced due diligence processes. The Actual Spend for Occupied Palestinian Territories for the last three financial years:
2020/2021 - £79.7 million
2021/2022 - £29.8 million
2022/2023 - £25.7 million.
Asked by: Lord Marlesford (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with other NATO members concerning the reasons why (1) Finland, and (2) Sweden, have not yet been granted full membership of NATO; and when they expect full membership for those countries to be achieved.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government has engaged regularly with NATO Allies to advance the NATO accession process for Sweden and Finland. Once the Accession Protocols were signed, we expedited our ratification, recognising the importance of bringing both countries quickly into NATO. We continue to encourage all Allies to also ratify swiftly. Rapid integration into NATO will make both countries safer, the Alliance stronger, and the Euro-Atlantic area more secure.
Asked by: Lord Marlesford (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Sharpe of Epsom on 30 November (HL3473), whether they regard the Russian Wagner Group as a group whose behaviour is considered unacceptable by the international community.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Wagner Group is directly connected to the Russian state. The UK condemns Russia's use of such proxies in Ukraine. Wagner mercenaries are operating in Ukraine in support of Russian invasion, and are present in other conflict settings, including Mali and the Central African Republic, where they have a destabilising impact and are responsible for human rights abuses. We work closely with our international partners to counter the malign use of such proxies by Russia. We have designated both the Wagner Group, and its leader Yevgeny Prigozhin, under the Russia Sanctions Regime.
Asked by: Lord Marlesford (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what consular access is granted to (1) citizens of the UK who are in prison in a foreign country, and (2) those who are also citizens of that country in which they are imprisoned.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Consular access to nationals detained in another State is generally governed by the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations (VCCR). Where a British national consents to the British Embassy or Consulate being informed about their detention, consular officers have the right to visit and communicate with them. The VCCR also states that these rights are to be exercised in conformity with the laws and regulations of the detaining State. The Government's ability to provide consular assistance remains at all times dependent on other states respecting the VCCR and must be done in accordance with the laws of that country. Providing assistance to dual nationals in their other country of nationality can be difficult and the help we can provide depends on what the host government will allow.
Asked by: Lord Marlesford (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the implications for the British peacekeeping force in Mali of the proposed withdrawal of French troops from that country.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
The UK is in contact with our French partners on their planned changes to operations in the Sahel. We have had assurances that France will retain the critical support functions such as force protection, medical and logistical support, which allow the UK to effectively contribute to operations in the Sahel. The UK remains committed to UN peacekeeping.
Asked by: Lord Marlesford (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to help resolve the dispute between Egypt and Ethiopia over the effect of the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the flow of water in the River Nile; and what representations they have made to the governments of (1) Egypt, and (2) Ethiopia, on this issue.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK continues to urge all parties involved in the dispute over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam - Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan - to come to an agreement on the filling and operation of the dam. We support the efforts by the African Union (AU) to help find agreement, and ensure that water resources are managed in a way that ensures their long-term sustainable use for all parties. We continue to speak to all three Governments through our Embassies in those countries, and regularly engage the US and EU as observers to the AU-led process, including through the UK Special Envoy for the Red Sea and the Horn of Africa. The Minister for Africa also raised the issue with the Ethiopian Ambassador on 24 February.
Asked by: Lord Marlesford (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect to make a decision on the future of the long-term partnership between the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO).
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
The Foreign Secretary announced that we would provide funding to Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) this year in his statement on ODA allocations to Parliament on 21 April. We have offered VSO funding for the V4D programme until the end of this financial year 2021/22. Officials have also started discussions with VSO on our future relationship.
Asked by: Lord Marlesford (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the appointment of Ibrahim Mounir to the role of Acting General Guide of the Muslim Brotherhood; and what assessment they have made of any threat posed by his presence (1) to national security, and (2) to their international relations.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We do not comment on individuals, but the Government keeps under review the views promoted and activities undertaken by the Muslim Brotherhood, including their associates in the UK. Any allegations of threats to UK national security or misuse of charity funding within the UK are robustly investigated and appropriate action taken.
Asked by: Lord Marlesford (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker how much has been paid in financial support, excluding travel costs, to members of the House of Lords in each of the last 12 months.
Answered by Lord McFall of Alcluith
The total amount of Daily Allowance paid to Members of the House of Lords in relation to each of the last 12 months was as follows;
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Information as at 31 July 2020
Asked by: Lord Marlesford (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to contribute to the peaceful resolution of the dispute between Ethiopia and Egypt over the rate of filling the new Renaissance dam in Ethiopia from the waters of the River Nile.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
We are aware of reports on the ongoing dispute between Ethiopia and Egypt over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. We continue to urge all parties involved to come to an agreement and that no side take any unilateral action. The Foreign Secretary spoke to Egyptian Foreign Minister Shoukry on these terms on 8 June, as did the Minister for Africa with Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedu on 20 May. We welcome the resumption of talks between the Sudan, Ethiopia and Egypt to work towards a peaceful resolution.