Asked by: Lord Pearson of Rannoch (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with government of Russia about its treatment of Alexei Navalny; what was the outcome of those discussions; whether they have protested against the treatment of Mr Navalny; if not, whether they will now do so; and if not, why.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Alexei Navalny's politically motivated detention demonstrates Russia's increasing clampdown on freedom of expression and democratic rights. The UK will continue to make clear to Russia that it should release Mr Navalny immediately, as required by the decision of the European Court of Human Rights. HMG officials are in regular contact with Mr Navalny's team, and where possible, attend his court hearings. Following Mr Navalny's latest politically motivated sentence in August, the Foreign Secretary and Minister Docherty issued statements reiterating the call for his release. We will continue to seek opportunities for further statements in support of Mr Navalny.
Asked by: Lord Pearson of Rannoch (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made, or intend to make, to the government of Nigeria about the large-scale killing of Christians in that country; and what has been the outcome of any discussions.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
The UK Government condemns the devastating impact that rising insecurity is having on Nigerians of all faiths. Religious identity can be a factor in this, but the root causes are often more complex and frequently relate to competition over resources, historical grievances, and criminality. We are committed to supporting the Nigerian Government in their efforts to address insecurity. The Minister for Development and Africa raised the effects of rising insecurity with Nigerian President Tinubu, in December 2022. Our High Commission in Nigeria regularly engages Nigerian officials and local communities on this issue, including through the Nigeria Governors' Forum and National Peace Committee. We will continue to raise this with the Nigerian Government and support them with assisting affected communities and implementing long-term solutions.
Asked by: Lord Pearson of Rannoch (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the agreement between the UK and the EU regarding sharing live data on trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, announced on 9 January, gives the EU access to UK IT systems; if so, whether this includes access to sensitive UK economic and commercial information; and if so, what are their reasons for providing such access.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The EU Access System provides EU officials the goods data they need to monitor GB-NI sea crossings and reassure the EU that the Single Market is protected. HMRC has delivered the system which provides real-time data from five different HMRC systems in one place for EU officials. We have been working with data protection experts and legal colleagues to ensure that the EU will be fully accountable for the protection and storing of this sensitive data, contained in the EU Access System. The system provides information about goods movements to NI in advance of those goods reaching Northern Ireland. Providing data in 'real-time' is a critical element of any solution to the Protocol.
Asked by: Lord Pearson of Rannoch (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the UK–EU Withdrawal Agreement has introduced a border for the transit of goods between Greater Britain and Northern Ireland; whether Northern Ireland is effectively in the EU in respect of goods; and if so, why.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Protocol is causing real problems for business and society in Northern Ireland. The Foreign Secretary and Vice President Maroš Šefčovič are speaking regularly and the two sides are exploring solutions to tackle the real-life concerns of all communities in Northern Ireland. This includes protecting Northern Ireland's place in the UK.
It has always been our preference to resolve issues through talks, but we have introduced the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill to fix these issues if this isn't possible in the interests of Northern Ireland.
Asked by: Lord Pearson of Rannoch (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether the UK–EU Withdrawal Agreement and the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland have undermined the union between Great Britain and Northern Ireland; and if they have made no such assessment, why not.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We have always been clear that Northern Ireland is an integral part of the UK. The Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement requires both Unionists and Nationalists to be part of a power sharing Government, but the Protocol is acting as a barrier to the restoration of the Northern Ireland Executive. Our solutions would deal with the Protocol's unequal governance and addressing the democratic deficit in Northern Ireland.
Asked by: Lord Pearson of Rannoch (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have committed to abandon the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland; and if so, why this has not happened.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Northern Ireland Protocol is imposing unnecessary bureaucracy and checks, including full customs processes and onerous SPS import requirements for goods staying in the UK. Our overriding priority is preserving political stability in Northern Ireland. The situation as it stands is undermining the balance established by the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement and power sharing, and with it political stability in Northern Ireland. It has always been our preference to resolve this through talks. The Foreign Secretary and Vice President Maroš Šefčovič are speaking regularly and officials continue to remain in touch.
Asked by: Lord Pearson of Rannoch (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the safety of people in Afghanistan who are not Muslim; and what plans they have, if any, to offer such individuals asylum.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
British Embassy officials in Kabul regularly meet with representatives from religious minority groups to hear their concerns. We continue to stress that the human rights of all Afghans should be protected. We also continue to make public condemnations about targeted killings and violence against minorities, calling for transparent investigations. The UK is committed to defending freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all, and promoting respect between different religious and non-religious communities around the world. Only a negotiated and inclusive settlement will bring sustainable peace to Afghanistan. We continue to make clear to all sides that any political settlement must protect the progress made in the country, including protection for women and minority groups.
The UK has a proud record of providing protection for people who need it, in accordance with our obligations under the Refugee Convention and the European Convention on Human Rights. However, there is no provision within our Immigration Rules for someone to be allowed to travel to the UK to seek asylum or temporary refuge. Those who need international protection should claim asylum in the first safe country they reach - that is the fastest route to safety.
Asked by: Lord Pearson of Rannoch (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 6 August (HL17479), what information on (1) how many times the UK has voted against legislation in the Council of Ministers since 2001, and (2) how many of those occasions that legislation subsequently passed, is available; and if so, where it is to be found.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Information on EU legislation considered by the Council of the European Union can be found on the public votes register, including where the United Kingdom was part of a non-blocking minority on votes decided by Qualified Majority Voting. This can be accessed via the Council website.
Asked by: Lord Pearson of Rannoch (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 6 August (HL17479), whether the UK has successfully blocked any proposed EU legislation in the Council of Ministers since 2009; and if so, what were those measures.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
This information is not held centrally and to compile it would incur disproportionate cost. Information on EU legislation considered by the Council of the European Union can be found on the public votes register, including where the United Kingdom was part of a blocking minority on votes decided by Qualified Majority Voting, or where the United Kingdom voted against measures decided by Unanimity. This can be accessed via the Council website.
Asked by: Lord Pearson of Rannoch (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 6 August (HL17479), how many EU laws have been approved by the Council of Ministers since 2009.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
This information is not held centrally and to compile it would incur disproportionate cost. Information on EU legislation can be found on the Council website.