Asked by: Lord Soames of Fletching (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he make an assessment of the effectiveness of paragraph 8 of UN Security Council Resolution 598 in relation to consultations with Iran on current disputes.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
We assess that ongoing dialogue with all Middle East countries and partners remains critical for protecting security and stability in the region. We welcome any measures that serve to improve that dialogue and reduce tensions. We are concerned by the general risks of unintended escalation, which would not be in any party’s interests. We are in touch with our key partners and advising Iran not to take any escalatory steps.
Asked by: Lord Soames of Fletching (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether before Natural England’s announcement of the end of its general licences in April 2019, it offered the group Wild Justice a review of those licences as an alternative to their immediate removal.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
Natural England wrote to Wild Justice on 13 March 2019 confirming its intention to undertake a planned review of its general licences during 2019, and that Wild Justice and other stakeholders would be able to participate in that review. Natural England argued that, in this context, it would be premature for Wild Justice to commence legal proceedings.
Asked by: Lord Soames of Fletching (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the cost to the Government was of cases CO1673/2018 and CO1683/2018 brought against Natural England including (a) administration costs and (b) legal expenditure; and how much of those costs the court allowed the Government to recover from (a) the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and (b) Mark Avery.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
The legal costs to Natural England of defending cases CO1673/2018 and CO1683/2018, and the related appeal of those cases, were £106,000. Natural England was awarded costs for successfully defending the challenge in the High Court though these costs were capped at £10,000 for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and £5,000 from Mark Avery in accordance with cost protection rules for Aarhus Convention claims.
Asked by: Lord Soames of Fletching (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the Government's definition is of a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine; and what steps the Government plans to take to help achieve that solution.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The UK’s longstanding position on the Middle East Peace Process is clear: we support a negotiated settlement leading to a safe and secure Israel living alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian state; based on 1967 borders with agreed land swaps, Jerusalem as the shared capital of both states, and a just, fair, agreed and realistic settlement for refugees. We consistently call for an immediate end to all actions that undermine the viability of the two-state solution, including terrorism, anti-Semitic incitement, settlement expansion, and the demolition of Palestinian property in the West Bank. Steps to transform the situation in Gaza are also needed. At this highly sensitive time in the region, there is an urgent need to restart the peace process between Israel and Palestine. We regularly press both parties to resume direct negotiations towards a two-state solution.
Asked by: Lord Soames of Fletching (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent assessment he has made of the humanitarian situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
We continually monitor the humanitarian situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. We are concerned by the high levels of poverty, unemployment, and food insecurity, as well as the fragile health system, shrinking Gazan economy and the lack of access to consistent supplies of electricity.
DFID recently announced an aid package of £2 million to the International Committee for the Red Cross to support delivery of medicines, equipment and rehabilitation services. The UK’s new economic development programme aims to help the economy in Gaza and the West Bank by increasing trade and creating jobs. The UK has also made a commitment to UNRWA of up to £80m over the next two years to help provide health services and education to Palestinian refugees living across the Middle East. The UK is committed to alleviating the humanitarian situation in the OPTs and continues to urge the parties to prioritise progress towards reaching a durable solution.
Asked by: Lord Soames of Fletching (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what representations she has made to the Government of Turkey on its potential acquisition of a Russian S-400 missile.
Answered by Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton
My right hon. Friend the Defence Secretary has not yet had the opportunity to speak with her Turkish counterpart, but we have repeatedly raised our concerns about the proposed Turkish purchase of the Russian S-400 air and missile defence system, at Ministerial and official level. Turkey is a valued NATO ally, on the front line of some of the UK and the Alliance's most difficult security challenges. Defence equipment procurement decisions are for nations, but all NATO Allies have committed to reducing their dependence on Russian-sourced military equipment. The proposed purchase would pose real challenges for the interoperability of NATO systems.
Asked by: Lord Soames of Fletching (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the objectives of the Government's diplomatic and political policy on Turkey are for 2019; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Alan Duncan
The Government will continue to strengthen our partnership with Turkey in order to make both countries safer and more prosperous. This includes working together to support regional stability, partnering on counter terrorism, growing bilateral trade and investment, and upholding the full protection of fundamental rights domestically and internationally.
Asked by: Lord Soames of Fletching (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect on the (a) UK and (b) global economy of a US-China trade war.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
HM Government continuously monitors the global economy, and the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) produces the Government’s official economic forecasts. The OBR’s most recent forecast was published in March 2019 and can be accessed at https://obr.uk/efo/economic-fiscal-outlook-march-2019/. The UK economy remains resilient, growing for the ninth consecutive year in 2018. The employment rate is currently at a record high, unemployment is currently at its lowest rate since 1974, and real wages are rising.
In October 2018 the IMF estimated the impact of a trade tensions escalation. They estimated the impact would be global real GDP 0.2% lower in 2019 and 0.21% lower in the long term. The analysis also highlighted that the near term negative impact could be exacerbated by a decline in confidence and market reaction.
The UK has consistently stressed the importance of de-escalating trade tensions, which are in no one’s interest.
Asked by: Lord Soames of Fletching (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what representations he has made to the (a) US Administration and (b) Government of China on the potential effect on the UK economy of a US-China trade war.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Chancellor engages regularly with international counterparts on issues relating to the global economy. The UK has consistently stressed the importance of de-escalating trade tensions, which are in no one’s interest. We have been clear in our opposition to escalating tariffs which could result in fundamental disruption to global trade flows. This would clearly have a negative effect on the global economy. We will continue to work with our partners to support the rules-based international trading system.
Asked by: Lord Soames of Fletching (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, on which occasions he requested legal advice on the revocation of General Licences 04/05/06 in the last year; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
In accordance with the usual convention, legal advice is not disclosed outside of the Government. This ensures that the Government can obtain full and frank legal advice in confidence.