Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what guidance his Department issues to British nationals that plan to volunteer to assist the Israeli Defence Forces with the conflict in Gaza.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell
FCDO travel advice provides British nationals with information on the risks of travelling or living abroad. The FCDO provides advice to British nationals on the risks of travelling to Israel and Occupied Palestinian Territories.
This guidance can be found on Gov.uk.
The UK recognises the right of British nationals with additional nationalities to serve in the legitimately recognised armed forces of the country of their other nationalities. The Israel Defence Force is a recognised armed force and British nationals are both able to volunteer into the Israel Defence Force and eligible for national service. For Israel, one does not have to be Israeli to serve in the Israel Defence Force.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether he has made an estimate of the number of British nationals that have fought alongside the Israeli Defence Force in each of the last ten years.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell
We are aware of reports of UK citizens travelling to fight for the Israel Defence Force (IDF), but the Government does not estimate the numbers of those who have done so. The UK recognises the right of British nationals with additional nationalities to serve in the legitimately recognised armed forces of the country of their other nationalities. The IDF is a recognised armed force and British nationals are both able to volunteer into the IDF and eligible for national service. For Israel, one does not have to be Israeli to serve in the IDF.
FCDO travel advice provides British nationals with information on the risks of travelling or living abroad, including in Israel and Occupied Palestinian Territories, and this guidance can be found on Gov.uk via the below links;
Israel: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/israel/safety-and-security
Occupied Palestinian Territories: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/the-occupied-palestinian-territories/safety-and-security
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether he has made an estimate of the number of British nationals fighting alongside the Israeli Defence Force since 7 October 2023.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell
We are aware of reports of UK citizens travelling to fight for the Israel Defence Force (IDF), but the Government does not estimate the numbers of those who have done so. The UK recognises the right of British nationals with additional nationalities to serve in the legitimately recognised armed forces of the country of their other nationalities. The IDF is a recognised armed force and British nationals are both able to volunteer into the IDF and eligible for national service. For Israel, one does not have to be Israeli to serve in the IDF.
FCDO travel advice provides British nationals with information on the risks of travelling or living abroad, including in Israel and Occupied Palestinian Territories, and this guidance can be found on Gov.uk via the below links;
Israel: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/israel/safety-and-security
Occupied Palestinian Territories: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/the-occupied-palestinian-territories/safety-and-security
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what recent assessment he has made of the adherence by Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots to the 1960 Treaty of Guarantee.
Answered by Leo Docherty
The Treaty of Guarantee was signed by the Republic of Cyprus, the UK, Greece and Turkey in 1960. We do not make an assessment of the adherence by the Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot communities to the Treaty. As one of the signatories, the UK's support for the independence, territorial integrity and security of the Republic of Cyprus remains unwavering. We recognise that the status quo creates serious challenges for all Cypriots and continue to support the UN-led process to resolve these through a just and lasting Settlement, in line with UN Security Council Resolutions. We continue to engage all sides on this, including the leaders of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of levels of Russian investment in the economy of the Republic of Cyprus.
Answered by Leo Docherty
The UK and Cyprus have a shared goal to reduce Putin's capacity to fund his illegal war in Ukraine. Following the 2022 invasion, Cyprus has joined the rest of the EU in adopting an unprecedented package of sanctions against Russia. We are committed to working with international partners to ensure sanctions are effective and to tackle sanctions evasion. The UK Government is working with Cypriot authorities to provide technical support for the creation of a new sanctions implementation unit, drawing on international best practice and lessons from the UK's own Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI).
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the oral contribution of 3 February 2022 by the then Minister for the Middle East, North Africa and North America in the adjournment debate on Kazakhstan: Anti-corruption Sanctions, Official Report column 574, whether he plans he has to impose sanctions on (a) Timur Kulibayev, (b) Dinara Nazarbayeva, (c) Arvind Tiku, (d) Dariga Nazarbayeva, (e) Kairat Sharipbayev, (f) Nurali Aliyev, (g) Karim Massimov, (h) Aigul Nuriyeva, (i) Vladimir Kim, (j) Eduard Ogay, (k) Kenes Rakishev, (l) Sauat Mynbayev, (m) Alexander Mashkevich, (n) Patokh Chodiev, (o) Bulat Utemuratov, (p) Bolat Nazarbayev, (q) Akhmetzhan Yesimov, (r) Kairat Boranbayev, (s) Nuram Nigmatulin, (t) Baurzhan Baibek, (u) Marat Beketayev, (v) Alexander Klebanov, (w) Yakov Klebanov, (x) Kairat Satybaldy and (y) Samat Abish.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan
Illicit finance and corruption undermine our interests and values. The UK is fully committed to working with the Government of Kazakhstan to take actions needed to tackle corruption. We provided training last year to build the capacity and resilience of Kazakh financial institutions and we receive continued cooperation from the government on this issue.
The UK Government does not comment on possible future sanction designations. To do so could reduce the impact of the designations.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to his oral contribution of 3 February 2022 on Kazakhstan: Anti-corruption Sanctions, Official Report, column 574, whether he plans to impose sanctions on Bergey Ryskaliyev.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan
Illicit finance and corruption undermine our interests and values. The UK is fully committed to working with the Government of Kazakhstan to take actions needed to tackle corruption. We provided training last year to build the capacity and resilience of Kazakh financial institutions and we receive continued cooperation from the government on this issue.
The UK Government does not comment on possible future sanction designations. To do so could reduce the impact of the designations.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when he plans to respond to the correspondence of 28 July 2023, reference AK59834, from the hon. Member for Manchester Gorton.
Answered by Leo Docherty
I [Leo Docherty], as Minister for Europe, responded to the correspondence case AK59834 of 28 July 2023 on 2 October.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 22 May 2023 to Question 185329 on China: Solar Power, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the Solar Energy UK’s Solar Stewardship Initiative in reducing the use of Chinese-made solar panels sourced from companies using unethical supply chains.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan
As per our previous response dated 22 May 2023, the Foreign Secretary and his officials are in regular contact with relevant Ministers and departments on matters of national security and foreign policy. We support the UK's solar industry's main trade association, Solar Energy UK, in leading the response from business, including through their partnership with Solar Power Europe in developing and piloting the Solar Stewardship Initiative to drive a responsible, transparent, and sustainable solar value chain. Furthermore, the Minister of State for Energy Security and Net Zero in the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and his officials meet regularly with Solar Energy UK to discuss a range of issues relating to the solar sector, including supply chains.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 22 May 2023 to Question 185329 on China: Solar Power, whether he has had discussions with Solar Energy UK on reducing the use of Chinese-made solar panels sourced from companies using unethical supply chains.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan
As per our previous response dated 22 May 2023, the Foreign Secretary and his officials are in regular contact with relevant Ministers and departments on matters of national security and foreign policy. We support the UK's solar industry's main trade association, Solar Energy UK, in leading the response from business, including through their partnership with Solar Power Europe in developing and piloting the Solar Stewardship Initiative to drive a responsible, transparent, and sustainable solar value chain. Furthermore, the Minister of State for Energy Security and Net Zero in the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and his officials meet regularly with Solar Energy UK to discuss a range of issues relating to the solar sector, including supply chains.