Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to help ensure that British Sugar agrees the (a) price and (b) terms of future sugar beet contracts with NFU Sugar as per the terms of the Common Market Organisation Regulation.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government recognises the importance of sugar beet farmers who are vital to UK sugar production. Also, that sugar beet itself, used in crop rotations, is beneficial to soil and crop health and allows arable farms a season of “rest” from cereal production.
We are committed to promoting fairness across the food supply chain. That includes seeing a price agreed for sugar beet that benefits both growers and processors, in the context of the global market. There is a well-established process in place to agree the sugar beet price; designed to be independent between both parties. An Inter Professional Agreement is agreed each year between both parties and sets out the process for negotiating and agreeing price, terms and conditions for the upcoming crop year, as well as any dispute resolution process.
This process has been effective over many years, and we are committed to this process.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Chinese counterpart on the (a) arrest of the father of Anna Kwok and (b) additional charges laid against Joshua Wong.
Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is closely monitoring the prosecution of Kwok Yin-sang, father of US-based Anna Kwok, and is deeply concerned by the news of further charges against Joshua Wong who is currently detained in Hong Kong. China's imposition of the National Security Law has significantly eroded the rights and freedoms of Hong Kongers, a situation that has worsened with the enactment of the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance. We call on Beijing to repeal the National Security Law and end the prosecution of all individuals charged under it.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether British nationals will be evacuated from Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Support to British nationals remains our top priority and we have worked at pace to ensure those who want to leave Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories can do so, with six flights leaving Israel since 24 June. At this time, no further flights are planned. Commercial flights are now available. This remains a fast-moving and fragile situation, and plans will be kept under constant review.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many flights have been chartered to evacuate UK citizens from Iran.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Flights have been chartered to evacuate UK citizens from Israel. The UK Government has not chartered flights to evacuate UK citizens from Iran. Media reports suggest the Iranian airspace is in the process of re-opening.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to evacuate British (a) diplomatic and (b) consular staff from Iran.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The safety of our staff remains a top priority. That is why we have taken the precautionary measure to temporarily withdraw our UK staff from Iran. The travel advice remains that British nationals should not travel to Iran. The UK Government will not be able to evacuate or provide face-to-face assistance to British Nationals in Iran. Our Embassy continues to operate remotely, and we maintain the ability to message the Iranian system directly and will continue to do so.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with police forces on the adequacy of the advice they give to Hong Kong democracy activists on (a) speaking at and (b) attending rallies against the behaviour of the Chinese Communist Party.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)
The management of demonstrations, including any advice given to individuals attending or speaking at rallies, is an operational matter for the police.