Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Melton)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Government plans to re-join the EUFOR peacekeeping force in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the event that the mandate for that force is extended in November 2023.
Answered by James Heappey
Operation EUFOR Althea remains vital to Bosnia and Herzegovina's (BiH) peace and security and the UK will support its mandate renewal in the UN Security Council in November. We continue to support security and stability in BiH through our contributions to NATO HQ in Sarajevo and through an extensive programme of bilateral support to the BiH Armed Forces.
We will keep the UK position on re-joining EUFOR under review - this would require approval from all EU member states.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Melton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans that the UK will re-join the EUFOR peacekeeping force in Bosnia and Herzegovina if its mandate is extended by the UN in November.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
EUFOR Operation Althea remains vital to Bosnia and Herzegovina's (BiH) peace and security and the UK will support its mandate renewal in the UN Security Council in November. We continue to explore options for supporting the security of BiH both through bilateral support to the BiH Armed Forces and through NATO HQ in Sarajevo. The UK Government has supported BiH Ministry of Defence to increase its capabilities, including in the areas of gender integration, officer training and international interoperability.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Melton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether it remains his policy to support the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The UK fully supports Bosnia and Herzegovina's (BiH) sovereignty and territorial integrity. In 2022 we sanctioned Milorad Dodik and Željka Cvijanović, for threating the Dayton Peace Agreement and the integrity of the BiH State. The UK Government works in partnership with a number of BiH civil society organisations, such as the Srebrenica Memorial Centre, in their efforts to promote reconciliation and inter-ethnic dialogue in BiH and across the region. We will continue to support those working for a safe, prosperous and united BiH.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Melton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support the High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The UK fully supports the High Representative. In a statement on 8 September the Prime Minister's Special Envoy for the Western Balkans, the Lord Peach, made clear that attacks by Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik against the High Representative were illegal and anti-constitutional. We welcome the decision by the state prosecutor of Bosnia and Herzegovina to take legal action against Dodik for his failure to implement the decisions of the High Representative.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Melton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help improve the security situation ahead of the elections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in December 2023.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The UK Government has a long-standing commitment to supporting prosperity, development, and stability in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The UK is working with stakeholders to support the delivery of elections this year. We continue to emphasise the need for these to be free, fair, inclusive and transparent. We regularly raise the conflict in eastern DRC at the highest levels in Kinshasa, Kigali and the wider region. We continue to urge all parties to deliver on their commitments, agreed through the regional Nairobi and Luanda peace processes. We firmly believe these regional peace processes provide the best means by which to achieve a lasting peace in eastern DRC and offer them our full support.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Melton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the alleged kidnap of three Kosovan Police Officers by Serbian forces in the territory of the Republic of Kosovo; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
On 16 June the UK called for the immediate release of the three Kosovo police officers detained on 14 June by Serbian Gendarmerie in disputed circumstances. The US and Germany have similarly publicly called for their release. This latest incident further underlines the importance of de-escalation and a return to dialogue to bring to an end the current cycle of tensions. The Foreign Secretary and Lord Peach have spoken to leaders in both Serbia and Kosovo to reinforce this message in recent days.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Melton)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what recent steps she has taken to ban conversion therapy; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government remains committed to protecting everyone who is at risk of conversion practices from harm, and will shortly publish a draft Bill and consultation response setting out our approach to banning these abhorrent practices. The draft legislation will go for pre-legislative scrutiny by a Joint Committee in this parliamentary session.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Melton)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether she plans to introduce a bill to ban conversion therapy in this parliamentary term.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government remains committed to protecting everyone who is at risk of conversion practices from harm, and will shortly publish a draft Bill and consultation response setting out our approach to banning these abhorrent practices. The draft legislation will go for pre-legislative scrutiny by a Joint Committee in this parliamentary session.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Melton)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, when pre-legislative scrutiny on the draft bill to ban conversion therapy will commence.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government remains committed to protecting everyone who is at risk of conversion practices from harm, and will shortly publish a draft Bill and consultation response setting out our approach to banning these abhorrent practices. The draft legislation will go for pre-legislative scrutiny by a Joint Committee in this parliamentary session.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Melton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the NHS England Children's Hospice Grant will be continued beyond 2023-24.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England determines the best use of its financial settlement to deliver services. Funding arrangements for children’s hospices beyond 2023/24 have not yet been agreed. Palliative and end of life care is commissioned locally by integrated care boards in response to the needs of their local population.