Asked by: Alistair Carmichael (Liberal Democrat - Orkney and Shetland)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the visit by the Minister for the Indo-Pacific to Hong Kong on relations with China.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
In line with the Government's "protect, align, and engage" approach to China, as set out in the Integrated Review Refresh, the I raised a number of issues important to the UK national interest with Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Christopher Hui during my visit to Hong Kong in April. This included the prosecution of British national Jimmy Lai, the enactment of further national security legislation (Article 23), and concerns over transnational repression against BN(O)s in the UK. Issues of mutual and global interest were also discussed, alongside areas of disagreement or concern.
Asked by: Alistair Carmichael (Liberal Democrat - Orkney and Shetland)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, whether he plans to meet (a) Sebastian Lai and (b) his international legal team.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign Secretary and I last met with Sebastien Lai on 12 December. We are in regular contact with Sebastien Lai and members of Jimmy Lai's international legal team and continue to provide support.
Asked by: Alistair Carmichael (Liberal Democrat - Orkney and Shetland)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of opening a coronial inquest into the killing of three British nationals working with the World Central Kitchen by an Israeli drone strike in Gaza.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The Prime Minister spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu on 2 April and made clear that the UK was appalled by the killing of seven World Central Kitchen aid workers, including three British Nationals, in an Israeli airstrike. The Prime Minister called for a thorough and transparent investigation into what happened. We are reviewing the initial findings of Israel's investigation of the incident.
Guaranteed deconfliction for aid convoys and other humanitarian work is essential.
The Government mourns the loss of these brave humanitarian workers, and our thoughts remain with their families at this time.
Asked by: Alistair Carmichael (Liberal Democrat - Orkney and Shetland)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, with reference to the Oral Statement of the Minister of State of 29 January 2024, on Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Official Report, columns 620-622, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the temporary pause in funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), announced on 27 January 2024, on Palestinian refugees in (a) Jordan, (b) Lebanon, (c) Syria, (d) East Jerusalem, (e) West Bank and (f) Gaza.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
We remain committed to getting humanitarian aid to the those who desperately need it, and our decision to pause future funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) has no impact on the UK's contribution to the humanitarian response, whether in Gaza or the wider region. Our commitment to trebling aid to Gaza still stands, and we are getting on with aid delivery to the region through funding multiple implementing partners including other UN agencies and international and UK NGOs. This support is helping people get food, water, shelter and medicines. The UK is providing £60 million in humanitarian assistance to support partners including the British Red Cross, UNICEF, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) and Egyptian Red Crescent Society (ERCS) to respond to critical food, fuel, water, health, shelter and security needs in Gaza. We will continue to support and have supported the United Nations World Food Programme to deliver a new humanitarian land corridor from Jordan into Gaza. 750 tonnes of life-saving food aid arrived in the first delivery and 315 tonnes in the second delivery.
Asked by: Alistair Carmichael (Liberal Democrat - Orkney and Shetland)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether he has made an assessment of the consistency of (a) the decision to pause future funding to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East and (b) paragraph 86(4) of the International Court of Justice's Order relating to the case of the Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip (South Africa v Israel), published on 26 January 2024.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
We are appalled by allegations that the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) staff were involved in the 7 October attack against Israel, a heinous act of terrorism that the UK Government has repeatedly condemned. The UK is pausing any future funding of UNRWA whilst we review these concerning allegations.
However, we remain committed to getting humanitarian aid to the people in Gaza who desperately need it, and our decision to pause future funding to UNRWA has no impact on the UK's contribution to the humanitarian response. Our commitment to trebling aid to Gaza still stands, and we are getting on with aid delivery through funding multiple implementing partners including other UN agencies and international and UK NGOs. This support is helping people in Gaza get food, water, shelter and medicines.
We are also clear that an immediate pause is necessary to get aid in and hostages out, and then progress towards a sustainable, permanent ceasefire, without a return to destruction, fighting and loss of life.
Asked by: Alistair Carmichael (Liberal Democrat - Orkney and Shetland)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will appoint the Law Society of Scotland and the Faculty of Advocates to the Domestic Advisory Group under the EU-UK Trade Cooperation Agreement.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
Members of the UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) Domestic Advisory Group (DAG) were selected following an Expression of Interest (EoI) process in 2021. At the first DAG meeting, members requested greater representation, in particular from Northern Ireland.
The Government therefore reopened the EoI process between August - September 2022 to create a small number of additional places. The Law Society of Scotland and Faculty of Advocates applied at this second stage.
All applications were considered carefully, balancing the need for sectoral and geographic representation of civil society organisations, while also keeping the group small enough for all members to be able to contribute effectively.
The EoI process has now closed, and the membership list has been finalised. However, the Government will keep membership of the DAG under review.
Asked by: Alistair Carmichael (Liberal Democrat - Orkney and Shetland)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if his Department will make an assessment of the impact of his planned meeting with the Finance Minister of Hong Kong due to take place in April 2023 on the Government's policy that the People's Republic of China is in ongoing non-compliance with the Sino-British Joint Declaration; and what steps he plans to take to advance his Department's policy objectives on Hong Kong and its relationship with China during that meeting.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
No such meeting is planned. We have made clear our assessment of China's non-compliance with the Sino-British Joint Declaration and our strong opposition to the National Security Law. The Foreign Secretary set out those issues with State Councillor Wang Yi in February. Through the Integrated Review Refresh, the Prime Minister has set the direction across government for a consistent, coherent, and robust approach to China, rooted in our national interest and values. That extends to our approach on Hong Kong.
Asked by: Alistair Carmichael (Liberal Democrat - Orkney and Shetland)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, to what territory the 2030 roadmap for UK-Israel bilateral relations, signed on 21 March, applies.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The 2030 Roadmap for UK-Israel Bilateral relations was signed on 21 March between the British Government and the Government of Israel. It is a living document reflecting the elevation, in November 2021 of our bilateral relationship to a strategic partnership. The Roadmap does not apply to the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Asked by: Alistair Carmichael (Liberal Democrat - Orkney and Shetland)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether an assessment was made of the potential merits of appointing the (a) Law Society of Scotland and (b) Faculty of Advocates as a member of the Domestic Advisory Group under the EU–UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
Members of the UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) Domestic Advisory Group (DAG) were selected following an Expression of Interest (EoI) process in October/November 2021. At the first DAG meeting, members requested greater representation, in particular from Northern Ireland. The Government therefore reopened the EoI process between August - September 2022 to create a small number of additional places. The Law Society of Scotland and Faculty of Advocates applied at this second stage.
All applications were considered carefully, balancing the need for sectoral and geographic representation of civil society organisations, while also keeping the group small enough for all members to be able to contribute effectively. The Government will keep membership of the DAG under review.
Asked by: Alistair Carmichael (Liberal Democrat - Orkney and Shetland)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the appointment process was of bodies to the Domestic Advisory Group under the EU–UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The Government ran an Expression of Interest campaign from 19 October 2021 until 29 November 2021 to determine membership of the Domestic Advisory Group (DAG). The membership list was published on 31 March 2022. The Expression of Interest exercise was reopened on 15 August 2022 until 16 September 2022 to allow additional members to apply. These organisations were announced on 26 September 2022. They were chosen based on being a not-for-profit civil society organisation, having relevant Trade Cooperation Agreement expertise and representing UK citizens and businesses.
The membership of the UK DAG is determined by the Government and can be reviewed on a regular basis, in consultation with the DAG Executive Council.