Asked by: Anne McLaughlin (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether his Department has had discussions with cellular network providers in Gaza on the adequacy of telecommunication services in that region.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
We are deeply concerned about the severely damaged telecommunications and internet networks in Gaza, which are causing repeated near total communications blackouts. This is limiting the ability of Palestinians in Gaza to communicate and greatly hampers the humanitarian response. Officials are in regular contact with Paltel, the leading telecommunications company in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs). We recognise the strenuous efforts of Paltel's staff in Gaza to make repairs and maintain services, at great risk to themselves. The Foreign Secretary's Representative for Humanitarian Affairs in the OPTs is working intensively to address the blockages preventing more aid reaching and being delivered across Gaza.
Asked by: Anne McLaughlin (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of Gambian President Adama Barrow on democratic governance in that country.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The British High Commission in Banjul regularly raises good governance and democracy with the Government of The Gambia. We welcome President Barrow's commitment to passing a new constitution during his tenure. The UK-funded International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance has facilitated peaceful and constructive dialogue between Gambian political, civil society, and religious groups to help progress the constitutional reform process. In association with the Commonwealth Magistrates and Judges Association, the UK also provides legislative support and judiciary training for parliamentarians to build capacity within the judiciary system.
Asked by: Anne McLaughlin (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has provided (a) financial aid and (b) technical support for the implementation of the recommendations of the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission in The Gambia.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The UK is providing support for the implementation of a number of recommendations of the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission in The Gambia. We have funded the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance to facilitate peaceful and constructive dialogue between Gambian political, civil society, and religious groups to help progress the constitutional reform process. In association with the Commonwealth Magistrates and Judges Association, the UK also provides legislative support and judiciary training for parliamentarians to build capacity within the judiciary system. We are also supporting the Gambian Ministry of Justice to set up a special prosecutors office to ensure victims of Jammeh era crimes have access to justice.
Asked by: Anne McLaughlin (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made representations to his Gambian counterpart on the potential merits of a (a) substantive and (b) timely transitional justice process in that country.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
Since the overthrow of Yahya Jammeh in 2016, The Gambia has made progress on consolidating democracy, under the leadership of President Barrow, who won a second term of office in 2020. The UK welcomes the President's commitment to implementing broad constitutional reform. We and other partners are supporting the Government of The Gambia and civil society to achieve this aim. We are also supporting the Government through the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission to bring to justice those who committed crimes and human rights violations under the Jammeh regime.
Asked by: Anne McLaughlin (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has held recent discussions with the Eritrean embassy in London on recent clashes between Eritrean Government supporters and opponents.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
Recent events involving members of the Eritrean community in the UK have, on occasions, led to public disorder and arrests. Ahead of a planned and subsequently cancelled event in the London Borough of Harrow in July, FCDO officials and officers from the Metropolitan Police met with staff from the Eritrean embassy to discuss security plans and arrangements. The FCDO plus relevant police forces and councils will engage with the UK Eritrean community and Eritrean embassy ahead of other events.
Asked by: Anne McLaughlin (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when her Department plans to respond to the letter from the hon. Member for Glasgow North East to the Minister for Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean of 11 May 2022 on the safety of a human rights activist in the Gambia.
Answered by Vicky Ford
The letter has been responded to.
Asked by: Anne McLaughlin (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 7 March 2022 to Question 132296, on Afghanistan: Chevening Scholarships Programme, which stated that it is not known how many Chevening Alumni are currently in Afghanistan, what steps her Department plans to take to contact eligible Chevening Alumni to support them through next steps in applying to the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
As stated previously, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office will be in touch with eligible Chevening Alumni to support them through the next steps on the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme. We are not able to share further details at this stage.
Asked by: Anne McLaughlin (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the Answer of 7 March 2022 to Question 132296 on Afghanistan: Chevening Scholarships Programme, how her Department plans to contact Chevening Alumni currently at risk in Afghanistan.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
As stated previously, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office will be in touch with eligible Chevening Alumni to support them through the next steps on the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme. We are not able to share further details at this stage.
Asked by: Anne McLaughlin (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many Chevening alumni in Afghanistan will be prioritised under the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The UK Government will consider at risk Chevening alumni, British Council and Gardaworld contractors for resettlement under the third pathway of the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme in year one. We plan to exceed our initial aim to resettle 5,000 through ACRS in the first year. Overall the ACRS will provide up to 20,000 people with a safe and legal route to resettle in the UK.
Asked by: Anne McLaughlin (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many Chevening alumni in Afghanistan are categorised as vulnerable.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
It is not known how many Chevening alumni are currently in Afghanistan.