Asked by: Ben Bradshaw (Labour - Exeter)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations her Department has received in support of the candidacy of Ahmed Naser Al-Raisi for the presidency of Interpol.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
Officials are continuing to assess the suitability of all candidates for the INTERPOL Executive Committee elections on 25 November, and a decision on voting intentions, including the presidency, will be taken in due course.
As is commonplace in multilateral elections, representations have been made to the Department by both countries presenting candidates for the presidency.
Asked by: Ben Bradshaw (Labour - Exeter)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking with her international counterparts to ensure Interpol retains public confidence.
Answered by Damian Hinds
The Government strongly supports INTERPOL’s efforts to ensure systems are in place that protect individuals’ human rights in line with Article 3 of INTERPOL's Constitution which strictly forbids any intervention or activities of a political, military, religious or racial character.
The Home Office continues to work with INTERPOL and the National Crime Agency (NCA), which acts as the UK’s National Central Bureau (NCB) for INTERPOL, to monitor the effectiveness of existing safeguards. We encourage INTERPOL to uphold international human rights obligations and we won’t hesitate to recommend further reforms to INTERPOL as necessary.
During the G7 Interior and Security Ministers’ meeting in London on 7-9 September we also secured commitments from international partners to strengthen our collective efforts to deter the misuse of INTERPOL systems and support organisational reform and governance at INTERPOL.
Proportionate due diligence is undertaken into individuals seeking election to the role of INTERPOL President. In the run up to the elections at the General Assembly, officials from the Home Office, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the National Crime Agency are in regular contact with international counterparts. The decision on who to support will be based on a thorough assessment of the merits of each candidate.
Asked by: Ben Bradshaw (Labour - Exeter)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what consideration does she give to (a) a candidate’s or (b) their home country’s commitment to the rule of law when assessing their suitability to be president of Interpol.
Answered by Damian Hinds
The Government strongly supports INTERPOL’s efforts to ensure systems are in place that protect individuals’ human rights in line with Article 3 of INTERPOL's Constitution which strictly forbids any intervention or activities of a political, military, religious or racial character.
The Home Office continues to work with INTERPOL and the National Crime Agency (NCA), which acts as the UK’s National Central Bureau (NCB) for INTERPOL, to monitor the effectiveness of existing safeguards. We encourage INTERPOL to uphold international human rights obligations and we won’t hesitate to recommend further reforms to INTERPOL as necessary.
During the G7 Interior and Security Ministers’ meeting in London on 7-9 September we also secured commitments from international partners to strengthen our collective efforts to deter the misuse of INTERPOL systems and support organisational reform and governance at INTERPOL.
Proportionate due diligence is undertaken into individuals seeking election to the role of INTERPOL President. In the run up to the elections at the General Assembly, officials from the Home Office, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the National Crime Agency are in regular contact with international counterparts. The decision on who to support will be based on a thorough assessment of the merits of each candidate.
Asked by: Ben Bradshaw (Labour - Exeter)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what consideration does she give to a candidate’s or their home country’s human rights record when assessing their suitability to be president of Interpol.
Answered by Damian Hinds
The Government strongly supports INTERPOL’s efforts to ensure systems are in place that protect individuals’ human rights in line with Article 3 of INTERPOL's Constitution which strictly forbids any intervention or activities of a political, military, religious or racial character.
The Home Office continues to work with INTERPOL and the National Crime Agency (NCA), which acts as the UK’s National Central Bureau (NCB) for INTERPOL, to monitor the effectiveness of existing safeguards. We encourage INTERPOL to uphold international human rights obligations and we won’t hesitate to recommend further reforms to INTERPOL as necessary.
During the G7 Interior and Security Ministers’ meeting in London on 7-9 September we also secured commitments from international partners to strengthen our collective efforts to deter the misuse of INTERPOL systems and support organisational reform and governance at INTERPOL.
Proportionate due diligence is undertaken into individuals seeking election to the role of INTERPOL President. In the run up to the elections at the General Assembly, officials from the Home Office, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the National Crime Agency are in regular contact with international counterparts. The decision on who to support will be based on a thorough assessment of the merits of each candidate.
Asked by: Ben Bradshaw (Labour - Exeter)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what due diligence is she conducting into the suitability of the candidates standing to be president of Interpol.
Answered by Damian Hinds
The Government strongly supports INTERPOL’s efforts to ensure systems are in place that protect individuals’ human rights in line with Article 3 of INTERPOL's Constitution which strictly forbids any intervention or activities of a political, military, religious or racial character.
The Home Office continues to work with INTERPOL and the National Crime Agency (NCA), which acts as the UK’s National Central Bureau (NCB) for INTERPOL, to monitor the effectiveness of existing safeguards. We encourage INTERPOL to uphold international human rights obligations and we won’t hesitate to recommend further reforms to INTERPOL as necessary.
During the G7 Interior and Security Ministers’ meeting in London on 7-9 September we also secured commitments from international partners to strengthen our collective efforts to deter the misuse of INTERPOL systems and support organisational reform and governance at INTERPOL.
Proportionate due diligence is undertaken into individuals seeking election to the role of INTERPOL President. In the run up to the elections at the General Assembly, officials from the Home Office, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the National Crime Agency are in regular contact with international counterparts. The decision on who to support will be based on a thorough assessment of the merits of each candidate.
Asked by: Ben Bradshaw (Labour - Exeter)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions she has had with counterparts in democracies on the suitability of the candidates standing for election to the presidency of Interpol.
Answered by Damian Hinds
The Government strongly supports INTERPOL’s efforts to ensure systems are in place that protect individuals’ human rights in line with Article 3 of INTERPOL's Constitution which strictly forbids any intervention or activities of a political, military, religious or racial character.
The Home Office continues to work with INTERPOL and the National Crime Agency (NCA), which acts as the UK’s National Central Bureau (NCB) for INTERPOL, to monitor the effectiveness of existing safeguards. We encourage INTERPOL to uphold international human rights obligations and we won’t hesitate to recommend further reforms to INTERPOL as necessary.
During the G7 Interior and Security Ministers’ meeting in London on 7-9 September we also secured commitments from international partners to strengthen our collective efforts to deter the misuse of INTERPOL systems and support organisational reform and governance at INTERPOL.
Proportionate due diligence is undertaken into individuals seeking election to the role of INTERPOL President. In the run up to the elections at the General Assembly, officials from the Home Office, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the National Crime Agency are in regular contact with international counterparts. The decision on who to support will be based on a thorough assessment of the merits of each candidate.
Asked by: Ben Bradshaw (Labour - Exeter)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what due diligence is in place to enable Ministers to assess the suitability of the candidates for the post of President of Interpol.
Answered by Damian Hinds
The INTERPOL General Secretariat (IPSG) regularly updates member countries with the list of candidates nominated for the Presidency. The decision on who to support will be based on a thorough assessment of the merits of each candidate.
Asked by: Ben Bradshaw (Labour - Exeter)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations she has received on the process and candidates for the selection of the next President of Interpol.
Answered by Damian Hinds
The INTERPOL General Secretariat (IPSG) regularly updates member countries with the list of candidates nominated for the Presidency. The decision on who to support will be based on a thorough assessment of the merits of each candidate.
Asked by: Ben Bradshaw (Labour - Exeter)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many of her Department's ministers have been exempted from quarantine in a hotel after returning to the UK from a covid-19 red list country to which they have travelled for the purposes of conducting official business.
Answered by Damian Hinds
Details of Ministers’ overseas travel are published quarterly on GOV.UK, and all travel is arranged in line with official regulations.
Ministers are able to claim an exemption from travel restrictions under the ‘Crown Servants or government contractors exemption’. The full text of this exemption can be found under the Government guidance Coronavirus (COVID-19): jobs that qualify for travel exemptions, available on GOV.UK.
Asked by: Ben Bradshaw (Labour - Exeter)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if the Government will intervene where insurers refuse or query claims in relation to the recent disposal of a World War II bomb in Exeter.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
In cases such as this, the expectation is for costs to be met by private insurance. Communication channels for the public were set up through both the County and City Councils, and members of the public impacted by this incident were urged to go through those channels.
The Home Office does not routinely provide briefing when such instances occur. We would expect the local Council to keep residents and businesses updated.
The HO does not consider it is liable for any damage caused.
It is not for the Home Office to intervene in disputes between insurers and their clients, therefore it would not be appropriate for us to comment.