Asked by: Brendan O'Hara (Scottish National Party - Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether the Government plans to support international efforts on addressing legal mechanisms that may hinder fossil fuel phase-out policies, in advance of the International Conference on a Just Transition Away from Fossil Fuels.
Answered by Katie White - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The UK is fully committed to the transition away from fossil fuels, both domestically and working with partners internationally. Recent events have underlined once more the risks of being exposed to volatile international fossil fuel markets.
The UK delegation, led by the UK's Special Representative for Climate, will engage in discussions on a variety of barriers and solutions to the transition away from fossil fuels.
Asked by: Brendan O'Hara (Scottish National Party - Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how the Government aligns its climate commitments with continued support for investor–state dispute settlement provisions in bilateral investment treaties where such provisions may affect fossil fuel transition policies in partner countries.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The UK draws on the full range of investment commitments and international best practice in our international investment agreements to promote growth, deliver our clean energy goals, and continue to uphold the UK’s right to regulate.
Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) provides an independent means to resolve disputes with states where investors believe they have experienced arbitrary, discriminatory or unfair treatment or expropriation without compensation. ISDS does not remove governments’ right to regulate in the public interest, including with respect to the environment.
Asked by: Brendan O'Hara (Scottish National Party - Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of investor–state dispute settlement provisions in the Colombia–UK Bilateral Investment Treaty on Colombia’s ability to implement climate policies aimed at phasing-out fossil fuels.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Government values the role played by the UK-Colombia Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) in the investment relationship between our countries. Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) provides an independent means to resolve disputes with states where investors believe they have experienced arbitrary, discriminatory or unfair treatment or expropriation without compensation.
ISDS does not remove a government’s right to regulate in the public interest, nor its obligations to comply with other commitments, including with respect to the environment.
Asked by: Brendan O'Hara (Scottish National Party - Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential implications for its policies of recent Israeli legislation introducing the death penalty.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK opposes capital punishment in all circumstances, and we have raised our concerns directly with the Israeli Government about the recently-passed Death Penalty Bill.
In a joint statement with Australia, France, Germany, Italy and New Zealand on 29 March, we highlighted the discriminatory character of the bill, and urged the Government of Israel to abandon it.
And on 30 March, the Foreign Secretary raised the bill in a call with Foreign Minister Sa’ar, and highlighted Israel’s obligations under international humanitarian law.