Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much official development assistance has been provided to India to help (a) tackle climate change, (b) reduce carbon emissions and (c) achieve the Sustainable Development Goals in each of the last five years; and how much of that investment has been returned in each of the last five years.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan
The UK Government stopped providing traditional development aid to India in 2015. In the past five years we have provided £435 million of official development assistance, mostly in the form of investments, to India. We provided £95 million in 2018, £108 million in 2019, £95 million in 2020, £91 million in 2021, and £46 million in 2022. In the same period £63 million has been returned overall - £5 million in 2018, £9 million in 2019, £8 million in 2020, £16 million in 2021, and £25 million in 2022. Most of these investments support India's climate goals including reducing emissions, and all help achieve the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his policy is on whether article 50 of the Treaty on the functioning of the EU enables the EU to negotiate separately with the Scottish Government towards a different agreement to that which applies to the rest of the UK.
Answered by Alan Duncan
The legal and constitutional responsibility for the UK’s relationship with the EU lies at Westminster. The Government will fully involve the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland Governments to ensure we get the best deal for the UK as a whole.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make it the Government's policy to invite a delegation of parliamentarians from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe as official observers of the forthcoming EU referendum.
Answered by David Lidington
The Government welcomes observers – either from within the UK or from overseas – who wish to observe our electoral process. The Electoral Commission accredits observers who may, once accredited, observe proceedings at the poll, proceedings at the issue and receipt of postal ballot papers, and proceedings at the count. It is therefore open to parliamentarians from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe to apply for accreditation as observers.Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 1 March 2016 to Question 28406, for what reasons the governments within the EU that support further political integration are not listed in that Answer.
Answered by David Lidington
It is for other national governments to explain their own approaches to further European political integration. A government may, for example, be in favour of greater integration in some areas of policy but not in others. As I said in my responses to PQ 27033 and 28406, there is clearly support in some governments within the European Union for further political integration, but there are other, more sceptical voices too. The Decision of the Heads of State or Government, meeting within the European Council, on 18 and 19 February 2016, makes clear that the Treaty references to an ‘ever closer union’ are “compatible with different paths of integration and do not compel all Member States to aim for a common destination”.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 23 February 2016 to Question 27033, which governments within the EU support further political integration.
Answered by David Lidington
As I said in my response of 23 February 2016 (PQ 27033), there is clearly support in some governments within the European Union for further political integration, but there are other, more sceptical voices too. The recital in paragraph one of section C makes clear that “the United Kingdom, in the light of the specific situation it has under the Treaties, is not committed to further political integration into the European Union”.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the recital in paragraph one of section C of the revised version of the draft EU decision on a new settlement for the UK, what assessment he has made of whether the objectives of political integration enjoys wide support in the union.
Answered by David Lidington
There is clearly support in some governments within the European Union for further political integration, but there are other, more sceptical voices, too. The recital in paragraph one of section C makes clear that “the United Kingdom, in the light of the specific situation it has under the Treaties, is not committed to further political integration into the European Union”.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 2 November 2015 to Question 13950, what the estimated annual shortfall is in the payment of pensions to former employees of the Southern Rhodesian government.
Answered by James Duddridge
As my Rt Hon Friend the Member for Welwyn Hatfield (Grant Shapps MP), Minister of State at the Department for International Development, set out last week, the Government sympathises with the plight of those former public servants who are entitled to a Zimbabwe government pension. We have not calculated the amounts involved because the UK has no legal obligation or responsibility for these. Responsibility rests with the Zimbabwean government. We continue to remind the relevant authorities in Zimbabwe of this legal commitment.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the work of the members of the UK delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe who were appointed on 10 November 2010; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by David Lidington
Details of participation in sessions of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe by members of the UK Delegation are published on the Parliament website:
http://www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/offices/delegations/coe2/membership1/
The work of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe is reflected in adopted recommendations, resolutions and opinions which are in the public domain. The UK Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe is recognised within the Assembly as one of the more active and influential delegations, contributing effectively across a range of issues on the Assembly’s agenda, in plenary and within the supporting committee structure. The UK Delegation also engages beyond the Assembly in other Council of Europe bodies and as part of Assembly missions deploying to Member States including for election observation.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will set out the record of attendance and participation in sessions of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and its committees by those hon. Members of the UK delegation who were appointed to the Parliamentary Assembly on 10 November 2010.
Answered by David Lidington
A new UK delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe was appointed on 10 November 2010 following the 2010 General Election, to provide a balanced reflection of the representation in the UK parliament, in accordance with the Statute of the Council of Europe. Details of participation in sessions of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and its committees by hon. Members of the UK delegation are published on the Parliament website:
http://www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/offices/delegations/coe2/membership1/
This includes lists of members and in respect of the periods 2010-13 , 2013-2014, and 2014-15, their party affiliations and European political groupings. I have placed a copy in the Library of the House. I am pleased to note that the UK’s delegation has a strong record of attendance.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will seek the advice of the Venice Commission on the circumstances in which it would be appropriate for the resources available to (a) the Prime Minister and (b) other elements of the Government to be utilised during the purdah period in the forthcoming EU referendum.
Answered by David Lidington
We have no plans to seek the advice of the Venice Commission. We will of course consider their recommendations very carefully when framing amendments to the European Union Referendum Bill, including the 2007 "Code of Good Practice on Referendums".