Asked by: Dan Poulter (Labour - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent reports he has received about Iran testing a guided long-range ballistic missile.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
Reports that Iran carried out a ballistic missile test earlier this month are highly concerning. We believe such a test constitutes clearly a violation of Iran’s obligations under UN Security Council Resolutions. We have taken appropriate action to bring this matter to the attention of the Security Council.
Asked by: Dan Poulter (Labour - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
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 implications for his policies of recent violence in Israel and the Palestinian Territories.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
I am extremely concerned by the violence that we have seen across Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories in recent weeks. This only strengthens my conviction that a negotiated two state solution is of the greatest urgency. We continue to consult with international partners as to the best means to make progress towards that goal, and to encourage the parties to take steps which lead us towards peace. In the current circumstances we are encouraging both sides to promote calm and avoid taking actions which could make peace more difficult. On 9 October, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Rt. Hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) spoke to President Abbas and urged him to do everything in his power to reduce tensions and restore calm. My officials and I have also been pushing the parties to implement steps that improve the situation on the ground and preserve the viability of the two state solution.
Asked by: Dan Poulter (Labour - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received of ISIL-linked terrorists operating in Gaza.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
We are concerned about the recent rise in the number of small Salafi groups in Gaza that sympathise or self-identify with ISIL. This highlights the urgent need for all the parties to reach an agreement that addresses the underlying causes of conflict in Gaza to restore security under the Palestinian Authority, and reduce the risk of radicalisation inside Gaza. We are monitoring the situation closely.
Asked by: Dan Poulter (Labour - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
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 level of the terrorist threat to UK nationals in North Africa.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
The Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre continually monitors the international terrorist threat to the UK and our interests overseas. Foreign and Commonwealth Office travel advice draws on their assessments, together with other sources of information, to help the British public to make informed decisions about travel.
The murder of 38 innocent holiday-makers on 26 June was a stark and dreadful illustration that the threat across much of north Africa is high.
Asked by: Dan Poulter (Labour - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of Iran's development of the IR-8 centrifuge; and what effect this will have on that country's enrichment capabilities.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
The 29 May report from the International Atomic Energy Agency Director General confirms that Iran’s development work on the IR-8 centrifuge has continued in accordance with the Joint Plan of Action. Iran’s IR-8 research and development is limited to one prototype machine in place without connections at the Natanz nuclear facility. Use of IR-8 machines could significantly increase Iran’s enrichment capabilities should research and development on the centrifuge be completed.
Asked by: Dan Poulter (Labour - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent reports he has received on Iran's research and development of advanced centrifuges.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
On 29 May the International Atomic Energy Agency Director General issued the latest report on safeguards implementation in Iran, which includes an update on Iran’s research and development activity at the Natanz nuclear facility. The report confirms that since the Director General’s previous report, Iran has continued safeguarded research and development activities in line with its commitments under the Joint Plan of Action.
Asked by: Dan Poulter (Labour - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the effect that Iran's possession of advanced IR-8 centrifuge would have on its nuclear break out ability.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
Use of IR-8 centrifuges for enrichment could significantly shorten breakout times. However, as reported in the 29 May report from the IAEA DG Iran currently has only one prototype IR-8 machine in place, without connections, in the research and development area at the Natanz nuclear facility. Ensuring that Iran’s use of advanced centrifuges is adequately constrained remains a key element of the E3+3 negotiations currently underway.
Asked by: Dan Poulter (Labour - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent reports he has received on the construction of cross-border tunnels along the Israel-Gaza border by Hamas.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
We have assessed that Hamas are seeking to rebuild infrastructure, including the tunnel network, in Gaza. An official from our Embassy in Tel Aviv held a meeting with representatives from the Israeli National Security Council on 28 May, where the issue of the construction of cross-border tunnels was discussed.