Asked by: Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat - Kingston and Surbiton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she will set out further details on the £120 million humanitarian aid package the UK government has committed to Ukraine.
Answered by James Cleverly - Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government
The UK has now pledged £220 million of humanitarian assistance to support a well-coordinated and well-funded response to the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine and the region. We have already disbursed funding to humanitarian agencies in Ukraine this financial year as well as enabled the delivery of life-saving UK medical supplies; committed £25 million to the Disasters Emergency Committee Ukraine Appeal, which has now raised over £130 million; and enabled the deployment of a 13-person field team of humanitarian experts to the region to provide logistics advice and analysis of the evolving refugee situation and needs. This analysis will inform further funding disbursements both within this financial year and next.
Asked by: Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat - Kingston and Surbiton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department is taking steps to (a) locate and (b) repatriate the remains of Anton Hammerl to his family in London.
Answered by James Cleverly - Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government
I am saddened by the tragic circumstances in which Mr Hammerl lost his life whilst in Libya and send my sincere condolences to his family and friends. The UK condemns, and is committed to raising, violations of media freedom across the world at all levels. Journalists should be able to do their jobs without fear of retaliation or harm. We believe that those who seek to harm journalists or restrict their ability to work should be held to account.
The FCDO is only able to provide consular assistance to British nationals so cannot provide it to Mr Hammerl, as he was a dual national of Austria and South Africa. It would be incumbent on those countries to raise Mr Hammerl's case with the Libyan government.
Asked by: Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat - Kingston and Surbiton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations her has made to the Libyan authorities on the killing of photojournalist Anton Hammerl in that country in April 2011.
Answered by James Cleverly - Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government
I am saddened by the tragic circumstances in which Mr Hammerl lost his life whilst in Libya and send my sincere condolences to his family and friends. The UK condemns, and is committed to raising, violations of media freedom across the world at all levels. Journalists should be able to do their jobs without fear of retaliation or harm. We believe that those who seek to harm journalists or restrict their ability to work should be held to account.
The FCDO is only able to provide consular assistance to British nationals so cannot provide it to Mr Hammerl, as he was a dual national of Austria and South Africa. It would be incumbent on those countries to raise Mr Hammerl's case with the Libyan government.
Asked by: Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat - Kingston and Surbiton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what estimate he has made of the (a) number of Afghans offered Chevening Scholar places for the 2021-22 academic year, (b) number of those scholars who were evacuated from Afghanistan and (c) number who remain in Afghanistan.
Answered by Nigel Adams
We cannot provide details on the number and location of Chevening scholars from Afghanistan in order to ensure their and their families' safety. Between 15 and 29 August, the UK evacuated over 15,000 people from Afghanistan. This includes around 500 special cases of particularly vulnerable Afghans, including Chevening scholars, journalists, human rights defenders, campaigners for women's rights, judges and many others.
Asked by: Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat - Kingston and Surbiton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what plans he has to continue Conflict, Stability and Security Fund programmes in Sri Lanka after the end of 2021-22.
Answered by Nigel Adams
Information on the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF) budget for 2020/21 will be published in the CSSF programme summary, which will be made publicly available before parliament rises for summer. Any future CSSF allocations will be subject to the outcome of the spending review.
Asked by: Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat - Kingston and Surbiton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what amount of the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund budget for programmes in Sri Lanka (a) was unspent in 2020-21, (b) is allocated for 2021-22; how the underspend was allocated from the 2020-21 budget; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Nigel Adams
Information on the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF) budget for 2020/21 will be published in the CSSF programme summary, which will be made publicly available before parliament rises for summer. Any future CSSF allocations will be subject to the outcome of the spending review.
Asked by: Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat - Kingston and Surbiton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when he plans to respond to the International Truth and Justice Project’s submission to the Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime.
Answered by Nigel Adams
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is grateful for the submission from the International Truth and Justice Project in relation to Sri Lanka. The UK's Global Human Rights sanctions regime offers a powerful tool to hold to account those involved in serious human rights violations or abuses. We will keep all evidence, including the submission from the International Truth and Justice Project, and potential listings under review. However, it is not appropriate to speculate who may be designated in the future, as to do so could reduce the impact of the designation.
Asked by: Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat - Kingston and Surbiton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the International Truth and Justice Project’s submission to the Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime regarding Sri Lanka.
Answered by Nigel Adams
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is grateful for the submission from the International Truth and Justice Project in relation to Sri Lanka. The UK's Global Human Rights sanctions regime offers a powerful tool to hold to account those involved in serious human rights violations or abuses. We will keep all evidence, including the submission from the International Truth and Justice Project, and potential listings under review. However, it is not appropriate to speculate who may be designated in the future, as to do so could reduce the impact of the designation.
Asked by: Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat - Kingston and Surbiton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the recommendations in Amnesty International's report entitled, On the Human Rights Frontline: how the UK Government can defend the defenders, published on 10 March 2021.
Answered by Nigel Adams
We welcome Amnesty International's continued championing of Human Rights Defenders, and are considering carefully the request from Amnesty and other NGOs for a UK Government strategy on Human Rights Defenders. The UK strongly supports Human Rights Defenders worldwide to help enable them to carry out their work safely and without fear. In 2019, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon launched the document 'UK support for Human Rights Defenders' which was drawn up with significant and important input from relevant stakeholders, including Amnesty International, and which sets out how the UK Government engages with Human Rights Defenders to advance the human rights agenda globally. In the context of the establishment of the new Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the recently published Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy, we will consider what more the UK can do to support Human Rights Defenders in the future.