Asked by: Graeme Downie (Labour - Dunfermline and Dollar)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with the Turkish Ambassador to the UK on the recent arrests in Istanbul on 19 March.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
As a close friend and ally of Turkey the Government is closely monitoring the situation. Recent arrests are subject to ongoing domestic Turkish legal process. The UK expects Turkey to uphold its international commitments and the rule of law, including swift and transparent judicial processes. We regularly engage with the Turkish government and there has been Ministerial contact with counterparts in recent days to raise these issues. The UK supports democracy, human rights and the rule of law across the world and will always support the fundamental rights to freedom of speech, peaceful assembly and peaceful protest. The next elections in Turkey are due to take place by May 2028.
Asked by: Graeme Downie (Labour - Dunfermline and Dollar)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has received a report from the British Embassy in Ankara on forthcoming Turkish elections.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
As a close friend and ally of Turkey the Government is closely monitoring the situation. Recent arrests are subject to ongoing domestic Turkish legal process. The UK expects Turkey to uphold its international commitments and the rule of law, including swift and transparent judicial processes. We regularly engage with the Turkish government and there has been Ministerial contact with counterparts in recent days to raise these issues. The UK supports democracy, human rights and the rule of law across the world and will always support the fundamental rights to freedom of speech, peaceful assembly and peaceful protest. The next elections in Turkey are due to take place by May 2028.
Asked by: Graeme Downie (Labour - Dunfermline and Dollar)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to help tackle the threat from the Russian shadow fleet.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Our oil-related sanctions are having a significant impact, with Russia forced to shoulder a 25 percent reduction in oil and gas revenues from January to October 2024, compared to the same period in 2022. Where Russia has sought to circumvent those sanctions, we have taken robust action. We have now sanctioned 93 shadow fleet oil tankers; and we are exposing malign maritime practices by requesting proof of insurance from suspected shadow vessels passing through the English Channel - an approach partners along the Baltic route will now replicate. We continue to step up our efforts, working closely with Nordic-Baltic partners and others, to ensure our sanctions' effectiveness and impact. We continue to keep further measures on oil and gas under active review.
Asked by: Graeme Downie (Labour - Dunfermline and Dollar)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to help tackle the threat from the Russian shadow fleet in the (a) Baltic and (b) North Sea.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Our oil-related sanctions are having a significant impact, with Russia forced to shoulder a 25 percent reduction in oil and gas revenues from January to October 2024, compared to the same period in 2022. Where Russia has sought to circumvent those sanctions, we have taken robust action. We have now sanctioned 93 shadow fleet oil tankers; and we are exposing malign maritime practices by requesting proof of insurance from suspected shadow vessels passing through the English Channel - an approach partners along the Baltic route will now replicate. We continue to step up our efforts, working closely with Nordic-Baltic partners and others, to ensure our sanctions' effectiveness and impact. We continue to keep further measures on oil and gas under active review.
Asked by: Graeme Downie (Labour - Dunfermline and Dollar)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to sanction the sale of jet fuel to Myanmar.
Answered by Catherine West
The UK strongly condemns the Myanmar military's airstrikes on civilian infrastructure, including schools, hospitals and places of worship. This is unacceptable. To date, the UK has imposed six sanctions targeting the import of aviation fuel, focusing on three individuals and three entities. The UK remains committed to sanctions that directly impact the military without adversely affecting the wider population, and this will be a key consideration in any future designations.