Asked by: Helen Goodman (Labour - Bishop Auckland)
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 political situation in Ecuador.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
We welcome the return to greater calm in Ecuador and the ongoing UN-supported dialogue between the government and protest groups there. Our Embassy in Quito is in close contact with the Ecuadorean authorities and will continue to monitor the situation closely, including with regards to the safety of British Nationals in Ecuador.
Asked by: Helen Goodman (Labour - Bishop Auckland)
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 political situation in Chile.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
The British Government is concerned at events that have occurred in Chile in recent days. We condemn the violence that has taken place and welcome the efforts of everyone involved in restoring the situation in the country to normality and in reconciling differing views. Our Embassy in Santiago has talked with representatives of the Chilean Government about the protests and has expressed concern about the violence. We will continue to monitor the situation closely.
Asked by: Helen Goodman (Labour - Bishop Auckland)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to his counterpart in Indonesia on the human rights situation in West Papua.
Answered by Heather Wheeler
I met with the Indonesian Ambassador, Dr Rizal Sukma, on 29 October and raised the issue of human rights in Papua, pointing to the level of interest in the issue from MPs and the British public.
The Foreign Secretary discussed Papua with Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi on 31 July, in the margins of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Bangkok. Earlier, on 18 June, the former Foreign Secretary had discussed Papua with Foreign Minister Retno during the UK-Indonesia Partnership Forum in London.
Following the most recent protests, our Ambassador released a press statement on 26 September urging all sides to refrain from violence and welcoming the Indonesian Government's announcement of a full and comprehensive investigation.
Embassy officials in Jakarta visit Papua and West Papua provinces and regularly press the Indonesian authorities to address legitimate human rights concerns, including upholding the right of all citizens to protest peacefully, and promote the sustainable and equitable development of the provinces. The UK fully respects the territorial integrity of Indonesia, including Papua.
Asked by: Helen Goodman (Labour - Bishop Auckland)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps is he taking to help mitigate the environmental impact of UK mining companies operating in Colombia.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
The Government does not specifically undertake work with UK mining companies in Colombia to mitigate their environmental impact. We expect them to comply fully with local environmental standards.
More broadly, the United Kingdom remains steadfast in its support to the Colombian Government in its efforts to safeguard the country's environmental assets.
We are committed to helping Colombia protect its unique ecosystem, reduce emissions and adapt to climate change risks. During President Duque's visit in June this year, the United Kingdom and Colombia launched a new Partnership for Sustainable Growth, with the United Kingdom committing a further £8.5 million to climate-related projects in Colombia. Through the International Climate Fund, the United Kingdom has invested US$165 million since 2010 to support Colombia's efforts in the agendas of climate change and green growth.
Asked by: Helen Goodman (Labour - Bishop Auckland)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will publish his Departments papers in relation to the release of political prisoners from Chile in 1975.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
We do not have any plans to publish papers in relation to the release of political prisoners from Chile in 1975.
Asked by: Helen Goodman (Labour - Bishop Auckland)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he plans to respond to the letter of 18 June 2019 from the hon. Member for Bishop Auckland requesting a meeting with the Minister of State for the Commonwealth.
Answered by Alan Duncan
A response from Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon was sent to the hon. Member for Bishop Aukland on 15 July 2019.
Asked by: Helen Goodman (Labour - Bishop Auckland)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with which private sector organisations the Government held discussions on supporting engagement of the private sector with the Truth Commission in Colombia.
Answered by Mark Field
Over the 2016-2018 financial years, we financed a project, implemented by Centro Regional de Empresas y Emprendimientos (CREER) in Colombia, to help implement the measures in Colombia's National Action Plan for Business and Human Rights which provide for non-judicial remedy of potential disputes related to extractive industry projects. The guide for firms, produced following extensive consultations, workshops and three pilot projects, can be found here (in Spanish).
For more information on the global objectives of this (and other) programmes, please see our ODA collection pages on GOV.UK . The Foreign and Commonwealth Office remains committed to meeting transparency requirements, published on gov.uk
Asked by: Helen Goodman (Labour - Bishop Auckland)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will publish the outcomes of his Department's Magna Carta Fund project on the UN guiding principles on business and human rights in Colombia.
Answered by Mark Field
Over the 2016-2018 financial years, we financed a project, implemented by Centro Regional de Empresas y Emprendimientos Responsables CREER in Colombia, to help implement the measures in Colombia's National Action Plan for Business and Human Rights which provide for non-judicial remedy of potential disputes related to extractive industry projects. The guide for firms, produced following extensive consultations, workshops and three pilot projects, can be found here (in Spanish).
For more information on the global objectives of this (and other) programmes, please see our ODA collection pages on GOV.UK . The Foreign and Commonwealth Office remains committed to meeting transparency requirements, published on gov.uk
Asked by: Helen Goodman (Labour - Bishop Auckland)
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 potential consequences for Colombian mining companies of non-compliance with the OECD due diligence guidance.
Answered by Mark Field
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas (OECD DDG) sets out recommendations to help companies respect human rights and avoid contributing to conflict through their mineral purchasing decisions and practices. While not legally binding, the recommendations reflect the common position and political commitments of OECD members and non-member adherents. Grievances against companies registered in OECD member and adherent non-member countries that have allegedly failed to meet the guidelines' standards can be taken to the OECD's National Contact Point in the relevant country. When the European Union Conflict Minerals Regulation comes into full force on 1 January 2021, the OECD Guidance will become mandatory for the largest importers of tin, tungsten, tantalum and gold (3TG) into the European Union.
The 2018 Annual Human Rights report included details of the Government's work to support responsible mining practices in Colombia. On 6 February 2018 the OECD published a report on due diligence in Colombia's gold supply chain. For Due Diligence to be effective it needs to be implemented across the supply chain. To achieve this it is essential to work with all actors in the supply chain including NGOs and the private sector. We do this through the OECD's multi-stakeholder group linked for their Implementation Programme for the DDG. In addition, the UK helped to found the European Partnership for Responsible Minerals, a multi-stakeholder initiative which aims to increase the supply and demand of responsibly sourced minerals. You can find a current list of European Partnership for Responsible Minerals members at the following link: https://europeanpartnership-responsibleminerals.eu/member.
Asked by: Helen Goodman (Labour - Bishop Auckland)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will publish a report on the Government’s work to support responsible mining practices in Colombia.
Answered by Mark Field
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas (OECD DDG) sets out recommendations to help companies respect human rights and avoid contributing to conflict through their mineral purchasing decisions and practices. While not legally binding, the recommendations reflect the common position and political commitments of OECD members and non-member adherents. Grievances against companies registered in OECD member and adherent non-member countries that have allegedly failed to meet the guidelines' standards can be taken to the OECD's National Contact Point in the relevant country. When the European Union Conflict Minerals Regulation comes into full force on 1 January 2021, the OECD Guidance will become mandatory for the largest importers of tin, tungsten, tantalum and gold (3TG) into the European Union.
The 2018 Annual Human Rights report included details of the Government's work to support responsible mining practices in Colombia. On 6 February 2018 the OECD published a report on due diligence in Colombia's gold supply chain. For Due Diligence to be effective it needs to be implemented across the supply chain. To achieve this it is essential to work with all actors in the supply chain including NGOs and the private sector. We do this through the OECD's multi-stakeholder group linked for their Implementation Programme for the DDG. In addition, the UK helped to found the European Partnership for Responsible Minerals, a multi-stakeholder initiative which aims to increase the supply and demand of responsibly sourced minerals. You can find a current list of European Partnership for Responsible Minerals members at the following link: https://europeanpartnership-responsibleminerals.eu/member.