Asked by: James Murray (Labour (Co-op) - Ealing North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, how much financial support his Department has provided to Rohingya refugees in the Kutupalong refugee camp in Bangladesh in each of the last five financial years.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan
The UK has been a leading donor to the Rohingya response in Bangladesh, providing over £373 million in humanitarian support for the crisis since 2017. This includes direct funding to the refugee camp at Cox's Bazar and to UNHCR, the World Food Programme and other agencies that work on refugee issues.
Asked by: James Murray (Labour (Co-op) - Ealing North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with (a) the government of Tunisia and (b) other international partners on the human rights situation in that country.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell
We monitor the human rights situation in Tunisia closely. The UK urges the Tunisian Government to respect the principles and values of an open and democratic society at every available opportunity. Most recently, the Minister of State for the Middle East, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, reiterated this message during his meeting with the Tunisian Foreign Minister on 4 May. The UK also coordinates with likeminded partners on how to collectively address human rights. For example, Lord Ahmad's statement of 18 April on the arrest of Rached Ghannouchi reflected an international alignment of views on the case.
Asked by: James Murray (Labour (Co-op) - Ealing North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will ensure that staff who work (a) directly or (b) indirectly in her Department and its relevant agencies and public bodies are paid at least the UK real living wage outside Greater London or the London living wage inside Greater London as determined by the Living Wage Foundation.
Answered by Vicky Ford
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office can confirm that no direct employee is paid an hourly rate less than that determined by the Living Wage Foundation.
Records for staff employed 'indirectly' by the Department are not held centrally. To produce this data would incur disproportionate cost.
Details of hourly rates of pay, for directly employed staff, contractors and agency workers in our Agencies and Public Bodies is not held centrally. To obtain and produce this data would incur disproportionate cost.
Asked by: James Murray (Labour (Co-op) - Ealing North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many (a) direct employees, (b) contractors and (c) agency workers who work in her Department and relevant agencies and public bodies receive a wage below that of the (i) UK Real Living Wage outside of Greater London and (ii) London Living Wage inside of Greater London, as determined by the Living Wage Foundation.
Answered by Amanda Milling
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office can confirm that no direct employee is paid an hourly rate less than that determined by the Living Wage Foundation.
Records for contractors and agency workers are not held centrally. To produce this data would incur disproportionate cost.
Details of hourly rates of pay, for directly employed staff, contractors and agency workers in our Agencies and Public Bodies is not held centrally. To obtain and produce this data would incur disproportionate cost.
Asked by: James Murray (Labour (Co-op) - Ealing North)
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 effect of recent demolitions and seizures of Palestinian (a) homes, (b) water and hygiene structures and (c) clinics on the Palestinian Authority's ability to contain the spread of covid-19 in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Answered by James Cleverly - Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government
The UK is seriously concerned by any demolition and seizure of Palestinian property by Israeli authorities. In all but the most exceptional circumstances demolitions are contrary to International Humanitarian Law (IHL). We are particularly concerned that demolitions are continuing at this time. Such actions weaken the capacity of Palestinians to withstand the impact of COVID-19. Under IHL, an occupying power has the duty of ensuring and maintaining public health and hygiene in the occupied territory to the fullest extent of the means available to it. We call on both parties to avoid any provocative action which might undermine the cooperation that is so critical.