Asked by: Joan Ryan (The Independent Group for Change - Enfield North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the political and military wings of Hamas, including the Izz-Al-Din Al-Qassem Brigades, will remain on HM Treasury’s Consolidated List of Financial Sanctions Targets in the UK in the event of the UK leaving the EU (a) with and (b) without a withdrawal agreement; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Mark Field
As the Prime Minister has set out, the UK will look to carry over all EU sanctions at the time of our departure from the EU. During an implementation period, EU sanctions will continue to apply in the UK. Under the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018, individual listings will need to meet the threshold of evidence and justification that our legislation requires. In a no-deal scenario, the full list of those subject to UK sanctions will be published on the UK sanctions list on exit-day. The UK proscribes Hamas’ military wing as a terrorist organisation and retains a policy of no contact with Hamas, in its entirety.
Asked by: Joan Ryan (The Independent Group for Change - Enfield North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the extent of involvement of Hamas in terrorist activities.
Answered by Mark Field
We continue to strongly condemn all acts of terrorism by Hamas and call upon them to permanently end their incitement and rocket fire against Israel. Our policy on Hamas is clear: Hamas must renounce violence, recognise Israel and accept previously signed agreements. Hamas' military wing has been proscribed as a terrorist organisation by the UK since 2001. The UK retains a policy of no contact with Hamas in its entirety.
Asked by: Joan Ryan (The Independent Group for Change - Enfield 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 Turkish Government’s treatment of (a) members of the Alevi community and (b) other religious minorities.
Answered by Mark Field
We strongly support all minority groups in Turkey, including the Alevi community, and encourage the Turkish authorities to safeguard their welfare and respect their human rights as enshrined in the Turkish constitution. Through our Embassy in Ankara we are currently funding a range of projects covering issues including LGBTI rights, freedom of expression, women's rights and workers' rights.
Asked by: Joan Ryan (The Independent Group for Change - Enfield North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has his Turkish counterpart on (a) the treatment of Alevis in the Turkish prison system and (b) those people's access to Dedes.
Answered by Mark Field
We have not made specific representations to Turkey on these issues. We expect Turkey to treat all prisoners, regardless of faith or ethnicity, fairly and in line with internationally recognised standards.Asked by: Joan Ryan (The Independent Group for Change - Enfield North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the Commonwealth Secretariat and his Commonwealth counterparts on the political and security situation in Zimbabwe.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin - Shadow Minister (Business and Trade)
I attended the EU-AU Ministerial meeting in Brussels on January 21 where I discussed a range of issues, including Zimbabwe, with counterparts. I will continue to raise the political and security situation in Zimbabwe with key interlocutors, including those from Commonwealth states.
I have not had any recent discussions with the Commonwealth Secretariat but officials from the FCO and DFID remain in regular contact. The UK would not support Zimbabwe's membership of the Commonwealth at this time because of credible reports of human rights violations by the security forces.
Asked by: Joan Ryan (The Independent Group for Change - Enfield North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his counterparts in the African Union on renewing steps to find a peaceful solution to the conflict in Cameroon.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin - Shadow Minister (Business and Trade)
The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, visited Cameroon to get a better understanding of the situation in July. The UK welcomed this visit, and the preliminary report of the African Union Elections Observation Mission to the 7 October Cameroonian Presidential election, which issued on 9 October 2018. The UK delegation in Addis Ababa continues to engage with Ambassador Smail Chergui, the African Union Commissioner for Peace and Security on a range of issues, including Cameroon. The UK stands ready to support the African Union to make progress on addressing the crisis in Cameroon.
Asked by: Joan Ryan (The Independent Group for Change - Enfield North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether (a) he and (b) Ministers of his Department plan to visit Cameroon to discuss the Anglophone crisis in that country.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin - Shadow Minister (Business and Trade)
The UK is deeply concerned about the situation in Cameroon and the deteriorating security situation in the Anglophone regions of the country. I visited Cameroon in February 2018 when I met the Prime Minister and other cabinet ministers and reinforced the importance of respecting human rights in a challenging security environment. In my recent statement following elections in Cameroon, I called for all parties to engage in a peaceful and structured process leading to constitutional reforms, as previously set out by the President, and to avoid violence. The UK will continue to work alongside the international community to encourage and support efforts to resolve the Anglophone crisis.
Asked by: Joan Ryan (The Independent Group for Change - Enfield North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Commonwealth counterparts on the current political and human rights situation in Cameroon after the October elections in that that country.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin - Shadow Minister (Business and Trade)
During the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in London in April the then Foreign Secretary and I met Cameroonian counterparts, reminding them of the obligations placed upon Cameroon by the Commonwealth Charter. There have not been discussions with Commonwealth counterparts on the situation in Cameroon since Cameroon's elections in October.
Asked by: Joan Ryan (The Independent Group for Change - Enfield North)
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 Turkish counterpart on the forest fires in the Turkish province of Tunceli.
Answered by Alan Duncan
I have not discussed the recent forest fires in Tunceli province with the Turkish Foreign Minister. However, I am aware that the Governor of the province said in mid-August, that the authorities were doing all they could to put out the fires, which were later extinguished.
Asked by: Joan Ryan (The Independent Group for Change - Enfield North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the effectiveness of the Turkish Government’s efforts to extinguish forest fires in (a) the Turkish province of Tunceli and (b) other Turkish regions with high ethnic minority populations; and if he will make an assessment of the effect of those fires on those ethnic minority populations.
Answered by Alan Duncan
I have no reason to question the effectiveness of the Turkish authorities in tackling forest fires, in Tunceli or any other part of Turkey. Under the circumstances I am unable to assess the impact on local communities of the fires.