Asked by: John Howell (Conservative - Henley)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the debate on Closing the digital divide: promoting equal access to digital technologies at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on 23 June 2023.
Answered by Paul Scully
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe called on states to focus on: access to the internet; improving digital literacy; promoting access to STEM education and careers; and ensuring equality of access to public services. The Government is already making progress on these issues.
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology is delivering on the Government’s commitment to universal access to reliable internet via its social tariffs initiative. To support low-income families, we have worked closely with Ofcom and the industry to bring a range of social tariffs into the market. These low-cost, high-quality broadband and mobile offers are available from a range of providers, across 99% of the UK and start from as low as £10 per month.
The Assembly called on States to ‘combat digital illiteracy regardless of gender, age, social status, economic situation, disability or any other personal characteristic’. The Government remains committed to developing digital skills across the whole of the UK. Through our Digital Entitlement scheme, free Essential Digital Skills Qualifications are available to enable people to gain the skills needed to participate in modern life.
The Assembly also called on States to ‘promote equal access to education and careers in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education and careers’. The Government is funding a new generation of AI talent through scholarships, each worth £10,000, supporting underrepresented groups, including women, to undertake AI and Data Science Conversion Courses. The conversion courses provide a masters in AI and data science, and allow those from a non-STEM background to learn the skills needed to secure employment in the UK’s cutting-edge AI and Data Science sectors.
The Assembly urged States to ‘ensure equality of access to public services’. We are working to ensure that online services are as inclusive as possible by making public sector websites accessible to as many people as possible. Furthermore, assisted digital support services aim to increase digital inclusion for those online users who lack digital confidence, digital skills or access to the internet.
As stated at the Council of Europe, the Government will continue to scrutinise and prioritise digital inclusion. The recent House of Lords inquiry into Digital Inclusion is an example of this oversight, and will ensure the Government continues to prioritise and deliver against this important area.
Asked by: John Howell (Conservative - Henley)
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 presentation made by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia on the viability of the Council of Europe at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on 20 June 2023.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The UK welcomed remarks made by Latvia at the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly. We look forward to the application of Latvia's policies during its presidency in protecting and promoting democracy and rule of law across Europe. The Prime Minister and Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon were pleased to attend the Council of Europe Summit in Reykjavik alongside nearly forty other European leaders. The UK agrees with European partners that the Council of Europe is playing a vital role in supporting Ukraine. Its work to establish the Register of Damage is an important step in securing financial accountability and supporting justice for the people of Ukraine. The Prime Minister signed the Register at the Summit, as a founding participant, and we will continue to work with the Council and our friends worldwide to ensure support for it.
Asked by: John Howell (Conservative - Henley)
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 policy of 2022 Iran Human Rights Documentation Centre reports that Iranian-linked forces have aided attacks, deportations and the persecution of individuals in Syria.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK has long made clear our apprehension towards Iran's reckless and destabilising activity in Syria. Iran's support to militant and proscribed groups, including Hizbollah, directly counters UK interests. In Syria, Iran has propped up Bashar al-Asad, prolonging the crisis and enabling him and his brutal regime to commit innumerable human rights violations and abuses. The UK is committed to working with the international community to ensure Iran and the regime are held to account for their destabilising activity in Syria and we will continue to support efforts pursuing a political solution to the Syrian crisis.
Asked by: John Howell (Conservative - Henley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department is taking steps to help strengthen the rights of indigenous (a) Kurdish, (b) Yazidi and (c) Jewish groups in the Middle East.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Building respect for human rights, including Freedom of Religion and Belief (FoRB) and the rights of ethnic and religious groups, is a crucial element underpinning the UK's foreign policy in the Middle East. We regularly emphasise the importance of human rights through our engagements with Governments and other key partners.
We will continue to monitor the situation for ethnic and religious groups in the region, to speak out against human rights violations and abuses, and to press authorities to safeguard the human rights for all their citizens.
Asked by: John Howell (Conservative - Henley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the implications for his policies of China’s provision of face-recognition technology to Iran and its impact on human rights in that country.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
Women in Iran are reporting greater enforcement of Iran's strict hijab and morality laws by automated recognition technology. We continue to track reports of a Chinese company providing Iran with face-recognition technology, which could be used to violate human rights. The UK is committed to holding Iran to account and calling out Iran's human rights violations in a range of multilateral fora. The UK raised Iran at the 52nd session of the UN Human Rights Council, co-sponsored the UN General Assembly resolution on Iran human rights, supported the creation of a UN Fact Finding Mission and helped ensure Iran's removal from the UN Commission on the Status of Women.
Asked by: John Howell (Conservative - Henley)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the debate on Safeguarding democracy, rights and the environment in international trade, which took place at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on 27 April 2023.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
As an independent nation in control of our trading future, the UK government considers a broad range of factors when developing international trade policy – including benefits to the UK economy and our international obligations.
In line with those international obligations, the Government will continue to ensure that our trade policy reflects our high standards and protections – both in new trade agreements and via multilateral fora.
Having secure and growing trading relationships can increase UK influence and assist open conversations with partners on a range of issues, many of which are listed in the Council of Europe report “Doc. 15739”.
Asked by: John Howell (Conservative - Henley)
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 debate on The honouring of membership obligations to the Council of Europe by San Marino, which took place at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on 28 April 2023.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
We greatly value the work of the UK delegation to the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly and welcome this debate, following the monitoring committee's report. The UK thanks San Marino for the work they are doing to comply with all of their obligations. We will continue to engage with San Marino, to promote our shared values.
Asked by: John Howell (Conservative - Henley)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the debate on Political strategies to prevent, prepare for, and face the consequences of natural disasters, which took place at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on 26 April 2023.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
Government departments stand ready to respond to natural hazard risks. The Resilience Directorate and the COBR Unit in the Cabinet Office work across Government, including with the Government Office for Science, the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, the UK Health Security Agency , the Meteorological Office and private sector organisations, to assess the risk of natural hazards, build resilience and develop response plans to respond effectively should hazards occur.
The Government is committed to tackling risks and vulnerabilities. The UK Government Resilience Framework, published in December 2022, is the first articulation of our new strategic approach to resilience. The Framework is a risk-agnostic plan to strengthen the systems, structures, and capabilities which underpin the UK’s resilience to all risks, including those which are yet to emerge.
Asked by: John Howell (Conservative - Henley)
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 debate on Deportations and forcible transfers of Ukrainian children and other civilians to Russian Federation or to Ukrainian territories temporarily occupied: create conditions for their safe return, stop these crimes and punish the perpetrators, which took place at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on 27 April 2023.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The UK condemns Russia's forced transfer of Ukrainian children to Russia or Russian-controlled territories of Ukraine. Those responsible for atrocities must be held to account and the UK is supporting the investigations of both the Ukrainian authorities and the International Criminal Court (ICC). The arrest warrants issued by the ICC are an important step towards accountability.
We respect the jurisdiction of competent national or international courts, such as the ICC, to determine if the crime of genocide has occurred in Ukraine. We will continue to call on Russia to cease forced transfers, allow unhindered, immediate and safe access for humanitarian organisations, and facilitate the safe return of children to Ukraine, in line with Russia's obligations under international law. The UK has contributed 150,000 euros to the Council of Europe's new Ukraine Action Plan.
Asked by: John Howell (Conservative - Henley)
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 her policies of the debate on Youth and the Media, which took place at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on 28 April 2023.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The UK thanks the Parliamentary Assembly to the Council of Europe for bringing this topic into focus. The UK is a strong protector of children online and through passage of our Online Safety Bill, we will become one of the safest places to be a child online. We are continually taking steps to empower users of all ages to make safer and well-informed choices online through resources such as the UK Government's Online Media Literacy programmes and our yearly action plans.