Asked by: Jonathan Edwards (Independent - Carmarthen East and Dinefwr)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the Government's plans are to protect (a) human rights and (b) women's rights in Afghanistan following the withdrawal of UK troops in September 2021.
Answered by Nigel Adams
The UK remains committed to supporting Afghanistan on its path to a more peaceful and positive future. We will continue to work closely with the UN, Afghanistan and our international partners to intensify peace efforts as NATO forces drawdown.
The UK has assisted in the significant improvement in the rights of all Afghans, including women and minorities. Life expectancy increased from 56 years in 2002 to 65 in 2020. There are 8.2 million more children in school now than in 2002, including 3.7 million girls. However, only a negotiated and inclusive settlement will safeguard the rights and freedoms that Afghans want and deserve. We will continue to make clear to all sides that any Afghan-led political settlement must preserve progress, including protection for women and minorities.
Afghanistan is a focus country under the UK National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security. This plan shows how the UK aims to reduce the impact of conflict on women and girls and to promote their inclusion in conflict resolution. It is part of wider efforts to ensure that the UK's foreign policy consciously and consistently delivers for women and girls. The UK has also provided technical assistance for the implementation of Phase 2 of Afghanistan's National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security (which runs from 2019 - 2022).
Asked by: Jonathan Edwards (Independent - Carmarthen East and Dinefwr)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Australian counterpart on temporarily extending visas for UK citizens in Australia while quarantine measures are in place in the UK.
Answered by James Duddridge
The Foreign Secretary speaks to his Australian counterpart frequently and on a wide range of issues, including on our responses to COVID-19. They spoke most recently on 15 February. The Foreign Secretary has not raised temporarily extending visas for UK citizens in Australia. British citizens in Australia are free to return to the UK with proof of a negative pre-departure Covid-19 test carried out within 72 hours prior to departure, but are subject to mandatory 10-day home quarantine upon arrival.
Asked by: Jonathan Edwards (Independent - Carmarthen East and Dinefwr)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the British embassy in Myanmar is taking to protect UK citizens following the military coup in that country.
Answered by Nigel Adams
As of 1 February, the Myanmar Military have declared a state of emergency and assumed control of the country. The British Embassy in Yangon is following the situation closely and will continue to update travel advice. British nationals in Myanmar are advised to exercise caution, stay at home where possible and continue to check the travel advice and Embassy social media pages. Any British national requiring urgent consular assistance should contact the British Embassy, our phone lines are open 24 hours a day. All information and contact details can be found on the Gov.uk website: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/myanmar
Asked by: Jonathan Edwards (Independent - Carmarthen East and Dinefwr)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what plans he has to seize the assets of senior Myanmar military individuals held in the UK following the military coup in that country.
Answered by Nigel Adams
The UK condemns the coup and the state of emergency imposed by the Myanmar military on 1 February, and the arbitrary detention of civil society representatives and democratically elected politicians, including State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint.
We are currently working closely with international partners to ensure a coordinated and impactful response. The UK will consider all the tools at its disposal. Before the coup, the UK had already imposed targeted sanctions on 16 individuals responsible for human rights violations in Myanmar. We played a leading role in securing sanctions on 14 individuals whilst we were in the EU. These have all been transitioned into UK law. In July 2020, we sanctioned the Commander-in-Chief and his Deputy, in our first tranche of sanctions under the Global Human Rights Sanctions regime. We have now sanctioned all six individuals named in the UN Fact Finding Mission Report.
Asked by: Jonathan Edwards (Independent - Carmarthen East and Dinefwr)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with the (a) Football Association of Wales and (b) UEFA on the (i) suitability of Baku as a host location for the European Football Championships in summer 2021 and (b) safety of the Welsh (A) team and (B) fans whilst in Azerbaijan.
Answered by Wendy Morton - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The safety of sports teams and fans travelling is paramount and for this reason we keep our travel advice under constant review. We urge anyone considering travel to consult our advice before doing so. We are also in regular contact with the Football Association of Wales (FAW) and with the Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan, including in preparation for last year's successful visit of the Welsh National Team to Baku for a Euro qualifier. However, it is for the Football Association of Wales to make the decision about whether the Welsh Team play in Baku.
Asked by: Jonathan Edwards (Independent - Carmarthen East and Dinefwr)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with (a) Cabinet colleagues and (b) the devolved Administrations on the regulations governing travel abroad for women seeking IVF treatment during the covid-19 lockdown period.
Answered by Nigel Adams
Before planning any travel, individuals should check all the domestic rules that apply where they are resident, including whether they could restrict international travel. There are different measures in place in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) travel advice provides guidance on COVID and non-COVID risks abroad. FCDO travel advice aims to help British nationals make informed decisions about foreign travel. The amount of information the FCDO can provide varies from place to place. For some parts of the world we may be able to offer very detailed advice; for others we may not. We cannot give tailored advice for individual itineraries.
The FCDO currently advises against all but essential travel to many countries and territories on the basis of COVID risks. Whether travel is essential or not is a personal decision and only individuals can make an informed decision based on their own individual circumstances and the risks. Travel disruption is still possible worldwide. Countries may bring in new measures with little notice such as border closures, movement restrictions or quarantine rules. Travellers should check the advice for their destination and be ready and prepared to stay overseas longer than planned.