Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with her Brazilian counterpart on the disappearance of Dom Phillips and Bruno Araújo Pereira in the Amazon.
Answered by Vicky Ford
My thoughts are with the families of Mr Phillips and Mr Pereira during this difficult time. I am engaged and closely following this case. I discussed the search and rescue effort with Brazil's Justice and Public Security Minister on 9 June, who provided reassurances that that the Brazilian authorities are doing all they can via land, air and river support to find Mr Phillips and Mr Pereira. We have confirmed to the Brazilian authorities that the UK stands ready to provide support if it is requested. My officials at the British Embassy in Brazil remain in regular and close contact with the Brazilian authorities at the most senior levels for updates on the Brazilian search operation to locate Mr Phillips and Mr Pereira. I am extremely thankful and appreciative of their search and rescue effort.
Consular officials in Sao Paulo and London are providing support to Mr Phillips' family in Brazil and the UK.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to help support Somaliland following the recent fire in Hargeisa.
Answered by Vicky Ford
Our thoughts are with the people who have been affected by the fire at Hargeisa market, which caused injuries and extensive damage to businesses. The UK is leading diplomatic and development response efforts on the ground, including by chairing an international community coordination group, which is working with the Somaliland authorities to identify the necessary response.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing economic sanctions on Sudan's military government.
Answered by Vicky Ford
We remain concerned at the political crisis and continued violent repression of protesters in Sudan. Since the 25 October 2021 military coup, Ministers, British Embassy staff in Khartoum and senior FCDO officials have continued to call on all parties to engage in dialogue and support the return to the democratic transition. Most recently on 2 March, we released a statement welcoming a report on progress in the UN facilitated talks and calling on all political actors to engage in the next phase. With partners we continue to consider all options to maintain pressure on the Sudanese military to protect human rights and deliver the people's demands for freedom, peace and justice. This includes the possibility of sanctions.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, which Government Department is the policy lead for (a) climate mitigation and (b) climate adaptation in the British Overseas Territories.
Answered by Amanda Milling
The Overseas Territories Governments maintain the policy lead for climate mitigation and adaptation in their Territories. In the UK, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy lead on domestic climate mitigation and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is responsible for domestic climate adaptation. The UK Government is working in partnership with the Overseas Territories to address climate challenges, including through various funds, such as the Darwin Plus, which provides funding for environmental projects and the Blue Belt programme, which protects over 4 million square kilometres of ocean around the Overseas Territories.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, which British Overseas Territories have fulfilled their commitment under the Joint Ministerial Council Communique 2020 to publish territory-led plans for climate adaptation and mitigation.
Answered by Amanda Milling
At the UK-Overseas Territories Joint Ministerial Council in November 2020, each Overseas Territory government committed to endeavour to communicate a territory-led plan for climate change adaptation and mitigation, which contributes towards global carbon emission reductions, by the time of the COP26 Summit in November 2021. Saint Helena, the Falkland Islands, Montserrat and Gibraltar produced their plans and all Overseas Territories remain committed to continuing to communicate their plans and strategies following COP26, including the recently published 'Building a Sustainable Virgin Islands' plan by the British Virgin Islands. The UK Government continue to work closely with the Overseas Territories to address climate change challenges.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many staff in her Department have been assigned to work on the Convention of Biological Diversity; and how many Ministers in her Department plan to attend the conference from 25 April to 8 May 2022.
Answered by Vicky Ford
The 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity represents an historic opportunity to secure agreement to ambitious global action over the next decade - an opportunity humanity cannot afford to miss. The UK is committed to playing a leading role in developing an ambitious post-2020 global biodiversity framework to be adopted at COP15. The COP is due to take place in Kunming, China, later this year, though due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, we expect a delay to the planned dates of 25 April to 8 May. Minister Goldsmith will head the UK delegation to COP15 to lead the call for a highly ambitious outcome.
Defra is the lead department for the Convention on Biological Diversity, working closely with the FCDO and Cabinet Office. A core team is in place in Defra to deliver hugely ambitious outcomes, drawing on expertise within Defra, its specialist arms-length bodies, and working with other Government departments, civil society organisations, and society at large. This includes working with the FCDO and our Posts across the diplomatic network, through which we are engaging host governments to support delivery of our objectives. Nature is one of the key priorities in the UK's COP26 Presidency, and the Cabinet Office COP26 Unit is also supporting preparations for COP15 to ensure a successful delivery of UK objectives.
Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions her Department has held with counterparts in Mozambique on the political and security situation in that country.
Answered by Vicky Ford
The UK holds regular discussions with Mozambican counterparts on the political and security situation. Our High Commissioner met the Mozambican Defence Minister on 14 January to discuss Cabo Delgado and UK support. The UK co-chairs the International Taskforce on Cabo Delgado, which works closely with the Mozambican government, coordinating the international community response to the security and humanitarian threats.