Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to reports that the arrest warrant has been withdrawn in relation to whistleblower Jonathan Taylor, whether he has had discussions with the Monegasque Authorities on the status of relevant extradition proceedings.
Answered by Wendy Morton
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office were informed on 23 December 2020 that Monaco has not withdrawn its extradition request for Jonathan Taylor. I raised Mr Taylor's case in a call with the Monegasque Foreign Minister and sought assurances that they are giving full consideration to what protections Mr Taylor should be provided with as a whistle-blower and the need for a fair trial. Our Embassy in Paris has also raised Mr Taylor's case on with the Monegasque embassy in Paris.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what support his Department and the UK consulate in Croatia are providing to whistleblower Jonathan Taylor in response to the Croatian courts' upholding of the extradition request of which he is the subject.
Answered by Wendy Morton
I raised Mr Taylor's case with the Foreign Ministers of Croatia and Monaco to seek assurances that he would be treated fairly. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) officials are providing ongoing consular support to Mr Taylor and his family. Consular staff have been in regular contact with Mr Taylor. The British Ambassador in Zagreb has also met Mr Taylor and his wife to discuss with them their concerns and explain the FCDO's consular functions.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make representations to the Monegasque Authorities to encourage their withdrawal of the extradition request in relation to UK whistleblower Jonathan Taylor.
Answered by Wendy Morton
As set out in the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, we cannot interfere in the internal affairs of other countries, or bypass their laws, just as we would not accept similar interference here. As part of our consular assistance to British nationals overseas we can raise concerns about individuals on diplomatic channels. I raised Mr Taylor's case with the Foreign Ministers of Croatia and Monaco to seek assurances that he would be treated fairly.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the Government’s is on future development assistance for fossil fuel projects to (a) Mozambique, and (b) other developing countries.
Answered by James Duddridge
Tackling climate change is a key priority for the UK. The Government is committed to working with countries across the world, including Mozambique, to unlock their renewable energy potential and support their transition away from fossil fuels to cleaner alternatives. The UK will continue to lead by example through aligning our Official Development Assistance (ODA) with the Paris Agreement temperature goals, including our support for energy. This will include our ODA support for Mozambique and any other developing country.
The Prime Minister announced in January that the Government would end direct ODA, investment, export credit and trade promotion support for thermal coal mining and coal power plants overseas. The Government continues to keep its approach to other fossil fuel investments and financing overseas under review.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
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 of the widening diagnostic gap for tuberculosis and other infectious diseases on efforts to curb antimicrobial resistance.
Answered by Wendy Morton
It is still too early to establish the impact of COVID-19 on the spread of antimicrobial resistance. The UK is supporting countries to respond to the pandemic, maintain essential health services, including diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases like TB, and to strengthen health systems to combat antimicrobial resistance. This includes our investments in WHO, Global Fund and Gavi as well as bilateral support to country health systems.
The FCDO funds research programmes to promote the development of new diagnostics, medicines and vaccines. For TB and multidrug-resistant-TB, this includes our support to the Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND). With our support, FIND have developed five new diagnostic tests for TB, now approved by WHO and being rolled out in over 27 countries. FCDO also funds UNITAID, which aims to triple access to rapid testing for MDR-TB, and to reduce MDR-TB drug prices.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
What recent discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on tackling international tax avoidance.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Foreign Secretary meets regularly with the Chancellor of the Exchequer to discuss a broad range of topics.
The Government is committed to tackling tax avoidance and evasion to ensure that everyone, no matter who they are, pays the right amount of tax at the right time.
Since 2010, the Government has introduced over 100 measures that clamp down on tax avoidance and evasion and has secured and protected an additional £200 billion that would have otherwise gone unpaid.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
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 Israeli counterpart about human rights violations committed against children in military custody in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Answered by Alistair Burt
I raised our concerns over the issue of children in detention with the Israeli authorities during my recent visit to Israel between 22-23 August.