Asked by: Lady Hermon (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make it his policy to ensure that interest earned on Libyan assets frozen in the UK is used to compensate the victims of IRA/Libyan-sponsored violence; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
There is no legal basis upon which the UK could re-direct Libyan assets or the interest accrued to individuals for the purposes of compensation. Regarding assets which belonged to Qadhafi or other regime figures, the UN Security Council has stipulated that when these are unfrozen, they will be made available to, and for the benefit of the Libyan people. For the duration of time that these assets are frozen, they and any interest they accrue will be governed in accordance with the specific sanctions in place over the individuals or entities to which the assets belong. In this case, the asset freezing measures are set out under EU Regulation 204/2011 which prohibits the release of frozen funds and the interest accrued belonging to listed individuals or entities except in very specific circumstances, which do not apply here.
Asked by: Lady Hermon (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if the Prime Minister will reverse the decision made by his predecessors not to seek compensation for all UK victims of IRA/Libyan-sponsored violence; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
The Government is not able to negotiate with the Libyan Government on individual compensation claims as these are not government claims. Individual compensation claims against Libya are best pursued directly with the Libyan Government. The Government has raised legacy issues arising from the actions of the Qadhafi regime repeatedly and at the highest levels with the Libyan authorities. Following a breakdown of the political and security situation in Libya, we withdrew our staff from our Embassy in Tripoli in August 2014. There is currently no central authority to deal with on this issue. We will engage a Government of National Accord (GNA), once established, on the issue of compensation. The British Government’s objective is broad and lasting reconciliation between Libya and UK communities affected by the Qadhafi regime’s sponsorship of terrorism. The Government has provided facilitation support to victims, their families, legal representatives and campaign groups, where it has been requested and appropriate. We will again encourage the Libyans to engage with UK victims seeking redress, including those seeking compensation and their legal representatives, once stability returns.
Asked by: Lady Hermon (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will establish an independent inquiry into the reasons why the Government has not sought compensation for UK victims of IRA/Libyan-sponsored terrorism; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
The Government is not able to negotiate with the Libyan Government on individual compensation claims as these are not government claims. Individual compensation claims against Libya are best pursued directly with the Libyan Government. The Government has raised legacy issues arising from the actions of the Qadhafi regime repeatedly and at the highest levels with the Libyan authorities. Following a breakdown of the political and security situation in Libya, we withdrew our staff from our Embassy in Tripoli in August 2014. There is currently no central authority to deal with on this issue. We will engage a Government of National Accord (GNA), once established, on the issue of compensation. The British Government’s objective is broad and lasting reconciliation between Libya and UK communities affected by the Qadhafi regime’s sponsorship of terrorism. The Government has provided facilitation support to victims, their families, legal representatives and campaign groups, where it has been requested and appropriate. We will again encourage the Libyans to engage with UK victims seeking redress, including those seeking compensation and their legal representatives, once stability returns.
Asked by: Lady Hermon (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what criteria the Government applies to determine whether or not to seek compensation for UK victims of IRA/Libyan-sponsored violence; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
The Government is not able to negotiate with the Libyan Government on individual compensation claims as these are not government claims. Individual compensation claims against Libya are best pursued directly with the Libyan Government. The Government has raised legacy issues arising from the actions of the Qadhafi regime repeatedly and at the highest levels with the Libyan authorities. Following a breakdown of the political and security situation in Libya, we withdrew our staff from our Embassy in Tripoli in August 2014. There is currently no central authority to deal with on this issue. We will engage a Government of National Accord (GNA), once established, on the issue of compensation. The British Government’s objective is broad and lasting reconciliation between Libya and UK communities affected by the Qadhafi regime’s sponsorship of terrorism. The Government has provided facilitation support to victims, their families, legal representatives and campaign groups, where it has been requested and appropriate. We will again encourage the Libyans to engage with UK victims seeking redress, including those seeking compensation and their legal representatives, once stability returns.
Asked by: Lady Hermon (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, on how many occasions he has raised with representatives of the Libyan government compensation for UK victims of IRA/Libyan-sponsored violence since 2010; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
The Government is not able to negotiate with the Libyan Government on individual compensation claims as these are not government claims. Individual compensation claims against Libya are best pursued directly with the Libyan Government. The Government has raised legacy issues arising from the actions of the Qadhafi regime repeatedly and at the highest levels with the Libyan authorities. Following a breakdown of the political and security situation in Libya, we withdrew our staff from our Embassy in Tripoli in August 2014. There is currently no central authority to deal with on this issue. We will engage a Government of National Accord (GNA), once established, on the issue of compensation. The British Government’s objective is broad and lasting reconciliation between Libya and UK communities affected by the Qadhafi regime’s sponsorship of terrorism. The Government has provided facilitation support to victims, their families, legal representatives and campaign groups, where it has been requested and appropriate. We will again encourage the Libyans to engage with UK victims seeking redress, including those seeking compensation and their legal representatives, once stability returns.
Asked by: Lady Hermon (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will meet UK victims of IRA/Libyan-sponsored violence; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
The Government is not able to negotiate with the Libyan Government on individual compensation claims as these are not government claims. Individual compensation claims against Libya are best pursued directly with the Libyan Government. The Government has raised legacy issues arising from the actions of the Qadhafi regime repeatedly and at the highest levels with the Libyan authorities. Following a breakdown of the political and security situation in Libya, we withdrew our staff from our Embassy in Tripoli in August 2014. There is currently no central authority to deal with on this issue. We will engage a Government of National Accord (GNA), once established, on the issue of compensation. The British Government’s objective is broad and lasting reconciliation between Libya and UK communities affected by the Qadhafi regime’s sponsorship of terrorism. The Government has provided facilitation support to victims, their families, legal representatives and campaign groups, where it has been requested and appropriate. We will again encourage the Libyans to engage with UK victims seeking redress, including those seeking compensation and their legal representatives, once stability returns.