Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to enhance the vetting and monitoring processes of Chinese businesses operating in the UK.
Answered by Catherine West
As an open economy, the Government welcomes foreign trade and investment where it supports growth and jobs in the UK, meets our stringent legal and regulatory requirements, and does not compromise our national security. Legislation including the country-agnostic National Security and Investment (NSI) Act gives the Government powers to scrutinise and potentially intervene in acquisitions of control over entities and assets in or linked to the UK that may pose national security risks.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what information his Department holds on the number of British citizens who are not able to travel directly to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus; and whether he has had recent discussions with his Turkish Cypriot counterpart on this matter.
Answered by Leo Docherty
In accordance with the rest of the international community, with the sole exception of Turkey, the UK does not recognise the self-declared "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" as an independent state. Under the Chicago Convention, only the Republic of Cyprus may designate an airport for international flights. It has not done so for Ercan airport. As such, it is not possible to fly directly between the UK and the north of Cyprus. Ministers have not discussed this topic with the Turkish Cypriot administration and the FCDO does not hold information about how many British citizens are unable to travel directly to the north of Cyprus.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure that negotiations on an international agreement on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response do not unduly constrain domestic decisions about public health matters in a future pandemic.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell
The UK is clear that we would not sign up to any legally binding instrument that would compromise the UK's ability to take domestic decisions on national measures concerning public health. Decisions such as these will remain the sole competency of the UK Government. The UK, and other Member States, have flagged this as a priority. The UK is playing an active role in shaping this instrument, to deliver on the UK's global health priorities and protect the health of people in the UK and around the world from future pandemics.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many diplomatic gifts have been given in each of the last three years, by recipient country.
Answered by David Rutley
The FCDO fulfils the requirement, established since 2010, for government departments to publish transparency data in line with the Ministerial Code. The full set of FCDO published transparency returns, which include ministerial gifts (since the department's formation in September 2020), can be found at: FCDO: ministerial gifts, hospitality, travel and meetings - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
Pre-merger transparency data for FCO diplomatic ministerial gifts, hospitality, travel and meetings to October 2020 can be found here https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/minister-data#full-publication-update-history and FCDO data since October 2020 FCDO: ministerial gifts, hospitality, travel and meetings here https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/fcdo-ministerial-gifts-hospitality-travel-and-meetings
It is recognised across HMG that the exchange of gifts and hospitality has long been an important part of building relations, particularly overseas. Purchases undergo rigorous oversight to ensure all gifts and hospitality given are appropriate, proportionate and open, recorded in line with guidance and that staff undertake mandatory anti-corruption training while delivering best value to the taxpayer.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the total value of diplomatic gifts is over the last three years, by recipient country.
Answered by David Rutley
The FCDO fulfils the requirement, established since 2010, for government departments to publish transparency data in line with the Ministerial Code. The full set of FCDO published transparency returns, which include ministerial gifts (since the department's formation in September 2020), can be found at: FCDO: ministerial gifts, hospitality, travel and meetings - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
Pre-merger transparency data for FCO diplomatic ministerial gifts, hospitality, travel and meetings to October 2020 can be found here https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/minister-data#full-publication-update-history and FCDO data since October 2020 FCDO: ministerial gifts, hospitality, travel and meetings here https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/fcdo-ministerial-gifts-hospitality-travel-and-meetings
It is recognised across HMG that the exchange of gifts and hospitality has long been an important part of building relations, particularly overseas. Purchases undergo rigorous oversight to ensure all gifts and hospitality given are appropriate, proportionate and open, recorded in line with guidance and that staff undertake mandatory anti-corruption training while delivering best value to the taxpayer.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of reports of Palestinian Islamic Jihad activity in the Palestinian Authority.
Answered by David Rutley
We continue to closely monitor the security situation in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs). The UK has proscribed Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) as a terrorist entity since March 2001. PIJ and other terrorist groups must cease all actions that are violent or provocative, or that put civilian lives at risk. The UK continues to provide the Palestinian Authority (PA) with professional support in helping develop its security institutions. This provision includes training and other technical assistance to the PA Ministry of Interior and PA Security Forces (PASF), to support the development of capable, responsible security forces that respect human rights and are accountable to the Palestinian people.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made for the implications of his policies of reports the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps involvement in attempted assassinations of senior U.S. Government politicians and officials.
Answered by David Rutley
It is the longstanding policy of successive British Governments not to comment on intelligence matters. We have long been clear about our concerns over the malign activity of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The UK has designated almost 300 Iranian entities and individuals including in relation to human rights, nuclear proliferation and terrorism. This includes the designation of the IRGC in its entirety. The UK is committed to working with the international community to ensure Iran abides by international laws and norms and is held to account for its destabilising activity.