Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what support the UK is providing to tackle the fires in the Amazon rainforest; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
The UK has worked in partnership with Brazil on this issue for many years. Through the International Climate Finance programmes, we are investing nearly £120 million to help reduce deforestation and improve low-carbon agricultural productivity. At the G7, the Prime Minister pledged a further £10 million to help fight deforestation.
Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
What diplomatic steps he is taking to respond to human rights concerns in Sudan.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin - Shadow Minister (Business and Trade)
We regularly discuss our concerns about the human rights situation with the Government of Sudan. I and others have raised directly with the Sudanese Foreign Minister our serious concerns at the government’s unacceptable response to the on-going protests.
Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government will take in response to the decision by Brunei to introduce a new Penal Code which could result in LGBTQ people being whipped, tortured or stoned to death for consensual same-sex relations.
Answered by Mark Field
I raised UK concerns about hudud punishments during my visit to Brunei Darussalam in August 2018. More recently I raised these issues on Friday 29 March in a letter to the Deputy Foreign Minister. Additionally the British High Commission in Bandar Seri Begawan regularly discusses the introduction of the Sharia Penal Code with the Government of Brunei.
We will continue to encourage and work with the Bruneian Government, as with many other countries, to remove corporal and capital punishment from their statutes. We will also urge them to take steps to decriminalise and pass laws to protect LGBT people from all forms of discrimination.
The UK believes in the right to live with dignity, free from violence or discrimination irrespective of a person's sexual orientation. The International community must uphold the universality of human rights; the criminalisation of same-sex relations is wrong.
The UK is committed to combating discrimination and violence against LGBT people throughout the Commonwealth and ensured that last year's Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting Communique included the most progressive language yet on LGBT rights, complimented by an historic speech from the Prime Minister, and backed up with major programme spending on gender equality and LGBT rights.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office travel advice has been updated to alert British citizens of the introduction of the new local laws in Brunei and we continue to lobby against the use of such punishments.
Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government will be taking in response to the decision by Brunei to introduce a new Penal Code which could result in LGBTQ people being whipped, tortured or stoned to death for consensual same-sex relations.
Answered by Mark Field
I raised UK concerns about hudud punishments during my visit to Brunei Darussalam in August 2018. More recently I raised these issues on Friday 29 March in a letter to the Deputy Foreign Minister. Additionally the British High Commission in Bandar Seri Begawan regularly discusses the introduction of the Sharia Penal Code with the Government of Brunei.
We will continue to encourage and work with the Bruneian Government, as with many other countries, to remove corporal and capital punishment from their statutes. We will also urge them to take steps to decriminalise and pass laws to protect LGBT people from all forms of discrimination.
The UK believes in the right to live with dignity, free from violence or discrimination irrespective of a person's sexual orientation. The International community must uphold the universality of human rights; the criminalisation of same-sex relations is wrong.
The UK is committed to combating discrimination and violence against LGBT people throughout the Commonwealth and ensured that last year's Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting Communique included the most progressive language yet on LGBT rights, complimented by an historic speech from the Prime Minister, and backed up with major programme spending on gender equality and LGBT rights.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office travel advice has been updated to alert British citizens of the introduction of the new local laws in Brunei and we continue to lobby against the use of such punishments.
Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the requirements of Article 75 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, on what date the United Kingdom registered its declaration of the UK Exclusive Economic Zone with the UN Secretary General.
Answered by Alan Duncan
The Permanent Mission of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to the United Nations deposited the declaration of a United Kingdom Exclusive Economic Zone pursuant to article 75, paragraph 2, and article 84, paragraph 2, of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, at the United Nations on 27 January 2014. The United Nations acknowledged receipt of this declaration in their diplomatic Note dated 4 February 2014 and informed Member States in a Maritime Zone Notification of the same date.
Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the timeframe is for the designation of a marine reserve around South Sandwich Islands.
Answered by Alan Duncan
As outlined in Westminster Hall Debate of 12 December: The Commissioner for South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands announced, on 12 December, a suite of environmental enhancements to the existing Marine Protected Area, which take into account recommendations of the recent concluded first five-year review of the Territory's MPA.
Asked by: Luke Pollard (Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth Sutton and Devonport)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when the Government plans to designate a marine reserve around South Sandwich Islands.
Answered by Alan Duncan
As outlined in Westminster Hall Debate of 12 December: The Commissioner for South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands announced, on 12 December, a suite of environmental enhancements to the existing Marine Protected Area, which take into account recommendations of the recent concluded first five-year review of the Territory's MPA.