Asked by: Madeleine Moon (Labour - Bridgend)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to (a) support and (b) protect human rights defenders in the UK’s human rights priority countries.
Answered by Mark Field
In November 2017 the then Foreign Secretary issued a revised version of the UK Guidelines on Working with Human Rights Defenders to the diplomatic network, giving it advice on how best to support human rights defenders. Depending on the local context, this might involve making public statements, attending trials, or working privately with the host government. In addition, posts in all Human Rights Priority Countries are required to have a Human Rights Strategy which includes working with human rights defenders. Funding for projects through the Magna Carta Fund further supports the work of the diplomatic network in supporting human rights defenders. Working at the multilateral level, in November 2017 we helped secure consensus on the UN General Assembly Resolution on Human Rights Defenders to support and protect human rights defenders.
Asked by: Madeleine Moon (Labour - Bridgend)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to (a) Russia, (b) China, (c) Norway and (d) South Korea on establishing a Marine Protected Area in the Weddell Sea.
Answered by Alan Duncan
The Weddell Sea Marine Protected Area proposal is currently being finalised by those European Union Member States who are also Members of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR). International consultations are underway at official and technical levels with CCAMLR Members including those from Russia, China, Norway and the Republic of Korea. The final proposal will be submitted to CCAMLR in September, when we will work with other EU Members to consider the most appropriate level of lobbying to secure agreement for the proposal.
Asked by: Madeleine Moon (Labour - Bridgend)
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 on adherence to international humanitarian law when responding to Palestinian protests on Gaza’s borders.
Answered by Alistair Burt
We continue to raise our concerns about the high volume of live fire being used in response to the protests in Gaza. Our Ambassador to Israel raised this most recently with the Israeli authorities on 27 April. We have been clear that Israel has the right to secure itself against Hamas and other terrorist groups. Hamas and its operatives have been exploiting these protests for their own benefit. We are urging Israel to show restraint, and the Palestinian leadership to ensure the protests are peaceful.
Asked by: Madeleine Moon (Labour - Bridgend)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to the UN Security Council to ensure that the UN peacekeeping mission to Western Sahara is given a mandate to monitor and report on human rights in Western Sahara.
Answered by Alistair Burt
We will consider with our UN Security Council partners how best to ensure that MINURSO’s mandate continues to enable it to support peace and security in Western Sahara. UN Security Council Resolutions renewing MINURSO’s mandate have consistently encouraged the parties to continue their efforts to enhance the promotion and protection of human rights in Western Sahara.
Asked by: Madeleine Moon (Labour - Bridgend)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many members of staff have left his Department since 1 January 2015; and how many of those members of staff were nationals of non-UK EU countries.
Answered by Alan Duncan
Between 1st January 2015 and 30th November 2017, 929 UK Based Staff have left the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). This includes retirement, resignation, career breaks and dismissal. It also includes civil servants returning to their parent department at the end of their loan/secondment.
The Aliens' Employment Act 1955 makes it a requirement that all UK Based Staff in the FCO must be British nationals or dual nationals where one of those nationalities is British. We do not centrally hold details of the nationality of our staff who are dual nationals.