Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
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 potential impact on peace and stability in the Middle East of reports that Russia has supplied anti-tank (a) missile and (b) missile technology to Iran; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is clear that Russia and Iran's relationship does not just affect Ukraine. On 9 December in a statement the Foreign Secretary highlighted Russia's offer of military and technical support to the Iranian regime and the risk this poses to international security and our partners in the Middle East.
Alongside our allies the Government has introduced severe sanctions against Russia's defence industry, including prohibiting exports of defence equipment to Russia. UNSCR 2231 also limits the ability of states to share certain missile technology with Iran. We will continue to work with the international community to hold Russia and Iran to account and deter others from supporting and benefitting from Russia's illegal war in Ukraine.
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will take steps to introduce sanctions under the Global Human Rights Sanctions Regulations 2020 on (a) S.V. Kolesnikov, (b) Oleg Viktorovich Alypov, (c) Marina Andreevna Bobek and (d) Anna Evgenievna Potychko of the Prosecutors Office of the Russian Federation following the detention of Vladimir Kara-Murza.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government does not speculate on future designations as to do so could reduce their impact. To date, the UK has sanctioned more than 1200 individuals and 130 entities through its Russia Sanctions Regime. Under the UK's Global Human Rights Regime, the Government has sanctioned more than 80 individuals and entities.
The UK continues to raise Mr Kara-Murza's case with the Russian authorities and call for his release. British Embassy officials have attended Vladimir Kara-Murza's court hearings, the most recent being on 8 February. We will continue to attend, but remain vigilant to attempts by the Russian government to exclude diplomats from future hearings.
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will publish the number of prison visits made by UK diplomats to visit the joint British citizen Vladimir Kara-Murza in detention in Moscow; and what assessment he has made of (a) the adequacy of his custodial conditions and (b) his health.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
British Embassy officials have attended Vladimir Kara-Murza's court hearings, the most recent being on 25 January. We will continue to attend, but remain vigilant to attempts by the Russian government to exclude diplomats from future hearings. The UK continues to raise Mr Kara-Murza's case with the Russian authorities and call for his release. We are providing consular support to his family and continue to request consular access. Last month I [Minister Docherty] met with Mr Kara-Murza's wife, Evgenia. We condemn the politically motivated detention of Mr Kara-Murza, and of all those who speak out against Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will ensure that UK diplomats are present at the trial in Moscow of the joint British citizen Vladimir Kara-Murza.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
British Embassy officials have attended Vladimir Kara-Murza's court hearings, the most recent being on 25 January. We will continue to attend, but remain vigilant to attempts by the Russian government to exclude diplomats from future hearings. The UK continues to raise Mr Kara-Murza's case with the Russian authorities and call for his release. We are providing consular support to his family and continue to request consular access. Last month I [Minister Docherty] met with Mr Kara-Murza's wife, Evgenia. We condemn the politically motivated detention of Mr Kara-Murza, and of all those who speak out against Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
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 Russian Government on the detention of the joint British citizen Vladimir Kara-Murza.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
British Embassy officials have attended Vladimir Kara-Murza's court hearings, the most recent being on 25 January. We will continue to attend, but remain vigilant to attempts by the Russian government to exclude diplomats from future hearings. The UK continues to raise Mr Kara-Murza's case with the Russian authorities and call for his release. We are providing consular support to his family and continue to request consular access. Last month I [Minister Docherty] met with Mr Kara-Murza's wife, Evgenia. We condemn the politically motivated detention of Mr Kara-Murza, and of all those who speak out against Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will publish as part of the Integrated Review a UK defence and security strategy for (a) the Sahel and (b) sub-Saharan Africa which includes the implications for the UK's border security and national security.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The Integrated Review sets out the Government's approach to security, defence, development and foreign policy across the world, including with African countries. In line with current practice, we have no plans at present to publish a written version of an Integrated Review sub-strategy on the Sahel or sub-Saharan Africa. We continue to share information on the implementation of our approach through various channels including speeches, visits, articles and social media. Our vision in Africa remains to promote British interests through partnerships with African countries and institutions that lead to a freer, safer, more prosperous, healthier and greener continent.
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make it his policy to launch a review of his Department's response to the evacuation of UK nationals from Afghanistan, including the effectiveness of that evacuation.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
Following the Afghanistan response in August 2021, the FCDO conducted a lessons learning exercise, as is standard practice after a crisis. It focused on the FCDO crisis response systems, structures and ways of working. The FCDO is implementing the recommendations. The Foreign Affairs Committee (FAC) conducted a detailed enquiry, to which the then Foreign Secretary and Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon gave oral evidence and responded to requests for written information on the evacuation. A summary of the lessons learned was shared with the FAC in March 2022. The FAC published the Government's response to the FAC's report in July 2022. The FCDO Management Board reviewed progress in January and an update was shared with the FAC on 8 February.
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will bring forward sanctions on individuals within the Russian orthodox church who are shown to be complicit in alleged Russian war crimes in Ukraine.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The UK Government does not speculate on specific future sanctions, as to do so could reduce their impact. The UK will continue to hold those who support Putin's brutal war of aggression against Ukraine to account. Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the UK has sanctioned over 1,200 individuals, including Patriarch Kirill, head of the Russian Orthodox Church.
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will take steps to extend sanctions against Iranian government (a) officials and (b) agencies.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK has designated over 300 Iranian individuals and entities in relation to their roles in human rights violations, weapons proliferation, destabilising activity in the region and terrorism. On 23 January we announced sanctions on the deputy Prosecutor General and six other individuals and entities responsible for the regime's violent crackdown on protestors; this brings to 50 the number of new designations since October 2022 under the UK's Iran Human Rights regime. It is longstanding practice not to speculate on future sanctions designations, but we keep our designations list under constant review and will continue to work with partners to ensure the Iranian regime is held to account for its appalling actions.
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department is taking steps to support the establishment of a special tribunal to investigate the crime of aggression against Ukraine.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The UK is committed to holding Russia to account for its actions in Ukraine, including by supporting the International Criminal Court and Ukrainian domestic investigations into alleged crimes committed in Ukraine. The UK has also accepted Ukraine's invitation to join a 'core group' to consider options for ensuring criminal accountability for allegations of the crime of aggression.