Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Russian government on increases in the number of attacks on EU and US diplomats stationed in Russia.
Answered by Alan Duncan
We continue to take robust measures to protect all our staff in Russia and raise our concerns with the Russian authorities in Moscow and the Embassy in London as appropriate.Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will raise the issue of attacks on and murders of people with albinism with his counterparts in sub-Saharan African countries.
Answered by James Duddridge
The UK strongly believes that everyone, everywhere, should enjoy the rights and freedoms set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. We are concerned by any reports of violence perpetrated against people with albinism. Our High Commissioner to Malawi raised this issue during his meeting with the Malawian Foreign Minister on 27 April and we will continue to raise concerns about human rights violations and abuses in the region when the opportunities arise.
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to his Belarusian counterpart on recent death penalty sentences handed down by Belarusian courts and the position of the Belarusian government on the abolition of the death penalty.
Answered by David Lidington
The UK continues to press Belarus to implement a moratorium on the death penalty as a first step towards abolition.
Officials from London and in the Embassy in Minsk make representations to the Government of Belarus at each available opportunity. Most recently the Director General, Political at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office visited Minsk and spoke about the need for a moratorium on the death penalty during discussions with the Deputy Foreign Minister, Ms Alena Kupchina, on 9 February 2016.
The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office is funding a conference on the death penalty to help stimulate debate about the advantages of a moratorium and abolition within the Government of Belarus and civil society.
The UK supports statements and demarches by the European Union on all death penalties handed down in Belarus.
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will hold discussions with his counterparts in the government of (a) Jamaica and (b) Trinidad and Tobago on the abolition of the death penalty.
Answered by David Lidington
It has been a long-standing aspiration of this and previous Governments to persuade Caribbean countries, including Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, to abolish the death penalty. Both Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago have refrained from executing any prisoners for some years. We hope that the final steps necessary to abolish the death penalty permanently will be taken. We formally recommended that Jamaica should abolish the death penalty during its last United Nations Universal Periodic Review. The UK is working with the new government in Trinidad and Tobago to improve judicial processes, including effective sentencing. We are also funding an abolitionist project in the Caribbean, which is designed to turn public opinion against the injustices and cruelties that come with use of the death penalty.
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he expects Libyan Investment Authority funds to be released for Libyan social and physical infrastructure projects from the Future Generations Fund, Libyan Local Investment and Development Fund and the Budget Stabilisation Fund.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
It is for the Libyan Investment Authority (LIA) to decide on the allocation of funds for Libyan social and infrastructure projects. Some LIA assets are frozen under UN and EU regimes, but the LIA continues to have access to unfrozen funds. Article 8b of the EU Regulation provides a derogation such that if LIA were to make an application, the competent authorities of the Member States (which in the UK is HM Treasury) may authorise the release of frozen funds or economic resources under certain circumstances.
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what additional support the Government is giving to Syriac Christian and Yazidi female battalions in the fight against ISIL.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
The UK has not provided any ammunition or equipment to any groups in Syria. The Global Coalition has provided air support to the Syrian Democratic Forces (which include Syrian Christian members) in their fight against Daesh. The US is leading international efforts to support the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and has provided ammunition and other equipment. The UK is playing a full role in the Coalition air campaign in Syria and will work closely with the US and other Coalition allies to consider additional support to partner forces in Syria fighting Daesh, including the SDF. We recognise the situation is desperate for many communities within Syria and Iraq. We condemn in the strongest terms the atrocities committed by Daesh against all civilians, including Christians, Mandeans, Yazidis, and other minorities, as well as the majority Muslim population in Iraq and Syria. Ultimately, the best way of safeguarding minority rights in the region is by defeating Daesh and establishing peace and stability. The UK has been at the forefront of these efforts, and has a comprehensive strategy to deal with Daesh.
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representation in the Vienna peace talks on the future of Syria it is planned Assyrian-Syriac Christians will have.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
Members of all major communities of Syrian society – including Syrian Christians - participated at the Riyadh Opposition Conference in December 2015. The meeting participants agreed to form a delegation to negotiate with the Syrian regime representatives, in accordance with the Geneva Communiqué, under the auspices and guarantee of the UN and supported by the International Syria Support Group.
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will discuss with his Russian counterpart the release of the Ukrainian MP Nadiya Savchenko.
Answered by David Lidington
The UK Government believes that Nadiya Savchenko is being held illegally and has repeatedly called for her release. I have raised our concerns with the Russian Government at Ministerial and Ambassadorial level on multiple occasions, most recently with First Deputy Foreign Minister Titov during a visit to Moscow on 22 December.
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when and where he plans to publish the Government's new Africa Strategy.
Answered by James Duddridge
The Strategic Defence and Security Review and UK Aid Strategy set out the government’s aspiration to deliver a more strategic and coordinated approach to Africa. Views on how best to do so continue to be canvassed in both the UK and Africa.Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what support his Department is giving to Côte d'Ivoire to strengthen its border security with Liberia.
Answered by James Duddridge
Through our commitment to the UN Peacekeeping Budget, the UK contributed £23 million to the UN Operation in Côte D’Ivoire (UNOCI) and £19.5m to the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) in financial year 2014/2015, both of which help secure the Côte D’Ivoire-Liberia border. The UK has supported UN Security Council Resolutions 2226 and 2239 extending the mandates of both Missions into 2016.
Despite incidents early in 2015, neither UN commander has reported any recent security concerns along the border region. We welcome the improved security situation and greater stability in Liberia and Cote D’Ivoire. We expect both governments to assume increased responsibility for the security of their shared border as the two UN missions begin to draw down.