Asked by: Paul Bristow (Conservative - Peterborough)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he is making representations to his Israeli counterpart on the demolition of schools in the West Bank.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is clear that in all but the most exceptional of circumstances, demolitions and evictions are contrary to international humanitarian law. Our opposition to the demolition of Palestinian property is long-standing. The practice causes unnecessary suffering and is harmful to efforts to promote peace. We repeatedly call on Israel to abide by its obligations under international law and have a regular dialogue with Israel on legal issues relating to the occupation. Most recently, on 7 May, The Minister of State for the Middle East, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon wrote to the Israeli Ambassador to the UK, Tzipi Hotovely, to express the government's issues with the demolition of Jubbet Adh Dhib school. Lord Ahmad also urged the Israeli government to take all possible steps to halt the imminent demolition of Ein Samiya school and to uphold the right to education for all.
Asked by: Paul Bristow (Conservative - Peterborough)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact on trade in the eastern Mediterranean of recognising the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
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. The United Kingdom recognises the Republic of Cyprus as the sovereign authority for the island of Cyprus. Several UN Security Council Resolutions and other multilateral agreements also limit links between the UK and the north of Cyprus. We continue to believe that a just and lasting settlement in Cyprus is the best means of resolving the difficulties caused by the division of the island.
Asked by: Paul Bristow (Conservative - Peterborough)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the Government is taking steps to support the Hazara community in Afghanistan.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
FCDO officials regularly press the Taliban to protect religious and ethnic minorities and we engage with Hazara representatives who provide vital insight on the situation. We are working with international partners to ensure credible monitoring to hold those responsible for human rights abuses to account. On 7 October, we co-sponsored a Human Rights Council resolution to extend the UN Special Rapporteur's mandate for another year. His recent report to the Human Rights Council included an assessment of the situation for Hazara communities and we are working with the international community on how best to respond to his recommendations.
Asked by: Paul Bristow (Conservative - Peterborough)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with her EU counterparts on safeguarding human rights for Romani people in EU countries.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
We remain resolute in our commitment to combatting racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance. The UK Government is fully committed to promoting and protecting human rights for all individuals, everywhere, including members of Roma communities in Europe. We believe the best way to promote human rights is to encourage states to uphold their human rights obligations. Bilaterally, Ministers and officials regularly raise specific cases of concern and do not shy away from challenging those we believe are not meeting their obligations.
Asked by: Paul Bristow (Conservative - Peterborough)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to support the Kingdom of Morocco in developing a vaccine manufacturing facility.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
Through the (£100 million ODA-funded) continental Manufacturing Africa programme, the FCDO provided technical support to develop business cases for Morocco's vaccine production initiative that not only serves Morocco (reportedly 3 million doses thus far) but plans to become a manufacturing hub for Africa. The initiative was publicly launched by His Majesty King Mohammed VI in the Summer of 2021. Further support is channelled through the FCDO's contribution to Africa CDC's new "Partnership for African Vaccine Manufacturing" initiative. We are exploring work to strengthen Morocco's National Regulatory Authorities, including by mobilising the UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency for peer learning. The Government has brokered conversations with UK and international pharmaceutical companies, which Moroccan counterparts are following up with. Encouraged by support to date, Morocco has invited the UK to formally set up a bilateral vaccine manufacturing taskforce to explore development and commercial investment and partnership opportunities further.
Asked by: Paul Bristow (Conservative - Peterborough)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps is British International Investment taking to support finance development projects promoting women's empowerment in the Kingdom of Morocco.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
British International Investment (BII) is a leader in gender-lens investing, a strategy that incorporates gender-based factors into the investment process to advance gender equality and better inform investment decisions.
Over the past four years BII has worked with other development finance institutions to mobilise over $11.4 billion to enhance women's opportunities including women's employment, as well as women-led and owned businesses. Supporting women's economic empowerment is a key part of BII's next five year investment strategy (2022-2026). BII will look to make investments that support this criteria in all the countries it invests in, including Morocco.
In Morocco, BII is actively supporting its largest investment, BMCE Bank of Africa, through a dedicated Gender Action Plan. This includes supporting the bank to strengthen gender diversity in the workforce and training in banking strategies that are targeted at women and their empowerment.
Asked by: Paul Bristow (Conservative - Peterborough)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment her Department has made of the situation for the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
We understand that the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan has been less active militarily since it was reported that the Taliban had largely taken control of Panjshir province on 6th September 2021. We are aware of talks held between Taliban and Ahmed Massoud, one of the co-founders of the National Resistance Front, in Tehran on 10th January. We will continue to monitor the situation.
Asked by: Paul Bristow (Conservative - Peterborough)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to include (a) corporate governance, (b) investor protection and (c) rule of law as discrete items for discussion at the G7 Summit in Cornwall in June 2021; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Nigel Adams
The G7 Leaders' Summit (11-13 June in Cornwall) demonstrated our leadership in revitalising G7 cooperation between democratic open societies to tackle the most pressing global challenges.
As well as a series of commitments to support the ending of the pandemic in 2022, and major new commitments on climate, the Leaders' Communiqué also set out high governance standards as a priority within our new G7 initiative for clean and green growth, and committed the G7 to enhancing cooperation on investment security within our G7 Investment Screening Expert Group.
The rule of law was reaffirmed as central to our shared values, both in the Communiqué and the Open Societies Statement (which was agreed by both the G7 and our guests of Australia, India, the Republic of Korea and South Africa).
Asked by: Paul Bristow (Conservative - Peterborough)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he has made to the Indian Government on restrictions on the use of the internet and 4G access to farmers protesting against the 2020 Indian Agriculture Acts.
Answered by Nigel Adams
We are aware that some restrictions on internet connectivity have been imposed at protest sites and call for these to be lifted as soon as possible. The right to gather lawfully and demonstrate a point of view is common to all democracies. Governments also have the power to enforce law and order if a protest crosses the line into illegality. During his visit to India, the Foreign Secretary discussed the protests with his Indian counterpart, whilst making clear that the handling of protests is an internal matter for the Indian authorities.
Asked by: Paul Bristow (Conservative - Peterborough)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he has made to the Indian Government on the killings carried out by the Indian Army in Srinagar on 30 December 2020.
Answered by Nigel Adams
We are aware of reports that an Indian soldier has been charged with murder, kidnapping, and criminal conspiracy after the deaths of three Kashmiri men. The British High Commission in New Delhi will monitor this case closely, but it is a matter for the Indian judicial system. We welcome assurances from the Indian Government that the Indian Army is committed to ethical conduct in its operations, and that disciplinary action will be undertaken in accordance with Indian law, where necessary.