Asked by: Paul Masterton (Conservative - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the implications are for the Government's policies on North Korea of the C4ADS Report Risky Business, published in June 2017.
Answered by Mark Field
The UK is working in collaboration with UN and EU partners to make it harder for the DPRK to develop processes to procure, through illicit trade and finance activities, the technologies used to support its illegal weapons programmes. This includes sanctioning individuals, entities and items associated with those sectors responsible for funding its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes.
Asked by: Paul Masterton (Conservative - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the UN sanctions regime against North Korea.
Answered by Mark Field
As the Foreign Secretary made clear in his statement (https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2017-09-05/debates/C42A1D96-73C1-4D71-883E-BC8F83842285/KoreanPeninsula), it is crucial that the international community maintains pressure on the North Korean regime, both diplomatically and through sanctions. Measures against the financial sector and commodity exports make it harder for the DPRK to fund its illegal programmes. The unanimous adoption of UNSCRs 2371 on 5 August and UNSCR 2375 on 11 September, with the toughest package of sanctions on DPRK yet, demonstrates the level of consensus among the international community on this issue.
Asked by: Paul Masterton (Conservative - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Governments of (a) Japan, (b) South Korea and (c) the US since the launch of an intermediate range ballistic missile by North Korea on 29 August 2017.
Answered by Mark Field
I refer the Hon. Member to the statement made by my Rt Hon Friend the Foreign Secretary (https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2017-09-05/debates/C42A1D96-73C1-4D71-883E-BC8F83842285/KoreanPeninsula)
Asked by: Paul Masterton (Conservative - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the Government's position is on the installation of the US Administration's THAAD missile system on South Korean territory.
Answered by Mark Field
While the UK Government fully supports the Republic of Korea's right to defend itself, the decision on the installation of the THAAD missile system is for the Korean government and other partners. At a United Nations Security Council emergency session on 4 September, every member, including China and Russia, denounced the 3 September nuclear test by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
Asked by: Paul Masterton (Conservative - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports his Department has received on allegations that North Korea has been taking an active role as a proliferator of weapons of mass destruction by attempting to supply chemicals to the Syrian Government; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Alistair Burt
The UK Government is deeply concerned at the actions of the North Korean regime, which is subject to stringent UN sanctions. Such transfers to Syria or another country would be very serious. Transfers of chemicals to Syria would be of particular concern given the Syrian regime's record of using chemical weapons. The UN Panel of Experts investigate any potential breaches of UN sanctions brought to their attention.
Asked by: Paul Masterton (Conservative - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to de-escalate tensions in the Korean Peninsula.
Answered by Mark Field
The British Government strongly supports international efforts to achieve a secure and stable Korean Peninsula. The UK continues to urge the government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to end its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes which threaten regional stability and international peace and security. The UK has made clear that we would support a return to dialogue with the DPRK to de-escalate tensions on the Korean Peninsula but that the DPRK first needs to provide credible and genuine evidence that it is ready to discuss denuclearisation. Until then the UK and the international community needs to maintain pressure both diplomatically and through sanctions.
Asked by: Paul Masterton (Conservative - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions the Government has had with the US on military exercises which that country is conducting in conjunction with South Korea.
Answered by Mark Field
The British Government works closely with the US and ROK on security, intelligence and defence issues. We fully support the ROK's right to defend itself. This includes its right to hold legitimate military exercises with its partners.
Asked by: Paul Masterton (Conservative - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to (a) support the appeal and (b) secure the transfer from India to Scotland of Billy Irving of Neilston, East Renfrewshire.
Answered by Mark Field
I can reassure you that we are in close contact with the legal team for Mr Irving and the other five British nationals involved in this case, in India and in the UK. We also continue to raise the case with the Indian authorities at all levels, asking that they do all they can to bring the case to a speedy conclusion, bearing in mind the impact on the six men and their families.
This is an ongoing legal process and we cannot interfere in the Indian legal system, just as we would not allow another country to interfere in an ongoing court case in the United Kingdom.
We have a Prisoner Transfer Agreement with India but before arrangements can be made regarding Mr Irving's transfer to Scotland, all legal proceedings must be complete and all bail and appeal applications would need to be withdrawn. This is a matter for Mr Irving.
While we await a verdict in the judicial proceedings, our focus continues to be on the men's welfare and the support we can provide to their families.