Asked by: Paula Sherriff (Labour - Dewsbury)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of President Trump's state visit in June.
Answered by Alan Duncan
The cost of the State Visit to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office will be published in the usual way on the gov.uk website before the end of the year.
Asked by: Paula Sherriff (Labour - Dewsbury)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many visits Government Ministers have made to Hebron since 2010.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
According to a review of relevant records, we are aware of at least seven visits that have been made to Hebron by Government Ministers in an official capacity since 2010.
Asked by: Paula Sherriff (Labour - Dewsbury)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the oral contribution by the Minister for the Middle East of 4 July 2018, Official Report, column 333, on the demolition of Khan al-Ahmar, what progress he has made on the investigation.
Answered by Alistair Burt
My officials have looked into the matter and understand that demolitions are carried out by private contractors on behalf of the Israeli authorities. I can assure you that the Government is fully committed to encouraging respect for human rights among UK businesses, including promoting the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Guidelines. Where a company decides to trade is however a decision for each company to reach. At Prime Minister’s Questions on 17 October, the Prime Minister reiterated the UK’s strong opposition to Israel’s proposed demolition of Khan al-Ahmar.
Asked by: Paula Sherriff (Labour - Dewsbury)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the retweet of 29 November 2017 from the @realDonaldTrump twitter account of the tweet from the @JaydaBF twitter account, whether it remains the Government's policy to proceed with President Trump's forthcoming official visit to the UK.
Answered by Alan Duncan
As the Prime Minister made very clear on 30 November, retweeting videos from Britain First was wrong.
As the Prime Minister stated on 30 November, an invitation for a State Visit has been extended and has been accepted. A date has yet to be set.
Asked by: Paula Sherriff (Labour - Dewsbury)
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 Israeli Government on the alleged confiscation by the Israeli authorities of solar panels in the West Bank.
Answered by Alistair Burt
Whilst we have not raised the specific case with the Israeli authorities we are in close contact with our Dutch counterparts in the Occupied Palestinian Territories about this incident. We are gravely concerned by the continued confiscation and demolition of Palestinian property and regularly raise the matter with the Israeli authorities. Demolitions and evictions of Palestinians from their homes and confiscation of Palestinian property cause unnecessary suffering; call into question Israel’s commitment to a viable two-state solution; and, in all but exceptional cases, are contrary to International Humanitarian Law.
Asked by: Paula Sherriff (Labour - Dewsbury)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for British citizens of new legislation in Israel preventing the granting of entry permits, visas and residency rights to foreign nationals supporting a boycott of Israel and the Israeli settlements.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
We are seeking clarification from the Israeli Government on the potential impact on British nationals.
Asked by: Paula Sherriff (Labour - Dewsbury)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, who the diversity champion is on his departmental board.
Answered by Alan Duncan
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office Board Diversity Champion is Karen Pierce, Chief Operating Officer.