Asked by: Peter Kyle (Labour - Hove)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to support British citizens unable to leave Khartoum during the current period of unrest.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The safety of all British nationals in Sudan continues to be our utmost priority.
From 25 April, we have coordinated the supported departure of British nationals from Sudan. Our Travel Advice is for British national to travel to Wadi Saeedna airfield north of Khartoum, where they will be processed for evacuation. We will evacuate British passport holders and immediate family members (spouse / partner and children under 18 years old) with existing UK entry clearance.
A peaceful political transition to democracy and civilian governance is still possible in Sudan, and all factions must uphold their responsibility to protect civilians, ensure humanitarian assistance can continue to be delivered safely and allow the transition to civilian leadership immediately. We will continue to pursue all diplomatic avenues to end the violence and de-escalate tensions.
Asked by: Peter Kyle (Labour - Hove)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether there have been changes to the Government's legal position on the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill, published on the 13 June 2022.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
It is a longstanding convention for governments of all parties not to comment on the facts or contents of government legal advice. Proceeding with this Bill is consistent with our obligations in international law - and in support of our prior obligations to the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement. This legislation is lawful under international law. Our position is set out in the statement of the Government's legal position we have published.
Asked by: Peter Kyle (Labour - Hove)
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 effect of the proposed reduction in UK aid to Yemen, Syria and other countries where there is ongoing conflict on trends in the number of (a) migrants and (b) asylum seekers from those countries to (i) the UK and (ii) other European countries.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the UK economy has forced the tough but necessary decision to temporarily reduce how much the UK spends on Official Development Assistance (ODA). The FCDO is working through the implications of these changes for individual programmes. No final decisions have yet been made.
Asked by: Peter Kyle (Labour - Hove)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to his counterpart in the US Administration on the treatment of (a) child and (b) other refugees and migrants being held at detention centres on the US-Mexico border.
Answered by Alan Duncan
We are aware of recent concerning reports describing conditions for children and other refugees and migrants in US detention facilities. The President signed a Bill on 1 July providing emergency funding, including humanitarian support, in part to help address those conditions. We will continue to monitor the situation, though immigration policy in the US is of course a matter for the US Government, just as immigration policy in the UK is decided by the British Government.
Asked by: Peter Kyle (Labour - Hove)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the conclusions of the report entitled, Two Authorities, One Way, Zero Dissent on arbitrary arrest and torture under the Palestinian Authority and Hamas, published in October 2018 by Human Rights Watch.
Answered by Alistair Burt
The Human Rights Watch report has made some serious and concerning allegations about human rights violations by the Palestinian Authority (PA) and we have raised our concerns with the Palestinian Ministry of Interior. Officials from our Consulate-General in Jerusalem continue to urge the PA to respect human rights, and have stressed the need to ensure freedom of speech, association and assembly. UK Official Development Assistance does not provide financial assistance or assets to support the PA agencies implicated in the Human Rights Watch report. We continue to have a no contact policy with Hamas in its entirety. The UK delivers training courses and supports the development of training institutions across the PA security sector. These courses serve to reinforce accountability, responsible governance and a common approach to the upholding of human rights and human rights law.
Asked by: Peter Kyle (Labour - Hove)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the Answer of 21 March 2017 to Question HL5901, on Bahrain: capital punishment, when his Department expects the findings of the Ombudsman and Special Investigations Unit investigation into the allegations of torture of Mohammed Ramadan and Hussein Ali Mousa to be published.
Answered by Alistair Burt
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office and our Embassy in Bahrain continue to closely monitor Mohammed Ramadan and Hussein Ali Mousa's cases. The UK is firmly opposed to the death penalty, and our longstanding policy is to oppose capital sentences in all circumstances. We continue to raise concerns about these cases in public and in private at the most senior levels. We understand the Ombudsman and the Special Investigations Unit continue with their investigations. We do not know when these will be concluded or published but continue to encourage a swift, transparent conclusion.