Asked by: Richard Arkless (Scottish National Party - Dumfries and Galloway)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations the Government has made to the Turkish Government on recent military activity in the Aegean Sea.
Answered by Alan Duncan
As NATO allies, the UK and Turkish governments regularly discuss military activity in the Aegean Sea, particularly NATO operations.
Asked by: Richard Arkless (Scottish National Party - Dumfries and Galloway)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will provide an update on plans for the visit of President Trump to the UK.
Answered by Alan Duncan
We look forward to welcoming President Trump later this year. We believe the President of the United States should be extended the full courtesy of a State Visit. Dates and arrangements have yet to be finalised.
Asked by: Richard Arkless (Scottish National Party - Dumfries and Galloway)
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 Brazilian government on ensuring the safety of athletes and tourists travelling from the UK for the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Answered by Lord Swire
I met the Brazilian Minister for Sport on 7 June and discussed preparations for the Rio 2016 Games, including security. The British and Brazilian Governments, as consecutive hosts of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, have cooperated across a range of areas in preparation for the Rio 2016 Games. We have shared our experience of hosting London 2012 through visits to both the UK and Brazil by security and safety experts and through regular discussion of athlete and tourist safety. In advance of the Rio 2016 Games, we encourage all visitors to Brazil to consult our ‘Stay ahead of the Games’ consular campaign, which provides further advice on how visitors can best ensure their own safety during Games time.
Asked by: Richard Arkless (Scottish National Party - Dumfries and Galloway)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, who will be eligible to vote in the forthcoming EU referendum; and for what reason he plans to exclude European citizens resident in the UK from voting in that referendum.
Answered by David Lidington
The franchise for the EU referendum was debated and agreed by both Houses during the passing of the EU Referendum Act 2015. This has now received Royal Assent and is set in law.
The franchise for the EU referendum includes those enfranchised for UK parliamentary elections, with the addition of Members of the House of Lords and Commonwealth and Irish citizens in Gibraltar.
Amendments during the passage of the EU Referendum Bill, seeking to include EU citizens in the franchise for the EU referendum, were considered and overwhelmingly rejected by both Houses.
Asked by: Richard Arkless (Scottish National Party - Dumfries and Galloway)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to strengthen international consensus on opposing Daesh and to build alliances to work to that end.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
My officials and I regularly hold bilateral and multilateral discussions with our partners to build and sustain the international consensus against Daesh. The UK is a leading member of the Global Coalition of 65 countries and international organisations, including many in the region, united to defeat Daesh through a long-term, comprehensive strategy.
The UK has led efforts in the UN to rally the international community against Daesh. UN Security Council Resolution 2249, agreed in November 2015, underlines the international community’s united and unambiguous opposition to Daesh and its determination to defeat it.
Asked by: Richard Arkless (Scottish National Party - Dumfries and Galloway)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what estimate his Department has made of the potential change in numbers of Syrian refugees arriving in Europe as a result of the commencement of UK airstrikes in Syria.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
We have not made any estimates of the potential increase in numbers of Syrian refugees arriving in Europe as a result of UK airstrikes. The majority of people who have been displaced in Syria have been fleeing regime and Daesh attacks. Unlike the Assad regime and its allies, who are bombing indiscriminately, Coalition military efforts in both Iraq and Syria are specifically designed to minimise civilian casualties. Targets are selected through rigorous protocol, based on the principles of proportionality, legality and military necessity. As the the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Philip Hammond) confirmed to the House on 16 December we are not aware of any civilian casualties as a result of the RAF airstrikes in Syria.