Asked by: Robert Neill (Conservative - Bromley and Chislehurst)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking with the Home Secretary and the Secretary of State for Defence to support and resettle at-risk judges from Afghanistan.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
Under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy and the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme, over 21,000 people have already been brought from Afghanistan to the UK, including judges and legal professionals. We continue to work with likeminded partners and countries neighbouring Afghanistan to support safe passage for eligible Afghans.
Asked by: Robert Neill (Conservative - Bromley and Chislehurst)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the Government has made any offers of assistance to the South African Government in response to violence and unrest in that country.
Answered by James Duddridge
The UK was concerned by the recent outbreak of violence and looting in the South African provinces of KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, which sadly resulted in loss of life, injuries, and substantial damage to buildings and businesses. We welcome the South African Government's determination to restore calm and strongly support President Ramaphosa's emphasis on the importance of the rule of law. Our High Commission remains in regular contact with the South African authorities. As a long-standing friend of South Africa, the UK will continue to partner closely with the South African Government, business and civil society on a shared agenda of security, health, economic and social issues.
Asked by: Robert Neill (Conservative - Bromley and Chislehurst)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment the Government has made of the level of unrest in (a) KwaZulu-Natal and (b) other provinces in South Africa.
Answered by James Duddridge
The UK was concerned by the recent outbreak of violence and looting in the South African provinces of KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, which sadly resulted in loss of life, injuries, and substantial damage to buildings and businesses. We welcome the South African Government's determination to restore calm and strongly support President Ramaphosa's emphasis on the importance of the rule of law. Our High Commission remains in regular contact with the South African authorities. As a long-standing friend of South Africa, the UK will continue to partner closely with the South African Government, business and civil society on a shared agenda of security, health, economic and social issues.
Asked by: Robert Neill (Conservative - Bromley and Chislehurst)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with other his counterparts in the international community on the recent violence in the Galwan Valley.
Answered by Nigel Adams
On 24 June the Prime Minister expressed his concern at increased tensions between China and India. We welcome recent progress between India and China to manage tensions along their disputed border and the commitment on 5 July by Indian and Chinese Special Representatives on 'the Boundary Question' to disengage troops along the Line of Actual Control and de-escalate the border areas. We encourage both sides to maintain dialogue and continue to monitor the situation closely.
Asked by: Robert Neill (Conservative - Bromley and Chislehurst)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Indian counterpart on steps to de-escalate tensions with the People’s Republic of China along the Line of Actual Control; what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of progress of the disengagement agreement between the governments of India and China; and steps he is taking to monitor the political situation in that region.
Answered by Nigel Adams
On 24 June The Prime Minister expressed his concern at increased tensions between China and India. We welcome recent progress between India and China to manage tensions along their disputed border and the commitment on 5 July by Indian and Chinese Special Representatives on 'the Boundary Question' to disengage troops along the Line of Actual Control and de-escalate the border areas. We encourage both sides to maintain dialogue and continue to monitor the situation closely.
Asked by: Robert Neill (Conservative - Bromley and Chislehurst)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the level of political interference in the (a) judiciary and (b) judicial system in Romania.
Answered by Alan Duncan
Our Embassy in Bucharest monitors developments in Romania’s judiciary and judicial system, including by meeting regularly with Romanian Ministers, officials, members of the judicial and law enforcement institutions and civil society representatives. Foreign and Commonwealth Office staff use this information to update and provide advice to Ministers on this issue on an ongoing basis.
Asked by: Robert Neill (Conservative - Bromley and Chislehurst)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to protect the interests of Gibraltar as a result of the outcome of the EU referendum.
Answered by David Lidington
I saw the Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo, yesterday; it was my third such conversation with him since the UK referendum. I have not only recommitted the British Government to the full involvement of Gibraltar in the negotiations for our exit from and subsequent relationship with the EU 27; I have also invited the Chief Minister to identify the key economic priorities for the people of Gibraltar as we approach those negotiations.Asked by: Robert Neill (Conservative - Bromley and Chislehurst)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the possible military dimensions to Iran's nuclear programme.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
The IAEA Director General in his November 2014 report on the status of Iran’s nuclear programme reiterated concerns about the possible existence in Iran of undisclosed nuclear-related activities involving military organisations. We offer our full support to the IAEA in continuing to pursue the possible military dimensions to Iran's nuclear programme.