Asked by: Stewart Malcolm McDonald (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South)
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 UK's policy position as was one of the UN Economic and Social Council member states on electing Iran to the Commission on the Status of Women.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
We have serious concerns about Iran's human rights record, including with respect to women's rights. We regularly raise human rights directly with the Iranians at all levels as well as in multilateral fora, including at the UN Human Rights Council and General Assembly. We continue to take action with the international community to press Iran to improve its poor record on all human rights issues.Asked by: Stewart Malcolm McDonald (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he has made to his Italian counterpart on expediting applications for the carta di soggiorno elettronica biometric residency card for UK nationals living in Italy.
Answered by Wendy Morton
The Government is engaging closely with the Italian government on citizens' rights, including the delays issuing new residence documents (carta di soggiorno elettronica) evidencing the rights of UK nationals in Italy under the Withdrawal Agreement. These delays have now been addressed by the Italian government. We continue to monitor the situation closely and will raise concerns if significant delays or wider implementation issues arise in Italy, including at the Specialised Committee on Citizens' Rights.
Italy has adopted a declaratory system under the Withdrawal Agreement. This means that UK nationals and their family members who were lawfully resident before the end of the transition period do not need to apply for a new residence status to be protected by the Withdrawal Agreement. This is because the rights under the Withdrawal Agreement are conferred automatically by operation of the law. While it is not a prerequisite to having status under the Withdrawal Agreement, UK nationals are encouraged to obtain the new residence document to evidence their rights. Pending the issuance of a new residence document, existing residence documents or other forms of proof can be used to evidence status under the Withdrawal Agreement.
Asked by: Stewart Malcolm McDonald (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the the recently declassified report from the US Director of National Intelligence, Assessing the Saudi Government's Role in the Killing of Jamal Khashoggi, if he will take steps to declassify similar intelligence on the Saudi Government's role in the killing of Jamal Jashoggi held by the UK Government and its agencies; and if will he make a statement.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
It is the longstanding policy of successive British Governments that we do not comment on our own intelligence assessments.
The UK has always been clear that Jamal Khashoggi's murder was a terrible crime. We condemn his killing in the strongest possible terms, that is why we have sanctioned twenty Saudi nationals involved in the murder under the global human rights regime.
Asked by: Stewart Malcolm McDonald (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Government has taken to consult representatives of civil society in conflict-affected communities as part of the Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The Integrated Review is informed by a strong and diverse evidence base. FCDO officials have had regular discussions about the Review and its themes with domestic and international contacts. This has supported wider external engagement across Government on key themes as they emerged during the Integrated Review's process.
In addition, the Government launched a Call for Evidence last year to inform the Integrated Review. This was open to anyone with an interest and role in our nation's security and prosperity, and in tackling the global challenges the UK will face over the coming years. We are pleased to have received a diverse range of over 450 submissions covering multiple themes, including conflict.
Asked by: Stewart Malcolm McDonald (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to add Margarita Simonyan to the UK Sanctions list.
Answered by Nigel Adams
The UK takes the issue of disinformation very seriously. We know that certain states routinely use disinformation as a foreign policy tool and we all have our doubts about the objectivity of the reporting of RT, including through their UK television channel, which remains a tool of propaganda for the Russian State. The UK remains committed to the protection and promotion of human rights in Russia, including via the use of sanctions, however it would be inappropriate to speculate on future listings.
Asked by: Stewart Malcolm McDonald (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 25 January 2021 to Question 140169 on Overseas Aid, when his Department plans to (a) allocate and (b) publish its allocations for country budgets.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The Prime Minister has set an ambitious agenda to increase UK impact overseas through closer integration of cross-Government activity. This includes all UK Missions working to a single, whole-of-government set of objectives for which the Head of Mission is fully accountable. Whole-of-Government Country Plans will be crucial to delivering coherent, consistent and impactful international work. We will confirm plans to publish in due course.
Asked by: Stewart Malcolm McDonald (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to introduce sanctions in relation to Nordstream 2.
Answered by Wendy Morton
The UK remains concerned about the impact Nord Stream 2 will have on European energy security and particularly on the interests of Ukraine. Our focus continues to be supporting resilient European energy markets, including measures that strengthen and diversify gas supply and competition. There are currently no autonomous UK sanctions being imposed with respect to Nord Stream 2. We do not speculate on future designations.
The UK has played a leading role in international sanctions against Russia since 2014 following Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea and continued destabilisation of Ukraine.
Asked by: Stewart Malcolm McDonald (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to impose sanctions as a result of the Russian Federation's (a) alleged poisoning and (b) imprisoning of opposition politician Alexei Navalny.
Answered by Wendy Morton
The United Kingdom is deeply concerned by the politically motivated detention of Alexei Navalny and calls for a full and transparent criminal investigation into Mr Navalny's poisoning, and for his immediate and unconditional release.
On 15 October 2020 the UK enforced asset freezes and travel bans against six individuals and an entity involved in the poisoning and attempted murder of Mr Navalny under the EU's chemical weapons sanctions regime. These listings included senior representatives of the Russian government and the Director of the FSB. Following the end of the Transition Period, these individuals and entity are now designated under the UK autonomous Chemical Weapons regime.
The UK continues to work to protect and promote human rights and support civil society in Russia. We are considering all options for further action. We will continue to work with the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and all of our international partners to uphold the Chemical Weapons Convention and to hold Russia to account.
Asked by: Stewart Malcolm McDonald (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what financial impact assessment his Department has made for each country of the Government decision to reduce the aid budget announced in the Spending Review 2020.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The Foreign Secretary set out to the House of Commons on 26 November how a new strategic approach will allow us to drive greater impact from our ODA spend next year, notwithstanding the difficult financial pressures faced.
Country budgets will be allocated based on this strategy as well as considerations of need including levels of poverty, the ability of countries to fund themselves and to ensure that every pound we spend on ODA goes as far as possible and has the greatest impact the UK could help achieve.
Asked by: Stewart Malcolm McDonald (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether an Early Warning Mechanism using Joint Analysis of Conflict and Stability has been triggered for Xinjang.
Answered by Nigel Adams
Her Majesty's Government has not conducted a Joint Assessment of Conflict and Stability on Xinjiang. We keep the human rights situation there under constant review, regularly raising our concerns directly with the Chinese authorities. We track and assess developments in Xinjiang closely, including through speaking to independent experts, consulting with partners and regular visits to the region by British diplomats in order to observe the situation first hand, most recently in October 2020.