Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Iranian counterpart on potential human rights abuses in Iran.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
The death of Mahsa Amini in Iran is a shocking reminder of the repression faced by women in Iran. The Foreign Secretary summoned Iran's most senior diplomat in the UK to call for a transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death and to condemn the subsequent violent crackdown on protestors. The UK made clear that instead of blaming external actors for unrest, Iranian authorities should take responsibility and listen to concerns of their people.
On 10 October, the UK sanctioned the so-called Morality Police, two of its leaders and five others for serious human rights violations. These sanctions send a clear message to the Iranian authorities that the UK will hold them to account for their repression of women and girls and for the shocking violence inflicted on their people.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Iranian counterpart on the death of Mahsa Amini.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
The death of Mahsa Amini in Iran is a shocking reminder of the repression faced by women in Iran. The Foreign Secretary summoned Iran's most senior diplomat in the UK to call for a transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death and to condemn the subsequent violent crackdown on protestors. The UK made clear that instead of blaming external actors for unrest, Iranian authorities should take responsibility and listen to concerns of their people.
On 10 October, the UK sanctioned the so-called Morality Police, two of its leaders and five others for serious human rights violations. These sanctions send a clear message to the Iranian authorities that the UK will hold them to account for their repression of women and girls and for the shocking violence inflicted on their people.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with the UN Relief and Works Agency on the Palestinian Authority’s school curriculum.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
We strongly condemn all forms of violence and incitement to violence. We accompany our support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) with stringent attention to implementation of their neutrality policy, including how they apply this to textbooks and other learning material to ensure they reflect UN values. In Gaza and the West Bank, UNRWA uses the Palestinian Authority's (PA's) curriculum in their schools after rigorously reviewing that it is in line with UN values. Officials from the British Consulate General Jerusalem regularly discuss the curriculum with counterparts in UNRWA and the PA.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the matters raised in EDM 615 on Recognising the 1988 massacre in Iran.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The UK Government takes any allegations of extrajudicial killings seriously, and we have always been clear that Iran must uphold its international legal obligations, including conducting thorough and independent investigations into suspected human rights violations, both past and present. We strongly support the work done by the Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Iran and urge Iran to allow him access to the country, so that he can also conduct research and investigations into human rights concerns reported there, including the events of 1988.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential effect on the UK's reputation of the issue of an invitation to Iran's president Ebrahim Raisi to attend the COP26 summit, in light of Mr Raisi's involvement in serious human rights violations.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
COP26 invitations are controlled by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and, as such, the hosting state does not determine invitations. Iran matters to the global climate agenda, and we will use diplomacy to achieve our objectives. To advance these objectives, the UK Government has invited Iran to attend the COP26 World Leader Summit. The UK has also designated Iran as a Human Rights Priority Country and we will use all appropriate opportunities to take action with the international community to press Iran to improve its poor human rights record, including during the United Nations General Assembly session. We call on President Raisi to set Iran on a different course, which includes committing to improving human rights in Iran.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make representations to his counterpart in Turkey on the incursion into the Cyprus Exclusive Economic Zone by Turkish drilling ships.
Answered by Wendy Morton
The UK has consistently stated our support for the sovereign right of the Republic of Cyprus to exploit the oil and gas in its internationally agreed Exclusive Economic Zone. We continue to believe that any development of Cyprus' oil and gas should be for the benefit of all Cypriots. We believe the most enduring way of resolving difficult issues such as this is to achieve a Cyprus settlement. We encourage all parties to redouble their efforts in pursuit of this.
We welcome Turkey's withdrawal of survey vessels from waters around Cyprus and the Aegean in recent months as a significant contribution towards de-escalation of tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean. We urge all parties to support measures aimed at de-escalation and reducing tensions; and to resolve issues through dialogue. The UK will continue to work with all parties in support of this.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will have discussions with his Turkish counterpart on the importance of respecting the provisions in UN Security Council resolution 550 on Famagusta.
Answered by Wendy Morton
The UK strongly supports the numerous Security Council Resolutions covering the issue of Varosha, notably 550 (1984) and 789 (1992), and the 9 October UN Security Council Presidential Statement calling for Turkish actions to cease and be reversed.
We are monitoring the situation closely and are urging the sides to refrain from actions which could undermine the chances of a Settlement. Most recently, I reiterated this point in my conversation with Deputy Foreign Minister Faruk Kaymakci on 28 June during my visit to Turkey.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will have discussions with his Turkish counterpart on the importance of securing a negotiated settlement in Cyprus which is consistent with UN resolutions supporting a bizonal, bicommunal, federal state with a single sovereignty, a single international personality and a single citizenship.
Answered by Wendy Morton
The UK remains committed to supporting the UN process to reach a Cyprus Settlement. On 27-29 April, in support of the efforts led by the UN Secretary General to find common ground on a way forward to resolve the Cyprus Issue, the Foreign Secretary represented the UK as a Guarantor Power at informal UN talks in Geneva.
At the meeting, the Foreign Secretary continued to urge all sides to demonstrate flexibility and compromise to find a solution to the Cyprus Issue within the UN Security Council parameters of a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation which we believe are broad enough to meet the objectives of all sides. Most recently, I reiterated the UK's support for a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement of the Cyprus issue in my conversation with Deputy Foreign Minister Faruk Kaymakci on 28 June during my visit to Turkey.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
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 ensure that recipients of aid from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency are evaluated on criteria based on need.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The UK is a longstanding supporter of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). We recognise UNRWA's unique mandate from the UN General Assembly (UNGA), to protect and provide protection and core services to Palestinian refugees across Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. Officials are in regular contact with UNRWA to ensure high quality aid delivery and judge that UNRWA is effective in allocating resources on the basis of need.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency on designing programmes to help Palestinians registered with the agency to achieve economic independence.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
We are clear that the status of Palestinian refugees must be agreed as part of wider peace negotiations. Until that time, the UK remains firmly committed to supporting the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and Palestinian refugees across the Middle East. We are a leading donor to UNRWA and our economic development programme aims to lift the overall standard of those living in Gaza by increasing trade and job creation and enabling greater movement and access for people and goods.