Asked by: Tracey Crouch (Conservative - Chatham and Aylesford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether he plans to hold discussions with his Spanish counterpart on changes to the 90 day short stay rule for British citizens with holiday homes.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The UK's Trade and Cooperation Agreement with the EU confirms that both the UK and EU currently provide for visa-free travel for short-term visits for each other's nationals in accordance with their respective laws. British citizens in Spain are treated as third country nationals under the Schengen Borders Code. As such, they are able to travel visa-free for short stays for up to 90 days in a rolling 180-day period. This is the standard length of stay that the EU offers to other third countries, in line with existing EU legislation.
I [Minister Docherty] engage regularly with my EU counterparts to discuss a range of issues, including on mobility. The Government is focused on the smooth, robust and effective implementation of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement.
Asked by: Tracey Crouch (Conservative - Chatham and Aylesford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with the Myanmar Government on attempts to evict the ex-Myanmar Ambassador to the UK and his family from their residence in London.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We have been clear that Kyaw Zwar Minn showed great bravery in speaking out against the coup and he has paid a personal cost in doing so. The UK remains steadfast in our opposition to the coup and continues to call for a return to democracy, including through the UK-led UN Security Council on 21 December 2022. Since his dismissal as Ambassador by the regime in April 2021, the FCDO has provided Kyaw Zwar Minn with significant support to help him build a new life in the UK, if he desires.
It is the longstanding policy and practice of successive British Governments to accord recognition to States, not Governments. The Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations places the UK under a special duty as the receiving State to protect the premises of the mission and prevent any impairment of its dignity. The FCDO has held discussions at official level with Kyaw Zwar Minn and, separately, with the representatives of the Myanmar Embassy in order to resolve this matter in a mutually acceptable way.
Asked by: Tracey Crouch (Conservative - Chatham and Aylesford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the situation in Cameroon; and whether he has had discussions with his UN Security Council counterparts on (a) bringing an end to the violence in that country and (b) allowing transparent investigation into serious accusations of human rights abuses.
Answered by James Duddridge
The UK Government remains deeply concerned about the crisis in the North-West and South-West (Anglophone) regions of Cameroon, including the disturbing reports of human rights abuses and violations by both armed separatists and the security forces. In a visit to Cameroon in March, I met President Biya, Prime Minister Ngute and Foreign Minister Mbella Mbella, where I set out the UK's commitment to supporting a peaceful resolution. We work in conjunction with international partners, such as France and the United States, to raise the crisis in multilateral fora. At the UN Security Council briefing on UN Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA) on 7 June, the UK reiterated the UN Secretary General's call for an end to violence and for all actors to refrain from attacks against civilians.
We continue to call on the Government of Cameroon to investigate all reports of human rights violations and abuses. As the UK's International Ambassador for Human Rights set out at the UN Human Rights Council on 26 February, the violence must end and urgent, impartial investigations must hold the perpetrators to account. We urge the Government of Cameroon to engage fully with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to ensure the protection and promotion of human rights for all. We continue to call for inclusive dialogue that addresses the root causes of the crisis, and for all parties to remain engaged in Swiss-led efforts to facilitate talks.
Asked by: Tracey Crouch (Conservative - Chatham and Aylesford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Indian counterpart on the treatment of endangered Asian elephants in that country.
Answered by Nigel Adams
The Government takes reports of animal cruelty throughout the world seriously and is committed to raising standards of animal welfare at home and abroad. We welcome Prime Minister Modi's passion for preserving and protecting India's diverse wildlife. The Government continues to engage on the issue, including at the India-hosted COP13 of the Convention of Migratory Species in Gujarat from 16-20 February where ten new species were afforded increased protection, including Asian Elephants. Modi spoke to the conference about India's successes, including initiatives to protect Asian elephants.
The former Prime Minister raised elephant welfare with the Government of India in 2015, when Prime Minister Modi confirmed India had laws in place to protect elephants.
Asked by: Tracey Crouch (Conservative - Chatham and Aylesford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what estimate he has made of the number of British tourists that travelled to holiday destinations with attractions involving Asian elephants in each year since 2015.
Answered by Nigel Adams
We do not hold information centrally on British tourists visiting attractions abroad involving Asian elephants.
Asked by: Tracey Crouch (Conservative - Chatham and Aylesford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what information his Department holds on (a) sports organisations' and (b) National Governing Bodies’ international work and events in the next year.
Answered by Mark Field
International sporting events are welcome soft power opportunities for the UK, and the FCO works closely with DCMS, DIT and other government departments, as well as with sporting bodies direct, to ensure that the benefits of these are reaped.
For example, in the UK we will seek to maximise the value of the Cricket World Cup, Wimbledon and the Netball World Cup in the months ahead. Around the world we shall focus on the Rugby Union World Cup in Japan and the Formula 1 season, amongst others.
Asked by: Tracey Crouch (Conservative - Chatham and Aylesford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what studies his Department has commissioned or conducted on the worldwide reach of British soft power assets.
Answered by Mark Field
The FCO draws on a wealth of independent, external studies which assess soft power. These include the Portland Soft Power 30, Elcano Global Presence Index, Global Power City Index, the Anholt GfK Nations Brand and the IFG-Monocle Survey.
The British Council has produced several studies looking at UK soft power, such as the 2018 Value of Trust report, which surveyed young people in G20 countries, and the 2017 report Soft Power Today, which examined the impact of investment in soft power.
In addition, the Government conducts a global poll of perceptions of UK as part of the 'GREAT' campaign, alongside its 'return on influence' measurement framework.
It is clear that the reach of British soft power assets is significant: the British Council alone worked directly with 75 million people in 2017-18. The BBC is the world's largest international broadcaster, reaching 347 million people worldwide in over 40 languages.
Asked by: Tracey Crouch (Conservative - Chatham and Aylesford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what statistics his Department uses to measure the value of British soft power assets.
Answered by Mark Field
The FCO draws on a wealth of independent, external studies which assess soft power. These include the Portland Soft Power 30, Elcano Global Presence Index, Global Power City Index, the Anholt GfK Nations Brand and the IFG-Monocle Survey.
The British Council has produced several studies looking at UK soft power, such as the 2018 Value of Trust report, which surveyed young people in G20 countries, and the 2017 report Soft Power Today, which examined the impact of investment in soft power.
In addition, the Government conducts a global poll of perceptions of UK as part of the 'GREAT' campaign, alongside its 'return on influence' measurement framework.
It is clear that the reach of British soft power assets is significant: the British Council alone worked directly with 75 million people in 2017-18. The BBC is the world's largest international broadcaster, reaching 347 million people worldwide in over 40 languages.
Asked by: Tracey Crouch (Conservative - Chatham and Aylesford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the comparative value of sport to British soft power and international influence compared to other soft power assets.
Answered by Mark Field
While it can be difficult to compare the soft power generated by UK sport to other levers of soft power, from the UK's university sector to our democratic values, evidence from international polling consistently shows that sport is a significant soft power asset. For example, the 2017/18 Populus British Icon Index survey identified the Premier League as the single most effective UK brand.