Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to Part One of the National Disability Strategy, published on 28 July 2021, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that the UK’s Official Development Assistance spend for 2021-22 is disability-inclusive.
Answered by Vicky Ford
The UK is committed to promoting and protecting universal rights for all, including people with disabilities. The UK is aiming to launch the new FCDO Disability Inclusion Strategy next month to mark the Global Disability Summit. The strategy continues to be guided by the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The International Development Strategy will be published in the Spring.
The first FCDO Disability Inclusion Board took place last month. The Board covered the forthcoming strategy, disability inclusive climate action and the Board Terms of Reference. The FCDO's work on Overseas Development Assistance disability mainstreaming across other departments will commence in the new financial year.
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to Part One of the National Disability Strategy, published on 28 July 2021, whether the first meeting of her Department’s External Disability Board went ahead in December 2021; and if she will publish details of the Board’s members.
Answered by Vicky Ford
The UK is committed to promoting and protecting universal rights for all, including people with disabilities. The UK is aiming to launch the new FCDO Disability Inclusion Strategy next month to mark the Global Disability Summit. The strategy continues to be guided by the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The International Development Strategy will be published in the Spring.
The first FCDO Disability Inclusion Board took place last month. The Board covered the forthcoming strategy, disability inclusive climate action and the Board Terms of Reference. The FCDO's work on Overseas Development Assistance disability mainstreaming across other departments will commence in the new financial year.
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to Part One of the National Disability Strategy, published on 28 July 2021, what recent progress her Department has made on the launch of the International Development Strategy; and what steps she is taking to ensure that disabled people’s rights are enshrined within that strategy.
Answered by Vicky Ford
The UK is committed to promoting and protecting universal rights for all, including people with disabilities. The UK is aiming to launch the new FCDO Disability Inclusion Strategy next month to mark the Global Disability Summit. The strategy continues to be guided by the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The International Development Strategy will be published in the Spring.
The first FCDO Disability Inclusion Board took place last month. The Board covered the forthcoming strategy, disability inclusive climate action and the Board Terms of Reference. The FCDO's work on Overseas Development Assistance disability mainstreaming across other departments will commence in the new financial year.
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to Part One of the National Disability Strategy, published on 28 July 2021, what progress her Department has made on the launch of its enhanced Disability Inclusion Strategy; and (b) when that strategy will be launched.
Answered by Vicky Ford
The UK is committed to promoting and protecting universal rights for all, including people with disabilities. The UK is aiming to launch the new FCDO Disability Inclusion Strategy next month to mark the Global Disability Summit. The strategy continues to be guided by the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The International Development Strategy will be published in the Spring.
The first FCDO Disability Inclusion Board took place last month. The Board covered the forthcoming strategy, disability inclusive climate action and the Board Terms of Reference. The FCDO's work on Overseas Development Assistance disability mainstreaming across other departments will commence in the new financial year.
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham North)
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 detention of Uighur Muslims in camps in Xinjiang, China; and what plans he has to seek international support for an impartial investigation into the situation of Uighur Muslims in Xinjiang.
Answered by Nigel Adams
We have serious concerns about the human rights situation in Xinjiang including the extra-judicial detention of over a million Uyghur Muslims and other minorities in "political re-education camps", systematic restrictions on Uyghur culture and the practice of Islam, and extensive and invasive surveillance targeting minorities.
On 28 July, the Foreign Secretary raised our serious concerns about the human rights situation in Xinjiang with his Chinese counterpart, Foreign Minister and State Councillor Wang Yi. On 30 June, the UK read out a formal statement on behalf of 28 countries at the 44th session of the UN Human Rights Council highlighting arbitrary detention, widespread surveillance and restrictions, particularly those targeting Uyghurs and other minorities, and urging China to allow the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights meaningful access to Xinjiang. We will continue to raise our concerns with China bilaterally, and through the UN working with international partners.
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what support his Department is offering to people from Cameroon who have been displaced by the ongoing conflict in that country.
Answered by James Duddridge
The British Government remains deeply concerned about the deteriorating situation in the North-West and South-West (Anglophone) regions of Cameroon. These regions suffer from high levels of violence, which have driven hundreds of thousands of people from their homes. We have consistently called for restraint, an end to the violence, and for investigations into all reports of human rights violations. On 23 April, I publicly welcomed publication of the findings of the investigation into the appalling violence in Ngarbuh and reiterated our call for the Cameroonian authorities to bring the perpetrators to justice, ensure respect for human rights and redouble their efforts to resolve the conflict.
The UK continues to call for inclusive dialogue, and we welcomed the passing of legislation concerning bilingualism and special status for the North-West and South-West regions in December 2019. Commitments and legislation now need to be implemented in a timely manner to support genuine decentralisation of power and to tackle the root causes of the conflict. The British High Commissioner to Cameroon regularly engages in high-level discussions with the Government of Cameroon on the Anglophone crisis, including the mediation process led by the Swiss Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue. We continue to shine a spotlight on the crisis and raise our concerns in multinational fora and with international partners. At the UN Security Council on 12 February, the UK highlighted the significant impact of the crisis on children. At the UN Human Rights Council on 27 February, the UK raised concerns about the protection of civilians in Cameroon.
The UK is committed to supporting civilians affected by the ongoing crisis in the North-West and South-West regions and we have made a £2 million contribution to the UN response, supporting 34,000 people with essential supplies, such as mosquito nets, hygiene kits and nutrition support. We continue to call for unhindered humanitarian access to the affected population. The UK stands ready to support all credible peacebuilding initiatives and believes that the regional and wider international community has an integral role to play, including in responding to the growing humanitarian need.
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham North)
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 Cameroonian counterpart on a peaceful solution to the conflict in that country.
Answered by James Duddridge
The British Government remains deeply concerned about the deteriorating situation in the North-West and South-West (Anglophone) regions of Cameroon. These regions suffer from high levels of violence, which have driven hundreds of thousands of people from their homes. We have consistently called for restraint, an end to the violence, and for investigations into all reports of human rights violations. On 23 April, I publicly welcomed publication of the findings of the investigation into the appalling violence in Ngarbuh and reiterated our call for the Cameroonian authorities to bring the perpetrators to justice, ensure respect for human rights and redouble their efforts to resolve the conflict.
The UK continues to call for inclusive dialogue, and we welcomed the passing of legislation concerning bilingualism and special status for the North-West and South-West regions in December 2019. Commitments and legislation now need to be implemented in a timely manner to support genuine decentralisation of power and to tackle the root causes of the conflict. The British High Commissioner to Cameroon regularly engages in high-level discussions with the Government of Cameroon on the Anglophone crisis, including the mediation process led by the Swiss Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue. We continue to shine a spotlight on the crisis and raise our concerns in multinational fora and with international partners. At the UN Security Council on 12 February, the UK highlighted the significant impact of the crisis on children. At the UN Human Rights Council on 27 February, the UK raised concerns about the protection of civilians in Cameroon.
The UK is committed to supporting civilians affected by the ongoing crisis in the North-West and South-West regions and we have made a £2 million contribution to the UN response, supporting 34,000 people with essential supplies, such as mosquito nets, hygiene kits and nutrition support. We continue to call for unhindered humanitarian access to the affected population. The UK stands ready to support all credible peacebuilding initiatives and believes that the regional and wider international community has an integral role to play, including in responding to the growing humanitarian need.
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the conflict in Cameroon.
Answered by James Duddridge
The British Government remains deeply concerned about the deteriorating situation in the North-West and South-West (Anglophone) regions of Cameroon. These regions suffer from high levels of violence, which have driven hundreds of thousands of people from their homes. We have consistently called for restraint, an end to the violence, and for investigations into all reports of human rights violations. On 23 April, I publicly welcomed publication of the findings of the investigation into the appalling violence in Ngarbuh and reiterated our call for the Cameroonian authorities to bring the perpetrators to justice, ensure respect for human rights and redouble their efforts to resolve the conflict.
The UK continues to call for inclusive dialogue, and we welcomed the passing of legislation concerning bilingualism and special status for the North-West and South-West regions in December 2019. Commitments and legislation now need to be implemented in a timely manner to support genuine decentralisation of power and to tackle the root causes of the conflict. The British High Commissioner to Cameroon regularly engages in high-level discussions with the Government of Cameroon on the Anglophone crisis, including the mediation process led by the Swiss Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue. We continue to shine a spotlight on the crisis and raise our concerns in multinational fora and with international partners. At the UN Security Council on 12 February, the UK highlighted the significant impact of the crisis on children. At the UN Human Rights Council on 27 February, the UK raised concerns about the protection of civilians in Cameroon.
The UK is committed to supporting civilians affected by the ongoing crisis in the North-West and South-West regions and we have made a £2 million contribution to the UN response, supporting 34,000 people with essential supplies, such as mosquito nets, hygiene kits and nutrition support. We continue to call for unhindered humanitarian access to the affected population. The UK stands ready to support all credible peacebuilding initiatives and believes that the regional and wider international community has an integral role to play, including in responding to the growing humanitarian need.
Asked by: Vicky Foxcroft (Labour - Lewisham North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the Government will take steps to meet the terms of the UN General Assembly resolution on the future of the Chagos Islands.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
The UN General Assembly (GA) resolution relates to an Advisory Opinion issued by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) concerning the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT). Neither the ICJ Advisory Opinion nor the UN GA resolution are legally binding. We have no doubt about our sovereignty over the territory of BIOT, which has been under continuous British sovereignty since 1814. We have, however, made a long-standing commitment to cede sovereignty of the territory to Mauritius when it is no longer required for defence purposes. We stand by that commitment.