Asked by: Virginia Crosbie (Conservative - Ynys Môn)
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 help prevent the use of the death penalty for protesters in Iran by (a) making representations to his Iranian counterpart and (b) raising the issue in multilateral fora.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The use of the death penalty against protestors standing up for their basic human rights is morally abhorrent. The UK opposes the death penalty in all circumstances. On 8 December, the Foreign Secretary released a statement condemning the regime's action and summoned Iran's most senior diplomat to demand that Iran must halt all executions and end the violence against its own people. On 9 December, we sanctioned 10 Iranian officials connected to Iran's judicial and prison systems, including 6 individuals linked to the Revolutionary Courts that have been responsible for prosecuting protestors with egregious sentences including the death penalty. The UK will continue to hold Iran to account for its brutal crackdown of protests and refusal to respect the basic human rights of its citizens.
Asked by: Virginia Crosbie (Conservative - Ynys Môn)
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 (a) effectiveness of sanctions on Russian individuals and (b) potential merits of further extending those sanctions; and what steps she is taking to increase the transparency and integrity of the visa system to prevent inappropriate strategic investments in (i) London and (ii) the UK.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
We have now sanctioned over 1000 individuals, entities and subsidiaries since Putin's invasion of Ukraine. We are focusing our efforts on those measures which will have the biggest impact. The UK has targeted the political elite, introduced powers to cut off the Russian banking sector from the UK, and introduced restrictive trade measures.
We have acted against the people and entities who facilitate the war in Ukraine and the harmful activities of the Russian Government. Specifically, we have committed to taking measures to limit the sale of citizenship-so called golden passports-that let wealthy Russians connected to the Russian Government become citizens of our countries and gain access to our financial systems.
Asked by: Virginia Crosbie (Conservative - Ynys Môn)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps she has taken to help strengthen the UK’s economic and security relationship with Australia.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Foreign Secretary has just returned from Australia, where she met her counterpart, Foreign Minister Payne, and joined the annual Australia and UK Foreign and Defence Ministers’ meeting - AUKMIN, together with Defence Secretary Wallace. The visit strengthened economic, diplomatic and security ties. Working with Australia – a close partner in building a network of liberty – the UK is supporting stability in the Indo-Pacific region, and making our own country safer and more competitive.
Asked by: Virginia Crosbie (Conservative - Ynys Môn)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with her Indian counterpart on the reopening of tourist visas for travellers from the UK to India.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
India has announced that it will issue tourist visas for group travel from 15 October and individual travel from 15 November, which we welcome. It is for the Indian Government to determine the types and validity of the visas it offers.
Asked by: Virginia Crosbie (Conservative - Ynys Môn)
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 Bahrain pro-Democracy leaders Dr. Saeed Alshehabi, Mr. Ali Mushaima, and Mr. Moosa Mohammad; and whether he has plans to meet those people.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
Ministers have not had discussions with Dr. Saeed Alshehabi, Mr Moosa Mohammad or Mr Ali Mushaima.
Asked by: Virginia Crosbie (Conservative - Ynys Môn)
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 (a) potential effect of the reduction in aid to Syria in 2021 and (2) effect of recent reductions in UN authorised aid mechanisms on the delivery of UK led and funded health programmes in Syria.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The UK has announced a pledge of at least £205 million in 2021 to continue the delivery of essential humanitarian aid, including the provision of food, healthcare and water, to millions of people affected by the brutal conflict in Syria. We are working to finalise ODA budget allocations for financial year 2021/22 and until that is done will not be able to confirm individual country allocations. Final decisions have not yet been made.
In addition to our financial support, the UK will continue to use its position at the UN Security Council to push for greater access into Syria and strongly supports the renewal of UNSCR 2533 to maintain cross-border aid. Nothing can replace the scale and scope of UN operations in northern Syria. In north-east Syria, cross-line aid delivery from Damascus has failed to fill the gaps left by of the closure of the Yaroubiya crossing last year; health supplies are taking longer to reach populations in need, at a greater cost and in reduced quantities. We are appalled that Russia and China continue to place political support for the Assad regime above lifesaving support for the Syrian people; we urge the members of the UN Security Council to vote in favour of renewing the resolution in July to avoid further humanitarian disaster.
Asked by: Virginia Crosbie (Conservative - Ynys Môn)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the Government plans to send a representative to the meeting of states party to the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons on 12-14 January 2022 in Vienna.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The United Kingdom will not send Observers to the First Conference of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). The Government has been clear it will not sign the TPNW. We do not believe this Treaty will bring us closer to a world without nuclear weapons. The Government believes that the best way to achieve our collective goal of a world without nuclear weapons is through gradual multilateral disarmament negotiated using a step-by-step approach, under the framework of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Asked by: Virginia Crosbie (Conservative - Ynys Môn)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he has taken to provide support for refugees in Lesbos after the fire at the Moira refugee camp.
Answered by Wendy Morton
The UK has responded to requests by the Greek Government to provide specific humanitarian goods for the migrants affected by the Moria fires. UK support will help nearly 2,000 vulnerable families prepare, cook and serve food, and solar lanterns will help people to stay safe. We will work with our partners to ensure these supplies are fairly distributed and reach those most in need.
Asked by: Virginia Crosbie (Conservative - Ynys Môn)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking support countries whose Official Development Assistance funding has been reduced as a result of the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
Difficult decisions have been necessary to identify the savings needed to ensure we meet the 0.7 per cent commitment this year. The Foreign Secretary chaired a review process across government looking at all strands of the Official Development Assistance (ODA) budget, evaluating the impacts of spend and making sure the UK can maintain operational capacity. This process also has made sure there is continued support for five ODA priorities; bottom billion poverty reduction, climate change, girls' education, COVID-19 and Britain as a force for good.
Asked by: Virginia Crosbie (Conservative - Ynys Môn)
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 help ensure that the people responsible for crimes committed against Rohingya children are held to account; and if he will make it his policy to provide humanitarian support and protection for Rohingya refugee children.
Answered by Nigel Adams
The UK has been clear that those responsible for serious human rights violations should be held to account. We will continue to shine a spotlight on gross human rights violations committed by the Myanmar Military across the country. This includes horrific violence against children. The UK has been at the forefront of international demands for accountability. We have used our role on the UN Security Council to increase international attention on the Rohingya crisis and continue to lead calls for accountability. On 23 June, I spoke to the Myanmar Minister for International Cooperation. I encouraged Myanmar to continue to engage with the International Court of Justice process in a transparent way. The UK has worked with partners to try and implement the Fact Finding Mission recommendations, including establishing the UN Independent Investigative Mechanism on Myanmar to collect and preserve evidence of atrocities. On 6 July, the UK's Global Human Rights sanction regime (GHR) listed the Myanmar military's Commander-in-Chief and Deputy Commander-in-Chief, for overseeing the systematic and brutal violence against the Rohingya and other minorities, as set out in the Independent Fact Finding Mission Report. This is in addition to the sanctions which the UK secured through the EU, against 14 members of the Myanmar military responsible for serious human rights violations.
The UK is committed to protecting the most vulnerable populations around the globe including the Rohingya, and especially children. We work with humanitarian partners such as UNICEF in the Rohingya response to deliver robust child protection systems. UK aid is helping run community-based child protection and child-friendly centres in the Rohingya camps and supporting 3,000 children living with foster families, including victims of trafficking, to receive cash assistance, case management and psycho-social support. Improving access to and quality of education also remains a priority, including the roll out and expansion of the Myanmar curriculum.