Asked by: Wes Streeting (Labour - Ilford 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 the Sri Lankan Government on groundwater contamination in northern Sri Lanka.
Answered by Mark Field
We have received a number of reports about this pressing environmental issue. Our High Commissioner has raised concerns about water contamination with the Chief Minister of the Northern Province, and with the Mayor of Jaffna. He received reassurances that, although oil contamination had been a problem in the past, testing of water samples abroad had shown that the oil content was now below the danger level. Other staff at our High Commission visit Jaffna on a regular basis and there have not been any recent reports that cause concern, but staff will respond appropriately if new reports emerge.
Asked by: Wes Streeting (Labour - Ilford North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations the British High Commissioner in Sri Lanka has made to the Government of that country on the conduct of Brigadier Priyanka Fernando in the UK since a warrant for the arrest of the Brigadier was issued; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Mark Field
We were deeply concerned by the well-publicised incident involving the Sri Lankan Defence Attaché last year and made immediate representations to the Sri Lankan Government. I spoke to Foreign Minister Marapana on 8 February 2018 about the matter to raise my concerns. The Defence Attaché was recalled by his Government soon after.
The FCO, which is not a party to the legal proceedings referred to, has been contacted by Westminster Magistrate's Court seeking clarification of the Brigadier's diplomatic status in the UK at the time of the incident. The FCO is providing documentation to assist the court.
The UK is committed to upholding the rule of law including the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
The British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka met the Permanent Secretary of the Sri Lankan Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 24 January, at the Permanent Secretary's request. At this meeting the Permanent Secretary communicated his government's view that the Brigadier enjoyed diplomatic immunity at the time of the incident, and requested that the High Commissioner communicate this view back to the FCO in London.
Asked by: Wes Streeting (Labour - Ilford North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations his Department have received from the Government of Sri Lanka on the arrest warrant issued for Brigadier Priyanka Fernando; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Mark Field
We were deeply concerned by the well-publicised incident involving the Sri Lankan Defence Attaché last year and made immediate representations to the Sri Lankan Government. I spoke to Foreign Minister Marapana on 8 February 2018 about the matter to raise my concerns. The Defence Attaché was recalled by his Government soon after.
The FCO, which is not a party to the legal proceedings referred to, has been contacted by Westminster Magistrate's Court seeking clarification of the Brigadier's diplomatic status in the UK at the time of the incident. The FCO is providing documentation to assist the court.
The UK is committed to upholding the rule of law including the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
The British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka met the Permanent Secretary of the Sri Lankan Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 24 January, at the Permanent Secretary's request. At this meeting the Permanent Secretary communicated his government's view that the Brigadier enjoyed diplomatic immunity at the time of the incident, and requested that the High Commissioner communicate this view back to the FCO in London.
Asked by: Wes Streeting (Labour - Ilford North)
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 strategic implications of the increased strength of armed insurgents in north-east Nigeria; and what support his Department is providing to Nigeria to tackle the insurgents.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
We are concerned by the recent increase in terrorist activity in northeast Nigeria and strongly condemn all attacks. Insecurity is placing humanitarian operations under pressure and risks cutting off lifesaving support for up to 120,000 people in need of assistance. We are exploring options for additional support to help the Nigerian Government tackle this terrorist threat.
The UK provides a substantial package of security, humanitarian and development support, which includes training and capacity building for Nigerian armed forces. We recently formalised our assistance through a Security and Defence Partnership, signed during the Prime Minister's visit in August.
Asked by: Wes Streeting (Labour - Ilford North)
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 victims of forced marriage who were required to pay the cost of repatriation to the UK without an emergency loan agreement in each year since 2010.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
There are different routes for funding repatriation, and we do not collect or record statistics on how individuals fund their return to the UK. In the majority of cases the family cover the cost of the repatriation. Where possible, the Government will seek to ensure the costs fall on the perpetrators by means of Forced Marriage Protection Orders (FMPOs).
Asked by: Wes Streeting (Labour - Ilford North)
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 value of the (a) lowest, (b) highest and (c) average emergency loan granted to victims of forced marriage in each year since 2010.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
We do not hold data for the value of emergency loans granted to victims of forced marriage prior to 2012. Based on best available data, we have made the following estimate of the value of emergency loans granted to victims of forced marriage for years since 2012:
2012:
(a). Lowest: £340.00
(b). Highest: £991.00
(c). Average: £579.64
2013:
(a). Lowest: £62.00
(b). Highest £826.00
(c). Average: £493.18
2014
(a). Lowest: £107.00
(b). Highest: £1,376.10
(c). Average: £608.85
2015
(a). Lowest: £388.25
(b). Highest: £701.00
(c). Average: £536.85
2016
(a). Lowest: £100.00
(b). Highest £1,203.40
(c). Average: £579.43
2017
(a). Lowest: £647.00
(b). Highest: £922.96
(c). Average: £717.02
Asked by: Wes Streeting (Labour - Ilford North)
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 (a) lowest, (b) highest and (c) average cost of repatriating a victim of forced marriage to the UK in each year since 2010.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
We do not maintain statistics on the cost of repatriation. We do have statistics on the number and value of emergency loans given to victims of forced marriage for repatriation purposes since 2012. The cost of repatriating victims of forced marriage to the UK varies, and is dependent on individual circumstances including the victim’s age and the country that they are in. There are also different routes for funding repatriation: in the majority of cases the family cover the cost of the repatriation. Where possible, the Government to seek to ensure the costs fall on the perpetrators by means of Forced Marriage Protection Orders (FMPOs). After being served with an FMPO the victim’s family, who are usually responsible for the victim travelling overseas against their wishes or under false pretences, would be instructed to arrange and pay for them to return to the UK within a specific period.
Asked by: Wes Streeting (Labour - Ilford North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to defend the human rights of Palestinians in the Palestinian Territories.
Answered by Alistair Burt
We remain seriously concerned about the human rights situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs). We continue to raise concerns with the Israeli Government on instances constituting a breach of international human rights and humanitarian law in the context of Israel’s occupation of the OPTs, including demolitions, settlement construction, and the treatment of children in military detention. We also raise our concerns over human rights abuses by the Palestinian Authority and oppose the human rights abuses by Hamas in Gaza.
Asked by: Wes Streeting (Labour - Ilford North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to protect freedom of speech in the Palestinian Territories.
Answered by Alistair Burt
Freedom of expression is a fundamental human right, and the UK is strongly committed to protecting and promoting the right to lawful freedom of speech. We have concerns about increasing restrictions on freedom of expression, and the narrowing of the space for civil society to operate, in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Officials from our Consulate-General in Jerusalem continue to raise these concerns with the Palestinian Authority.
Asked by: Wes Streeting (Labour - Ilford North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the Human Rights Watch's report entitled Two Authorities, One Way, what support his Department provides to civic society groups in the West Bank whose abuse by the Palestinian Authority has been detailed in that report.
Answered by Alistair Burt
The UK continues to support civil society groups who are non-violently resisting the occupation. The UK funded a project in the 2017/2018 financial year which supported civil society to advocate changes to the Press and Publication Law. This amended law is currently at its third reading in the Palestinian Authority (PA) Cabinet and we continue to push for its adoption. The Human Rights Watch report has made some serious and concerning allegations about human rights violations by the PA and we have raised our concerns with the Palestinian Ministry of Interior. Officials from our Consulate-General in Jerusalem continue to urge the PA to respect human rights, and have stressed the need to ensure freedom of speech, association and assembly.