Asked by: Mary Kelly Foy (Labour - City of Durham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of efforts to encourage other countries to ratify the Biodiversity beyond National Jurisdiction Agreement.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The implementation and ratification of the Biodiversity beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement is the subject of active and positive discussions at international meetings, such as the Our Ocean Conference that was held in Greece on 15-17 April, the Commonwealth Ocean Ministers Meeting held in Cyprus on 18-19 April, and the upcoming High Level Ocean Action event in Costa Rica on 7-8 June. The government has also been actively engaging with other interested States and international organisations to exchange current policy thinking on BBNJ Agreement implementation and ratification. The FCDO is funding a project by the Commonwealth Secretariat to provide technical assistance to smaller Commonwealth members. The UK is aware that a substantial number of States are actively working to implement and ratify the BBNJ Agreement and encourage other States. A draft UN General Assembly Resolution (A/78/L.41) to establish a Preparatory Commission for the BBNJ Agreement will be voted on shortly. Once the Preparatory Commission is established it will prepare for the first Conference of the Parties to take place within the first year after entry into force of the Agreement (with entry into force taking place 120 days after the 60th ratification). The UK aims to ratify in time for the UN Ocean Conference in June 2025 and to play an active part in the first Conference of the Parties.
Asked by: John Healey (Labour - Wentworth and Dearne)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to Defence Equipment and Support's article entitled £122m contract sees UK’s fleet of Airbus H145s expanded with six procured for overseas duties, published on 18 April 2024, whether that contract includes through-life support costs.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The £122 million contract with Airbus Helicopters UK for six Airbus H145 helicopters to provide aviation support to Defence outputs in Brunei and Cyprus encompasses the procurement of the aircraft, an initial three-year support plan, and includes the expenses required to establish the capability in each overseas location.
Support beyond the first three years is subject to a separate project which will include determining the nature of the procurement strategy for the future support solution.
Apr. 29 2024
Source Page: Joint Statement on the 30th Anniversary of the International Conference on Population and DevelopmentFound: Brazil, Bulgaria, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus
Found: Recognition within the EU Among the states not recognising Kosovo are five Member States of the EU: Cyprus
Written Evidence Apr. 29 2024
Committee: Public Accounts CommitteeFound: Decarbonising home heating Imperial Policy Forum, Imperial College, Imperial College London, and University of Cyprus
Mentions:
1: Leo Docherty (Con - Aldershot) RFA Cardigan Bay is sailing from Cyprus to support the US pier initiative to enable the delivery of significantly - Speech Link
2: Leo Docherty (Con - Aldershot) of RFA Cardigan Bay is leaning into the prospect of a far greater flow of maritime aid through the Cyprus - Speech Link
Asked by: Pauline Latham (Conservative - Mid Derbyshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, whether he has had discussions with his counterparts in (a) the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and (b) Cyprus on the potential merits of introducing direct flights from UK airports to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in the last 12 months.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
In accordance with the rest of the international community, with the sole exception of Turkey, the UK does not recognise the self-declared "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" as an independent state. Under the Chicago Convention, only the Republic of Cyprus may designate Cypriot airports for international flights. It has not done so for Ercan airport. As such, it is not possible to fly directly between the UK and the north of Cyprus. Ministers have not discussed this topic with the Cypriot government or Turkish Cypriot administration. The FCDO does not hold data on arrivals to Ercan airport.
Asked by: Pauline Latham (Conservative - Mid Derbyshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, what data his Department holds on the number of UK nationals that entered the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus through Ercan International Airport in Northern Cyprus in each year since 2010.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
In accordance with the rest of the international community, with the sole exception of Turkey, the UK does not recognise the self-declared "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" as an independent state. Under the Chicago Convention, only the Republic of Cyprus may designate Cypriot airports for international flights. It has not done so for Ercan airport. As such, it is not possible to fly directly between the UK and the north of Cyprus. Ministers have not discussed this topic with the Cypriot government or Turkish Cypriot administration. The FCDO does not hold data on arrivals to Ercan airport.
Asked by: Lord Balfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have made an assessment of the international aviation security standards at the new Ercan International Airport in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, and if not, whether they plan to do so.
Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Under the 1944 Chicago Convention, only the Republic of Cyprus can designate Ercan as an international airport and allow flights to operate. As the Republic of Cyprus has not designated Ercan, the UK has not made a security assessment of the airport and has no plans to do so.
Asked by: Lord Balfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the compatibility of the Convention on International Civil Aviation with direct flights from London to Taipei, and in this respect why the UK does not permit flights to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The UK recognises only one Cypriot state – the Republic of Cyprus – and only one government as the sole legitimate government. Under the Chicago Convention, only the Republic of Cyprus may designate Ercan (in the north of Cyprus) as an international customs airport and grant permission for flights to operate from within its territory. Which it has not done so. This means that no direct air services between the north of Cyprus and the UK can take place.
With regards to direct flights being permitted between London and Taipei, the situation is different in that the Chinese authorities have designated a number of airports in Taiwan as international customs airports which therefore permit airlines to operate between the UK and Taiwan.