Asked by: Dan Carden (Labour - Liverpool, Walton)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 24 May 2021 to Question 3128 on Earl Mountbatten of Burma: Disclosure of information, if he will provide a breakdown of the costs to the public purse incurred in relation to this matter to date.
Answered by Heather Wheeler
I refer the hon. Member to his previous Parliamentary Question answered on 24 May PQ 3128.
The government does not comment on the costs of ongoing litigation and will publish the costs at the conclusion of the case.
Asked by: Dan Carden (Labour - Liverpool, Walton)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what cost has been incurred to the public purse in respect of not allowing the public release of the Mountbatten archive as at 21 February 2022.
Answered by Heather Wheeler
I refer the hon. Member to their previous Parliamentary Question answered on 24 May 2021 PQ3128.
Asked by: Rushanara Ali (Labour - Bethnal Green and Bow)
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 representatives of the insurance industry in the UK on the activities of that industry that fund the Myanmar military.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The UK Government is clear that UK businesses must fully comply with relevant sanctions and not enter relationships that benefit the military. Businesses should consult the Department for International Trade's Overseas Business Risk Guidance for further information (Overseas Business Risk: Myanmar (Burma) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)).
Asked by: Baroness Cox (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken in response to the report by the Foreign Affairs Committee The UK Government's Response to the Myanmar Crisis, published on 16 July; and in particular the recommendation that the UK Government should increase (1) diplomatic, and (2) economic, pressure to reduce the violence committed against civilians in Burma.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is deeply concerned with the worsening situation in Myanmar. We continue to call publicly for a peaceful resolution to the crisis. In response to escalating violence in Chin and Sagaing, the UK convened the UN Security Council on 8 November. During that meeting we called on the military to exercise restraint and ensure the protection of civilians. On 15 October, the British Embassy in Yangon released a statement urging the military to end their campaign of violence and flagging our concern for communities, their livelihoods, property and places of worship.
The UK has played a leading international role in coordinating targeted sanctions against the military regime. Since the coup, we have announced seven tranches of sanctions, which have targeted the junta's ruling body and its military leadership, as well as its key commercial interests. In addition, the UK's trade review has suspended trade promotion in Myanmar and strengthened advice to British businesses on avoiding exposure to the military. The UK is considering further targeted actions against the regime.
Asked by: Baroness Cox (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken in response to the Foreign Affairs Committee report The UK Government’s Response to the Myanmar Crisis, published on 16 July; and in particular, the recommendation that Tatmadaw’s supply of arms are cut off in order to end their violence against civilians in Burma.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is a longstanding supporter of an arms embargo on Myanmar. We are clear that countries should not sell arms to the Myanmar military. The UK helped secure and strengthen a comprehensive EU arms embargo on Myanmar following the 2017 Rohingya crisis. Since we left the EU, we have transitioned this into domestic law. We are working closely with partners to coordinate pressure on those who sell arms to the military, and have used our leadership role at the G7 and UN to this end. On 5 May, the UK secured a G7 Foreign and Development Ministers' Meeting Communiqué that committed G7 members to continue to prevent the supply of arms and technical assistance to the military. The G7 Leaders' Communiqué of 13 June reaffirmed G7 unity on pursuing additional measures should they prove necessary. On 18 June, the UK worked with partners to deliver a UN General Assembly Resolution which urged member states to prevent the flow of arms to Myanmar.
Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Islwyn)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether an official in his Department informed any employee or official of Southampton University prior to 5 August 2011 that it would be unlawful for that university to give public access to any of (a) the private diaries of Lord or Lady Mountbatten and (b) their letters to each other.
Answered by Chloe Smith
As the hon. Member will be aware, there are several FOI exemptions that remain in place for historic records. As I said in previous answers, this case is currently before the First-tier Tribunal (Information Rights) and it would not be appropriate to make further comment whilst this is subject to ongoing legal proceedings.
Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Islwyn)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether there was any communication from his Department to the University of Southampton prior to 5 August 2011 which mentions (a) the diaries of Lord or Lady Mountbatten or (b) any of their letters to each other.
Answered by Chloe Smith
As the hon. Member will be aware, there are several FOI exemptions that remain in place for historic records. As I said in previous answers, this case is currently before the First-tier Tribunal (Information Rights) and it would not be appropriate to make further comment whilst this is subject to ongoing legal proceedings.
Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Islwyn)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department had any involvement in the drafting of the Ministerial Direction dated 5 August 2011 under section 9 of the National Heritage Act 1980 vetting the Mountbatten Archive in the University of Southampton.
Answered by Chloe Smith
As the hon. Member will be aware, there are several FOI exemptions that remain in place for historic records. As I said in previous answers, this case is currently before the First-tier Tribunal (Information Rights) and it would not be appropriate to make further comment whilst this is subject to ongoing legal proceedings.
Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Islwyn)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department advised Southampton University prior to 5 August 2011 that it would be unlawful for that university to give public access to any of the private (a) diaries and (b) letters of Lord or Lady Mountbatten.
Answered by Chloe Smith
As the hon. member will be aware, there are several FOI exemptions that remain in place for historic records. As I said in previous answers, this case is currently before the First-tier Tribunal (Information Rights) and it would not be appropriate to make further comment whilst this is subject to ongoing legal proceedings.
Asked by: Chris Evans (Labour (Co-op) - Islwyn)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Government has a timeframe for the full release of the Broadlands Archive, including the letters and diaries of Earl Mountbatten.
Answered by Chloe Smith
As the hon. member will be aware, there are several FOI exemptions that remain in place for historic records. As I said in previous answers, this case is currently before the First-tier Tribunal (Information Rights) and it would not be appropriate to make further comment whilst this is subject to ongoing legal proceedings.