Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
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 his counterpart in Cuba on reports of the incarceration of political prisoners.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Many protestors, including minors, remain detained in Cuba following protests in July 2021. The UK Government has raised the ongoing detentions directly with the Cuban Government, both in London and Havana. Most recently our Ambassador did so last month. We are clear that all Cubans should have the right to protest peacefully, and that detention must not be used as a tool to restrict freedom of expression and assembly. The UK was one of the first countries to call for the Cuban people to be allowed to express their views freely and peacefully following the Cuban Government's response to the July 2021 protests.
Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to work with the international community to address the impact of Hurricane Ian on (a) housing, (b) access to drinking water, (c) access to electricity, (d) health institutions, (e) educational institutions and (f) crops and agriculture in Cuba.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Following the devastating impact of Hurricane Ian in September 2022, the United Nations' Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) allocated $7.8 million of funding to provide life-saving support to Cuba. The UK was one of the largest donors to CERF in 2022, contributing £52 million. The CERF response in Cuba is helping more than 500 thousand people in the areas of food security, health, water and sanitation, shelter and education.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made for the implications of his polices of reports that Cuban President, Miguel Diaz-Canel, met with Dmitry Medvedev, the Deputy Chairman of Russia's Security Council, on 21 November 2022 in Moscow to discuss ways to strengthen economic relations and expand political dialogue.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
UK policies towards Cuba and Russia are not affected by the meeting between the Cuban President and the Deputy Chairman of Russia's Security Council. The Cuban and Russian Governments have a longstanding Intergovernmental Commission which meets annually to expand political dialogue and strengthen economic relations and investment opportunities. The 2022 meeting of the Commission took place over the last week in Moscow and was the 19th meeting of the Commission. The meetings were attended by members of the Russian and Cuban Governments, including President Diaz-Canel and Vice-President Cabrisas. President Diaz-Canel also met Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking support British nationals in Cuba affected by Hurricane Ian.
Answered by Jesse Norman
Hurricane Ian passed over western Cuba on 27 September. There may be continued effects on transport, electricity supply, water and other infrastructure in the affected provinces while the recovery effort is underway. The British Embassy in Havana remains in close contact with the Cuban authorities, travel agencies and tour operators working with British nationals in the affected area. All consular services remained available to British nationals in Cuba during Hurricane Ian and continue to be available.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department is taking steps to help support the Cuban government tackle food shortages in that country.
Answered by Vicky Ford
Our Ambassador to Havana regularly engages with Cuban authorities on how the UK and Cuba can work together to support each other. We have not received a request for assistance from the Cuban Government for aid.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
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 Cuban counterpart on the imprisonment of Luis Manuel Otero Alcantara and Maikel Osorbo Castillo Perez following recent protests in that country.
Answered by Vicky Ford
We are clear that human rights must be respected by the Cuban Government; that all Cubans have the right to protest peacefully and that the threat of arrest and excessive sentencing must not be used as a tool to restrict freedom of expression or the right to assemble. The sentences handed down to Luis Manual Otero Alcántara and Maykel Castillo are a clear violation of these principles.
In conjunction with the UK and other international partners, the British Embassy in Havana sought to attend the trial of Otero Alcántara and Castillo but were refused entry. The UK was one of the first countries to call for the Cuban people to be allowed to express their views freely and peacefully following the Cuban Government's response to demonstrations on 11 July and we continue to raise the detentions of protestors and excessive sentencing directly with the Cuban Government, both in London and Havana.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department is taking steps to support people who wish to migrate from Cuba to the UK.
Answered by Kevin Foster
Following our exit from the European Union we have established a new global points-based immigration system focused on the skills and contributions that people have to offer the UK, not where their passport is from. This means Cuban nationals can apply for a range of our visa routes, including Skilled Worker and Student, provided they meet the relevant criteria for them.
Help and support for those seeking to come to the United Kingdom is available on gov.uk at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-immigration-system-what-you-need-to-know
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
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 implications for her policy of the exclusion of Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua from the Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles in June 2022.
Answered by Vicky Ford
UK policy towards Cuba and Nicaragua is not affected by their Summit participation and we will continue to engage in support of our priorities. The UK does not recognise the result of the illegitimate National Assembly election in Venezuela held on 6 December 2020.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has had discussions with her counterpart in the US government on the exclusion of (a) Cuba, (b) Venezuela and (c) Nicaragua from the Ninth Summit of the Americas in June 2022.
Answered by Vicky Ford
The Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs has not discussed the US Government's exclusion of Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua from the Ninth Summit of the Americas in June 2022 with her US counterpart.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
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 potential implications for her policies of the decision of the United States Government to ease some of the sanctions placed on Cuba.
Answered by Vicky Ford
The UK considers the continued US embargo against Cuba to be counterproductive and we consistently vote in support of the annual United Nations General Assembly Resolution calling for it to be lifted. In light of this, the UK welcomes the announcement by the United States Government of plans to ease some of the restrictions they have imposed on Cuba via a set of measures which are a first step towards encouraging economic growth, especially in support of the private sector, and enabling the reunification of many Cuban families. Nevertheless, the UK continues to consider the activation of Titles III and IV of the Helms Burton Act, which strengthen and continue the embargo against Cuba, to be contrary to international law. We have made our position on this clear, and continue to regularly engage US officials on this issue through our Embassy in Washington, as well as with the US Embassies in Havana and London.