Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, on how many occasions (a) Saudi Arabia, (b) the United Arab Emirates, (c) Qatar, (d) Bahrain, (e) Kuwait and (f) Oman gave awards to members of the Government (i) without seeking permission from the Government and (ii) regardless of permission being denied between 2014 and 2024.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Honours Secretariat has a record of one request to confer an award on a member of Her Majesty's Government from these six countries. In 2017, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia advised that they wished to confer an award on a member of the Government. Due diligence was carried out before the award was accepted. There are no records of any awards conferred without permission.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, with reference to his Department's guidance entitled Accepting foreign awards: UK rules, last updated on 24 November 2021, on how many occasions permission was (a) sought, (b) granted and (c) denied in respect of foreign awards being conferred to members of the Government by (i) Saudi Arabia, (ii) the United Arab Emirates, (iii) Qatar, (iv) Bahrain, (v) Kuwait and (vi) Oman between 2014 and 2024.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Honours Secretariat has a record of one request to confer an award on a member of Her Majesty's Government from these six countries. In 2017, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia advised that they wished to confer an award on a member of the Government. Due diligence was carried out before the award was accepted. There are no records of any awards conferred without permission.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether he (a) has and (b) plans to have discussions with the government of Qatar on steps it is taking to help secure a further humanitarian pause between Israel and Hamas.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is involved in diplomatic efforts to help secure a further humanitarian pause working with our counterparts in Qatar, Israel, the US and others. The recent pause demonstrates what can be achieved to get vital aid into Gaza including the levels of aid that is possible and it is important that this level of aid is now, at a minimum, sustained. The UK is supportive of humanitarian pauses as part of measures to facilitate the flow of life-saving humanitarian aid and ensure civilians are safe. The FCDO is actively engaging with international partners and those operating on the ground to do all we can to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. We will continue to use all the tools of British diplomacy and development to enhance the prospects of peace and stability in the region, working closely with our partners.
Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether he has had recent discussions with his Israeli counterpart on CCTV footage of hostages held by Hamas in Shifa Hospital.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We cannot provide a running commentary on intelligence concerning hostage negotiations as they are highly sensitive and ongoing, but we continue to engage closely with international partners to secure the release of hostages, including the US, Qatar, Egypt, Israel, and others. The Foreign Secretary visited Israel on 23 November and met Prime Minister Netanyahu, his counterpart Foreign Minister Cohen and other key interlocutors to discuss the Israel/Gaza conflict and our shared goal of releasing all hostages.
Asked by: Marquess of Lothian (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, following his mission to Israel, Palestine, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Jordan on 16 to 20 November, on working with the EU in supporting the establishment of a Palestinian state as the best way of ensuring Israel’s security.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign Secretary has not met with EU High Representative Borrell since his visit to the region between 16 and 20 November. However, the Prime Minister, Foreign Secretary and Minister for the Middle East continue to engage with international partners, including European partners, on this conflict.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if she will publish a list of global trade shows which her Department has encouraged businesses to attend in each of the last two years.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Over the last two financial years (including 2023-24), the Department for Business and Trade has organised international activations for UK export-ready small and medium sized enterprises at over 90 international trade shows listed below.
2022-23 | |
Trade show | Country |
Cannes Lion | France |
Aero India | India |
Arab Health | UAE |
BETT Asia | Malaysia |
Bio Convention - San Diego | USA |
Chemspec Europe | Germany |
DSEI Japan | Japan |
ExpoNaval | Chile |
Fruit Attraction | Spain |
Gulfood (February 2023) | UAE |
IACP | USA |
IDEX | UAE |
Indo Defence | Indonesia |
Indo Pacific | Australia |
Innotrans | Germany |
International Atomic Energy Agency General Conf | Austria |
Intersec | UAE |
Investing in Africa Mining, Indaba | South Africa |
JP Morgan Healthcare conf | USA |
Kidscreen | USA |
Medica | Germany |
Middle East Beauty | France |
Mobile World Congress (MWC) | Spain |
Money 2020 | USA |
International Defence Industry Exhibition MSPO | Poland |
Pitti Uomo | Italy |
Posidonia 2022 | Greece |
Sial | France |
Singapore Fintech Week | Singapore |
SMM Hamburg | Germany |
SOFIC | USA |
South By South West (SXSW) | USA |
Web Summit 2022 | Portugal |
2023-24 | |
Trade show | Country |
AAHAR | India |
Agritechnica | Germany |
Anuga | Germany |
Arab Health | UAE |
Asia Pacific Maritime | Singapore |
Australia Space Policy Forum | Australia |
Bengalaru Tech Summit | India |
BETT Asia | Malaysia |
Big 5 Construction | UAE |
BIO International | USA |
Cannes Lions | France |
Chemspec | Germany |
CPHI | Spain |
Defense & Security | Thailand |
DIMDEX | Qatar |
Dubai Airshow | UAE |
DUPHAT | UAE |
FoodEx | Japan |
GCC Beauty World ME | Dubai |
Global Health Expo | Saudi Arabia |
Global Space & Technology Convention | Singapore |
GULFOOD 2024 | UAE |
IACP | USA |
Indo Pacific | Australia |
InFlavour | Saudi Arabia |
Intersec | UAE |
Investing in Africa Mining Indaba | South Africa |
International Defence Industry Exhibition (MSPO) | Poland |
International Defence Industry Fair (IDEF) | Turkey |
Intersec | UAE |
Intersec KSA | Saudi Arabia |
JP Morgan Health Tech | USA |
Kidscreen 2024 | USA |
Kormarine | ROK |
Medica | Germany |
METSTRADE | Netherlands |
Middle East Rail | UAE |
Mobile World Congress | Spain |
Money 2020 | USA |
NorShipping | Norway |
Paris Air Show | France |
PCHI (Personal Care and Homecare Ingredients) | China |
Photonics West | USA |
Pitti Uomo | Italy |
Prowein | Germany |
ReBuild Ukraine | Poland |
Seafood Expo | USA |
Singapore Fintech Week | Singapore |
Singapore Maritime Week | Singapore |
SOF Week | USA |
Space Tech Expo | Germany |
SXSW | USA |
Web Summit | Portugal |
Wind Europe | Denmark |
Wind Europe 2024 | Spain |
World Defense Show | Saudi Arabia |
World New Energy Vehicle Congress | China |
World Nuclear Exhibition | Paris |
Asked by: Marquess of Lothian (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to avert a regional escalation of the hostilities in Israel and Gaza.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Since Hamas' abhorrent terrorist attacks on 7 October, the Prime Minister, the former Foreign Secretary and myself as Minister of State; Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, have all visited the region and spoken to counterparts from more than 20 countries as part of extensive diplomatic efforts to prevent regional escalation and to sustain the prospect of peace and stability in the Middle East. This includes the former Foreign Secretary's travel to the region in October where he met leaders in Egypt, Turkey and Qatar, his calls with counterparts from Jordan, Qatar, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Iran, Brazil, and Australia and his meetings with regional counterparts in Riyadh on 9 November.
The UK is seized with the increasing the scale and delivery of life saving humanitarian aid to Gaza and continues to work with our regional partners on preventing the conflict spreading in the region, and oppose any attempts by malign actors to cause further escalation. As part of our close engagement with Israel, the UK has urged the government to take tangible steps to stop settler violence against Palestinians in the Occupied West Bank, which we strongly condemn. We are also clear that to prevent further conflict and terrorism, there must be a political solution to the conflict: the delivery of a two-state solution which provides justice and security for both Israelis and Palestinians.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he plans to introduce routine checks on electronic travel authorisations in Northern Ireland when that scheme begins.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
On 25 October 2023, the Government launched the UK’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme to secure our borders and make the UK safer. The scheme is open to nationals of Qatar and will continue to be implemented in a phased manner, on a nationality basis, in 2024.
The Government remains committed to the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement and ensuring there is no hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland. As is the case now, the UK will not operate routine immigration controls on journeys from within the Common Travel Area (CTA), with no immigration controls whatsoever on the Ireland-Northern Ireland land border.
Whilst there will continue to be no routine immigration controls on journeys within the CTA, the introduction of the ETA scheme will, for the first time, allow us to have a comprehensive understanding of who is seeking to come to the UK and refuse them permission where appropriate.
It is a well-established requirement that individuals visiting the UK, including those arriving from Ireland, are required to enter in line with the UK’s immigration framework. Visa nationals are already required to obtain a visa for the UK when travelling via Ireland, in order to lawfully enter the UK and we are simply extending this same principle to those who will require an ETA.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what information his Department holds on the role of Ismail Haniyeh in supporting Hamas terrorist activity from Qatar.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
It is the longstanding policy of successive British Governments that we do not comment on intelligence matters. The UK Government closely follows the security situation in the Middle East and maintains a regular dialogue with international counterparts.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South)
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 counterparts in the Middle East on steps that can be taken to help end violence in Israel and Gaza.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Since the Hamas terrorist attacks on 7 October, the Prime Minister, former Foreign Secretary and Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon have spoken to counterparts from more than 20 countries as part of extensive diplomatic efforts to sustain the prospect of peace and stability in the Middle East. This includes the former Foreign Secretary's travel to the region in October where he met leaders in Egypt, Turkey and Qatar, and his calls last week with counterparts from Jordan, Qatar, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Iran, Brazil, and Australia. To prevent further conflict and terrorism, there must be a political solution to the Israeli/Palestinian conflict: a two-state solution which provides justice and security for both Israelis and Palestinians. The UK will continue to work urgently with our partners to ensure this vision finally becomes a reality.