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Written Question
Ludivia Galindez
Monday 25th March 2024

Asked by: Anna McMorrin (Labour - Cardiff North)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of reports of the murder of women’s rights and peace activist Ludivia Galindez in Colombia on 23 February 2024.

Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Colombia is a Human Rights Priority Country for the UK and the British Government remains concerned at the worrying rate of murders of, and threats against, human rights defenders and social leaders in Colombia. We will continue to support the Colombian Government in its commitment to implement the 2016 Peace Agreement and ensure the protection and safety of peace activists and women's rights campaigners. During my visit to Colombia earlier this month, I [Minister Rutley] raised the human rights situation with Vice Foreign Minister Coy. At the UN Security Council on 11 January, we set out our concern over attacks on human rights defenders, communities, women and social leaders, and reiterated our commitment to supporting efforts to tackle the root causes of violence in Colombia.


Written Question
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Legal Costs
Monday 25th March 2024

Asked by: Nick Thomas-Symonds (Labour - Torfaen)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what the total cost to the public purse was of legal (a) support and (b) representation to Ministers in his Department in relation to their official conduct in each of the last three years.

Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Such information is not centrally recorded or collated in the form requested. More generally, I would refer the hon. Member to the long-standing policies on legal expenditure, as set out recently by Cabinet Office Ministers on 12 March 2024, Official Report, PQ 17709 and 12 March 2024, Official Report, House of Lords, Cols. 1901-1904.


Written Question
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Publications
Monday 25th March 2024

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, pursuant to the Answer of 20 March 2024 to Question 18297 on Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Publications, whether the media team monitors DeclassifiedUK.

Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The media team monitor outlets for any stories relevant to the brief of the FCDO.


Written Question
Peru: Forests
Monday 25th March 2024

Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds North West)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what discussions he has had with his Peruvian counterpart on the potential impact of that country's Forestry Law on (a) deforestation and (b) human rights.

Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I [Minister Rutley] visited Peru in October 2023 and held discussions with senior representatives of the Peruvian Government on a range of priorities, such as the importance of protecting human rights and the environment. We are working with the Peruvian Government to drive sustainable development that protects human rights and delivers climate objectives. Our Embassy in Lima has regularly discussed with the Peruvian Government the potential impacts of changes to the Forestry and Wildlife Law and raised concerns about how these could affect achievement of Peru's international commitments.


Written Question
Nigeria: Pollution Control
Monday 25th March 2024

Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, pursuant to the Answer of 29 February 2024 to Question 15265 on Shell: Nigeria, what initiatives his Department is supporting to help tackle oil pollution in the Niger Delta in areas not covered by the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project.

Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)

The UK continues to encourage a coordinated effort between the Nigerian Government, oil and gas companies, and communities to bring an end to all forms of oil contamination in Nigeria. The UK has also supported Nigeria to improve their ability to monitor greenhouse gas emissions, including with use of satellite data, and to strengthen the regulations governing oil and gas facilities and infrastructure that will help reduce emissions. The UK government is supporting Nigeria in meeting its ambitious climate change objectives set by its Nationally Determined Contributions and commitment to net-zero by 2060.


Written Question
South Sudan and Sudan: Oil
Monday 25th March 2024

Asked by: Lyn Brown (Labour - West Ham)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what assessment he has made of the impact of the halting of oil exports from South Sudan via Sudan on (a) security and the humanitarian situation in South Sudan and (b) prospects for (i) escalation and (ii) de-escalation of the conflict in Sudan; and whether he is taking steps to engage (A) other countries affected and (B) China in discussion of the potential impact of the halting of such oil exports.

Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)

There has been recent damage to the oil pipeline that carries oil from South Sudan to Sudan, which has significantly reduced the South Sudanese government's oil production capabilities and subsequently their income. This economic deterioration is exacerbating an already dire humanitarian situation in South Sudan, as food prices and the cost of humanitarian assistance delivery have increased. We are continuing to monitor the impacts of this closely, including on the security and humanitarian situation in both Sudan and South Sudan.


Written Question
Gaza: Ports
Monday 25th March 2024

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, what discussions he has had with his US counterpart on visa controls at the US temporary sea port into Gaza.

Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)

I have not discussed the specific issue of visa controls at the planned temporary pier with my US counterpart. The UK Government is in regular contact with partners, including Cyprus, the US, UAE and others, about a range of operational matters with regard to the proposed maritime corridor, including planning efforts to establish the temporary pier.


Written Question
UNRWA: Finance
Monday 25th March 2024

Asked by: Earl of Sandwich (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what impact the UK's suspension of funding for UNRWA had on its performance in delivering aid to Gaza in the last financial year; and what is their forecast of funding in 2024.

Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK provided £35 million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) this financial year, including an uplift of £16 million for the Gaza humanitarian response, all of which was disbursed before the recent allegations came to light. No more British funding is due this financial year and we are pausing any future funding of UNRWA.

Our decision to pause future funding has no impact on the UK's contribution to the humanitarian response. We remain committed to getting humanitarian aid to people in Gaza who desperately need it, including through other UN agencies and British charities. On 13 March, the Government announced a further £10 million in aid funding to bring UK support to more than £100 million this financial year. UK funding has supported the work of partners including the British Red Cross, World Food Programme, UNICEF and Egyptian Red Crescent Society (ERCS) to deliver vital supplies.


Written Question
UNRWA
Monday 25th March 2024

Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Lord Cameron of Chipping Norton on 5 March (HL Deb col 1544), whether they have received the interim report of the UN concerning allegations surrounding UNRWA staff members' involvement in the 7 October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel; whether they have any plans to reinstate funding to UNRWA; and what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of UNRWA in delivering aid in Gaza.

Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We are aware that the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services has released an interim report to the UN Secretary-General. We are pressing Catherine Colonna to produce a rapid interim report on the investigation into UNRWA's neutrality.

We want UNRWA to give detailed undertakings about changes in personnel, policy and precedents to ensure this can never happen again. We are working with allies to try to bring this situation to a rapid conclusion - not least because UNRWA have a vital role to play in providing aid and services in Gaza, and the wider region.


Written Question
Gibraltar: Spain
Monday 25th March 2024

Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that there is continued mobility across the border between Spain and Gibraltar during negotiations with the EU in respect of Gibraltar.

Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

The UK, working side-by-side with the Government of Gibraltar, is committed to concluding a UK-EU treaty as soon as possible. A key objective is to ensure that people and goods can move easily between Gibraltar and the surrounding communities. Together with the Government of Gibraltar we continue to monitor the functioning of the border and raise issues with the Spanish authorities, including at Ministerial level, when required.