Show Search Form

Search Results

registered interest	true false
date	exactly: or between: and
answering body
answering dept id
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name
house id
legislature	pref label
question text
tabling member constituency
tabling member printed
uin
answer	is ministerial correction true false date of answer exactly: or between: and answer text answering member constituency answering member printed question first answered answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

47595

registered interest
date	08/04/2014
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he has taken to assist in the return of occupied Ukranian government buildings to the Ukranian government.
tabling member constituency	Romford
tabling member printed	Andrew Rosindell
uin	195734
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/04/2014 answer text <p>The occupation by armed groups of government buildings in towns in eastern Ukraine is a further dangerous escalation of an already dangerous situation. On 14 April the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague) made a statement condemning these acts and said that it was important that the EU gave a clear, strong and united response. He also called on Russia to repudiate these lawless acts.</p><p>On 17 April, the Foreign Secretary welcomed the commitments made in talks between the EU, US, Ukraine and Russia in Geneva; that all illegally armed groups must be disarmed, all illegally seized buildings must be returned to legitimate owners, and all illegally occupied streets, squares and other public places in Ukrainian cities and towns must be vacated. He said that rapid implementation was essential. On 23 April, he spoke about this issue with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov, urging Russia to take steps to fulfil the Geneva Statement and to de-escalate the situation in eastern and southern Ukraine, including making a clear public statement calling for illegally armed groups in eastern Ukraine to disarm and vacate occupied buildings. He also invited Russian diplomats to join efforts by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Monitoring Mission in the eastern Ukraine.</p><p>The British Government will continue to work closely in support of the government in Ukraine, and encourage Ukraine's political leaders to continue to respond to events calmly and with determination, in order to harness the united efforts of all Ukrainians to work together for a successful future.</p> answering member constituency Aylesbury answering member printed Mr David Lidington question first answered 28/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 15 label Biography information for Sir David Lidington
tabling member	1447 label Biography information for Andrew Rosindell

47596

registered interest
date	08/04/2014
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had about the British Indian Ocean Territory resettlement feasibility study.
tabling member constituency	Romford
tabling member printed	Andrew Rosindell
uin	195738
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/04/2014 answer text <p>The feasibility study has now begun in earnest and the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) Administration continue to welcome views on it. Since the summer of 2013, BIOT officials have carried out three consultations, receiving responses from all major groups representing Chagossians and others with an interest. There will be further key consultation as the study progresses. We have also consulted with the Governments of the United States, Seychelles and Mauritius.</p><p>In November, the Senior Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my noble Friend the right hon. Baroness Warsi, reaffirmed the Government's commitment to look at this issue transparently in response to the Chagos Islands (BIOT) All Party Parliamentary Group's (APPG) debate in the House of Lords. I have exchanged several letters with the Chair of the Chagos Islands (BIOT) APPG about the study and I have also discussed the study with the Mauritian Foreign Minister during a meeting at the African Union Summit in January. I subsequently wrote to the Mauritian Foreign Minister inviting the Mauritian Government's engagement, which they have declined.</p> answering member constituency Boston and Skegness answering member printed Mark Simmonds question first answered 28/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1393 label Biography information for Mark Simmonds
tabling member	1447 label Biography information for Andrew Rosindell

47597

registered interest
date	08/04/2014
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect of the Russian annexation of Crimea on the Moldovan government's commitment to signing an Association Agreement with the EU.
tabling member constituency	Torbay
tabling member printed	Mr Adrian Sanders
uin	195756
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/04/2014 answer text <p>The Government of the Republic of Moldova began to negotiate an Association Agreement with the EU in January 2010. Negotiations concluded in June 2013 and the text was initialled at the Vilnius Eastern Partnership Summit in November 2013. Throughout this period, the Moldovan government has been clear in its wish to achieve signature of the Association Agreement as early as possible. This position has not changed in recent weeks.</p><p>The Conclusions of the European Council held on 20 and 21 March 2014 confirmed the aim of the EU to sign the Association Agreement no later than June 2014. The UK is working with our European partners to ensure the conditions are in place to meet this deadline, including through the appropriate Parliamentary scrutiny.</p><p>The UK supports Moldova's choice of European integration, which will help to bring greater stability, prosperity and democracy to all Moldovan citizens. We have been clear in dealing with Russia that Moldova should be able to make its own choices, including on European integration, without pressure from third countries.</p> answering member constituency Aylesbury answering member printed Mr David Lidington question first answered 28/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 15 label Biography information for Sir David Lidington
tabling member	237 label Biography information for Mr Adrian Sanders

47598

registered interest
date	08/04/2014
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he has taken to draw attention to the persecution of Christians in Vietnam; and what discussions he has had with his counterpart in Vietnam on that matter.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	195903
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/04/2014 answer text <p>We highlight Vietnam as a country of concern in the annual Foreign and Commonwealth Office human rights report published on 10 April.</p><p>Our assessment is the Vietnamese government is allowing more space for religious expression and has increased the number of churches and places of worship approved for use in 2013. In general the Vietnamese are able to practise the religion of their choosing and a number of prominent Ministers, including the Prime Minister, are openly Buddhist.</p><p>The authorities take a harder line when religious groups are involved in political movements, with persecution taking place in this context.</p><p>Our Embassy continues to promote freedom of religion and belief in this atmosphere and meets with leaders of all faiths. In January they accepted a petition by families of Catholic activists on trial and supported an EU statement calling for the Vietnamese to uphold freedom of expression in these cases. Staff also attended meetings, alongside other EU Member States, with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs calling for greater transparency over allegations that authorities had intimidated Catholics in Nghe An province.</p><p>We also make sure to raise our concerns at a Ministerial level at every opportunity – be it through the annual UK-Vietnam Strategic Dialogue in October 2013 or the Foreign Secretary's meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Vu Van Ninh earlier this month. The UK also runs projects deisgned to allow greater scope for civil society to develop and receive basic protections when raising their concerns and pursuing their beliefs.</p> answering member constituency East Devon answering member printed Mr Hugo Swire question first answered 28/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1408 label Biography information for Lord Swire
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

47599

registered interest
date	08/04/2014
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his counterpart in Laos about the persecution of Christians in that country.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	195902
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/04/2014 answer text <p>Our recently re-opened Embassy in Vientiane regularly raises human rights concerns with the Lao government, including their adherence to their international human rights commitments that protect freedom of religion and belief. Laos has seen some improvements in religious freedom over the past decade with a reduction in the number of long-term Christian prisoners of conscience. However, we are aware of cases of Christians being arrested for proselytising. The EU raised these cases at the last EU-Laos Human Rights Dialogue in February 2013 and we will press for it to be raised at the next EU-Laos Human Rights Dialogue which will take place in Brussels in May 2014. We continue to work with the EU and other like-minded partners to raise our concerns about religious freedom with the Lao government.</p> answering member constituency East Devon answering member printed Mr Hugo Swire question first answered 28/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1408 label Biography information for Lord Swire
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

47605

registered interest
date	08/04/2014
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he has made any assessment of the appointment of former Senator Daniel Filmus as head of the Malvinas Secretariat in Argentina.
tabling member constituency	Hexham
tabling member printed	Guy Opperman
uin	195824
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/04/2014 answer text <p>We do not judge that Mr Filmus' appointment marks a significant change in Argentina's policy towards the Falkland Islanders. Rather we understand that Mr Filmus is accountable to Foreign Minister Hector Timerman, who retains overall responsibility for Falklands policy within the Argentine Foreign Ministry.</p> answering member constituency East Devon answering member printed Mr Hugo Swire question first answered 28/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1408 label Biography information for Lord Swire
tabling member	4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman

47606

registered interest
date	08/04/2014
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will call for the immediate release of the seven Baha'i leaders imprisoned in Iran since 14 May 2008.
tabling member constituency	Arfon
tabling member printed	Hywel Williams
uin	195836
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/04/2014 answer text <p>We have repeatedly expressed concern at the sentencing of seven Baha'i leaders in Iran to 20 years imprisonment. We raised the treatment of Baha'is with the UN Special Rapporteur at the UN Human Rights Council in March 2014, and in our contacts with the Iranian authorities. We will continue to call on the Iranian government to ensure that all Iranian citizens are able to exercise their right to freedom of religion, free from persecution and harassment.</p> answering member constituency Faversham and Mid Kent answering member printed Hugh Robertson question first answered 28/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1415 label Biography information for Sir Hugh Robertson
tabling member	1397 label Biography information for Hywel Williams

45742

registered interest
date	27/03/2014
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the independence of the judiciary in Egypt.
tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of Coventry
uin	HL6391
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/04/2014 answer text <p>The new Egyptian constitution, adopted in January 2014, states that the judicial system is independent, and allows the judiciary its own budget, and to appoint the Prosecutor General and members of the Supreme Constitutional Court. We do however have some concerns over recent judicial decisions, including the sentencing to death of 529 people in Minya on 24 March. Reports that many of the defendants were tried in their absence and may not have been represented properly are deeply troubling. We have been urging the Egyptian authorities to ensure that the rights of defendants are fully respected in all cases.</p> answering member printed Baroness Warsi question first answered 23/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 3839 label Biography information for Baroness Warsi
tabling member	4266 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of Coventry

45774

registered interest
date	27/03/2014
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what current plans they have to enhance stability and democracy in Bosnia Herzegovina.
tabling member printed	The Earl of Dundee
uin	HL6423
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/04/2014 answer text <p>The United Kingdom continues to be deeply committed to enhancing stability and democracy in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). The UK is a strong supporter of European Union Force (EUFOR) Operation Althea's maintenance of the safe and secure environment in BiH, and is proud of its contributions in theatre, and through a reserve company, 1 Scots. Our support for BiH's policing has led to our contributing to establishing a trilateral Police Cooperation Centre (PCC) in Trebinje, resulting in more efficient and effective actions being taken between law enforcement agencies in the region. UK Ministers and officials have made clear to BiH's leaders their responsibility for ensuring that their public rhetoric is not inflammatory or ethnically divisive. <br><br>Following the recent protests, we have made clear to BiH's leaders that they need to respond to the population's legitimate desire for change, most recently when the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Rt. Hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), met the BiH Presidency and Foreign Minister on 27 March. During his recent visit the Foreign Secretary met representatives of civil society and plenums and expressed our support to widen the political space in BiH so as to allow citizens to hold politicians to account. <br><br>Part of our work to widen the political space is the recent British BiH Fellowship Programme. A one-month residential programme in the UK designed to equip BiH's future leaders with the skills and experience to lead positive change in their country. <br><br>The Foreign Secretary also announced continuing UK assistance for BiH's path towards EU membership, in the form of new funding to foster democratic governance in Bosnia by strengthening the judiciary, civil society organisations, governance and supporting BiH's EU accession process. Specific examples include political and financial support focused on strengthening the State Court and State Prosecutor's Office, which will improve the operation of Rule of Law systems in BiH. <br><br>In addition, the UK supports the activities of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD), whose work in BiH has focused on equipping local non-governmental organisations with the skills they need to provide effective evidence for parliamentary committees. WFD has done valuable work with BiH's Parliament to raise awareness of the value of such committees. This has influenced positively the formation of legislation, and opened up the process of law-making to public scrutiny, while promoting citizen participation in the democratic process.</p> answering member printed Baroness Warsi question first answered 23/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 3839 label Biography information for Baroness Warsi
tabling member	2735 label Biography information for The Earl of Dundee