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421369

registered interest
date	14/10/2015
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
hansard heading	China: Religious Freedom
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he plans to express concern about persecution of religious groups in China with President Xi Jinping during his visit to the UK.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	11926
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/10/2015 answer text <p>We raise the range of our human rights concerns directly with China. We do so during the annual UK-China Human Rights Dialogue. We also highlight them publicly in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s Annual Report on Human Rights and Democracy (<a href="http://www.hrdreport.fco.gov.uk" target="_blank">www.hrdreport.fco.gov.uk</a>).</p><p>Ministers regularly engage China on human rights. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) did so during the UK-China Strategic Dialogue in Beijing in August, as did the Chancellor of the Exchequer, my right hon. Friend the Member for Tatton (Mr George Osborne) during his visit in September. Discussions during the State Visit will be broad, covering areas both where we agree and disagree.</p> answering member constituency East Devon answering member printed Mr Hugo Swire question first answered 19/10/2015 16:00:55 answering member 1408 label Biography information for Lord Swire
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

421371

registered interest
date	14/10/2015
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
hansard heading	Saudi Arabia: Arms Trade
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 is taking to monitor the use of weapons (a) manufactured in the UK or (b) sold by UK companies to the government of Saudi Arabia to ensure that such sales are compliant with international obligations.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow North
tabling member printed	Patrick Grady
uin	11947
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/10/2015 answer text <p>The Government remains confident that the UK operates one of the most thorough and robust export control and licensing systems in the world. All applications for strategic export control licences for military and dual-use goods are assessed on a case-by-case basis against the Government’s Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria, in a manner consistent with the UK’s international obligations</p><p>The Government is satisfied that extant licences for Saudi Arabia are compliant with the UK’s export licensing criteria. The Government of Saudi Arabia has provided repeated assurances to us that they are complying with international humanitarian law and we continue to engage with them on those assurances.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 19/10/2015 16:05:11 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	4432 label Biography information for Patrick Grady

421372

registered interest
date	14/10/2015
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
hansard heading	Burma: Elections
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 his Department has had with the government of Burma on the possible postponement of elections in that country.
tabling member constituency	Bethnal Green and Bow
tabling member printed	Rushanara Ali
uin	11981
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/10/2015 answer text <p>None. Burma’s Union Election Commission consulted the main political parties on 13 October over the possibility of a postponement to the 8 November general election because of flooding, but decided against such a postponement shortly thereafter.</p> answering member constituency East Devon answering member printed Mr Hugo Swire question first answered 19/10/2015 15:26:06 answering member 1408 label Biography information for Lord Swire
tabling member	4138 label Biography information for Rushanara Ali

421374

registered interest
date	14/10/2015
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
hansard heading	Saudi Arabia: Arms Trade
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received of weapons (a) manufactured in the UK or (b) sold by companies based in the UK being used by the government of Saudi Arabia in the military conflict in Yemen.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow North
tabling member printed	Patrick Grady
uin	11948
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/10/2015 answer text <p>Munitions are supplied to the Saudi Air Force under pre-existing contractual arrangements. UK companies are providing precision guided Paveway weapons. The Royal Saudi Air Force is flying British built aircraft in the campaign over Yemen, but this does not represent a direct UK involvement in operations. The UK operates one of the most rigorous and transparent export control regimes in the world. All exports of military and dual-use goods are assessed on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria. We are satisfied that extant licences for Saudi Arabia are compliant with the Consolidated Criteria.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 19/10/2015 16:03:59 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	4432 label Biography information for Patrick Grady

421376

registered interest
date	14/10/2015
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
hansard heading	Colombia: Peace Negotiations
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 implications for peace talks in Colombia of the on-going violence perpetrated by paramilitaries in that country.
tabling member constituency	Foyle
tabling member printed	Mark Durkan
uin	11986
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/10/2015 answer text <p>We strongly believe that the best way to achieve a sustainable peace in Colombia after decades of conflict is through the current Peace Process. We welcome the announcement by both sides on 23 September, on an agreement for justice and victims' reparations. The agreement ends any notion of impunity, including those alleged to be involved in Paramilitary groups.</p><p>Our Embassy in Bogotá receives regular reporting on the security and human rights situation in Colombia from a range of sources including non-governmental organisations operating in Colombia. This includes allegations of abuses by paramilitary groups such as attacks against leaders of land restitution claims and human rights defenders. The majority of such abuses continue to take place in areas affected by the ongoing conflict. We remain concerned about the ongoing activity of paramilitary forces operating in Colombia and we continue to raise this issue of Human rights regularly with the Colombian authorities.</p> answering member constituency East Devon answering member printed Mr Hugo Swire question first answered 19/10/2015 15:28:45 answering member 1408 label Biography information for Lord Swire
tabling member	1594 label Biography information for Mark Durkan

421379

registered interest
date	14/10/2015
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
hansard heading	Syria: Russia
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 implications for his policies of the Russian intervention in Syria; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
uin	12012
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/10/2015 answer text We remain committed to seeking a political solution to the conflict. Russia’s intervention in Syria, including targeting the moderate opposition, has complicated an already difficult situation. We are actively engaging with international partners to address this and to reinvigorate a political process that leads to a solution based on the principles of the Geneva Communiqué. answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 19/10/2015 16:36:23 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

421380

registered interest
date	14/10/2015
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
hansard heading	Libya: Freezing of Assets
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 make it his policy to ensure that interest earned on Libyan assets frozen in the UK is used to compensate the victims of IRA/Libyan-sponsored violence; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	North Down
tabling member printed	Lady Hermon
uin	11988
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/10/2015 answer text <p>There is no legal basis upon which the UK could re-direct Libyan assets or the interest accrued to individuals for the purposes of compensation. Regarding assets which belonged to Qadhafi or other regime figures, the UN Security Council has stipulated that when these are unfrozen, they will be made available to, and for the benefit of the Libyan people. For the duration of time that these assets are frozen, they and any interest they accrue will be governed in accordance with the specific sanctions in place over the individuals or entities to which the assets belong. In this case, the asset freezing measures are set out under EU Regulation 204/2011 which prohibits the release of frozen funds and the interest accrued belonging to listed individuals or entities except in very specific circumstances, which do not apply here.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 19/10/2015 14:54:07 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	1437 label Biography information for Lady Hermon

419694

registered interest
date	05/10/2015
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
hansard heading	Saudi Arabia: Religious Freedom
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of Saudi Arabia’s human rights record, and in particular its commitment to freedom of religion or belief.
tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of Bristol
uin	HL2397
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/10/2015 answer text <p>Saudi Arabia is a Foreign &amp; Commonwealth Office priority country because of the human rights situation, particularly on the death penalty, access to justice, women’s rights, restrictions on freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and freedom of religion or belief. The British Government strongly supports the right to freedom of religion or belief. Islamic law is strictly enforced in Saudi Arabia and the public practice of any form of religion other than Islam is illegal. The Saudi authorities do accept foreign workers privately practising religions other than Islam. <br> <br>We believe that the key to increasing freedom in this area is to focus on tolerance. We have worked with Saudi Arabia to identify areas where different faiths could work together and foster trust.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 13/10/2015 14:40:17 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	3892 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of Bristol

419695

registered interest
date	05/10/2015
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
hansard heading	Saudi Arabia: UN Human Rights Council
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the appointment of Saudi Arabia to head a panel at the UN Human Rights Council.
tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of Bristol
uin	HL2398
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/10/2015 answer text <p>The appointment of the Saudi Arabian Ambassador to the UN Consultative Group as Chair was an internal decision of the Consultative Group, which is comprised of five Ambassadors, one from each of the five regional groups of the UN. The Saudi Arabian Ambassador is the Asian Group representative in the Consultative Group, to which appointment lasts for one year.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 13/10/2015 14:40:58 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	3892 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of Bristol

419696

registered interest
date	05/10/2015
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
hansard heading	Ali Mohammed al-Nimr
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the decision by the Supreme Court in Saudi Arabia to uphold the sentencing of Ali Mohammed al-Nimr, who was arrested as a juvenile, to death by crucifixion for seeking democratic reforms in that country.
tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of Coventry
uin	HL2399
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/10/2015 answer text <p>The British Government is very concerned about the case of Ali Mohammed Al-Nimr. We have raised this case with the Saudi Arabian authorities at a senior level including by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond). We will continue to follow this case closely. The UK opposes the death penalty in all circumstances and in every country, especially in cases which do not meet the minimum standards defined by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. This includes the execution of a minor and the use of the death penalty for a crime which isn’t deemed “the most serious”.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 13/10/2015 14:41:38 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	4266 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of Coventry