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1627743

registered interest
date	15/05/2023
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Passports: Educational Visits
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for the Home Department on the potential merits of introducing collective passports for educational groups visiting the UK.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Alyn Smith
uin	185122
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/05/2023 answer text <p>The Foreign Secretary regularly speaks to his counterparts on a range of issues.</p><p>The UK is a signatory to the 1961 Council of Europe treaty which provides for collective passports for young people. Continued acceptance of these passports from those who have ratified the treaty is current practice. The UK has not left the Council of Europe.</p><p>Whilst it remains current policy to continue to accept collective passports issued by signatories to the treaty, as part of our Points Based Immigration System, it is our intention to move to a position where everyone obtains an individual permission from the Home Office in advance of travel and so in the future we are likely to require individual documents.</p><p>It should be noted several EU countries have declared they will no longer accept a collective passport issued by the UK under this treaty.</p> answering member constituency Aldershot answering member printed Leo Docherty question first answered 19/05/2023 07:55:34 answering member 4600 label Biography information for Leo Docherty
tabling member	4738 label Biography information for Alyn Smith

1627297

registered interest
date	12/05/2023
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	EU Countries: Overseas Students
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with the (a) Home Secretary and (b) Secretary of State for Education on improving access to UK universities for students from EU countries.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Alyn Smith
uin	184845
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/05/2023 answer text <p>International students make a significant economic and cultural contribution to the UK's higher education sector. They enrich the university experience for all students, including those from the UK themselves. They bring greater diversity to university and college campuses adding an international dimension. For both international and domestic students, this cultural exchange helps build life-long friendships, future networks, and important business, political and diplomatic bridges.</p><p>We fully anticipate the UK continuing to be an attractive destination for EU students and for students from across the globe.</p><p>The Foreign Secretary speaks to his counterparts on a range of collective issues.</p> answering member constituency Aldershot answering member printed Leo Docherty grouped question UIN 184846 question first answered 18/05/2023 08:00:28 answering member 4600 label Biography information for Leo Docherty
tabling member	4738 label Biography information for Alyn Smith

1627298

registered interest
date	12/05/2023
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Overseas Students: Visas
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for (a) Education and (b) the Home Department on reducing (i) barriers and (ii) costs of obtaining visas for EU students studying at UK universities.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Alyn Smith
uin	184846
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/05/2023 answer text <p>International students make a significant economic and cultural contribution to the UK's higher education sector. They enrich the university experience for all students, including those from the UK themselves. They bring greater diversity to university and college campuses adding an international dimension. For both international and domestic students, this cultural exchange helps build life-long friendships, future networks, and important business, political and diplomatic bridges.</p><p>We fully anticipate the UK continuing to be an attractive destination for EU students and for students from across the globe.</p><p>The Foreign Secretary speaks to his counterparts on a range of collective issues.</p> answering member constituency Aldershot answering member printed Leo Docherty grouped question UIN 184845 question first answered 18/05/2023 08:00:29 answering member 4600 label Biography information for Leo Docherty
tabling member	4738 label Biography information for Alyn Smith

1627299

registered interest
date	12/05/2023
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	EU Countries: Electricity Interconnectors
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has held discussions with the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero on the installation of additional interconnectors to EU countries, including in the North Sea.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Alyn Smith
uin	184847
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/05/2023 answer text <p>The Foreign Secretary and Minister for Europe work closely on energy issues with colleagues in the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. At present, three interconnector projects to Denmark, Ireland and Germany are in construction. A further two interconnector projects to France hold regulatory approval in Great Britain. On 24 April 2023, the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero attended the North Seas Summit in Ostend where the UK signed a declaration for the coordinated development of the North Seas with neighbouring North Seas countries.</p> answering member constituency Berwick-upon-Tweed answering member printed Anne-Marie Trevelyan question first answered 18/05/2023 10:37:21 answering member 4531 label Biography information for Anne-Marie Trevelyan
tabling member	4738 label Biography information for Alyn Smith

1626929

registered interest
date	11/05/2023
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has taken steps to consult the devolved Administrations on the negotiating objectives for the upcoming review of the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement in 2026.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Alyn Smith
uin	184732
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2023 answer text <p>The UK Government is committed to maximising the potential of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement for the benefit of UK citizens, businesses and civil society.</p><p>The government regularly consults the Devolved Administrations on implementing the Trade and Cooperation Agreement.</p> answering member constituency Aldershot answering member printed Leo Docherty question first answered 16/05/2023 07:42:07 answering member 4600 label Biography information for Leo Docherty
tabling member	4738 label Biography information for Alyn Smith

1626944

registered interest
date	11/05/2023
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	European Economic and Social Committee
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether it is his Department’s policy to work towards gaining Observer Status on the European Economic and Social Committee.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Alyn Smith
uin	184735
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2023 answer text <p>It is not the Department's policy to gain observer status on the European Economic and Social Committee.</p> answering member constituency Aldershot answering member printed Leo Docherty question first answered 16/05/2023 09:11:58 answering member 4600 label Biography information for Leo Docherty
tabling member	4738 label Biography information for Alyn Smith

1625152

registered interest
date	02/05/2023
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Seas and Oceans: Environment Protection
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of negotiating a universal declaration of ocean rights.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Alyn Smith
uin	183558
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/05/2023 answer text <p>The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) provides the overarching legal framework for the governance of the ocean. Numerous other agreements at a global and regional level add greater detail. These cover issues including shipping and safety, fishing, and environmental protection. The draft text of an international legally binding instrument under UNCLOS on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction - the BBNJ Agreement - was agreed at the UN in March. This is a landmark agreement for biodiversity and will mean much greater protection for over 60 per cent of the global ocean. It is unclear what added value a universal declaration of ocean rights would achieve.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 12/05/2023 15:07:21 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
tabling member	4738 label Biography information for Alyn Smith

1609715

registered interest
date	14/04/2023
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Pakistan: Elections
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his counterparts in Pakistan on the operation of free, fair and safe elections in that country.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Alyn Smith
uin	179848
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/04/2023 answer text <p>We have frequent contact with the Government on Pakistan on a wide range of issues. We respect Pakistan's democratic system and do not interfere in its internal political affairs. We will continue to engage regularly with the Government of Pakistan to advance our shared priorities and interests, including on human rights, freedom of expression and upholding democratic norms.</p> answering member constituency Aldershot answering member printed Leo Docherty question first answered 24/04/2023 16:03:35 answering member 4600 label Biography information for Leo Docherty
tabling member	4738 label Biography information for Alyn Smith

1580801

registered interest
date	25/01/2023
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Confucius Institutes
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential relationship between Confucius Institutes in the UK and the (a) United Front Work Department and (b) Propaganda Department of the Chinese Communist Party.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Alyn Smith
uin	132594
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/02/2023 answer text <p>The Government is committed to supporting the UK education sector to engage with China in a way that reflects the UK's values and takes account of national security concerns. Where we have clear evidence of behaviours that threaten our national security, we will of course act accordingly. However, as a matter of long-standing policy we will not comment on intelligence matters.</p> answering member constituency Berwick-upon-Tweed answering member printed Anne-Marie Trevelyan question first answered 03/02/2023 12:49:36 answering member 4531 label Biography information for Anne-Marie Trevelyan
tabling member	4738 label Biography information for Alyn Smith

1580802

registered interest
date	25/01/2023
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	China-Britain Business Council
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made for the implication of its policies of the Chinese-British Business Council and its ties to the United Front Work Department and the Propaganda Department of the Chinese Communist Party.
tabling member constituency	Stirling
tabling member printed	Alyn Smith
uin	132595
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/02/2023 answer text <p>The UK Government is committed to supporting UK businesses and academia to engage with China in a way that reflects the UK's values and takes account of national security concerns. The UK is a world-leading destination for international students and we have robust procedures in place to protect against any undue foreign influence.</p> answering member constituency Berwick-upon-Tweed answering member printed Anne-Marie Trevelyan grouped question UIN 132596 question first answered 03/02/2023 12:59:07 answering member 4531 label Biography information for Anne-Marie Trevelyan
tabling member	4738 label Biography information for Alyn Smith