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447231

registered interest
date	25/01/2016
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	Iran: Saudi Arabia
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 21 January 2016 to Question 22858, on the basis of the evidence seen by the Government, what assessment he has made of who was responsible for the damage to the Iranian Embassy in Sana'a.
tabling member constituency	Leeds Central
tabling member printed	Hilary Benn
uin	23905
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/01/2016 answer text <p>It is important to determine the facts of any incident. From current evidence we have seen, it does not appear that a Saudi airstrike hit the Iranian Embassy. We are continuing to work with all parties to de-escalate regional tensions.</p> answering member constituency Runnymede and Weybridge answering member printed Mr Philip Hammond question first answered 28/01/2016 16:32:18 answering member 105 label Biography information for Lord Hammond of Runnymede
tabling member	413 label Biography information for Hilary Benn

447233

registered interest
date	25/01/2016
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	Human Rights
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he plans to publish the Human Rights and Democracy Report 2015.
tabling member constituency	Leeds Central
tabling member printed	Hilary Benn
uin	23908
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/01/2016 answer text The FCO plans to publish the 2015 Human Rights and Democracy Report in April 2016. answering member constituency Runnymede and Weybridge answering member printed Mr Philip Hammond question first answered 28/01/2016 16:34:50 answering member 105 label Biography information for Lord Hammond of Runnymede
tabling member	413 label Biography information for Hilary Benn

447234

registered interest
date	25/01/2016
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	Human Rights
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether his Department plans to use the criteria for identifying human rights countries of concern first published in the 2012 annual human rights and democracy report in the next edition of that report.
tabling member constituency	Leeds Central
tabling member printed	Hilary Benn
uin	23907
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/01/2016 answer text <p>For the 2015 Annual Human Rights Report, the FCO is applying the following criteria in identifying human rights priority countries: <br>• the human rights situation in the country <br>• evidence of a trajectory of change <br>• the extent of the FCO’s work on human rights in that country.</p> answering member constituency Runnymede and Weybridge answering member printed Mr Philip Hammond question first answered 28/01/2016 16:36:13 answering member 105 label Biography information for Lord Hammond of Runnymede
tabling member	413 label Biography information for Hilary Benn

447238

registered interest
date	25/01/2016
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	Burundi: Armed Conflict
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 Burundian counterparts on its government (a) halting violence involving its security forces, (b) engaging in dialogue with opponents and (c) accepting the presence of 5,000 African Union peacekeepers within its borders; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Harrow West
tabling member printed	Gareth Thomas
uin	23914
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/01/2016 answer text <p>The UK is playing a lead role in building a single, consistent international response to the crisis in Burundi. In mid-December, I visited Burundi and urged the Burundian Government in the strongest terms to take steps to end the violence that has gripped the country. I stressed that only an inclusive dialogue would foster the conditions for the people of Burundi to be able to live their lives in safety and security. On 5 January I wrote to the Minister of External Relations and International Cooperation, Alain Nyamitwe, urging him to do everything in his power to ensure that his government attends, without preconditions, the next round of the Inter Burundi Dialogue in Arusha. At the African Union Summit this week I will urge the Burundian Government to accept the deployment of troops being offered by the African Union to protect civilians, re-establish security and create the conditions on the ground for reconciliation to take place. I also regularly raise the issue of Burundi with Foreign Ministers and Envoys in the region, to encourage a regional response to the crisis.</p> answering member constituency Rochford and Southend East answering member printed James Duddridge question first answered 28/01/2016 15:05:51 answering member 1559 label Biography information for Sir James Duddridge
tabling member	177 label Biography information for Gareth Thomas

447372

registered interest
date	25/01/2016
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	British Overseas Territories: Taxation
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the written statement by Baroness Anelay of St Johns on 15 December 2015, HLWS393, what elements constitute a similarly effective system for tax information exchange and company beneficial ownership information.
tabling member constituency	Westmorland and Lonsdale
tabling member printed	Tim Farron
uin	23933
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/01/2016 answer text <p>We have asked the Overseas Territories to implement either a central register of company beneficial ownership, or a similarly effective system, which meets the following criteria:<br>a) UK law enforcement and tax authorities must be able to access company beneficial ownership information without restriction, subject to relevant safeguards;<br>b) These competent authorities should be able to quickly identify all companies that a particular beneficial owner has a stake in without needing to submit multiple and repeated requests; and<br>c) Companies or their beneficial owners must not be alerted to the fact that an investigation is underway.</p><p>We are continuing our dialogue with the Overseas Territories and have offered technical support as they develop their proposals.</p><p>The Overseas Territories have shown their commitment to tax information exchange by being early adopters of the new OECD global standard on tax transparency with the first exchange of data taking place in 2017. They have also had the Multilateral Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance on Tax Matters extended to them.</p> answering member constituency Rochford and Southend East answering member printed James Duddridge question first answered 28/01/2016 15:07:27 answering member 1559 label Biography information for Sir James Duddridge
tabling member	1591 label Biography information for Tim Farron

447375

registered interest
date	25/01/2016
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	Human Rights
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, for what reason the county of concern category was removed from his Department's annual human rights report.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Hall Green
tabling member printed	Mr Roger Godsiff
uin	23935
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/01/2016 answer text <p>From 2016, we will term the countries in the FCO’s Annual Human Rights Report “Human Rights Priority Countries” rather than “Countries of Concern”. This change is a better reflection of the new criteria underpinning our country reporting, which were amended following feedback from external stakeholders, including the House of Commons' Foreign Affairs Select Committee. The term “Human Rights Priority Countries” is a better indication of the FCO’s proactive and practical engagement on human rights in the priority countries that we work in.</p> answering member constituency Aylesbury answering member printed Mr David Lidington question first answered 28/01/2016 15:19:49 answering member 15 label Biography information for Sir David Lidington
tabling member	304 label Biography information for Mr Roger Godsiff

447381

registered interest
date	25/01/2016
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	Goa: EU Nationals
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what progress he has been made with his EU counterparts on resolving the issue of the confiscation of property held by EU nationals in Goa.
tabling member constituency	East Worthing and Shoreham
tabling member printed	Tim Loughton
uin	24073
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/01/2016 answer text <p>Joint lobbying with EU counterparts has not been pursued because those affected are predominately UK nationals. Our High Commission has consistently lobbied the Goan government and local authorities on the main issues relating to property disputes involving British nationals. This has lead to contact between the UK nationals in the Goa Property Working Group and officials working for the Goa Property Committee, the relevant Indian government body.</p> answering member constituency East Devon answering member printed Mr Hugo Swire question first answered 28/01/2016 16:38:16 answering member 1408 label Biography information for Lord Swire
tabling member	114 label Biography information for Tim Loughton

447384

registered interest
date	25/01/2016
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	Goa: British Nationals Abroad
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 hold further discussions with the Indian government on the confiscation of property held by UK nationals in Goa.
tabling member constituency	East Worthing and Shoreham
tabling member printed	Tim Loughton
uin	24074
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/01/2016 answer text <p>All confiscation orders are issued following an investigation by the Enforcement Directorate and can be appealed. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is not able to interfere in local investigations. However, we continue to identify opportunities to raise property issues at the appropriate levels. As an example, in December, our Acting High Commissioner to India met the Chairman of the Goa Property Working Group as well as the Goa Chief Minister. Our offices in New Delhi, Mumbai and Goa have facilitated contact between the UK nationals in the Goa Property Working Group and officials working for the Goa Property Committee, the relevant Indian government body. The Property Working Group have reported significant progress has been made. We continue to assist them through our lobbying.</p> answering member constituency East Devon answering member printed Mr Hugo Swire question first answered 28/01/2016 16:40:07 answering member 1408 label Biography information for Lord Swire
tabling member	114 label Biography information for Tim Loughton

447390

registered interest
date	25/01/2016
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	Capital Punishment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the blog item on his Department's website, entitled FCO - Abolition of the death penalty remains a high priority, published on 4 August 2015, which countries have caused concern by their increased use of the death penalty.
tabling member constituency	Leeds Central
tabling member printed	Hilary Benn
uin	23995
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/01/2016 answer text The long-term trend is for the number of executions carried out and the number of states continuing to execute, to reduce each year. The Government’s hope and expectation is that this trend will continue. It is therefore a matter of concern when states which have refrained from executing for some years revert to use of the death penalty. One such country is Pakistan, which lifted its seven year moratorium on executions in 2014 following the attack on a school in Peshawar. Since then, Pakistan has executed an estimated 340 people. Our comprehensive list of countries of concern can be found in the 2014 Annual Human Rights Report, which includes our concerns with countries such as Saudi Arabia and their use of the death penalty. We continue to oppose its use in all forms, in all countries. answering member constituency Runnymede and Weybridge answering member printed Mr Philip Hammond question first answered 28/01/2016 17:48:06 answering member 105 label Biography information for Lord Hammond of Runnymede
tabling member	413 label Biography information for Hilary Benn

446792

registered interest
date	21/01/2016
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	Israel: Palestinians
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has received on the case of the Hares Boys; what discussions he has had with the Israeli authorities on that case; and what information he holds on the current situation.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Northfield
tabling member printed	Richard Burden
uin	23710
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/01/2016 answer text <p>The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has received a number of parliamentary questions from Members of the House of Commons, letters from Members of Parliament on behalf of their constituents and letters and emails from members of the public on the case of the Hares Boys.</p><p>An official from our Embassy in Tel Aviv met Chief Military Prosecutor, Maurice Hirsch, on 23 November to raise our concerns over this case in addition to our broader concerns about Israel’s child detention policy. We were informed by the Chief Military Prosecutor that the Hares boys agreed to a plea bargain resulting in their imprisonment for 15 years. We continue to monitor developments in the case of the Hares boys and raise the issue with the Israeli authorities.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 28/01/2016 15:04:44 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	301 label Biography information for Richard Burden