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79578

	registered interest
	date	23/07/2014
	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
	hansard heading	Russia
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what criteria they are using to assess the impact and effectiveness of current European Union sanctions on Russia.
	tabling member printed	The Marquess of Lothian
	uin	HL1476
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/08/2014 answer text We judge the impact and effectiveness of sanctions based on a range of economic and political factors. Sanctions are designed to impose a cost for Russia’s actions in Ukraine, deter further escalation of this crisis, and support the wider diplomatic effort. EU measures already announced have exacerbated negative trends in Russia’s economy; capital flight in the first half of 2014 was greater than for the whole of 2013; and we have seen a significant reduction in expected growth. Russian access to western financial markets will be severely constrained as lenders consider the risks of Russian exposure in the current climate. The strengthening of sanctions should signal clearly to the Russian leadership that their policy of trying to destabilise Ukraine will have a cost for the Russian economy. The EU’s measures have in-built review mechanisms. The sanctions implemented on 31 July are in force for one year, with a review of implementation after three months. answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 11/08/2014 10:28:37 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
	tabling member	259 label Biography information for The Marquess of Lothian

91876

	registered interest
	date	26/09/2014
	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
	hansard heading	Middle East
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they (1) have made, and (2) intend to make, to the government of Israel about the full lifting of the blockade on Gaza.
	tabling member printed	The Marquess of Lothian
	uin	HL1934
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/10/2014 answer text <p>Our ambassador in Tel Aviv most recently raised the issue of Gaza with the Israeli National Security Adviser on 15 September. They discussed Israel permitting the transfer of goods to the West Bank, and exports to Israel. Since the 26 August ceasefire our Ambassador has also made the case to Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s Middle East Peace Process negotiator, his Cabinet Secretary, his National Security Advisor, his Chief of Staff, and his Trade, Finance and Justice Ministers, that the opening up of transfers/exports from the private sector in Gaza and a broader lifting of restrictions would address one of the fundamental drivers of instability in Gaza.</p><p>Our officials in Tel Aviv will continue to lobby Israeli officials in future meetings on the issue of movement and access in Gaza.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 13/10/2014 13:43:01 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
	tabling member	259 label Biography information for The Marquess of Lothian

91877

	registered interest
	date	26/09/2014
	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
	hansard heading	Syria
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government which moderate rebel forces they are supporting in Syria; and whether they will set out the criteria by which those groups have been selected for support.
	tabling member printed	The Marquess of Lothian
	uin	HL1935
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/10/2014 answer text <p>The UK provides non-lethal assistance to units of the Free Syrian Army, which has close links to the Syrian National Coalition. Recipients of this assistance are carefully selected to ensure that assistance is not being given to those involved in extremist activities or human rights violations.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 13/10/2014 13:42:19 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
	tabling member	259 label Biography information for The Marquess of Lothian

91878

	registered interest
	date	26/09/2014
	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
	hansard heading	Islamic State
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimates have been made of the quantities of western-manufactured weapons currently held by ISIL; and when and how they were obtained.
	tabling member printed	The Marquess of Lothian
	uin	HL1936
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/10/2014 answer text <p>It is very difficult to estimate the quantities of weapons held by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and their sourcing. It is likely that ISIL has obtained its weaponry from a variety of sources, and it is extremely difficult to estimate with any degree of useful accuracy how many specifically western manufactured weapons are currently held by ISIL (as opposed to western designs copied by other countries). We remain deeply concerned about the ability of terrorist groups in Iraq and Syria to acquire weapons and commit atrocities.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 13/10/2014 13:41:48 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
	tabling member	259 label Biography information for The Marquess of Lothian

92820

	registered interest
	date	13/10/2014
	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
	hansard heading	Libya
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they expect to restore full British diplomatic activity in Libya.
	tabling member printed	The Marquess of Lothian
	uin	HL2056
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2014 answer text <p>Our Embassy in Tripoli has been temporarily closed since 6 August, due to ongoing fighting and instability. The safety and security of our staff is paramount: we will re-open the Embassy in Libya when the security situation has improved sufficiently to keep our staff safe. A small team of British diplomats focused on relations with Libya are currently working from our Embassy in Tunis, as well as a team in London. Our core diplomatic activity also includes the work of the Prime Minister’s Special Envoy, Jonathan Powell, who is continuing to work with the UN on the ground in Libya to pursue mediation efforts to agree a negotiated political settlement, which offers the best hope of stability for the country.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 21/10/2014 14:21:21 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
	tabling member	259 label Biography information for The Marquess of Lothian

92821

	registered interest
	date	13/10/2014
	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
	hansard heading	Islamic State
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what information they have on the external funding of ISIL; and what discussions have been held with the governments of (1) Saudi Arabia, and (2) Qatar, on the external funding of ISIL.
	tabling member printed	The Marquess of Lothian
	uin	HL2057
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/10/2014 answer text <p>The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL)’s main sources of revenue come from oil sales and extortion. Other sources have included foreign donors, kidnap ransom payments, and money stolen during its advances in recent months.</p><p> </p><p>As part of our strategy to combat ISIL the UK led work on UN Security Council Resolution 2170 which was adopted unanimously on 15 August. It condemns ISIL, the al-Nusra front and other terrorist groups listed under Al-Qaida sanctions. The resolution urges members to take measures to choke ISIL’s sources of finance.</p><p> </p><p>We are working with countries in the Middle East to counter the threat from terrorists and extremists across the region. Combating ISIL and degrading its financial support is a priority and we continue to discuss these issues with our partners, including Saudi Arabia and Qatar.</p><p> </p><p>We are working closely with all our international partners to intensify efforts to stem ISIL’s funding flows.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 22/10/2014 16:05:26 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
	tabling member	259 label Biography information for The Marquess of Lothian

92822

	registered interest
	date	13/10/2014
	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
	hansard heading	Sahel
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the threat posed by Islamists across the Sahel.
	tabling member printed	The Marquess of Lothian
	uin	HL2058
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/10/2014 answer text <p>Terrorist groups operating in the Sahel and surrounding regions continue to pose a threat to British nationals and interests in the region. Active groups include Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and Al Murabitun. They aspire to establish Islamic law in the region and to attack Western interests. A group linked to Al Murabitun claimed responsibility for an attack on the UN peacekeeping Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) on 3 October in which nine peacekeepers were killed. On 7 October another peacekeeper was killed in a rocket attack on a MINUSMA base. We are committed to working with our partners to strengthen the capacity of MINUSMA and the affected nations to counter this threat.</p><p> </p><p>Foreign and Commonwealth Office Travel Advice gives our most accurate assessment of the threat from terrorism to British nationals in the countries across the Sahel. Travel Advice on the Sahel is included in the page for each country in the region and is available on our website at: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice. We encourage all individuals and organisations to take that advice into account when travelling.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 22/10/2014 15:55:05 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
	tabling member	259 label Biography information for The Marquess of Lothian

92824

	registered interest
	date	13/10/2014
	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
	hansard heading	Islamic State
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they first became aware of the development and growth of ISIL in Syria before its incursion into Iraq.
	tabling member printed	The Marquess of Lothian
	uin	HL2060
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/10/2014 answer text <p>The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) grew out of Al Qaida in Iraq [AQ-I] which has been operating there since 2003.</p><p>Press reporting from 2012 stated that AQ-I fighters were travelling over the border into Syria as the country emerged as the primary “jihadi theatre.” But ISIL’s presence in Syria was publicly announced by a declaration from Al Qaida in Iraq (AQ-I) leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi of its merger with Al Nusrah Front (ANF) in April 2013. The merger was subsequently rejected by the ANF.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 22/10/2014 15:43:01 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
	tabling member	259 label Biography information for The Marquess of Lothian

93722

	registered interest
	date	16/10/2014
	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
	hansard heading	Libya
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the last ministerial visit to Libya took place; and what plans they have for future visits.
	tabling member printed	The Marquess of Lothian
	uin	HL2146
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/10/2014 answer text The former Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), visited Tripoli in March 2014. The former Minister of State at the Department for International Development, my right hon. Friend the Member for Rutland and Melton (Sir Alan Duncan), visited on 22 June. Our Embassy in Tripoli has been temporarily closed since 6 August due to ongoing fighting and instability in Libya. The Prime Minister’s Special Envoy to the Libyan Political Transition, Jonathan Powell, visited Libya on 11 October in support of efforts being led by the UN to agree a ceasefire and political settlement. Until such time as the security situation improves, there are no plans for Ministerial visits to Libya. answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 23/10/2014 15:07:54 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
	tabling member	259 label Biography information for The Marquess of Lothian

93724

	registered interest
	date	16/10/2014
	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
	hansard heading	Middle East
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of ISIL on Christian communities in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon; and what plans there are to protect such communities.
	tabling member printed	The Marquess of Lothian
	uin	HL2148
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/10/2014 answer text <p>The humanitarian reports from Iraq, Syria and elsewhere in the region are deeply concerning. The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and associated armed groups continue to commit atrocities against Muslims, Christians, Yezidis, Turkmen and other communities throughout the areas under their control. We condemn any and all abuses of human rights, including those against Christians.</p><p>We are working closely with our international partners, including in the region, to try to assist and protect civilians - including Christians - from ISIL through a long-term, comprehensive strategy to degrade and defeat this terrorist organisation.</p><p>This strategy is being delivered by a large international coalition, where UK actions complement, and are coordinated with, those of other actors. It has security, political and humanitarian dimensions. For example, in Iraq, we are carrying out airstrikes against ISIL and are providing military assistance to the Kurdish Peshmerga forces so that they can restore control over the areas taken by ISIL. In Syria, we support military action by the US and five Arab states against ISIL; we are supporting the Syrian moderate opposition, who are fighting ISIL; and we continue to work for a political transition: when it comes to tackling ISIL, Assad is part of the problem, not part of the solution. In Lebanon, we continue to press for the election of a President, strengthen municipalities and support the Lebanese Armed Forces reassert state authority in their border regions On the humanitarian front, we continue to provide swift and substantial assistance to those who have fled areas controlled by ISIL, including air drops to deliver aid to those trapped by ISIL. On the diplomatic front, at the Human Rights Council in September we, alongside our international partners, secured a resolution strongly condemning ISIL and stressing the need for accountability.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 24/10/2014 12:33:27 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
	tabling member	259 label Biography information for The Marquess of Lothian