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1138231

	registered interest
	date	10/07/2019
	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	Diplomatic Service: Disclosure of Information
	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 adequacy of the process for (a) distributing and (b) grading of diplomatic telegrams of a sensitive nature; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Mid Sussex
	tabling member printed	Sir Nicholas Soames
	uin	275645
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/07/2019 answer text <p>Sir Simon McDonald, Permanent Under Secretary at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) gave evidence to the Foreign Affairs Committee on 10 July on the recent leak of classified information official documents, which covered Diplomatic Telegrams. Formal correspondence from diplomats, including these, is marked either OFFICIAL, OFFICIAL SENSITIVE or SECRET in line with government policy.</p><p>We use the Cabinet Office Government Security Classification policy as a guide to classifying all FCO information and its subsequent handling. We are confident we have good security systems. Nevertheless we are reviewing how they are functioning in light of recent events. The new cross-government SECRET system developed by the Cabinet Office now also provides enhanced secure communication in the majority of our posts around the world and across government.</p> answering member constituency Rutland and Melton answering member printed Sir Alan Duncan question first answered 15/07/2019 14:57:22 answering member 343 label Biography information for Sir Alan Duncan
	tabling member	116 label Biography information for Lord Soames of Fletching

1129603

	registered interest
	date	04/06/2019
	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	Belarus: Foreign Relations
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the UK's policy is toward Belarus.
	tabling member constituency	Mid Sussex
	tabling member printed	Sir Nicholas Soames
	uin	259814
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2019 answer text <p>UK engagement in Europe's Eastern Neighbourhood is focused on building regional stability, encouraging reform and promoting prosperity. For Belarus, this means encouraging economic reform, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and more responsible participation in the international rules-based system.</p> answering member constituency Rutland and Melton answering member printed Sir Alan Duncan question first answered 10/06/2019 15:54:27 answering member 343 label Biography information for Sir Alan Duncan
	tabling member	116 label Biography information for Lord Soames of Fletching

1129604

	registered interest
	date	04/06/2019
	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	Belarus: Diplomatic Relations
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent diplomatic activity there has been with Belarus.
	tabling member constituency	Mid Sussex
	tabling member printed	Sir Nicholas Soames
	uin	259815
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2019 answer text <p>The UK has steadily increased its engagement with Belarus since the release of political prisoners in August 2015 and consequent lifting of the majority of EU Restrictive Measures in February 2016. I met President Lukashenka and Foreign Minister Makei in October 2017 in Minsk and FM Makei again in London in March 2018. I last met the Belarusian Ambassador on 30 April. Our officials maintain regular discussions with their Belarusian counterparts, via our Embassy in Minsk, and through multilateral fora, such as the EU, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and UN.</p> answering member constituency Rutland and Melton answering member printed Sir Alan Duncan question first answered 10/06/2019 15:56:40 answering member 343 label Biography information for Sir Alan Duncan
	tabling member	116 label Biography information for Lord Soames of Fletching

1126663

	registered interest
	date	14/05/2019
	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	Turkey: Foreign Relations
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the objectives of the Government's diplomatic and political policy on Turkey are for 2019; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Mid Sussex
	tabling member printed	Sir Nicholas Soames
	uin	254056
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/05/2019 answer text <p>​The Government will continue to strengthen our partnership with Turkey in order to make both countries safer and more prosperous. This includes working together to support regional stability, partnering on counter terrorism, growing bilateral trade and investment, and upholding the full protection of fundamental rights domestically and internationally.</p> answering member constituency Rutland and Melton answering member printed Sir Alan Duncan question first answered 20/05/2019 12:49:05 answering member 343 label Biography information for Sir Alan Duncan
	tabling member	116 label Biography information for Lord Soames of Fletching

1126182

	registered interest
	date	13/05/2019
	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	Hungary: Foreign Relations
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the objectives of the Government’s diplomatic and political policy on Hungary are for 2019; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Mid Sussex
	tabling member printed	Sir Nicholas Soames
	uin	253446
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>The objectives of the Government's diplomatic and political policy on Hungary for 2019 are to build on our long history of friendship and co-operation. We will deepen and broaden our bilateral relationship to deliver greater prosperity and security for UK nationals. The Government will continue to work closely with the Hungarian Government, businesses, civil society, non-governmental organisations and religious communities on our shared values and in areas of common interest including: prosperity; science and innovation; media freedom; defence; security; and foreign policy.</p> answering member constituency Rutland and Melton answering member printed Sir Alan Duncan question first answered 16/05/2019 16:44:47 answering member 343 label Biography information for Sir Alan Duncan
	tabling member	116 label Biography information for Lord Soames of Fletching

1126183

	registered interest
	date	13/05/2019
	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	Poland: Foreign Relations
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the objectives of the Government’s diplomatic and political policy on Poland are for 2019; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Mid Sussex
	tabling member printed	Sir Nicholas Soames
	uin	253447
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>​The objectives of the Government's diplomatic and political policy on Poland are to strengthen our close, long-standing and vibrant relationship and take it from 'good' to 'great', as the Prime Minister challenged us to do at the Inter-Governmental Consultations (IGC) in December 2016. Our two countries enjoy frequent ministerial contact, a thriving civil society forum and strong people-to-people links thanks, in part, to the contribution of the Polish diaspora in the UK. All of this supports our efforts to work even more closely with Poland and to deliver the Government's objectives on the key issues that connect us: defence and security; foreign policy; the economy and business; and science and innovation.</p> answering member constituency Rutland and Melton answering member printed Sir Alan Duncan question first answered 16/05/2019 16:47:09 answering member 343 label Biography information for Sir Alan Duncan
	tabling member	116 label Biography information for Lord Soames of Fletching

1126184

	registered interest
	date	13/05/2019
	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	Italy: Foreign Relations
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the objectives of the Government’s diplomatic and political policy on Italy are for 2019; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Mid Sussex
	tabling member printed	Sir Nicholas Soames
	uin	253448
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/05/2019 answer text <p>​The Government's overarching objective for diplomatic and political policy on Italy for 2019 is to develop still further the already deep and broad bilateral relationship. Our delivery will focus on key areas of common interest including: trade and investment; defence, security and foreign policy; cultural engagement, and preparing for the UK-Italy 2020 Year of Culture; tackling transnational crime and terrorism; science and innovation; and education. In delivering this we will harness our already extensive network across the full spectrum of business, governmental and non-governmental bodies, and continue to foster the already strong people-to-people links between Italy and the UK.</p> answering member constituency Rutland and Melton answering member printed Sir Alan Duncan question first answered 16/05/2019 16:42:32 answering member 343 label Biography information for Sir Alan Duncan
	tabling member	116 label Biography information for Lord Soames of Fletching

1125305

	registered interest
	date	08/05/2019
	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	Arctic: China and 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 recent discussions he has had with his (a) Russian and (b) Chinese counterparts on the Arctic.
	tabling member constituency	Mid Sussex
	tabling member printed	Sir Nicholas Soames
	uin	251875
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/05/2019 answer text <p>​Officials from our Embassy Moscow discussed the importance of continued international cooperation in the Arctic with the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 6 May. A Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) official also attended the Fifth International Arctic Forum in St Petersburg on 9 April. The Head of Polar Regions Department, in the FCO, attended the recent Arctic Council Ministerial meeting in Rovaniemi, Finland and spoke with the Head of the Chinese Delegation on the margins. Officials from the British Consulate-General in Shanghai will attend the Arctic Circle Forum on 10-11 May in Shanghai to further understand China's interest in the region.</p> answering member constituency Rutland and Melton answering member printed Sir Alan Duncan question first answered 13/05/2019 16:23:23 answering member 343 label Biography information for Sir Alan Duncan
	tabling member	116 label Biography information for Lord Soames of Fletching

1110339

	registered interest
	date	08/04/2019
	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	Antarctic Treaty
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what contribution the UK Government makes to the Secretariat of the Antarctic Treaty.
	tabling member constituency	Mid Sussex
	tabling member printed	Sir Nicholas Soames
	uin	241978
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/04/2019 answer text <p>The UK’s contribution to the Antarctic Treaty Secretariat for the 2019/2020 financial year was $60,347 USD, which was paid in January 2019. Details of annual contributions by all Antarctic Treaty Parties can be found in the meeting records of each Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting at <a href="http://www.ats.aq/" target="_blank">www.ats.aq</a>.</p> answering member constituency Rutland and Melton answering member printed Sir Alan Duncan question first answered 11/04/2019 16:35:51 answering member 343 label Biography information for Sir Alan Duncan
	tabling member	116 label Biography information for Lord Soames of Fletching

1110340

	registered interest
	date	08/04/2019
	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	Antarctic Treaty
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the UK’s obligations are under the Antarctic Treaty.
	tabling member constituency	Mid Sussex
	tabling member printed	Sir Nicholas Soames
	uin	241979
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/04/2019 answer text <p>The UK is fully committed to the Antarctic Treaty and its objective to preserve the continent for peace and science. The Treaty sets out the obligations of Parties, including the participation in, and facilitation of, Antarctic Treaty inspections and the participation in annual Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meetings. Formal decisions taken by Antarctic Treaty Parties come into force internationally when they have been approved by all Parties. The UK is one of only a few Parties to be up-to-date with this process. The UK is also a Member of the Commission of the Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources, which sets out rights and obligations for managing fisheries in the Southern Ocean; and a Party to the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty, which ensures that all activities undertaken by British nationals are pre-planned and potential environmental impacts are mitigated. The Antarctic Acts 1994 and 2013 establish the UK’s obligations under the Treaty, the Convention and the Protocol in domestic legislation.</p> answering member constituency Rutland and Melton answering member printed Sir Alan Duncan question first answered 11/04/2019 16:37:25 answering member 343 label Biography information for Sir Alan Duncan
	tabling member	116 label Biography information for Lord Soames of Fletching