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100608

	registered interest
	date	23/10/2014
	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	Civil Servants: Languages
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many diplomatic staff and civil servants from each department or government agency have received or are receiving language training at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Language School.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Coussins
	uin	HL2339
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/11/2014 answer text <p>Since the Language Centre opened on 19th September 2013 a total of 45 different languages have been studied there either full or part-time by 813 students. Of those students, 779 are Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) staff and 34 are from other government departments (OGDs) (including staff from the following departments: Ministry of Defence, Cabinet Office, the Department for Business, Innovation &amp; Skills, Home Office, Ministry of Justice, UK Trade and Investment, the Department for International Development, HM Revenue and Customs, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Department of Energy and Climate Change, and the House of Commons). An additional 60 FCO staff have trained at the Institut Francais. Staff across the Civil Service can also access the FCO Language Centre library to continue to develop their own language skills outside formal study and 58 OGD staff have taken advantage of this offer so far. <br><br>It is important to note that when more appropriate, staff from OGDs also receive language training outside of the FCO Language Centre through use of the Civil Service-wide contract with Language Services Direct (the company that run the FCO Language Centre) or at the Institut Francais if French is required. Since September 2014, 113 OGD students have received language training on their own premises via the FCO contract. <br><br>The table below provides a breakdown of the languages that have been taught at the FCO Language Centre :<br><br>Albanian 2 <br>Arabic 186 <br>Azeri 1 <br>Bosnian 1 <br>Bulgarian 3 <br>Burmese 1 <br>Cambodian 1 <br>Czech 1 <br>Danish 2 <br>Dari 5 <br>Dutch 5 <br>Farsi 33 <br>Finnish 1 <br>French 14 <br>Georgian 1 <br>German 40 <br>Greek 4 <br>Hebrew 1 <br>Hindi 20 <br>Indonesian 4 <br>Italian 23 <br>Japanese 33 <br>Korean 8 <br>Macedonian 1 <br>Mandarin 93 <br>Norwegian 1 <br>Pashto 5 <br>Polish 3 <br>Portuguese 47 <br>Romanian 3 <br>Russian 84 <br>Serbian 3 <br>Sinhalese 1 <br>Slovak 1 <br>Slovene 1 <br>Spanish 153 <br>Swedish 3 <br>Tajik 1 <br>Thai 2 <br>Tigrinya 1 <br>Turkish 11 <br>Turkmen 1 <br>Urdu 4 <br>Uzbek 2 <br>Vietnamese 2 <br>Total 813</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 03/11/2014 15:37:02 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
	tabling member	3829 label Biography information for Baroness Coussins

99998

	registered interest
	date	20/10/2014
	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 conditions concerning human rights they have imposed on trade with Middle East states.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Tonge
	uin	HL2213
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/11/2014 answer text <p>The UK is proud to be the first country to develop an Action Plan on Business and Human Rights. This was jointly launched by the Foreign Office and Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) in September 2013. <br><br>The UK has a series of established agreements which are negotiated with partner countries through the EU. These agreements form the basis of our trade relations with most countries in the Middle East. <br> <br>All association agreements, which include trade chapters, with third countries contain a clause stipulating that human rights are an essential element in relations between the parties. <br><br>No aspect of the UK’s commercial relationships with countries in the Middle East prevents us from speaking frankly and openly to them about human rights. We will not pursue trade to the exclusion of human rights. They can and should be complementary.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 03/11/2014 15:01:31 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
	tabling member	200 label Biography information for Baroness Tonge

100639

	registered interest
	date	23/10/2014
	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	Palestinians
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what further steps they are taking to recognise Palestine as a state after the recent debate in the House of Commons.
	tabling member printed	Lord Ahmed
	uin	HL2370
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/11/2014 answer text <p>The UK’s position on Palestinian recognition has not changed and is clear: we reserve the right to recognise a Palestinian state at a time of our choosing and when it will best help bring about peace. The UK is a longstanding supporter of seeing a sovereign, democratic and viable Palestinian State living side by side in peace and security with Israel, and continues to be one of the largest donors to Palestinian state building efforts to that end.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 03/11/2014 15:37:46 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
	tabling member	3470 label Biography information for Lord Ahmed

99962

	registered interest
	date	20/10/2014
	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	North Korea
	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 level of imports to North Korea of luxury goods in 2013; what assessment they have made of the impact of such imports on the availability of food in that country, in the light of the World Food Programmes's analysis of the situation; and what assessment they have made about the number of goods which were imported from European states which are prohibited from selling luxury goods to North Korea under existing United Nations sanctions.
	tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
	uin	HL2177
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/11/2014 answer text <p>The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) does not produce economic statistics, meaning the UK cannot make an accurate assessment on the level of imports of luxury goods. A recent report produced by the UN Panel of Experts, established under UN Security Council Resolutions imposing sanctions on the DPRK, notes ongoing investigations regarding potential violations of sanctions through the import of luxury goods, including some items originating from European states.</p><p>We are also aware of recent South Korean media reports which suggest that the DPRK imported luxury goods worth (US) $644m during 2013. However, given the lack of reliable data, it is difficult to assess the impact of the import of luxury goods on the provision of food for the general population. Should it be proven that the DPRK authorities chose to spend resources on luxury goods rather than feeding the population, this would not only be a deliberate breach of sanctions but would seriously call into question the regime’s economic prioritisation.</p><p>Despite generally good aggregate cereal harvests for the fourth consecutive year in 2014/15, 16 million people remain chronically food insecure and highly vulnerable to production shocks. The UN Food and Agricultural Organisation/World Food Programme Crop and Food Security Assessment Mission to the DPRK 2013, reported an estimated uncovered food deficit of 40,000 tonnes for that marketing year. The report stated that the food security situation remained similar to previous years with most households having borderline and poor food consumption.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 03/11/2014 14:56:24 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
	tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

99967

	registered interest
	date	20/10/2014
	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	Pakistan
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they are making to the authorities in Pakistan arising from the decision of the Lahore High Court to reject the appeal of Asia Bibi, and to order her execution, following charges of alleged blasphemy.
	tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
	uin	HL2182
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/11/2014 answer text <p>I am concerned to hear that a Pakistan court has upheld the imposition of the death penalty in the case of Asia Bibi. We support the EU’s recent statement of concern and hope that the verdict will be overturned on appeal. We regularly raise at the highest levels the misuse of blasphemy laws in Pakistan both against Muslims and against religious minorities. We have consistently pressed the Government of Pakistan on the issue of the death penalty and expressed our principled opposition in all cases. We will continue to raise these issues.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 03/11/2014 15:02:25 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
	tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

100050

	registered interest
	date	21/10/2014
	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	EU Enlargement
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, in the process of accession of further countries from the former Yugoslavia to the European Union, any steps are being taken to ensure that British citizens are compensated for any deprivation of property during the Tito era.
	tabling member printed	Lord Ashcroft
	uin	HL2256
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/11/2014 answer text <p>The accession process of countries from the former Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to the European Union does not involve steps specifically aimed at ensuring that British citizens are compensated for any deprivation of property during the Tito era. However the criteria for EU accession for candidate countries do include a requirement to implement measures to ensure that the rule of law is firmly embedded within the judicial and political system. This includes respect for private property, and we note that the European Commission has highlighted specifically the need for progress on restitution of property in its most recent annual enlargement Progress Reports on the Western Balkans countries published on 8 October. Furthermore, all Western Balkan countries have ratified the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Freedoms, the First Protocol of which enshrines the principle of respect for private property. <br><br>Some Western Balkans countries have, in recent years, made progress on the restitution of private property. Serbia invited applications for restitution and received 75,000 of them. Montenegro and Albania have been slower to implement their legislation on restitution, as highlighted in successive annual country Progress Reports by the European Commission. In 2012, the Commission recognised progress regarding restitution of property in Macedonia seized under the former Yugoslav Communist regime, despite administrative and judicial delays. In May, Albania (which was not part of the former Federal Republic of Yugoslavia) submitted an action plan to the Council of Europe, aiming to create, by June 2015, an effective mechanism to enforce decisions on restitution of, or compensation for, property nationalised during the Communist regime. The Kosovo Property Claims Commission and Kosovo Property Agency continue to resolve outstanding private property disputes resulting from the 1998-99 armed conflict. Over 40,000 claims have been decided. Bosnia and Herzegovina has made no progress on restitution of private property in the last four years. Despite earlier attempts to enact a legal framework, there is none in place.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 03/11/2014 15:09:31 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
	tabling member	2568 label Biography information for Lord Ashcroft

100574

	registered interest
	date	22/10/2014
	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	EU External Relations
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government by what date it is anticipated that all the stages of ratification of the Association Agreements between each of Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia and the European Union and European Atomic Energy Community and their Member States will be completed.
	tabling member printed	Lord Bowness
	uin	HL2311
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/11/2014 answer text <p>The EU Association Agreements with Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia must be ratified by all 28 Member States, the EU, the European Atomic Energy Community and Ukraine, Moldova or Georgia, as the case may be, in order to enter fully into force. Ukraine ratified its Association Agreement on 16 September, Moldova on 2 July and Georgia on 18 July 2014. <br><br>At EU level, the ratification procedure involves the European Parliament giving its consent to the conclusion of the Agreements and the Council adopting a decision concluding each Agreement. The European Parliament gave its consent to the conclusion of the Association Agreement with Ukraine by the EU, acting on behalf of its Member States, on 16 September 2014, and is expected to give its consent to the conclusion of the Agreements with Georgia and Moldova by the end of the year. The conclusion of each Agreement by the European Commission, acting on behalf of the European Atomic Energy Community, was approved on 23 June 2014 in relation to the Ukraine Association Agreement, 16 June in relation to Georgia and 16 June in relation to Moldova. In addition, each Member State must go through its internal procedures for ratification. <br><br>The UK’s procedures leading to ratification are underway. The Ukraine Association Agreement was laid before Parliament under the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010 on 6 October 2014; the Georgia Association Agreement on 3 October 2014 and the Moldova Association Agreement on 10 October 2014.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 03/11/2014 15:17:54 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
	tabling member	3496 label Biography information for Lord Bowness

100605

	registered interest
	date	23/10/2014
	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	Council of Europe
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will be represented at the forthcoming Council of Europe conference in Baku, Azerbaijan; and what representations they will make regarding the implementation of recent European Court of Human Rights decisions concerning Azerbaijan.
	tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
	uin	HL2336
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/11/2014 answer text <p>The British Government takes all opportunities to raise its concerns about the lack of fundamental freedoms in Azerbaijan, including the implementation of judgments by the European Court of Human Rights, and does so at a range of levels on a regular basis. The UK will be represented at official level at Azerbaijan's forthcoming closing Council of Europe conference in Baku.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 03/11/2014 15:18:50 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
	tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

100647

	registered interest
	date	23/10/2014
	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	Iran
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the Iranian authorities regarding Ghoncheh Ghavami.
	tabling member printed	Lord Kennedy of Southwark
	uin	HL2378
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/11/2014 answer text <p>The Government has raised its concern at the detention of Ghoncheh Ghavami with the Iranian authorities on many occasions, including most recently on 23 October. Both the Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), and the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), discussed her case with President Rouhani and Foreign minister Zarif respectively in September. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office continues to provide consular assistance to Ms Ghavami’s family at this difficult time.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 03/11/2014 15:38:31 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
	tabling member	4153 label Biography information for Lord Kennedy of Southwark

100649

	registered interest
	date	23/10/2014
	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	Egypt
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the Egyptian authorities regarding Yara Sallam.
	tabling member printed	Lord Kennedy of Southwark
	uin	HL2380
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/11/2014 answer text <p>Government representatives from our Embassy in Cairo are closely monitoring cases where prosecutions have been made under the protest law in Egypt. We have called on the Egyptian government to review the Protest Law and have raised specific cases with them, including during the visit by Foreign Minister Shoukry to the UK on 27 October. The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), asked that the Egyptian government address the large number of people being held in detention during his meeting with President Al-Sisi at the UN General Assembly in New York on 23 September. The Government believes that freedom of expression, including the right to protest peacefully, is vital in any democracy.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 03/11/2014 15:39:52 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
	tabling member	4153 label Biography information for Lord Kennedy of Southwark