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176444

registered interest
date	28/01/2015
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	Employment Agencies
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many staff in his Department have been employed through employment or recruitment agencies in each year since 2010-11.
tabling member constituency	Sefton Central
tabling member printed	Bill Esterson
uin	222518
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/02/2015 answer text <p>The Civil Service-wide Recruitment Freeze was introduced in May 2010, which limits new appointments to front-line and business critical roles only this usually means specialist roles. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is reducing UK based headcount by 10% in the current Spending Round.</p><p>Recruitment agencies are used to recruit for positions that require specialist skills and expertise not available elsewhere in the organisation. The number of FCO staff who were employed through employment or recruitment agencies from 2010-11 onwards is:</p><p>2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15</p><p>36 11 78 75 16</p><p><br>Recruitment in 2012/13 increased as a result of a need to staff our recently established Corporate Services Centre in Milton Keynes. From 2013/14 onwards the data includes directly recruited summer and graduate interns.</p><p>The FCO also has a separate contract in place with Hays Specialist Recruitment for the provision of temporary staff for essential frontline roles whilst internal recruitment processes take place. The number of temporary staff who were employed through recruitment agencies from 2010-11 onwards, on contracts of varying length, is:</p><p><br>2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15</p><p>19 61 116 59 28</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 04/02/2015 15:11:23 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	4061 label Biography information for Bill Esterson

176454

registered interest
date	28/01/2015
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	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has made to the Egyptian government about the case of Karim Ashraf Mohamed al-Banna.
tabling member constituency	Westmorland and Lonsdale
tabling member printed	Tim Farron
uin	222392
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/02/2015 answer text Our Embassy in Cairo is closely monitoring the case of Karim Ashraf Mohamed al-Banna. I raised the importance of protecting the human rights enshrined in Egypt’s constitution, which include freedom of belief and worship, with a number of senior figures in the Egyptian Government, most recently during my visit to Cairo on 12-16 January. UK officials also discussed the importance of religious freedom with the Egyptian Deputy Assistant Minister for Human Rights, Dr Mahy Abdel Latif, on 14 January 2015. Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers have been clear throughout recent events in Egypt that freedom of religion or belief needs to be protected. We deplore all discrimination against any individual on the basis of their religion or belief as well as constraints on their freedom to manifest their religion or belief. As article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states, everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 02/02/2015 15:07:18 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	1591 label Biography information for Tim Farron

176455

registered interest
date	28/01/2015
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	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 possible Iranian reactions to increased sanctions; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Westmorland and Lonsdale
tabling member printed	Tim Farron
uin	222393
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/02/2015 answer text <p>Under the Joint Plan of Action (JPoA) the E3+3 committed, for the JPoA's duration, not to introduce new nuclear-related sanctions against Iran. The Government believes that further sanctions legislation between now and 30 June - when the JPoA expires - would severely undermine Iranian confidence in the negotiations on a comprehensive nuclear agreement and would risk derailing the process. This is why the Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), made the case against new sanctions legislation on his recent visit to Washington.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 02/02/2015 15:03:36 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	1591 label Biography information for Tim Farron

176456

registered interest
date	28/01/2015
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	Terrorism: 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, what advice his Department provides to UK citizens employed in academic institutions internationally on (a) countries in which there is a terrorist threat and (b) what to do in the event of a terrorist attack.
tabling member constituency	Belfast North
tabling member printed	Mr Nigel Dodds
uin	222400
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/02/2015 answer text <p>The Foreign and Commonwealth Office provides online travel advice for British nationals (https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice).</p><p>This includes information and advice about the threat from terrorism. We also publish a page of information and advice about how to reduce your risk from terrorism while abroad (https://www.gov.uk/reduce-your-risk-from-terrorism-while-abroad).</p><p>In the event of an attack we advise British nationals to first and foremost follow the guidance of the local authorities.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 02/02/2015 15:37:42 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	1388 label Biography information for Lord Dodds of Duncairn

176458

registered interest
date	28/01/2015
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	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to his Iranian counterpart in support of the American-Iranian pastor, Saeed Abedini, who is imprisoned in that country.
tabling member constituency	Belfast North
tabling member printed	Mr Nigel Dodds
uin	222362
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/02/2015 answer text We remain deeply concerned about the detention and treatment of Pastor Saeed Abedini. We have called publicly for the Iranian authorities to release him; and to end all persecution of individuals on the basis of their faith. We also raise these issues in our bilateral contacts with Iran. answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 04/02/2015 15:08:13 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	1388 label Biography information for Lord Dodds of Duncairn

176459

registered interest
date	28/01/2015
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	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received on allegations that rape is being used as a tool by the police in Egypt to suppress activists; and if he will make representations on this matter to his counterpart in that country.
tabling member constituency	Belfast North
tabling member printed	Mr Nigel Dodds
uin	222364
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/02/2015 answer text We are deeply concerned by the Amnesty International report about sexual assaults on activists. Our embassy in Cairo is in close and regular contact with local Non-Govermental Organisations, particularly those focussing on the rights of women and gender-based violence. We raised our concerns regarding the conditions for detainees and the rights of women during the UN Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review of Egypt’s human rights record. We also called on the Government of Egypt to move forward their National Action Plan on Violence Against Women with a clear, credible implementation plan and to invite the Special Rapporteur for Violence Against Women to visit. In 2014 the UK sponsored a delegation of Ministry of Justice officials to meet UK counterparts and discuss issues of gender-based violence. These discussions helped inform drafting of the new Egyptian law. We continue to discuss the issue of gender-based violence with the Government of Egypt and are seeking practical ways that we can work together in this area. answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 02/02/2015 15:34:25 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	1388 label Biography information for Lord Dodds of Duncairn

176461

registered interest
date	28/01/2015
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	Nigeria
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 raise at the UN the issue of a co-ordinated response to the threat of Boko Haram in North Eastern Nigeria.
tabling member constituency	East Londonderry
tabling member printed	Mr Gregory Campbell
uin	222410
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/02/2015 answer text <p>We have continued to raise the threat posed by Boko Haram in regional and multinational forums, including at the United Nations. On 19 January, the United Nations Security Council adopted a Presidential Statement on Boko Haram and the recent abhorrent attacks in Nigeria. This statement condemned Boko Haram and welcomed plans by the region to take forward work on a Multinational Joint Task Force to further coordinate their efforts against Boko Haram.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 02/02/2015 16:19:46 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	1409 label Biography information for Mr Gregory Campbell

175940

registered interest
date	27/01/2015
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	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 effectiveness of the Gaza Reconstruction Mechanism in fulfilling its objectives to (a) enable the government of Palestine to lead the reconstruction efforts, (b) enable the Gazan private sector, (c) assure donors that their investments in construction work in Gaza will be implemented without delay and (d) address Israeli security concerns related to the use of construction and other dual use material.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Hodge Hill
tabling member printed	Mr Liam Byrne
uin	222138
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/02/2015 answer text <p>The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has not carried out a formal assessment of the effectiveness of the Gaza Reconstruction Mechanism (GRM), as GRM only began functioning in November 2014. However, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process informed our Consul General in Jerusalem on 30 January that the GRM is working. 35,000 homeowners had now purchased cement, and another 20,000 were cleared to make purchases. The GRM however does not obviate the need for the Israeli authorities to lift the movement and access restrictions on Gaza. Donors to the GRM also need to fulfil the pledges made at the October 2014 Cairo Conference in order to ensure that people whose homes were damaged or destroyed will be able to procure materials to rebuild their homes, to fund much needed infrastructure projects and to address the urgent electricity and water needs for Gaza.</p><p>The Department for International Development contributed £500,000 to the GRM, as part of our Cairo Conference pledge.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 03/02/2015 17:52:30 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	1171 label Biography information for Liam Byrne

175941

registered interest
date	27/01/2015
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	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 effect of the Gaza Reconstruction Mechanism on the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Hodge Hill
tabling member printed	Mr Liam Byrne
uin	222139
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/02/2015 answer text <p>The Gaza Reconstruction Mechanism (GRM) is a temporary tool to enable the reconstruction of Gaza. It does not obviate the need for the Israeli authorities to lift the movement and access restrictions on Gaza. Donors also need to fulfil the pledges made at the October 2014 Cairo Conference in order to ensure that people whose homes were damaged or destroyed will be able to procure materials to rebuild their homes, to fund much needed infrastructure projects and to address the urgent electricity and water needs for Gaza.</p><p>The Department for International Development contributed £500,000 to the GRM, as part of our Cairo Conference pledge.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 02/02/2015 15:45:54 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	1171 label Biography information for Liam Byrne

175942

registered interest
date	27/01/2015
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	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government has taken to support the Gaza Reconstruction Mechanism.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Hodge Hill
tabling member printed	Mr Liam Byrne
uin	222140
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/02/2015 answer text <p>The Gaza Reconstruction Mechanism (GRM) is a temporary tool to enable the reconstruction of Gaza. It does not obviate the need for the Israeli authorities to lift the movement and access restrictions on Gaza. Donors also need to fulfil the pledges made at the October 2014 Cairo Conference in order to ensure that people whose homes were damaged or destroyed will be able to procure materials to rebuild their homes, to fund much needed infrastructure projects and to address the urgent electricity and water needs for Gaza.</p><p>The Department for International Development contributed £500,000 to the GRM, as part of our Cairo Conference pledge.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 02/02/2015 15:42:58 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	1171 label Biography information for Liam Byrne