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432786

registered interest
date	26/11/2015
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	Diplomatic Service
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how much his Department plans to spend on specialist kidnap negotiation and hostage rescue capabilities in British consulates in the next 12 months.
tabling member constituency	North Durham
tabling member printed	Mr Kevan Jones
uin	17809
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/12/2015 answer text <p>The Government’s response to overseas hostage taking brings together skills and capabilities across a range of Departments. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) is the lead Department where British nationals are kidnapped by a terrorist group. Expenditure can be dependent on factors including the number of incidents. In the current Financial Year the FCO will spend around £253,000 on specialist hostage negotiation capability, and on training for the staff in the FCO and our global network who coordinate the Government’s response to the kidnap of British nationals overseas. This training programme ensures our overseas network is prepared to respond effectively when British nationals are taken hostage by terrorists. The FCO's exact expenditure on kidnap response in the year ahead will depend in part on the number of live cases, but is likely to be of a similar magnitude.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 01/12/2015 16:03:54 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	1438 label Biography information for Mr Kevan Jones

432276

registered interest
date	25/11/2015
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	Ashraf Fayadh
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 Saudi Arabian counterparts about Ashraf Fayadh.
tabling member constituency	East Ham
tabling member printed	Stephen Timms
uin	17663
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/11/2015 answer text <p>We are aware of, and concerned about, the case of Mr Ashraf Fayadh. We oppose the death penalty in all circumstances and in every country, especially in cases which include the use of the death penalty for a crime which isn’t deemed “the most serious”. The UK is a strong supporter of freedom of expression around the world. We believe that people must be allowed to discuss and debate issues freely, challenge their governments peacefully, exercise the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, and speak out against violations of human rights wherever they occur.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 30/11/2015 16:35:17 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	163 label Biography information for Sir Stephen Timms

432277

registered interest
date	25/11/2015
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	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 discussions he or officials of his Department have had with Dr Salim Munayer and Musalah on prospects for reconciliation between Israel and Palestine; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Broxbourne
tabling member printed	Mr Charles Walker
uin	17599
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/11/2015 answer text <p>The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has not had discussions specifically with Dr Salim Munayer and Musaleh on prospects for reconciliation between Israel and Palestine. However we fund several projects through the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund which aim to foster reconciliation between Palestinians and Israelis. For example, we support the Peres Centre project to train Palestinian doctors in Israeli hospitals. This not only provides advanced training but also creates people to people relations.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 30/11/2015 14:57:09 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	1493 label Biography information for Sir Charles Walker

432281

registered interest
date	25/11/2015
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	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 UN initiatives the UK is supporting that aim to promote reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians and establishment of a Palestinian nation state that is recognised both internationally and by Israel.
tabling member constituency	Broxbourne
tabling member printed	Mr Charles Walker
uin	17598
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/11/2015 answer text <p>The UK continues to support a negotiated two state solution as the only way to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. As part of this, along with other members of the UN Security Council, we welcome efforts by the Quartet to drive forward improvements on the ground. We support the Security Council’s efforts to build an environment conducive to peace and achieve our common goal of a two-state solution. In response to the recent violence across Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, the UK supports and reiterates the Council’s calls on both parties to avoid escalating the situation. We will judge proposals for further UN initiatives on the basis of whether we assess they support progress on the Middle East Peace Process.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 30/11/2015 15:25:08 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	1493 label Biography information for Sir Charles Walker

431939

registered interest
date	24/11/2015
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	Nuclear Weapons
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 paragraph 4.79 of the National Security Strategy and the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015, what steps the Government has taken since 2010 to achieve the long-term goal of a world without nuclear weapons; and what initiatives the Government has taken to date to work with the UK's international partners to tackle proliferation and to make progress on multilateral nuclear disarmament.
tabling member constituency	Newport West
tabling member printed	Paul Flynn
uin	17553
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/12/2015 answer text <p>The UK National Report submitted in February in advance of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference set out steps we have taken to support the goal of a world without nuclear weapons. This includes support to the international monitoring system designed to detect nuclear tests, efforts to build trust and confidence with other Nuclear Weapon States through the P5 process, and initiatives with Norway and the US on how to verify disarmament of nuclear weapons. We have also met our commitment to reduce the number of operationally available warheads to no more than 120. We have worked to strengthen the international non-proliferation regime, most notably through our role in securing an agreement involving strict limits and inspections on Iran's nuclear programme.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 01/12/2015 14:25:51 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	545 label Biography information for Paul Flynn

431978

registered interest
date	24/11/2015
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	Iraq: Kurds
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 Iraqi counterpart on the autonomy of the Kurdistan region in northern Iraq; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
uin	17529
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/11/2015 answer text <p>The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Philip Hammond) last met Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim Ja’afari in London on 22 January. The autonomy of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq was not discussed at that meeting. However, the Foreign Secretary, the British Ambassador to Baghdad, the Consul General in Erbil and I regularly discuss with both the Government of Iraq and Kurdistan Regional Government, the importance of working together to defeat ISIL and deliver the stable, secure, prosperous and unified Iraq all Iraq’s people want.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 30/11/2015 14:05:09 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

431979

registered interest
date	24/11/2015
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	Middle East: Christianity
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 24 June 2015 to Question 2798, what recent steps he has taken to support Christians who are being persecuted in Middle Eastern countries.
tabling member constituency	Calder Valley
tabling member printed	Craig Whittaker
uin	17539
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/12/2015 answer text <p>The Government remains deeply concerned about the plight of Christians and other minorities across the Middle East and North Africa. We continue to urge all governments in the region to ensure the protection of all minorities and encourage them to develop inclusive political systems that represent all of their citizens. In Iraq, Syria and Lebanon we are working with religious leaders to support inter-communal cohesion and ensure vulnerable communities have a voice. We have recently launched a project promoting legal and social protection for Freedom of Religion or Belief in Iraq. On 19 November, The Minister of State, my noble Friend the right hon. Baroness Anelay of St Johns and I convened a workshop at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office with Non-Governmental Organisations and experts in the field to examine what more Her Majesty's Government might do to practically support Christians and other minorities in the Middle East and protect Freedom of Religion or Belief. Officials are now examining how we might put emerging ideas into practice.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 01/12/2015 16:09:03 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	3940 label Biography information for Craig Whittaker

431981

registered interest
date	24/11/2015
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	Yemen: 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, for what reasons the UK did not support a draft UN resolution calling for an international inquiry into human rights abuses by all parties in the Yemen conflict.
tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
tabling member printed	Tom Brake
uin	17455
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/12/2015 answer text <p>A Resolution on the Human Rights situation in Yemen was agreed at the last session of the Human Rights Council on 2 October. The UK’s priority was to secure cross-regional agreement on a text that would strengthen human rights in Yemen as we urge all parties to find a solution to the crisis. The Human Rights Council does not have a mandate to call for investigations in to International Humanitarian Law. The consensual UN resolution agreed has tasked the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to help Yemen investigate human rights abuses and violations. The UK supports the UN resolution as it reflects the current human rights situation and makes constructive recommendations to strengthen human rights in Yemen.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 01/12/2015 14:23:01 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	151 label Biography information for Tom Brake

431982

registered interest
date	24/11/2015
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	Bahrain: Overseas Aid
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what funding the Government has committed to provide to (a) projects and (b) the government in Bahrain in each financial year from 2015-16 to 2019-20.
tabling member constituency	Bishop Auckland
tabling member printed	Helen Goodman
uin	17459
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/11/2015 answer text <p>We support Bahrain’s ambitious reform programmes and will provide in the region of £2.1 million of funding in support of projects aimed at strengthening human rights and the rule of law in 2015-16. The allocations for subsequent financial years to 2019/20 have not yet been agreed.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 30/11/2015 15:26:40 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	1484 label Biography information for Helen Goodman

431983

registered interest
date	24/11/2015
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	Bahrain: Detainees
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 publish a response to the Human Rights Watch report, The Blood of People Who Don't Cooperate: Continuing Torture and Mistreatment of Detainees in Bahrain, published on 22 November 2015.
tabling member constituency	Bishop Auckland
tabling member printed	Helen Goodman
uin	17460
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/11/2015 answer text <p>We are considering the report carefully. The UK Government consistently and unreservedly condemns torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment and it is a priority for us to combat it wherever and whenever it occurs. We are aware of ongoing allegations against Ministry of Interior personnel and we have expressed our concerns to the authorities. The Government of Bahrain has previously committed to consider ratifying the Optional Protocol of the Convention Against Torture. The UK strongly supports this and we have been working with the authorities to share best practice on torture prevention measures. We also continue to ask the Government of Bahrain to allow a visit of the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 30/11/2015 15:29:23 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	1484 label Biography information for Helen Goodman