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601946

registered interest
date	14/10/2016
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	Philippines: 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 diplomatic assessment he has made of relations between the Philippines and the UK since the appointment of President Rodrigo Duterte in June 2016.
tabling member constituency	Hornsey and Wood Green
tabling member printed	Catherine West
uin	48768
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/10/2016 answer text <p>This year marks the 70<sup>th</sup> anniversary of UK-Philippine diplomatic relations, and the Philippines will continue to remain an important partner for the UK in South East Asia. Our bilateral relationship is strong, and based on areas of shared interest such as regional and global security, trade and investment, science and innovation and education.</p><p>The UK Government's view on the importance of human rights and the rule of law is clear, consistent and well known, including in the Philippines. Our Ambassador has repeatedly raised UK concerns over the rising death toll associated with the Philippine Administration's war on illegal drugs with the Government of the Philippines and others. We are also concerned by President Duterte's stated desire to reinstate the death penalty. The UK raised these concerns at the September session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, and will continue to raise these issues with the Philippine Administration.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 24/10/2016 14:06:15 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	4523 label Biography information for Catherine West

601074

registered interest
date	13/10/2016
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	Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Visits 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 overseas visits he has made since his appointment.
tabling member constituency	Hornsey and Wood Green
tabling member printed	Catherine West
uin	48662
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/10/2016 answer text <p>Since his appointment, the Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip (Boris Johnson), has visited Belgium, the United States of America, France, Germany, Austria, Slovak Republic, Poland, Ukraine, Italy, Netherlands,Turkey, Israel and Luxembourg on official business. Details of ministerial travel are published quarterly: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/minister-data.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 18/10/2016 15:31:55 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	4523 label Biography information for Catherine West

601075

registered interest
date	13/10/2016
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	Tibet: Human Rights
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 (a) his Chinese counterpart and (b) officials from Tibet on human rights in Tibet.
tabling member constituency	Hornsey and Wood Green
tabling member printed	Catherine West
uin	48663
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/10/2016 answer text <p>​We do have concerns about human rights and freedoms in Tibet. I raised our concerns about the Tibetan language advocate Tashi Wangchuk and Tibetan Blogger Druklo (aka Shokjang) with the Chinese Ambassador, in writing, on 1 August 2016. In that letter I also pressed him to allow UK diplomats to visit the Tibetan Autonomous Region.</p><p>Neither I, nor my officials, have been able to have recent discussions with officials from the Tibetan Autonomous Region. However my officials have had discussions with non-government organisations on the situation in Tibet.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 18/10/2016 15:05:50 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	4523 label Biography information for Catherine West

601076

registered interest
date	13/10/2016
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	Commonwealth: Maldives
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 implications for the Commonwealth of the recent announcement by the government of the Maldives that the Maldives plans to exit the Commonwealth.
tabling member constituency	Hornsey and Wood Green
tabling member printed	Catherine West
uin	48666
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/10/2016 answer text <p>As the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip (Boris Johnson) said on 13 October, the UK is disappointed that the Maldives Government has decided to withdraw from the Commonwealth. We believe in the Commonwealth and its commitment to improving the lives of people across all its member states. It is an organisation dedicated to developing free and democratic societies, and to promoting peace and prosperity.</p><p>There are no immediate implications for the Commonwealth. The Secretary-General will continue to champion the values enshrined in the Commonwealth Charter and will maintain support to all member states, especially small and developing states, in upholding and advancing these values practically for the enduring benefit of their citizens.</p><p>However, we remain extremely concerned about governance and human rights in the Maldives, not least freedom of expression and association, judicial independence, and the arbitrary detention of political figures. I made clear our concerns when I met the Maldives Foreign Minister, Dr Asim, in London in September.</p><p>We will continue to work with the Maldives Government to support them to make progress on these and other areas.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 18/10/2016 15:34:58 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	4523 label Biography information for Catherine West

601080

registered interest
date	13/10/2016
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	Drugs
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 meetings (a) Ministers and (b) officials of his Department have had with key stakeholders in the pharmaceutical sector on the effect of the UK leaving the EU since 23 June 2016.
tabling member constituency	Garston and Halewood
tabling member printed	Maria Eagle
uin	48689
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/10/2016 answer text <p>The details of meetings between Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Ministers and external organisations are published in quarterly returns, which are available at:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/minister-data" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/minister-data</a></p><p>The details of meetings between external organisations and officials across the FCO network are not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 18/10/2016 15:07:15 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	483 label Biography information for Maria Eagle

601082

registered interest
date	13/10/2016
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	China: Human Rights
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, at what (a) ministerial (b) official level the Government will be represented in the next round of the human rights dialogue with the Chinese authorities.
tabling member constituency	East Worthing and Shoreham
tabling member printed	Tim Loughton
uin	48563
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2016 answer text <p>​I intend to open the UK-China Human Rights Dialogue later this month. As in previous years, the UK delegation will be led by the Director of Asia Pacific Directorate in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 21/10/2016 13:48:17 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	114 label Biography information for Tim Loughton

601083

registered interest
date	13/10/2016
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	Gedhun Choekyi Nyima
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he last raised the detention of the Panchen Lama with the Chinese authorities; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	East Worthing and Shoreham
tabling member printed	Tim Loughton
uin	48564
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2016 answer text <p>We raised the case of the Panchen Lama, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, at the UK-China Human Rights Dialogue in 2014. The Chinese authorities stated in September 2015 that the Panchen Lama was &quot;leading a normal life&quot; in China.</p><p>We urge China to ensure that any restrictions on the Panchen Lama's freedom of movement and communication are lifted, so that he may select the career, education or religious life of his choosing. We will continue to support calls by the UN Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Religion or Belief for the relevant authorities to facilitate a meeting between the Panchen Lama and independent international observers.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 21/10/2016 13:52:05 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	114 label Biography information for Tim Loughton

601084

registered interest
date	13/10/2016
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	Tibet: Dams
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 has had with the (a) Chinese and (b) Indian authorities on the damming of rivers in Tibet and the effect of that action on water supplies to India.
tabling member constituency	East Worthing and Shoreham
tabling member printed	Tim Loughton
uin	48565
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2016 answer text <p>​We have had no discussions with the Chinese or Indian authorities on the damming of rivers in Tibet.</p><p>The UK supports sustainable economic development in Tibet. Decisions about the management of shared regional resources, like water, are best taken in consultation with neighbouring countries.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 21/10/2016 13:49:45 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	114 label Biography information for Tim Loughton

601085

registered interest
date	13/10/2016
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	Tibet: Visits Abroad
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when a UK (a) Minister and (b) official last visited (i) the area designated by the Chinese government as the Tibetan Autonomous Region and (ii) the areas of Tibet subsumed by the Chinese government into China in the 1960's; what requests for such visits are outstanding; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	East Worthing and Shoreham
tabling member printed	Tim Loughton
uin	48566
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2016 answer text <p>​I refer my Hon. Friend to the answer given by the former Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for East Devon (Mr Swire), to the Hon. Member for Dundee West (Mr Law), on 4 May 2016 (PQ 35590), copied below for ease of reference:</p><p>The Hon. Member for Bury South (Mr Lewis) was the last serving Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) minister to visit the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), in September 2009. An FCO official last visited the TAR in June 2014. We continue to press the Chinese authorities for further access.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 21/10/2016 13:45:20 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	114 label Biography information for Tim Loughton

600644

registered interest
date	12/10/2016
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	Afghanistan: Security
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 assessment he has made of the security situation in Afghanistan.
tabling member constituency	Barnsley Central
tabling member printed	Dan Jarvis
uin	48294
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/10/2016 answer text <p>I refer the Hon. Member to the response the Minister of State, my noble Friend, the Rt Hon. the Baroness of Anelay of St Johns, gave in the other place on 26 September 2016, <em>Official Report</em>, <em>House of Lords</em>, HL1823.</p><p>We strongly condemn the recent attacks on places of worship in Afghanistan. Our thoughts are with the victims and their families. The security situation in Afghanistan remains challenging. We commend the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces (ANDSF)'s resilience over recent weeks in combating a series of determined insurgent assaults. The Taliban continue to expand their influence in some rural areas and increasingly threaten some provincial capitals. However, with significant international assistance the government has been able to expand their influence in some rural areas and government forces have repelled assaults on significant population centres.</p><p>Along with international partners, the UK is committed to helping Afghanistan build a peaceful, stable and prosperous Afghanistan. At the Warsaw Summit in July 2016, NATO agreed to sustain its non-combat &quot;Train, Advise and Assist&quot; mission (Resolute Support) through 2017. We are increasing the UK forces under RS command by 10 per cent. I attended the Brussels Conference on Afghanistan on 4 October, which was another strong signal of international resolve. At that conference, the UK pledged £750 million in development support to Afghanistan through until 2020. Ultimately, a political settlement offers the best prospect for an enduring peace. We urge the Taliban to join the political process and become part of a brighter future for Afghanistan.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 17/10/2016 16:03:22 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	4243 label Biography information for Dan Jarvis