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1136187

registered interest
date	02/07/2019
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	Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe
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 Iranian counterpart on (a) allowing a UK Government representative to meet Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe in prison in Iran to assess her health and well-being and (b) the implications of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe's diplomatic status for the terms of her detention.
tabling member constituency	North East Fife
tabling member printed	Stephen Gethins
uin	272166
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/07/2019 answer text <p>The treatment of all British-Iranians detained in Iran, including Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe, is a priority for the Government. We continue to raise her case, and our other consular cases, with the Iranian Government at every opportunity, including requesting consular access. I did this during my visit to Tehran on 23 June. We will continue to take action in line with what we believe will produce the best outcomes in their cases</p><p> </p><p><br> Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe does not hold diplomatic status; rather, the Foreign Secretary exercised diplomatic protection in her case. Whilst he was clear that diplomatic protection would not lead to immediate results, it is essential that we formally recognise that Iran has failed in its treatment of Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe in its obligations under international law, and we will continue to consider using all the diplomatic and legal tools available to us to secure her release.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency South West Wiltshire answering member printed Dr Andrew Murrison question first answered 09/07/2019 14:01:13 answering member 1466 label Biography information for Dr Andrew Murrison
tabling member	4434 label Biography information for Stephen Gethins

1136217

registered interest
date	02/07/2019
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	Khaleda Zia
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 potential effect of the imprisonment of the main opposition leader in Bangladesh, Khaleda Zia, on political stability in that country; and what representations he has made to his Bangladeshi counterpart on that matter.
tabling member constituency	Harrow East
tabling member printed	Bob Blackman
uin	272185
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/07/2019 answer text <p>We continue to stress to the Government of Bangladesh, both in public and in private, the importance of respect for human rights and the rule of law. We expect those in detention including Khaleda Zia to be treated in accordance with Bangladesh's international commitments on human rights, and we regularly engage with the Government of Bangladesh on the treatment of those in detention and on the integrity and independence of the judicial process.</p><p>The Foreign Secretary has written to Bangladesh Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen this year to express our concerns about the general election in December 2018 and to encourage the Government of Bangladesh to maintain dialogue with opposition parties and civil society.</p><p>The Minister of State for Asia and the Pacific reiterated these concerns and the importance of respect for human rights when he met the Prime Minister and ministers during his visit to Bangladesh in April 2019.</p> answering member constituency South West Wiltshire answering member printed Dr Andrew Murrison question first answered 10/07/2019 13:31:07 answering member 1466 label Biography information for Dr Andrew Murrison
tabling member	4005 label Biography information for Bob Blackman

1136239

registered interest
date	02/07/2019
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	Gaza: Reconstruction
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of processes to prevent the misuse of reconstruction material in Gaza.
tabling member constituency	Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk
tabling member printed	John Lamont
uin	272238
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/07/2019 answer text <p>Following the review of the Gaza Reconstruction Mechanism (GRM) by the UN, Government of Israel and the Palestinian Authority in February 2018, and the implementation of improvements in January 2019, we assess that the GRM and, in particular, its Programme Monitoring Unit (PMU) has effective processes to monitor the entry and use of construction materials in Gaza. DFID has recently committed a further £700,000 to the PMU over the next two years. This support will be an important part of efforts to alleviate shelter and basic service needs which were exacerbated by the 2014 conflict and help stimulate economic growth and reduce poverty.</p> answering member constituency South West Wiltshire answering member printed Dr Andrew Murrison question first answered 09/07/2019 15:51:03 answering member 1466 label Biography information for Dr Andrew Murrison
tabling member	4608 label Biography information for John Lamont

1136292

registered interest
date	02/07/2019
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	Palestinians: Schools
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 15 February 2019 to Question 220733, whether the independent review of Palestinian Authority textbooks will be published by September 2019.
tabling member constituency	Enfield North
tabling member printed	Joan Ryan
uin	272116
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/07/2019 answer text <p>Given the seriousness with which the UK takes the allegations of incitement in the Palestinian pilot curriculum and textbooks we have taken the time needed to make sure that the independent review delivered will be rigorous, credible and can form the basis for discussions with the Palestinian Authority (PA) on this important issue. Securing the backing of the wider international community is central to this. We are pleased that after calls by the UK government for international action the European Union (EU) agreed to lead and co-fund the independent review. DFID has pressed hard to expedite this and had hope to make findings available to Parliament by September 2019, including by commissioning an inception report to form the basis of the independent review.</p><p> </p><p>The EU are currently in contracting negotiations with a potential service partner. Following this negotiation DFID will provide an update to Parliamentarians on the timetable for the report. We recognise that publishing findings by September is now very unlikely, although we anticipate only a short delay. In the interim, we are continuing to raise our concerns about incitement in education, which I did personally at a meeting with the Palestinian Authority Education Minister in Ramallah in May 2019.</p> answering member constituency South West Wiltshire answering member printed Dr Andrew Murrison question first answered 08/07/2019 15:16:57 answering member 1466 label Biography information for Dr Andrew Murrison
tabling member	166 label Biography information for Joan Ryan

1136323

registered interest
date	02/07/2019
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	China: Minority Groups
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations the Government has made to the Government of the People's Republic of China on the treatment of (a) Christian and (b) Muslim minority communities in that country.
tabling member constituency	Ilford North
tabling member printed	Wes Streeting
uin	272262
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/07/2019 answer text <p>We remain deeply concerned about the persecution of Christians, Muslims and others on the grounds of their religion or belief in China. The freedom to practise, change or share ones faith or belief without discrimination or violent opposition is a human right that all people should enjoy.</p><p> </p><p>Accordingly, at the 40<sup>th</sup> UN Human Rights Council in March 2019, during his opening address on 25 February, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad raised concerns about restrictions on freedom of religion and belief in China including on Muslims in Xinjiang and Christians across China. We also co-sponsored a side event on “Protecting the fundamental freedoms in Xinjiang” in March 2019, which helped to raise awareness of the situation among the international community. Lord Ahmad also set out the Government’s position when answering an Oral Question in the House of Lords on 4 April 2019. Further, we raised our concerns on freedom of religion and belief during China’s Universal Periodic Review in November 2018.</p><p> </p><p>Ministers and senior officials frequently raise human rights issues bilaterally with their Chinese counterparts. The Foreign Secretary highlighted our concerns on Xinjiang with Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his most recent visit to China in July 2018. Our Embassy in Beijing regularly raises the treatment of Uyghurs in Xinjiang and concerns about the pressures facing Christians directly with Chinese officials.</p> answering member constituency South West Wiltshire answering member printed Dr Andrew Murrison question first answered 08/07/2019 16:18:01 answering member 1466 label Biography information for Dr Andrew Murrison
tabling member	4504 label Biography information for Wes Streeting

1136358

registered interest
date	02/07/2019
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	Palestinians: Schools
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether the independent evaluation of the Palestinian Authority curriculum commissioned by the Palestinian Authority in 2018 and due in March 2019 has been completed.
tabling member constituency	Enfield North
tabling member printed	Joan Ryan
uin	272127
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/07/2019 answer text <p>DFID can confirm that the Palestinian Authority (PA) commissioned an independent evaluation of their pilot curriculum, and that this evaluation was completed in March 2019.</p> answering member constituency South West Wiltshire answering member printed Dr Andrew Murrison question first answered 08/07/2019 15:17:38 answering member 1466 label Biography information for Dr Andrew Murrison
tabling member	166 label Biography information for Joan Ryan

1136381

registered interest
date	02/07/2019
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	Israel: Refugees
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 his Israeli counterpart on recognition of the plight of Jewish refugees from the Middle East and North Africa.
tabling member constituency	Richmond Park
tabling member printed	Zac Goldsmith
uin	272225
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/07/2019 answer text <p>​I am yet to discuss this matter with my Israeli counterpart. The history of Jewish migration and displacement in the region is highly complex and cannot be ignored. We acknowledge that the Jewish community has experienced unacceptable suffering. We continue to support the aspiration for a Jewish homeland in the modern state of Israel, just as we support the objective of a viable and sovereign Palestinian state. A peaceful future for the Middle East depends on a peace agreement that offers fair restitution for both sides, and a willingness on the part of all countries in the region to respect the rights of minorities and build inclusive societies which enshrine and uphold those rights.</p> answering member constituency South West Wiltshire answering member printed Dr Andrew Murrison question first answered 08/07/2019 15:31:03 answering member 1466 label Biography information for Dr Andrew Murrison
tabling member	4062 label Biography information for Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park

1135773

registered interest
date	01/07/2019
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	International Planned Parenthood Federation: Offences against Children
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps his Department is taking in response to the recent allegations of institutional and sexual abuse of young people in the International Planned Parenthood Federation.
tabling member constituency	Stone
tabling member printed	Sir William Cash
uin	271337
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/07/2019 answer text <p>The UK government take issues of fraud and sexual exploitation and abuse and sexual harassment extremely seriously. As set out in DFID funding agreements with all partners, the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) has a clear obligation to report incidents to us.</p><p>Over the past year, IPPF’s Director General and IPPF’s Safeguarding Unit have taken significant steps to strengthen their internal systems and to shift culture at the organisation so that people feel safer and more able to report wrongdoing. Action taken by IPPF includes a Safeguarding Taskforce to review and improve overall processes; IPPF’s first employee engagement survey; a set of best-practice safeguarding policies and procedures, including an Independent Complaints Panel; an IPPF SafeReport, which provides a safe space for anyone – including staff, clients, volunteers or member of the public – to raise concerns.</p><p>We continue to regularly review IPPF against our high standards for safeguarding, whistleblowing, risk, governance and code of conduct, and we conduct regular assessments of their safeguarding procedures. In addition to recent safeguarding reforms, IPPF is currently conducting a review of its governance system and structures, which IPPF anticipate will take around six months. During this time DFID will monitor IPPF’s governance reforms closely and regularly.</p> answering member constituency South West Wiltshire answering member printed Dr Andrew Murrison grouped question UIN 269626 question first answered 04/07/2019 16:06:38 answering member 1466 label Biography information for Dr Andrew Murrison
tabling member	288 label Biography information for Sir William Cash

1135782

registered interest
date	01/07/2019
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	Medicine: Israel
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 an assessment of the potential merits of increasing co-operation between medical R&D facilities in the UK and Israel.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	271463
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/07/2019 answer text <p>The UK and Israel are co-operating in a wide range of areas in medical R&amp;D, with many successful partnerships across academia and business. The Britain Israel Research and Academic Exchange Partnership has supported medical collaboration over the last seven years, distributing 19 grants for joint research excellence totalling over £8 million. Our Embassy in Tel Aviv and the British Council manage the programme with private funding raised from a diverse coalition of non-Government organisations. In 2018 the British and Israeli Governments signed an agreement covering a two year £4 million bilateral programme to support business-to-business R&amp;D collaboration between Israeli and UK companies. Projects to receive funding will be announced later this month with a number of medical R&amp;D projects in contention.</p><p>The UK-Israel Tech Hub at our Embassy also helps to create tech and innovation partnerships across several sectors, including healthcare. One of their projects, the UK-Israel Dangoor Healthcare Initiative, aims to create a pipeline of digital innovation for the NHS. We are currently exploring further opportunities to expand cooperation in medical R&amp;D.</p> answering member constituency South West Wiltshire answering member printed Dr Andrew Murrison question first answered 09/07/2019 16:13:37 answering member 1466 label Biography information for Dr Andrew Murrison
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1135857

registered interest
date	01/07/2019
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	Syria: Bombings
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps the Government is taking to help protect children from the consequences of the bombing in Idlib, Syria.
tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
tabling member printed	Frank Field
uin	271376
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/07/2019 answer text <p>The Government is immensely concerned about the plight of all civilians, particularly children, affected by the current conflict in Idlib and surrounding areas.</p><p> </p><p>Last year DFID provided over £80m humanitarian assistance to Northwest Syria. Our UN and NGO partners are working to meet growing needs among displaced people in the region, including the estimated 100,000 children displaced since 1 May, through the distribution of food, shelter and other essential items. We are also providing education and safe spaces for children. Whilst this work has been impacted by the recent conflict in the region and the senseless attacks on civilian infrastructure such as schools and hospitals, to date our partners are continuing to be able to work effectively in the region to help those most in need. In addition to humanitarian assistance, we continue to use our position on the UN Security Council to call out the regime and Russia for their attacks on schools and hospitals, breaching international law and needlessly impacting civilians.</p> answering member constituency South West Wiltshire answering member printed Dr Andrew Murrison question first answered 08/07/2019 15:19:02 answering member 1466 label Biography information for Dr Andrew Murrison
tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead