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513002

registered interest
date	14/04/2016
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	United Arab Emirates: Torture
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 compliance by the United Arab Emirates with international treaties and norms on the use of torture.
tabling member constituency	Leeds Central
tabling member printed	Hilary Benn
uin	33947
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/04/2016 answer text The British 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 recent allegations made against the United Arab Emirates and we have expressed our concerns to the authorities, including our expectation that all cases will be thoroughly investigated in line with international standards. During those representations the United Arab Emirates confirmed that they are committed to investigating any allegations of mistreatment. The United Arab Emirates are a State Party to the Convention against Torture. answering member constituency Runnymede and Weybridge answering member printed Mr Philip Hammond question first answered 19/04/2016 13:49:19 answering member 105 label Biography information for Lord Hammond of Runnymede
tabling member	413 label Biography information for Hilary Benn

511385

registered interest
date	12/04/2016
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	Sri Lanka: Politics and Government
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 rate of progress of the implementation of commitments made by the government of Sri Lanka on human rights and the investigation of alleged war crimes.
tabling member constituency	Leeds Central
tabling member printed	Hilary Benn
uin	33520
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/04/2016 answer text We welcome the progress Sri Lanka has made in implementing its commitments to the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) Resolution it co-sponsored in October 2015. The Government has started public consultations on reconciliation mechanisms and on constitutional reform. We also welcome the Government’s cooperation with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights as well as the progress it has made through the return of some military occupied land and the release on bail of some long-term Tamil detainees held under anti-terrorism legislation. We recognise that there is still much to be done and we remain committed to supporting and encouraging the Sri Lankan Government to fully deliver against its commitments. The Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for East Devon (Mr Swire) reiterated this message when he visited Sri Lanka in January. We now look forward to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights’ assessment of progress at the next meeting of the UNHRC in June. answering member constituency Runnymede and Weybridge answering member printed Mr Philip Hammond question first answered 18/04/2016 15:56:15 answering member 105 label Biography information for Lord Hammond of Runnymede
tabling member	413 label Biography information for Hilary Benn

510065

registered interest
date	11/04/2016
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	Turkey: Press Freedom
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 the government of Turkey on the arrest and charging of Can Dundar and Erdem Gul.
tabling member constituency	Leeds Central
tabling member printed	Hilary Benn
uin	33440
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/04/2016 answer text We regularly underline the importance of freedom of expression and all fundamental freedoms as part of our broader dialogue with the Turkish Government. I set out the UK’s concerns on freedom of expression when I met my Turkish counterpart on 12 March. The specific case of Can Dündar and Erdem Gül is an important one for freedom of expression in Turkey. We and our EU partners are monitoring progress, including by our diplomats attending the opening hearing on 25 March. answering member constituency Runnymede and Weybridge answering member printed Mr Philip Hammond question first answered 14/04/2016 14:11:09 answering member 105 label Biography information for Lord Hammond of Runnymede
tabling member	413 label Biography information for Hilary Benn

487026

registered interest
date	24/03/2016
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	Liberia: 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 assessment he has made of the human rights situation in Liberia.
tabling member constituency	Leeds Central
tabling member printed	Hilary Benn
uin	32535
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/04/2016 answer text <p>Liberia has made significant progress since the end of its civil war in 2003. However, Liberia’s second Universal Periodic Review at the UN Human Rights Council in 2015, highlighted continuing concerns over gender-based violence and victims’ access to justice; the length of pre-trial detention; investigative capacity of the police and judiciary; and the death penalty. The government of Liberia accepted 147 of the 186 recommendations made. The UK Government regularly presses for concrete action in these areas through our Ambassador in Monrovia and in multilateral fora. <br> <br>The UK is concerned about inflammatory statements by the Liberian opposition in the run-up to the country’s elections in 2017. In March, our Ambassador urged the Government of Liberia to show restraint by ensuring that their responses to such statements are proportionate.</p> answering member constituency Runnymede and Weybridge answering member printed Mr Philip Hammond question first answered 15/04/2016 14:48:29 answering member 105 label Biography information for Lord Hammond of Runnymede
tabling member	413 label Biography information for Hilary Benn

487027

registered interest
date	24/03/2016
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	Liberia: 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 assessment he has made of the progress on implementation of the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Liberia.
tabling member constituency	Leeds Central
tabling member printed	Hilary Benn
uin	32536
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/04/2016 answer text <p>Liberia’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission was created in 2005 and concluded in 2010 when it presented its final report. The Government of Liberia has taken some steps to implement the recommendations of the Commission, notably launching the Strategic Roadmap for National Healing, Peacebuilding and Reconciliation in 2014. A key plank of that Roadmap has been the launch of the “Palava Hut Programme”. This draws on a traditional approach to reconciliation whereby those implicated in the civil war meet with affected communities to agree a resolution. However, obstacles to implementation of the Commission’s recommendations remain. As one of the main contributors to the UN Peacebuilding Commission’s Peace Building Fund, which funds the &quot;Palava Hut Programme&quot;, the UK will continue to press for progress on the Commission’s recommendations, including in the context of UNSC discussions.</p> answering member constituency Runnymede and Weybridge answering member printed Mr Philip Hammond question first answered 15/04/2016 14:50:12 answering member 105 label Biography information for Lord Hammond of Runnymede
tabling member	413 label Biography information for Hilary Benn

487029

registered interest
date	24/03/2016
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	Egypt: 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 reports he has received of human rights workers being (a) summoned for questioning, (b) banned from travelling and (c) subject to attempts to freeze their personal funds and family assets by the Egyptian authorities.
tabling member constituency	Leeds Central
tabling member printed	Hilary Benn
uin	32547
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/04/2016 answer text We are concerned about the decreasing space for civil society to operate in Egypt, including for Non Government Organisations (NGOs). Human rights defenders have been subject to measures including questioning, travel bans and judicial applications for asset freezing against individuals and their families. I refer you to the statement made by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of Sate for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth East (Mr Ellwood) on 22 March. UK officials have raised our concerns with representatives from the Egyptian Government in both Cairo and London. answering member constituency Runnymede and Weybridge answering member printed Mr Philip Hammond question first answered 11/04/2016 14:17:51 answering member 105 label Biography information for Lord Hammond of Runnymede
tabling member	413 label Biography information for Hilary Benn

487030

registered interest
date	24/03/2016
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	Syria: 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 reports he has received of injured children trying to leave Syria being turned away at the Jordanian border.
tabling member constituency	Leeds Central
tabling member printed	Hilary Benn
uin	32548
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/04/2016 answer text We are aware that there are large numbers of refugees being denied access to Jordan at the Jordan/Syria border. Whilst recognising their legitimate security concerns and the need for proper vetting, we have discussed with the Government of Jordan the necessity of prioritising admittance for the sick and injured, including children. Jordan has shown remarkable generosity as host to over 630,000 registered refugees from the Syria conflict. The UK is firmly committed to supporting Jordan. We have contributed over £330 million to help Jordan since the start of the Syria crisis. As co-hosts of the Supporting Syria and the Region Conference held in London this year we helped secure over $12 billion of commitments of further support for those inside Syria and Syria’s neighbours Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey which are bearing the humanitarian weight of the crisis. answering member constituency Runnymede and Weybridge answering member printed Mr Philip Hammond question first answered 11/04/2016 14:22:29 answering member 105 label Biography information for Lord Hammond of Runnymede
tabling member	413 label Biography information for Hilary Benn

487032

registered interest
date	24/03/2016
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	Democratic Republic of Congo: Elections
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 elections due to take place in November 2016 on political stability in Democratic Republic of Congo.
tabling member constituency	Leeds Central
tabling member printed	Hilary Benn
uin	32549
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/04/2016 answer text <p>The Government is concerned that elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) may not take place by the Constitutional deadline in November 2016. We believe that it is still technically possible to hold the elections on time and remain committed to doing what we can to support this process.</p><p>On 4 March 2016 the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Development, my Hon. Friend the Member for Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner (Mr Hurd), announced in Kinshasa that the UK was prepared to make available £11.4 million to support the elections provided that certain conditions were met. These conditions include the production of a credible timetable and budget for the elections.</p><p>We have called upon the Government of the DRC to ensure that political freedoms, freedom of media and speech and human rights are respected to ensure a peaceful and fair environment for the elections. We have also called upon all actors to respect the law and avoid inciting violence and disorder.</p> answering member constituency Runnymede and Weybridge answering member printed Mr Philip Hammond question first answered 11/04/2016 14:28:53 answering member 105 label Biography information for Lord Hammond of Runnymede
tabling member	413 label Biography information for Hilary Benn

487152

registered interest
date	24/03/2016
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	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, what information he holds on the number of civilians (a) killed and (b) injured in the Yemen conflict to date.
tabling member constituency	Leeds Central
tabling member printed	Hilary Benn
uin	32643
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/04/2016 answer text <p>The UN reports that between 26 March 2015 and 17 March 2016 there have been just under 9,000 casualties in Yemen including 3,218 civilians killed and a further 5,778 injured. The UK Government uses UN reports as one of its primary data sources.</p> answering member constituency Runnymede and Weybridge answering member printed Mr Philip Hammond question first answered 11/04/2016 14:30:13 answering member 105 label Biography information for Lord Hammond of Runnymede
tabling member	413 label Biography information for Hilary Benn

485624

registered interest
date	23/03/2016
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	Islamic State: Genocide
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 the UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide on atrocities committed by Daesh.
tabling member constituency	Leeds Central
tabling member printed	Hilary Benn
uin	32285
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/04/2016 answer text <p>My officials have regular contact with the Joint Office of the United Nations Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide and the Special Adviser on the Responsibility to Protect. Their discussions cover a range of issues related to preventing genocide and mass atrocities, including the actions of Daesh.</p><p>The UK provides funding for the Office, including for its work with religious leaders and faith-based organisations in the Middle East and North Africa.</p> answering member constituency Runnymede and Weybridge answering member printed Mr Philip Hammond question first answered 11/04/2016 13:19:30 answering member 105 label Biography information for Lord Hammond of Runnymede
tabling member	413 label Biography information for Hilary Benn