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228365

registered interest
date	18/03/2015
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	Zimbabwe
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the European Union policy decision on resuming bilateral aid to Zimbabwe and allowing President Mugabe to travel to European Union member states on African Union business; and what position they have taken on that issue.
tabling member printed	Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead
uin	HL5835
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/03/2015 answer text <p>EU Member States agreed in February to renew, for a further year, the Arms Embargo and active travel ban and asset freeze against President Mugabe, the First Lady, and Zimbabwe Defence Industries. Contrary to media reporting, the EU did not agree a relaxation to President Mugabe’s travel ban during his term as African Union Chair. Exemptions to the travel ban can only be granted in exceptional circumstances and require the agreement of all EU Member States. EU Member States reviewed the governance and human rights situation in Zimbabwe in October 2014. Member States agreed that there had not been a ‘serious deterioration’, which was the agreed condition for renewing the EU Appropriate Measures. The Appropriate Measures therefore expired in November 2014. This enabled the EU to plan a strategic aid programme in Zimbabwe for 2014-20, delivering support directly to agencies on the ground. The EU had an aid programme in Zimbabwe before the Appropriate Measures lapsed but this could only be planned on an annual rather than multi-annual basis. The programme covering the 2014-2020 period will help deliver the reforms necessary for Zimbabwe to become a more democratic and prosperous country, which the UK supports.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 25/03/2015 14:29:07 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	3895 label Biography information for Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead

228368

registered interest
date	18/03/2015
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	Zimbabwe
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what priority they accord to developing foreign policy towards Zimbabwe, and what measures they have adopted in respect of Zimbabwe in the light of that prioritisation.
tabling member printed	Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead
uin	HL5838
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/03/2015 answer text Our approach in Zimbabwe is focussed around achieving a more prosperous and democratic society. We do so through engagement with the Government of Zimbabwe, opposition groups, civil society and other relevant actors on: human rights, the rule of law, development, and prosperity promotion. answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 25/03/2015 14:27:37 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	3895 label Biography information for Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead

228378

registered interest
date	18/03/2015
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
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anelay of St Johns on 13 March (HL5374), what steps they are taking to alert Gazan citizens of the need to vacate the area where Hamas are rebuilding tunnels close to the border with Israel.
tabling member printed	Lord Turnberg
uin	HL5848
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/03/2015 answer text <p>We have no plans to alert Gazan citizens of the need to vacate areas where Hamas are rebuilding tunnels. It would be the role of the de facto government in Gaza or the Government of Israel to give a warning if the civilian population were under threat from any military action. International Humanitarian Law requires warring parties to give ‘effective advance warning’ of attacks that may affect civilian populations.</p><p>We stress the importance of protecting the civilian population in accordance with international law with the Government of Israel and we have asked all those with influence to stress the same point to Hamas.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 24/03/2015 13:52:52 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	2537 label Biography information for Lord Turnberg

227965

registered interest
date	17/03/2015
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	Sudan
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the escalation of the conflict, including sexual violence targeted at women, in Darfur over the past 12 months; and what assessment they have made of the outcome of investigations into reports of mass rape in Tabit earlier this year.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL5780
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/03/2015 answer text We remain deeply concerned by the continued escalation of conflict in Darfur that has resulted in over 40,000 newly displaced persons so far in 2015. Reports of widespread sexual violence, including Human Rights Watch’s investigation into the events in Tabit, are deeply disturbing. In my press statement of 13 February I reiterated our call for a full and independent investigation into what happened in Tabit and unfettered access for the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Mission in Darfur, as well as for humanitarian agencies to provide assistance. answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 25/03/2015 14:26:32 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

227967

registered interest
date	17/03/2015
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	Sudan
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they consider that fair or free elections can be held in the Republic of Sudan next month while people there are displaced or affected by violence; if so, how; how they consider that conditions there compare with those which prevailed before the 2010 elections; and whether their assessment is that elections will hinder or help national dialogue in Sudan.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL5782
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/03/2015 answer text Due to the ongoing conflicts, political detentions, and clampdown on media freedoms, it is hard to see how elections scheduled in April 2015 could be free and fair. The 2010 elections were an important milestone in the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, but five years on restrictions on political freedoms remain. We urge all parties to stand by their commitments to National Dialogue. A genuine National Dialogue remains the best opportunity to achieve a genuinely representative political system. answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 25/03/2015 14:27:02 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

227968

registered interest
date	17/03/2015
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	Sudan
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of (1) the number of newspapers closed in Sudan in the last five years, (2) the number of opposition leaders or human rights activists imprisoned or detained there, and (3) the provision made for opposition parties to be able to express their views during the election period.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL5783
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/03/2015 answer text <p>Whilst we do not have specific data going back five years, ongoing restrictions on press and political freedoms have seen a number of newspapers seized or closed down in Sudan. The environment so far in 2015 has been particularly concerning: on 16 February a total of 14 papers were seized in a single day. Opposition leaders and human rights activists also continue to be obstructed and detained. Officials from our Embassy in Khartoum have made representations to the Government of Sudan including most recently on the cases of Dr Amin Mekki Medani, Farouk Abu Eissa and Farah Ibrahim Mohamed al-Agar. Such actions by the Sudanese government restrict opportunities for the free expression of views in advance of the planned elections.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 25/03/2015 14:28:11 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

227978

registered interest
date	17/03/2015
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	Pakistan
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the freedom and safety of Christians to practise their religion in Pakistan; and when they next intend to raise this issue with the government of Pakistan.
tabling member printed	Lord Patten
uin	HL5793
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/03/2015 answer text We remain deeply concerned by the violent persecution of Christians and other religious minorities in Pakistan. On 15 March the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth East (Mr Ellwood), joined our High Commissioner in Islamabad, in condemning the most recent attack on Christians in Lahore. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), discussed Pakistan’s misuse of the blasphemy laws with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in November 2014. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office monitors religious freedom in Pakistan in its annual Human Rights report, published last week. We continue to urge the government of Pakistan to protect the human rights of all its citizens as laid down in the Constitution and in accordance with international standards. answering member printed Lord Allen of Kensington question first answered 24/03/2015 13:54:18 answering member 4304 label Biography information for Lord Allen of Kensington
tabling member	1137 label Biography information for Lord Patten

227979

registered interest
date	17/03/2015
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	Pakistan
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what advice they give to United Kingdom citizens intending to visit Pakistan concerning freedom of worship, and whether it is safe to visit places of worship in Pakistan.
tabling member printed	Lord Patten
uin	HL5794
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/03/2015 answer text <p>Foreign and Commonwealth Office Travel Advice is comprehensive and is regularly updated. This advice includes: <br><br>“There is a high threat from terrorism, kidnap and sectarian violence throughout Pakistan. In the aftermath of an attack on a school in Peshawar in December 2014, there is a heightened threat of terrorist attacks, and kidnapping against western nationals in Pakistan. You should be particularly vigilant at this time and take appropriate security precautions. Security forces in Pakistan remain on high alert following recent attacks.....Be vigilant, keep a low profile and vary your routes and timings if you make any regular journeys. Public places and public gatherings are often targeted, including courts and government buildings, hotels, airports, markets, shopping malls, restaurants, educational institutions and religious shrines”.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 24/03/2015 13:53:47 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	1137 label Biography information for Lord Patten

227983

registered interest
date	17/03/2015
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	Tajikistan
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of relations between the United Kingdom and Tajikistan.
tabling member printed	Lord Patten
uin	HL5798
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/03/2015 answer text <p>We value our relationship with Tajikistan and welcome the strengthening of ties between our two countries created by recent high level exchanges, including the visit last July by Tajik Foreign Minister, Sirojiddin Aslov.</p><p>Our priorities for Tajikistan remain promoting good governance and regional stability, and we continue to raise our concerns on human rights and the rule of law at every appropriate opportunity.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 24/03/2015 13:53:12 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	1137 label Biography information for Lord Patten

227987

registered interest
date	17/03/2015
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	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel about the refusal to allow delegations of British parliamentarians to enter Gaza from Israel since 2009; whether similar requests for entry via Egypt were refused in 2014; and what representations they have made for access in such situations.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL5802
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/03/2015 answer text <p>We do not hold the details of delegations of British parliamentarians that have been refused permission to enter Gaza from Israel since 2009. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) advises against all travel to Gaza. We therefore do not make representations on behalf of parliamentarians wishing to do so.</p><p> </p><p>Our Embassy in Cairo forwarded a request to the Egyptian authorities for a British aid convoy to access Gaza via the Rafah crossing in 2014, after Egypt changed its policy to only considering applications requested by embassy note verbale. The convoy included one or two parliamentarians. The FCO made clear to the organisers that the visit was at their own risk. The Egyptian authorities agreed access for a reduced version of the convoy, but this was shortly before the Rafah crossing was closed indefinitely in October. We understand the convoy did not therefore gain access.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 24/03/2015 13:52:09 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton