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93552

registered interest
date	15/10/2014
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	Hong Kong
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 extent to which the proposals for the 2017 elections in Hong Kong will fulfil the aim of universal suffrage.
tabling member constituency	Bristol East
tabling member printed	Kerry McCarthy
uin	210741
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/10/2014 answer text <p>We monitor the situation in Hong Kong closely. We recognise that the detailed terms that the National People’s Congress (NPC) has set for the 2017 election, will disappoint those who are arguing for a more open nomination process. The UK’s position on constitutional reform has always been that the detail of the constitutional package is for the Governments of Hong Kong and China and the people of Hong Kong to decide in line with the Basic Law. While we recognise that there is no perfect model, the important thing is that the people of Hong Kong have a genuine choice and feel that they have a real stake in the outcome.</p> answering member constituency East Devon answering member printed Mr Hugo Swire question first answered 20/10/2014 16:48:01 answering member 1408 label Biography information for Lord Swire
tabling member	1491 label Biography information for Kerry McCarthy

93202

registered interest
date	14/10/2014
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	West Africa
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his most recent assessment is of the relationship between increasing drug trafficking and the funding of terrorism in West Africa; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
uin	210526
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2014 answer text <p>West Africa is a significant transit point for Latin American cocaine bound for Europe. Cannabis is trafficked from Morocco through the Sahel. There is some indication that terrorist cells in the Sahel may tax cannabis drug convoys. There is very little evidence to indicate that terrorist groups in West Africa are involved in cocaine trafficking.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 21/10/2014 13:35:08 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

93205

registered interest
date	14/10/2014
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
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 threat posed by Islamic State to the town of Kobane.
tabling member constituency	Romford
tabling member printed	Andrew Rosindell
uin	210384
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2014 answer text <p>Reports from Kobane continue to be deeply concerning and we are watching the situation closely. Over recent days, however, the defenders of Kobane, supported by coalition airstrikes, have been able to hold their position against ISIL, and in some areas they are pushing back. The moderate opposition have held back ISIL in other parts of Northern Syria. We strongly support the coalition airstrikes that are being carried out in Syria by the United States, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, and Jordan. As well as supporting international military action to push back ISIL, we are providing technical assistance and non-lethal equipment to the moderate opposition in Syria, whose forces fighting are ISIL on the ground, and providing humanitarian aid to those areas, like Kobane, that have been worst affected by the crisis. The Department for International Development has already responded to the urgent needs of Syrian Kurdish refugees that have fled to Turkey and is in a state of readiness to react swiftly to further developments.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 21/10/2014 13:26:39 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	1447 label Biography information for Andrew Rosindell

93206

registered interest
date	14/10/2014
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	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent progress has been made on efforts to locate and release British abductees kidnapped by extremist groups in the Middle East.
tabling member constituency	Belfast North
tabling member printed	Mr Nigel Dodds
uin	210412
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2014 answer text <p>It is a long-standing British Government policy not to discuss operational details.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 21/10/2014 13:33:43 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	1388 label Biography information for Lord Dodds of Duncairn

93207

registered interest
date	14/10/2014
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	Russia
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 and effectiveness of existing EU sanctions on Russia.
tabling member constituency	Mid Sussex
tabling member printed	Sir Nicholas Soames
uin	210396
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2014 answer text <p>Sanctions imposed on Russia by the EU in respect of Russia’s actions in Ukraine are designed to impose a cost on Russia, deter further escalation of this crisis, and support the wider diplomatic effort to reach a sustainable solution. EU sanctions already announced have exacerbated negative trends in Russia’s economy: capital flight in the first half of 2014 was greater than for the whole of 2013; and growth predictions have been revised downwards. Russian access to western financial markets is being severely constrained as lenders consider the risks of Russian exposure in the current climate. The strengthening of sanctions is signaling clearly to the Russian leadership that its policy of trying to destabilise Ukraine will continue to have serious consequences.</p> answering member constituency Aylesbury answering member printed Mr David Lidington question first answered 21/10/2014 13:33:36 answering member 15 label Biography information for Sir David Lidington
tabling member	116 label Biography information for Lord Soames of Fletching

93209

registered interest
date	14/10/2014
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	GCHQ
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 US citizens (a) work full time and (b) are seconded to work at the Government Communications Headquarters.
tabling member constituency	Newport West
tabling member printed	Paul Flynn
uin	210390
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2014 answer text <p>It is long standing Government policy not to provide a detailed breakdown of staffing at GCHQ sites.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 21/10/2014 13:32:36 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	545 label Biography information for Paul Flynn

93210

registered interest
date	14/10/2014
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	Central Europe
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to encourage religious equality and tolerance in central Europe.
tabling member constituency	Belfast North
tabling member printed	Mr Nigel Dodds
uin	210410
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2014 answer text <p>Freedom of religion or belief is a priority human rights area for the Government. We work actively to defend it in our bilateral relations with individual countries, including lobbying for changes in discriminatory laws and practices and through our work in multilateral institutions.</p><p>We also carry out project work in a range of countries working with non-governmental organisations on issues such as promoting better understanding between faiths, bridging sectarian divides, promoting dialogue between faith groups and government and offering technical advice on laws that need amendment. <br> <br>Although central Europe is not a particular area of focus for us, we do play an active part in the work of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) to share best practice in combating intolerance and discrimination against individuals on the basis of their religion or belief. We participated actively in the recent Human Dimension Implementation meeting in Warsaw, and last year nominated a UK representative to the OSCE’s Advisory Panel of Experts on Freedom of Religion or Belief.</p> answering member constituency Aylesbury answering member printed Mr David Lidington question first answered 21/10/2014 13:34:36 answering member 15 label Biography information for Sir David Lidington
tabling member	1388 label Biography information for Lord Dodds of Duncairn

93213

registered interest
date	14/10/2014
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what estimate has been made of numbers of Yazidi people displaced by Islamic State forces in Northern Iraq.
tabling member constituency	Romford
tabling member printed	Andrew Rosindell
uin	210358
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2014 answer text <p>ISIL and associated armed groups continue to commit atrocities against Muslims, Christians, Yezidis, Turkmen and other communities throughout the areas under their control. The humanitarian reports are deeply disturbing.</p><p>The impact ISIL atrocities have had on the Yezidi community and other civilians is tragic.</p><p>The UN estimates that 1.8 million people in Iraq have been displaced by the humanitarian emergency in total. All UK funded aid is distributed on the basis of need, regardless of ethnicity and therefore we only have displacement data based on need. As a result it is difficult to estimate the exact number of Yezidi people who have been displaced</p><p>UK aid is reaching displaced people across Iraq, including in the Kurdish region, where many Christians and Yezidis have fled to. We will continue to work with the UN and the international community to ensure peoples’ rights are protected.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 21/10/2014 13:15:51 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	1447 label Biography information for Andrew Rosindell

93215

registered interest
date	14/10/2014
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
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what support the UK is providing to rebels operating in Syria.
tabling member constituency	Romford
tabling member printed	Andrew Rosindell
uin	210379
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2014 answer text <p>The British Government continues to provide strong support to the moderate opposition, including technical assistance and non-lethal equipment. The UK has recently increased the amount allocated this financial year to support areas under opposition control and increase the resilience of our regional allies to the effects of the Syria conflict from £30 million to £46 million. Our support along with that of our allies has enabled the Free Syrian police establish 90 police stations in liberated areas. It has supported 600 volunteers in 51 civil defence stations across northern Syria, trained and equipped to carry out search &amp; rescue, fire-fighting and first aid, saving over 2,500 lives. This support has helped to consolidate the moderate opposition as they work to build capacity to deliver governance and essential public services.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 21/10/2014 13:21:33 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	1447 label Biography information for Andrew Rosindell

93216

registered interest
date	14/10/2014
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
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 Syrian rebels training on Turkish soil.
tabling member constituency	Romford
tabling member printed	Andrew Rosindell
uin	210380
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2014 answer text <p>The British Government are aware of these reports and it is for the Turkish government to comment on. We maintain a close dialogue with Turkey on the crisis in Syria.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 21/10/2014 13:23:30 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	1447 label Biography information for Andrew Rosindell