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45742

	registered interest
	date	27/03/2014
	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
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the independence of the judiciary in Egypt.
	tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of Coventry
	uin	HL6391
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/04/2014 answer text <p>The new Egyptian constitution, adopted in January 2014, states that the judicial system is independent, and allows the judiciary its own budget, and to appoint the Prosecutor General and members of the Supreme Constitutional Court. We do however have some concerns over recent judicial decisions, including the sentencing to death of 529 people in Minya on 24 March. Reports that many of the defendants were tried in their absence and may not have been represented properly are deeply troubling. We have been urging the Egyptian authorities to ensure that the rights of defendants are fully respected in all cases.</p> answering member printed Baroness Warsi question first answered 23/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 3839 label Biography information for Baroness Warsi
	tabling member	4266 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of Coventry

45774

	registered interest
	date	27/03/2014
	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
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what current plans they have to enhance stability and democracy in Bosnia Herzegovina.
	tabling member printed	The Earl of Dundee
	uin	HL6423
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/04/2014 answer text <p>The United Kingdom continues to be deeply committed to enhancing stability and democracy in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). The UK is a strong supporter of European Union Force (EUFOR) Operation Althea's maintenance of the safe and secure environment in BiH, and is proud of its contributions in theatre, and through a reserve company, 1 Scots. Our support for BiH's policing has led to our contributing to establishing a trilateral Police Cooperation Centre (PCC) in Trebinje, resulting in more efficient and effective actions being taken between law enforcement agencies in the region. UK Ministers and officials have made clear to BiH's leaders their responsibility for ensuring that their public rhetoric is not inflammatory or ethnically divisive. <br><br>Following the recent protests, we have made clear to BiH's leaders that they need to respond to the population's legitimate desire for change, most recently when the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Rt. Hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), met the BiH Presidency and Foreign Minister on 27 March. During his recent visit the Foreign Secretary met representatives of civil society and plenums and expressed our support to widen the political space in BiH so as to allow citizens to hold politicians to account. <br><br>Part of our work to widen the political space is the recent British BiH Fellowship Programme. A one-month residential programme in the UK designed to equip BiH's future leaders with the skills and experience to lead positive change in their country. <br><br>The Foreign Secretary also announced continuing UK assistance for BiH's path towards EU membership, in the form of new funding to foster democratic governance in Bosnia by strengthening the judiciary, civil society organisations, governance and supporting BiH's EU accession process. Specific examples include political and financial support focused on strengthening the State Court and State Prosecutor's Office, which will improve the operation of Rule of Law systems in BiH. <br><br>In addition, the UK supports the activities of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD), whose work in BiH has focused on equipping local non-governmental organisations with the skills they need to provide effective evidence for parliamentary committees. WFD has done valuable work with BiH's Parliament to raise awareness of the value of such committees. This has influenced positively the formation of legislation, and opened up the process of law-making to public scrutiny, while promoting citizen participation in the democratic process.</p> answering member printed Baroness Warsi question first answered 23/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 3839 label Biography information for Baroness Warsi
	tabling member	2735 label Biography information for The Earl of Dundee

47069

	registered interest
	date	04/04/2014
	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
	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 counterparts in Commonwealth governments regarding Uganda's Anti-Homosexuality Act.
	tabling member constituency	Belfast East
	tabling member printed	Naomi Long
	uin	195354
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/04/2014 answer text <p>As I made clear to the House in the adjournment debate on this subject on 2 April, combating violence and discrimination against LGBT communities forms an integral part of our tireless efforts to protect and promote human rights internationally. We have raised our deep concern about the Anti-Homosexuality Act with the Government of Uganda at the highest levels. Since that debate, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Boston and Skegness (Mr Simmonds) has raised the issue with the Ugandan Foreign Minister on 3 April.</p><p>Uganda's Anti-Homosexuality Act runs counter to the Commonwealth's commitment to equality and respect without discrimination on any grounds. The Foreign Secretary wrote to the Secretary General of the Commonwealth on 1 March to ask him to work with us to review the worrying trend on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights in some Commonwealth member states. I discussed the issue with the Commonwealth Secretary-General on 19 March. We also use Commonwealth fora, such as the Commonwealth Law Ministers' meetings (CLMM), to raise concerns. Our High Commission in Kampala continues to discuss the issue with Commonwealth High Commissions.</p> answering member constituency East Devon answering member printed Mr Hugo Swire question first answered 28/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1408 label Biography information for Lord Swire
	tabling member	3920 label Biography information for Naomi Long

47241

	registered interest
	date	07/04/2014
	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
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which five companies were used most often to provide temporary workers for his Department in the last financial year; and how much in agency fees was paid to each of them.
	tabling member constituency	Nottingham East
	tabling member printed	Chris Leslie
	uin	195553
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/04/2014 answer text <p>All contingent labour (provision of temporary workers) procured by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is provided by Hayes Specialist Recruitment. In the last financial year (2013/14) £476,000 was paid to Hays in agency fees.</p> answering member constituency Aylesbury answering member printed Mr David Lidington question first answered 25/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 15 label Biography information for Sir David Lidington
	tabling member	422 label Biography information for Mr Chris Leslie

47245

	registered interest
	date	07/04/2014
	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
	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 jobs have been transferred from the public to the private sector as a result of privatisations or outsourcing by his Department since May 2010.
	tabling member constituency	Manchester Central
	tabling member printed	Lucy Powell
	uin	195511
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/04/2014 answer text <p>Comprehensive information on all outsourcing activities and the number of jobs involved is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.</p> answering member constituency Faversham and Mid Kent answering member printed Hugh Robertson question first answered 23/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1415 label Biography information for Sir Hugh Robertson
	tabling member	4263 label Biography information for Lucy Powell

47247

	registered interest
	date	07/04/2014
	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
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which 10 consultancy firms were paid the most by his Department in the last financial year; and how much each of those firms was paid.
	tabling member constituency	Nottingham East
	tabling member printed	Chris Leslie
	uin	195575
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/04/2014 answer text For the past financial year (2013-2014) the 10 organisations paid most by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) for consultancy and the associated spend figures were as follows: ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION & DEVELOPMENT (OECD) £285,579.00 DLA PIPER UK LLP £148,283.34 CBRE LTD £103,412.14 FIELD FISHER WATERHOUSE £52,940.75 FONNEGRA GERLEIN S.A £50,745.43 SAMSON AND MCGRATH £34,136.41 ACCENTURE (UK) LTD £29,892.00 DTZ CONSULTING AND RESEARCH £28,700.00 HOGAN LOVELLS INTERNATIONAL LLP £26,153.81 HERBERT SMITH FREEHILLS £21,061.27 answering member constituency Aylesbury answering member printed Mr David Lidington question first answered 29/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 15 label Biography information for Sir David Lidington
	tabling member	422 label Biography information for Mr Chris Leslie

47391

	registered interest
	date	07/04/2014
	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
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of recent reports that anti-balaka forces from the Central African Republic have attacked villages in Northern Cameroon.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Berridge
	uin	HL6623
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/04/2014 answer text <p>UK officials and their Cameroon counterparts hold regular discussions on the Central African Republic (CAR), including the impact of cross-border violence and refugees. We both agree that the international community's top priority is to protect civilians and stop the violence; this is in the best interests of both CAR and the region as a whole including Cameroon. We therefore welcome the continued efforts of African Union and French forces in CAR, and welcome the imminent deployment of European troops to provide further assistance.</p> answering member printed Lord Wallace of Saltaire question first answered 25/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1816 label Biography information for Lord Wallace of Saltaire
	tabling member	4218 label Biography information for Baroness Berridge

47399

	registered interest
	date	07/04/2014
	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
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their evaluation of the situation in Venezuela as regards the rule of law, freedom of speech and the protection of human rights.
	tabling member printed	Lord Lester of Herne Hill
	uin	HL6631
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/04/2014 answer text <p>Anti-government protests have been taking place in Caracas and other cities in Venezuela since early February. Around 40 people have died, and over 500 injured. About half the victims are anti-government protestors and the rest pro-government supporters, security forces and bystanders. More than 2,000 people have been detained in relation to the protests, although most have been released on parole. <br><br>We are concerned by reports of excessive use of force in protests, and reports of armed groups using violence. We condemn all acts of violence and call on all sides to show restraint. It is important that the Venezuelan government respects the right to protest peacefully and freedom of speech, and ensures that those detained are afforded due process. We have called for all sides to avoid confrontation, reduce tensions and to create the right conditions for genuine dialogue to take place. <br><br>The Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Rt. Hon. Friend the Member for East Devon (Mr Swire), has written to the Venezuelan government emphasising the importance of respecting peaceful protest and the importance of dialogue taking place between the parties. He has offered the UK's assistance in the reconciliation process and asked to speak to his Venezuelan opposite number. Our Embassy in Caracas urges peaceful dialogue through its contacts with a range of actors in Venezuelan society.</p> answering member printed Baroness Warsi question first answered 23/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 3839 label Biography information for Baroness Warsi
	tabling member	2037 label Biography information for Lord Lester of Herne Hill

47400

	registered interest
	date	07/04/2014
	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
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what were their reasons for intervening in proceedings in the United States Supreme Court regarding alleged liability by Shell and Rio Tinto for abuses of human rights in Nigeria and Papua New Guinea; and whether those companies requested Her Majesty's Government to intervene on their behalf.
	tabling member printed	Lord Lester of Herne Hill
	uin	HL6632
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/04/2014 answer text <p>The UK intervened in both these cases (Kiobel vs Royal Dutch Shell Petroleum and Rio Tinto v Sarei) to clarify our position on the proper limits of the extraterritorial application of US law. The amicus brief submitted by the UK was confined to our views on this point of international law, and did not take a position on the allegations made against the defendants in this case. The views expressed were consistent with long-standing UK policy.</p><p>The UK strongly supports the promotion of business and human rights and was the first country to produce a National Action Plan to implement the UN Guiding Principles. We have consistently made clear that we expect British companies to act in accordance with human rights wherever they operate, and that companies should not be able to act with impunity. States should enact domestic law to regulate the activity of businesses to ensure that they do not have a negative impact on human rights. We believe it appropriate and desirable for a State to provide remedies for human rights victims where human rights abuses are committed by their nationals (including corporate nationals) overseas.</p><p>Rio Tinto wrote to the British Government in November 2011 requesting that the Government intervene in their case in view of our stance on extraterritoriality. After considering the points of law that the case raised, we considered that submitting a brief would be appropriate. The Shell case was brought to our attention by a third party and again we objected because there was little, or no, connection between the corporate defendant and the US. Officials discussed the case with the company after we had made the decision to intervene. The Government initially submitted a brief in support of Shell in the Kiobel vs Royal Dutch Shell Petroleum case because we were not advised that a neutral brief was a possibility. As soon as we became aware, we replaced our original brief with a neutral brief, as the best way of representing our wider legal concerns without taking a position on the specific allegations in this case.</p> answering member printed Lord Wallace of Saltaire question first answered 25/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1816 label Biography information for Lord Wallace of Saltaire
	tabling member	2037 label Biography information for Lord Lester of Herne Hill

47408

	registered interest
	date	07/04/2014
	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
	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 recruitment of child soldiers by the government of Chad; whether they have raised concerns about the presence of Chadian soldiers in the Central African Republic; and whether they are part of the African-led International Support Mission to the Central African Republic.
	tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
	uin	HL6640
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/04/2014 answer text <p>The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), raised concerns about the conduct of Chadian troops in Central African Republic with Chad President Iddris Deby Itno when they met on 13 February. The Government take any allegations of wrongdoing by national armies very seriously.</p><p>Chad is making progress to tackle the issue of child soldiers in close cooperation with the UN, although there is still work to be done, particularly on birth registration and recruitment processes. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Boston and Skegness (Mr Simmonds), pressed the Chad Foreign Minister, Moussa Faki, for further progress when they met on 28 January at the African Union (AU) summit and 2 April at the EU-Africa Summit.</p><p>Chad has announced that it is withdrawing its troops from the African-led International Support Mission to the Central African Republic (MISCA) in agreement with the AU. The UK is not part of MISCA, but has provided £2million to MISCA to cover some essential MISCA costs including food, fuel and water. The UK is also providing logistical support to French and EU deployments and £23 million in humanitarian aid to the ongoing crisis.</p> answering member printed Lord Wallace of Saltaire question first answered 25/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1816 label Biography information for Lord Wallace of Saltaire
	tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool