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1133804

	registered interest
	date	20/06/2019
	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	Commonwealth Secretariat: Reform
	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 progress made in reforming the Commonwealth Secretariat.
	tabling member printed	Lord Mendelsohn
	uin	HL16555
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/07/2019 answer text <p>At CHOGM 2015, Heads of Government mandated the Secretary-General to convene a high-level group (HLG) to review the full governance arrangements of the Commonwealth Secretariat to ensure that its governance is streamlined and integrated in order to improve oversight, efficiency and transparency. This mandate was reiterated by Heads at CHOGM 2018, who asked Foreign Ministers to make decisions in response to the HLG's findings. Reform and strengthening of the Commonwealth Secretariat is a priority for our period as Commonwealth Chair-in-Office. We have worked with member states and the Commonwealth Secretariat to support the fulfilment of the mandate set by Heads.</p><p>An HLG, convened by the Secretar- General, first met shortly before CHOGM 2018. Since then, the HLG has submitted two reports. The first - covering roles and responsibilities, funding, and arrangements for the appointment of Secretaries-General - was submitted in early September 2018, and discussed by Foreign Ministers when they met in the margins of the UN General Assembly in New York. At that meeting, Foreign Ministers instructed the Commonwealth Secretariat Board of Governors (of which the UK Commonwealth Envoy is a member) to agree recommendations in the light of that report by 30 November 2018. The Board fulfilled that instruction, unanimously agreeing a set of recommendations through a thorough, transparent and inclusive process. At the end of December 2019, the HLG produced a second report, focused on the Secretariat's collaboration with accredited Commonwealth organisations and other partners. Through a further thorough, transparent and inclusive process the Board of Governors unanimously agreed a set of recommendations in response to that second HLG report.</p><p>The Foreign Secretary, as current Chair of Commonwealth Foreign Ministers, has recommended that they adopt the recommendations. A few of them have some outstanding questions. We hope that those can be resolved, and the recommendations adopted, soon. Once implemented, they will make a significant difference to the effective governance and operation of the Commonwealth Secretariat and its collaboration with member states and Commonwealth organisations.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 04/07/2019 13:29:10 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	4286 label Biography information for Lord Mendelsohn

1133817

	registered interest
	date	20/06/2019
	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	Bahrain: Politics and Government
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government on what basis their Human Rights and Democracy report, published on 5 June, “welcomed continuing progress in and commitment to the democratic process” in Bahrain following its elections in November 2018; and what account that report took of (1) the government of Bahrain's ban on all political opposition from electoral participation in, and (2) condemnation by the United States Congress and the parliaments of the UK, the EU, Ireland and Italy, of those elections.
	tabling member printed	Lord Scriven
	uin	HL16568
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/07/2019 answer text <p>Bahrain held parliamentary elections for the fifth time in November. The British Government takes note of a number of information sources on Bahrain and we continue to encourage Bahrain to ensure all elections are fair, transparent and inclusive.​</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 04/07/2019 13:30:25 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	4333 label Biography information for Lord Scriven

1133819

	registered interest
	date	20/06/2019
	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	Yemen: Integrated Activity Fund
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 18 June (HL16049), whether Yemen was (1) considered as part of the original Gulf Strategy, and (2) a recipient of funding from the Gulf Integrated Activity Fund in 2015; and if not, on which date, and on what basis, they decided to include Yemen in the budget for the 2019–20 financial year.
	tabling member printed	Lord Scriven
	uin	HL16570
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/07/2019 answer text <p>I refer the Noble Lord to the corrected answer to question HL16049.​</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 04/07/2019 14:51:17 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	4333 label Biography information for Lord Scriven

1133699

	registered interest
	date	20/06/2019
	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	Council of Europe: Finance
	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 oppose any proposal at the Council of Europe to decrease the budget for youth activities.
	tabling member constituency	Brighton, Kemptown
	tabling member printed	Lloyd Russell-Moyle
	uin	267332
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/06/2019 answer text <p>No decision has been taken to decrease the budget of the Council of Europe's (CoE) youth department. The suggestion to decouple the youth budget from the main budget is just one option proposed to manage the CoE's budget deficit following Russia's non-payment of its contributions and as part of wider reforms and efficiency savings. The UK's priority remains to protect the core functions of the CoE, including the European Court of Human Rights and the European Convention system. The UK continues to urge Russia to abide by its freely entered into and legally binding obligation to pay outstanding contributions in full.</p> answering member constituency South West Wiltshire answering member printed Dr Andrew Murrison question first answered 27/06/2019 14:08:40 answering member 1466 label Biography information for Dr Andrew Murrison
	tabling member	4615 label Biography information for Lloyd Russell-Moyle

1133803

	registered interest
	date	20/06/2019
	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	Commonwealth: Diplomatic Service
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government which countries the UK Commonwealth Envoy has visited since the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2018.
	tabling member printed	Lord Mendelsohn
	uin	HL16554
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/07/2019 answer text <p>Since taking up the role in June 2018, the UK Commonwealth Envoy has visited the following Commonwealth countries: Rwanda, Kenya, India, Barbados, Saint Lucia, South Africa and the Seychelles. The Commonwealth Envoy has called on all Commonwealth High Commissioners in London, and is in regular contact with them (including at frequent meetings of the Commonwealth Secretariat Board of Governors and Executive Committee).</p><p>Outside of the Commonwealth he has travelled to New York: for a Commonwealth Foreign Affairs Ministers' Meeting, a Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group meeting and other Commonwealth-related meetings; Dubai, for Commonwealth meetings at the Plenipotentiary Conference of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), and to consolidate Commonwealth members' support for the re-election of the British Deputy Secretary General of the ITU; and to Addis Ababa, for a UN conference on implementation of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement (for which the UK is supporting several Commonwealth countries), and to discuss Commonwealth-African Union collaboration.</p><p>He has also visited: Brussels, to meet the Ambassador of a Commonwealth government which is not represented in London; and Geneva, for a Commonwealth Health Ministers' Meeting, discussions with the International Trade Centre (which is implementing the UK-funded She Trades Commonwealth Project) and the ITU (re the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation), a discussion with Commonwealth member representatives about increasing collaboration, and to visit the Commonwealth Small States Office, to which the UK has provided specific financial support.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 04/07/2019 13:28:31 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	4286 label Biography information for Lord Mendelsohn

1133816

	registered interest
	date	20/06/2019
	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	Nabeel Rajab
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of a Bahraini court’s decision to reject the application for alternative sentencing of the human rights defender, Nabeel Rajab, given the concern expressed in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office 2018 report on human rights and democracy for Mr Rajab’s sentencing to five years’ imprisonment.
	tabling member printed	Lord Scriven
	uin	HL16567
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/07/2019 answer text <p>The Foreign and Commonwealth Office and our Embassy in Manama has closely monitored the trials of Mr Rajab. Officials from our Embassy regularly attended Mr Rajab's court hearings. We are not aware of Mr Rajab’s application, and subsequent rejection, for alternative sentencing. The decision making process of the application of alternative sentencing is subject to meeting qualifying conditions and remains the responsibility of the Bahrain judicial system. We continue to urge the Government of Bahrain to protect freedom of expression for all its citizens in line with its international commitments. We have raised the case at senior levels as part of the UK's ongoing open dialogue with Bahrain. British officials will continue to monitor the case closely</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 04/07/2019 13:29:30 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	4333 label Biography information for Lord Scriven

1133818

	registered interest
	date	20/06/2019
	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	Integrated Activity Fund
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 18 June (HL16049), whether the Foreign and Commonwealth Office will continue the Gulf Integrated Activity Fund beyond the 2019–20 financial year; and if so, what the allocated budget will be for the 2020–21 financial year.
	tabling member printed	Lord Scriven
	uin	HL16569
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/07/2019 answer text <p>The Integrated Activity Fund (IAF) was established in 2016 with a four-year lifecycle ending in March 2020. A bid for funds to continue the IAF beyond this date is under consideration.​</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 04/07/2019 13:30:37 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	4333 label Biography information for Lord Scriven

1133820

	registered interest
	date	20/06/2019
	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	Bahrain: Integrated Activity Fund
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 17 June (HL16051 and HL16050), what they estimate of the Gulf Integrated Activity Fund’s budget allocated to Bahrain (1) was in the 2018–19 financial year, and (2) is in the 2019–20 financial year.
	tabling member printed	Lord Scriven
	uin	HL16571
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/07/2019 answer text <p>The Integrated Activity Fund funded activity in all six Gulf Cooperation Council states: Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Oman. Many of the projects and programme activities were delivered regionally, so it is not possible to provide a breakdown by beneficiary state.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 04/07/2019 13:30:54 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	4333 label Biography information for Lord Scriven

1133752

	registered interest
	date	20/06/2019
	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	Hong Kong: 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 Government obligations to monitor the implementation of the principles established in the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration on Hong Kong.
	tabling member constituency	Romford
	tabling member printed	Andrew Rosindell
	uin	267231
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/06/2019 answer text <p>The Sino-British Joint Declaration is a legally binding treaty, registered with the UN that remains in force. We believe that the UK has an obligation and a right to monitor its implementation closely, and we are strongly committed to doing so.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency South West Wiltshire answering member printed Dr Andrew Murrison question first answered 28/06/2019 11:01:01 answering member 1466 label Biography information for Dr Andrew Murrison
	tabling member	1447 label Biography information for Andrew Rosindell

1133738

	registered interest
	date	20/06/2019
	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	Syria: 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 discussions he has had with international partners on the merits of creating and upholding no-fly zones over Idlib, Syria.
	tabling member constituency	Bridgend
	tabling member printed	Mrs Madeleine Moon
	uin	267355
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/06/2019 answer text <p>We are deeply concerned by the civilian deaths caused by airstrikes by the Syrian regime and Russia in Idlib, however we do not consider imposition of a no-fly zone over Idlib to be a realistic option. We have urgently called on the regime and Russia to end their current offensive in Idlib and to respect the ceasefire agreed last year.</p> answering member constituency South West Wiltshire answering member printed Dr Andrew Murrison question first answered 27/06/2019 16:03:20 answering member 1466 label Biography information for Dr Andrew Murrison
	tabling member	1490 label Biography information for Mrs Madeleine Moon