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1177350

registered interest
date	10/02/2020
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	Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations his Department has made to the Indian Government and the Indian High Commission on the arrest of (a) Mehbooba Mufti and (b) Omar Abdullah under the Public Safety Act that allows for detention for two years without trial; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Peterborough
tabling member printed	Paul Bristow
uin	14748
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/02/2020 answer text <p>It would not be appropriate to comment on these specific cases. We are monitoring the situation in Kashmir closely. We are concerned by reports of ongoing detentions and call for these to be lifted as soon as possible. We have raised our concerns with the Government of India. Most recently, the Minister of State for South Asia and the Commonwealth (Lord Ahmad), discussed the situation in Kashmir and our concerns, including political detentions, with a senior representative from the Ministry of External Affairs on 25 February.</p> answering member constituency Selby and Ainsty answering member printed Nigel Adams question first answered 28/02/2020 10:29:05 answering member 4057 label Biography information for Nigel Adams
tabling member	4792 label Biography information for Paul Bristow

1177452

registered interest
date	10/02/2020
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: Peace Negotiations
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 Israeli counterpart on the US Administration's Middle East peace plan proposal.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	14711
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/02/2020 answer text <p>The Prime Minister discussed the United States' proposal with Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, on 6 February. The former Minister for the Middle East and North Africa also met with the Israeli Ambassador to the UK, Mark Regev, on 4 February. They discussed a range of issues, including the US proposal.</p> answering member constituency Braintree answering member printed James Cleverly question first answered 20/02/2020 15:42:51 answering member 4366 label Biography information for James Cleverly
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1177462

registered interest
date	10/02/2020
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	Marine Environment: Conservation
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 the Government is taking to help to protect the oceans; what role the Government will have in the forthcoming UN global ocean treaty negotiations; and which (a) Ministers and (b) officials will be involved in those negotiations.
tabling member constituency	Stroud
tabling member printed	Siobhan Baillie
uin	14806
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/02/2020 answer text <p>The UK is leading the way on ocean protection. The Blue Belt Programme is on track to protect over 4 million square kilometres of ocean around the Overseas Territories before the end of the year. The Government has committed to extend this programme. We are also working closely with Commonwealth partners through the Commonwealth Marine Economies Programme (CMEP) to support sustainable development of their marine economies; and the Commonwealth Clean Ocean Alliance (CCOA) to reduce marine plastic pollution, amongst other initiatives. The Government is committed to further action to protect the ocean including through the £500 million Blue Planet Fund.</p><p>My Department and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs have been closely involved in the negotiation of a new Implementing Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction - the BBNJ Agreement - as an important step forward in addressing the challenges that the ocean faces. The UK is pressing for an ambitious Agreement to be concluded in 2020. It will be a key mechanism in enabling the designation of at least 30 per cent of the global ocean as Marine Protected Areas by 2030. A joint FCO-DEFRA team of officials will represent the UK in these talks based on positions agreed by ministers.</p> answering member constituency Rochford and Southend East answering member printed James Duddridge question first answered 26/02/2020 17:11:55 answering member 1559 label Biography information for Sir James Duddridge
tabling member	4847 label Biography information for Siobhan Baillie

1177478

registered interest
date	10/02/2020
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	British Overseas Territories: Civil Partnerships
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which Overseas Territories have introduced legislation to allow civil partnerships.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	14718
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/02/2020 answer text <p>Nine Overseas Territories have legal recognition and protection for same-sex relationships. Same-sex marriage is legal in the Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Bermuda, Pitcairn Islands and St Helena, Ascension Island, and Tristan da Cunha. The Premier of the Cayman Islands has publicly undertaken to bring in domestic partnerships by early this year. The laws in the uninhabited territories of the British Indian Ocean Territory, British Antarctic Territory and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands also allow for same-sex marriage.</p><p>In the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia, civil partnerships have been allowed for United Kingdom military and civilian personnel.</p> answering member constituency Tamworth answering member printed Christopher Pincher question first answered 13/02/2020 17:10:41 answering member 4075 label Biography information for Christopher Pincher
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1177498

registered interest
date	10/02/2020
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	Kashmir: 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 accuracy of reports of (a) arrests of political leaders, (b) arrests of residents and (c) internet restrictions in Indian administered Kashmir; and what representations he has made to his Indian counterpart on those reports.
tabling member constituency	Bradford West
tabling member printed	Naz Shah
uin	14830
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/02/2020 answer text <p>We are monitoring the situation in Kashmir closely. We welcome reports that some restrictions have been relaxed and some of the detained have been released. However, we remain concerned at the ongoing detentions and continued restrictions in some areas. We call for these to be lifted as soon as possible and we have raised our concerns with the Indian Government. Most recently, Lord Ahmad, the Minister for South Asia, discussed the situation in Kashmir and our concerns with Indian Minister of State for External and Parliamentary Affairs Mr Muraleedharan and, separately, the Indian High Commissioner. The British High Commission in New Delhi also regularly raise our concerns with the Indian Government at senior levels.</p> answering member constituency Selby and Ainsty answering member printed Nigel Adams question first answered 25/02/2020 15:53:06 answering member 4057 label Biography information for Nigel Adams
tabling member	4409 label Biography information for Naz Shah

1177048

registered interest
date	07/02/2020
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	Jiang Rong and Wang Yi
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 Chinese counterpart on the arrests and detentions of (a) Pastor Wang Yi and (b) Mrs Jiang Rong.
tabling member constituency	Coventry North West
tabling member printed	Taiwo Owatemi
uin	13996
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/02/2020 answer text <p>British diplomats met with Chinese officials in January 2019, to express concern about the pressures facing Christians in China, and directly raised Pastor Wang's case. Reports suggest Jiang Rong was released in June 2019, after six months imprisonment. We have not raised her case directly with the Chinese authorities. On 2 January, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad issued a statement expressing serious concerns about the recent sentencing of Pastor Wang Yi to nine years in prison following a secret trial and called on China to uphold the fundamental rights and freedoms guaranteed by China's constitution and international law. The freedom to practice, change or share ones faith or belief without discrimination or violent opposition is a human right that all people should enjoy.</p> answering member constituency South Derbyshire answering member printed Mrs Heather Wheeler question first answered 12/02/2020 17:19:57 answering member 4053 label Biography information for Mrs Heather Wheeler
tabling member	4779 label Biography information for Taiwo Owatemi

1177049

registered interest
date	07/02/2020
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	Myanmar: Religious Freedom
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 representations he has made to the government in Myanmar on the authorities treatment of (a) Kachin Christians and (b) Rohingya Muslims in that country.
tabling member constituency	Coventry North West
tabling member printed	Taiwo Owatemi
uin	13997
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/02/2020 answer text <p>The UK continues to make representations to the Government of Myanmar about the need to protect the Kachin, Rohingya and other minority groups in Myanmar. We agree with the UN Fact Finding Mission's report that the Myanmar Military is responsible for serious human rights violations in Rakhine and Kachin State.</p><p>In September 2019, Baroness Sugg raised the Rakhine Advisory Commission (RAC) recommendations with the Rakhine State Government. If properly implemented, the RAC recommendations would improve the lives of the Rohingya currently in Myanmar and create the conditions for the Rohingya in Bangladesh to return to Myanmar in a safe, dignified, voluntary and sustainable way. On 23 January, I encouraged the Government of Myanmar to abide by the International Court of Justice's provisional measures and implement the recommendations of the Independent Commission of Enquiry in order to protect the Rohingya and to bring the perpetrators of atrocities to justice. The British Ambassador to Myanmar reinforced these points with the Myanmar Minister for International Co-operation, Kyaw Tin.</p><p>We remain concerned by restrictions on Freedom of Religion or Belief in Myanmar. We have raised our concerns about destruction of places of worship and discriminatory provisions within citizenship laws. In July 2019, The British Ambassador to Myanmar raised the issue of religious persecution and expressed concern at reports of forced conversions (to Buddhism) with the Myanmar Minister of Religious and Cultural Affairs.</p> answering member constituency South Derbyshire answering member printed Mrs Heather Wheeler question first answered 12/02/2020 17:24:17 answering member 4053 label Biography information for Mrs Heather Wheeler
tabling member	4779 label Biography information for Taiwo Owatemi

1176739

registered interest
date	06/02/2020
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	India: Nationality
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 for the implications of his policies of India’s recent Citizenship Amendment Act; and what representations he has made to his Indian counterpart on the human rights implications of that Act.
tabling member constituency	Edinburgh East
tabling member printed	Tommy Sheppard
uin	13486
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/02/2020 answer text <p>The British High Commission in New Delhi and our network of Deputy High Commissions across India are following reports on the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens, as well as the Government of India's response. We raise our concerns with the Government of India. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon discussed the CAA, and public response to the legislation, with India's Minister of State for External Affairs on 19 December 2019. Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials also raised the issue with the High Commission of India in London on 14 January.</p><p>The UK has long regarded protest as a key part of democratic society. Democratic governments must have the power to enforce law and order when a protest crosses the line into illegality, though we encourage all states to ensure their domestic laws are enforced in line with international standards. Any allegation of human rights violations is deeply concerning and must be investigated thoroughly, promptly, and transparently.</p><p>India has a proud history of inclusive government and religious tolerance. After his re-election, Prime Minister Modi promised to continue this. We trust the Government of India will provide reassurances to its citizens who are expressing concern about the impact this legislation may have. We will continue to monitor the situation.</p> answering member constituency South Derbyshire answering member printed Mrs Heather Wheeler question first answered 11/02/2020 16:00:34 answering member 4053 label Biography information for Mrs Heather Wheeler
tabling member	4453 label Biography information for Tommy Sheppard

1176752

registered interest
date	06/02/2020
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	Sovereignty
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what (a) criteria and (b) guidance his Department uses to define the (i) characteristics, (ii) security and (iii) borders of a sovereign state.
tabling member constituency	Ealing North
tabling member printed	James Murray
uin	13562
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/02/2020 answer text <p>The criteria for statehood were set out in a written answer to a PQ on 16 November 1989 by Sir Tim Sainsbury, then a Foreign and Commonwealth Office Minister, who provided that &quot;we consider a State should have, and seem likely to continue to have, a clearly defined territory with a population, a Government who are able of themselves to exercise effective control of that territory, and independence in their external relations&quot;. This is based on the criteria for statehood set out in the Montevideo Convention on the Rights and Duties of States 1933, namely: (a) a permanent population; (b) a defined territory; (c) government; and (d) capacity to enter into relations with other states.</p><p>Recognition is a unilateral, political act and there is no legal obligation to recognise another entity as a state. Recognition is something that Her Majesty's Government can choose to grant at a time of her choosing, if at all.</p> answering member constituency Selby and Ainsty answering member printed Nigel Adams question first answered 26/02/2020 17:34:27 answering member 4057 label Biography information for Nigel Adams
tabling member	4797 label Biography information for James Murray

1176753

registered interest
date	06/02/2020
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	Occupied Territories: Demolition
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 his Department has made of trends in the (a) number and (b) frequency of (i) demolitions of Palestinian homes and structures and (ii) forced displacement of Palestinians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
tabling member constituency	Ealing North
tabling member printed	James Murray
uin	13563
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/02/2020 answer text <p>As we made clear in our statement at the UN Security Council on 21 January, we are deeply concerned by the increase in demolitions of Palestinian property by the Israeli authorities. Demolitions and evictions of Palestinians from their homes cause unnecessary suffering to ordinary Palestinians; call into question Israel's commitment to a viable two-state solution; and, in all but the most exceptional of cases, are contrary to International Humanitarian Law. Officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv have repeatedly made clear to the Israeli authorities our serious concern at the increase in demolitions of Palestinian properties in Area C of the West Bank and in East Jerusalem, most recently on 17 December 2019. We will continue to call for Israel to abandon demolition plans entirely, and instead provide a clear, transparent route to construction for Palestinians in Area C.</p> answering member constituency Braintree answering member printed James Cleverly question first answered 20/02/2020 15:39:44 answering member 4366 label Biography information for James Cleverly
tabling member	4797 label Biography information for James Murray