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387824

registered interest
date	06/07/2015
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	Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Travel
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 (a) civil servants and (b) special advisers in his Department are entitled to the use of (i) a car with a dedicated driver, (ii) a car from the Government car pool and (iii) a taxi ordered through a departmental account.
tabling member constituency	West Bromwich East
tabling member printed	Tom Watson
uin	5739
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/07/2015 answer text Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) staff in the UK do not use a car with dedicated driver. FCO Services has a small pool of vehicles and security cleared drivers which are used mainly for transporting Queen's Messengers, diplomatic bags and other classified material. As part of a long-standing arrangement, the Permanent Under-Secretary and other senior officials are able to draw on this pool for official and operationally necessary travel. The FCO does make use of a taxi service provider which FCO staff are entitled to use according to strict policy rules governing the use of taxis for official journeys. FCO policy states that ‘for duty travel staff should use the most efficient means of transport; the use of taxis for official business should be avoided unless it is absolutely necessary, usually when there is no other means of public transport to the destination, or there is a need to transport bulky official materials (not personal luggage) to or from a course, seminar or meeting. FCO Staff are entitled to use a taxi when it is considered the most efficient means of transport. Special Advisers are not entitled to us ethe FCO Services provided small car pool or the departmental taxi provision. The statistical information requested is not held centrally and can only be collated at disproportionate cost. answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 09/07/2015 13:44:41 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	1463 label Biography information for Lord Watson of Wyre Forest

387825

registered interest
date	06/07/2015
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	Official Gifts
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 and what value of gifts were bought for foreign dignitaries visiting UK embassies in the last 12 months for which figures are available.
tabling member constituency	West Bromwich East
tabling member printed	Tom Watson
uin	5743
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/07/2015 answer text <p>This information is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. <br><br>Foreign and Commonwealth Office guidance on gift-giving is that staff should ensure that gifts, advantages and hospitality given is appropriate, proportionate and open. Gifts would not normally be given to foreign dignitaries visiting a British Embassy in a third country.</p> answering member constituency Aylesbury answering member printed Mr David Lidington question first answered 09/07/2015 16:14:04 answering member 15 label Biography information for Sir David Lidington
tabling member	1463 label Biography information for Lord Watson of Wyre Forest

387827

registered interest
date	06/07/2015
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	Eritrea: Human Rights
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what response the Government has made to the report of the UN Human Rights Council's Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in Eritrea, published in June 2015.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow North
tabling member printed	Patrick Grady
uin	5636
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/07/2015 answer text <table><tbody><tr><td> </td></tr></tbody></table><p>The Commission of Inquiry’s report was discussed during the recent session of the UN Human Rights Council. In the UK statement we made clear that we shared the Commission’s concerns about human rights in Eritrea and noted that Eritrea continues to fall short of domestic implementation of its international human rights obligations. We urged Eritrea to release all those arbitrarily detained and hold those responsible for violations to account. We will continue to call on the Eritrean Government to honour its obligations through discussions held under the United Nations Universal Periodic Review (UPR) as well as the EU Article 8 Dialogue. We also regularly raise human rights concerns with the Eritrean Government through our bilateral engagement.</p> answering member constituency Rochford and Southend East answering member printed James Duddridge question first answered 09/07/2015 13:15:36 answering member 1559 label Biography information for Sir James Duddridge
tabling member	4432 label Biography information for Patrick Grady

387830

registered interest
date	06/07/2015
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	India: Hunger Strikes
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 his Indian counterpart on the hunger strike of Bapu Surat Singh in Panjaab, India; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
uin	5722
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/07/2015 answer text <p>We are aware of the case involving the hunger strike of Bapu Surat Singh in India and continue to monitor the situation. With regards to prisoners who have served their sentence, the British High Commission in India have discussed with the Indian authorities the preliminary release of prisoners serving life sentences. However, we understand that the Supreme Court has suspended indefinitely the premature release of life prisoners by State Governments.</p> answering member constituency East Devon answering member printed Mr Hugo Swire question first answered 09/07/2015 13:39:16 answering member 1408 label Biography information for Lord Swire
tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

387832

registered interest
date	06/07/2015
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	Irom Sharmila
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 his Indian counterpart on the hunger strike of Irom Sharmila in Manipur, India; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
uin	5721
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/07/2015 answer text <p>The British High Commission are in regular contact with human rights institutions and Indian non-governmental organisations on a full range of human rights issues. The EU also monitors the situation of human rights defenders in India and raises their situation with the Indian government, either through the EU-India Human Rights dialogue or on an individual case-by-case basis.</p> answering member constituency East Devon answering member printed Mr Hugo Swire question first answered 09/07/2015 13:36:26 answering member 1408 label Biography information for Lord Swire
tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

387833

registered interest
date	06/07/2015
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	India: Sikhs
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 counterpart in the Indian government on the treatment of Sikhs in India.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
uin	5725
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/07/2015 answer text <p>The British High Commission in India regularly discusses the treatment of minorities, including the Sikh community, with the Indian National Commission for Minorities and other relevant State level authorities. The then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Development (Lynne Featherstone), during her visit to India in January also discussed a range of minority issues with India’s Minister of Minority Affairs, Dr Najma Heptulla.</p><p> </p><p>We will continue to monitor the situation, and maintain a dialogue with the Indian government and authorities about minority rights issues.</p> answering member constituency East Devon answering member printed Mr Hugo Swire question first answered 09/07/2015 15:23:18 answering member 1408 label Biography information for Lord Swire
tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

387834

registered interest
date	06/07/2015
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	Devinder Pal Singh Bhullar
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 counterpart in the Indian government on the detainment of Devinderpal Singh Bhullar.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
uin	5723
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/07/2015 answer text <p>The British High Commission in India has previously made representations to the Indian authorities about the application of the death penalty, including on the case of Professor Bhullar. We understand that on 31 March 2014, the Supreme Court of India commuted Professor Bhullar’s death sentence to life imprisonment. The continued detention of Professor Bhullar is a matter for the Indian authorities. The UK will continue to monitor cases in India and elsewhere where the death penalty has been given as a sentence.</p> answering member constituency East Devon answering member printed Mr Hugo Swire question first answered 09/07/2015 13:41:08 answering member 1408 label Biography information for Lord Swire
tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

387835

registered interest
date	06/07/2015
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	India: Prisoners
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 his counterpart in the Indian government on ensuring that prisoners in India are released once they have served their prison sentences.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
uin	5724
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/07/2015 answer text <p>The British High Commission in India have discussed the preliminary release of prisoners serving life sentences with the relevant Indian authorities. However, we understand that the Supreme Court has suspended indefinitely the premature release of life prisoners by State Governments.</p><p> </p><p>Specific issues of sentencing are a matter for the Indian authorities.</p> answering member constituency East Devon answering member printed Mr Hugo Swire question first answered 09/07/2015 15:21:41 answering member 1408 label Biography information for Lord Swire
tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

387836

registered interest
date	06/07/2015
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	Genocide
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 policy is towards the proposal by the French government for permanent members of the UN Security Council to suspend use of the veto in cases of alleged genocide.
tabling member constituency	Barnsley Central
tabling member printed	Dan Jarvis
uin	5738
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/07/2015 answer text <p>The French initiative offers an important contribution to the wider debate on reform of the Security Council and we welcome the interest it has generated. The United Kingdom wholeheartedly supports the principle that the Security Council must act to stop mass atrocities and crimes against humanity. We cannot envisage circumstances where we would use our veto to block such action.</p> answering member constituency Rochford and Southend East answering member printed James Duddridge question first answered 09/07/2015 13:23:30 answering member 1559 label Biography information for Sir James Duddridge
tabling member	4243 label Biography information for Dan Jarvis

387877

registered interest
date	06/07/2015
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	Eritrea
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 6 July 2015 to Question 2508, what discussion his Department has had with UK companies about the UN Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in Eritrea and the use of national service conscripts by foreign-operated companies.
tabling member constituency	Wakefield
tabling member printed	Mary Creagh
uin	5755
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/07/2015 answer text <p>We have not spoken to any UK companies about the report of the UN Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in Eritrea, published in June. In line with the UK’s Business and Human Rights Action Plan (based upon the UN Guiding Principles) all UK businesses have a responsibility to respect human rights.</p><p>In the UK’s statement during the UN Human Rights Council discussion of the Commission’s report we made clear that Eritrea must take concrete action to improve the human rights situation in the country, and in particular to fulfil its commitment to limiting national service to 18 months.</p> answering member constituency Rochford and Southend East answering member printed James Duddridge question first answered 09/07/2015 13:19:47 answering member 1559 label Biography information for Sir James Duddridge
tabling member	1579 label Biography information for Mary Creagh