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421071

registered interest
date	13/10/2015
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	Saudi Arabia: Capital Punishment
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 Saudi Arabian counterpart against that country's policy of judicially-sanctioned capital punishment.
tabling member constituency	Newport West
tabling member printed	Paul Flynn
uin	11655
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/10/2015 answer text <p>The Government opposes the death penalty in all circumstances, especially in cases which do not meet the minimum standards defined by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. We believe it undermines human dignity and there is no evidence that it works as a deterrent. Ministers, our Ambassador in Riyadh and the Embassy team raise the issue of the death penalty with the Saudi authorities, both bilaterally and through the European Union.</p><p>We recognise that total abolition of the death penalty is unlikely in Saudi Arabia in the near future. Our focus is therefore on encouraging the introduction of EU minimum standards for the death penalty as a first step, and on supporting access to justice and rule of law.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 20/10/2015 15:01:44 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	545 label Biography information for Paul Flynn

421074

registered interest
date	13/10/2015
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	Saudi Arabia: 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 recent representations he has made to his Saudi Arabian counterpart on human rights abuses in that country.
tabling member constituency	Newport West
tabling member printed	Paul Flynn
uin	11654
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/10/2015 answer text <p>The British government regularly raises its human rights concerns with the Saudi Arabian authorities at the highest levels through Ministers, our Ambassador, and the Embassy team in Riyadh.</p><p>Saudi Arabia remains a Foreign &amp; Commonwealth Office country of concern because of the human rights situation in the country, particularly on the use of the death penalty, restricted access to justice, restrictions on women’s rights, as well as on freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and freedom of religion or belief. We regularly make our views well known including through the UN Universal Periodic Review process and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s annual Human Rights and Democracy Report.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 20/10/2015 14:44:34 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	545 label Biography information for Paul Flynn

420022

registered interest
date	09/10/2015
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	China: Nuclear Power
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 potential implications for the security of sensitive nuclear information of the agreement announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 21 September 2015 on commercial nuclear co-operation with China.
tabling member constituency	Newport West
tabling member printed	Paul Flynn
uin	11184
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/10/2015 answer text <p>Security in the civil nuclear industry is of paramount importance to the Government. The UK has in place, robust security regulations which are enforced by an independent regulator, the Office for Nuclear Regulation. These regulations cover sensitive nuclear information as well as holdings of nuclear material and nuclear sites. The Government keeps the regulatory framework for security in the civil nuclear industry under continuous review. The Government welcomes Chinese investment to the UK, including in the nuclear energy sector.</p> answering member constituency East Devon answering member printed Mr Hugo Swire question first answered 16/10/2015 10:56:45 answering member 1408 label Biography information for Lord Swire
tabling member	545 label Biography information for Paul Flynn

418214

registered interest
date	10/09/2015
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	Syria
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 propose a no-fly zone over Syria at the upcoming UN General Assembly.
tabling member constituency	Newport West
tabling member printed	Paul Flynn
uin	9897
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/09/2015 answer text <p>In response to the crisis in Syria, the UK will be pressing at the upcoming United Nations General Assembly session for progress on a political settlement, protection of civilians and the need to increase humanitarian aid.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 18/09/2015 15:01:32 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	545 label Biography information for Paul Flynn

418215

registered interest
date	10/09/2015
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	Mazen Darwish
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 the Government has made to the government of Syria on the detention of Mazen Darwish by the Syrian air force intelligence unit.
tabling member constituency	Newport West
tabling member printed	Paul Flynn
uin	9895
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/09/2015 answer text <p>Our Embassy in Damascus closed in 2012 and except for specific consular cases the UK does not have routine official contact with the Syrian government. However, the UK has consistently called in public for the release of human rights defenders detained by the Assad regime.</p><p>On 10 August the UK Special Representative for Syria, Gareth Bayley, welcomed the release of Mazen Darwish from prison. However, security forces arbitrarily arrest or continue to detain thousands which include peaceful activists, human rights defenders, media and humanitarian workers, women and children, subjecting some to enforced disappearance and others to prolonged detention or unfair trials. In addition the security forces systematically torture and mistreat detainees with impunity; thousands of detainees reportedly die due to torture or harsh conditions.</p><p>The UK, along with international partners, remains committed to ensuring the perpetrators are held to account. We are working with a range of non-governmental organisation’s to ensure that evidence of torture and mistreatment is effectively collected to accurately record crimes that are being committed so that perpetrators can be prosecuted in the future.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 18/09/2015 09:44:07 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	545 label Biography information for Paul Flynn

418216

registered interest
date	10/09/2015
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	Middle East: Refugees
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 of (a) Saudi Arabia and (b) Qatar on receiving Syrian refugees in those countries.
tabling member constituency	Newport West
tabling member printed	Paul Flynn
uin	9896
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/09/2015 answer text <p>The UK actively engages with members of the Gulf Cooperation Council, including Saudi Arabia and Qatar, on humanitarian and development assistance, and the Gulf States continue to contribute generously to humanitarian support for the Syria crisis.</p><p>The Gulf States are not signatories to the UN Refugee Convention of 1951, and there is no legal refugee status in these countries. Hundreds of thousands of Syrians are living in Gulf States as migrant workers or on visitors’ visas.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 18/09/2015 09:48:40 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	545 label Biography information for Paul Flynn

417644

registered interest
date	08/09/2015
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	Afghanistan: 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 assessment his Department has made of the implications for its policies of the US State Department report on Human Rights Practices in Afghanistan for 2014, published in June 2015.
tabling member constituency	Newport West
tabling member printed	Paul Flynn
uin	9416
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/09/2015 answer text We share the concerns of the US State Department Report on Human Rights practices in Afghanistan which is why Afghanistan is one of 27 human rights priority countries for the UK. We recognise that although there has been significant progress in Afghanistan on human rights, particularly women’s rights since 2001, significant challenges remain and gains remain fragile. We have made long-term commitments to the country's future through financial aid and political support. In return, we expect to see clear progress from the Afghan National Unity Government, including on corruption, good governance and human rights. The UK Government is working closely with the Government of Afghanistan, local and international Non-Governmental Organisationss, civil society organisations and international partners to improve human rights, specifically the status of women and girls in Afghanistan, to enable them to participate fully in Afghanistan’s future. answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 11/09/2015 13:17:27 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	545 label Biography information for Paul Flynn

416169

registered interest
date	04/09/2015
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	Azerbaijan: 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 recent assessment he has made of the human rights situation in Azerbaijan; and what representations his Department has made to the government of that country on behalf of Leyla and Arif Yunus.
tabling member constituency	Newport West
tabling member printed	Paul Flynn
uin	8410
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/09/2015 answer text <p>The UK raises human rights with the Government of Azerbaijan at every appropriate opportunity. We have made several statements expressing concern about the detention and sentencing of prominent members of civil society. Most recently, I issued statements on 13 August and 1 September following the sentencing of human rights defenders Leyla and Arif Yunus, and investigative journalist Khadija Ismayilova, respectively. The British Embassy in Baku worked with international partners to monitor recent trials of high profile activists, including the trial of Leyla and Arif Yunus.</p> answering member constituency Aylesbury answering member printed Mr David Lidington question first answered 11/09/2015 12:35:58 answering member 15 label Biography information for Sir David Lidington
tabling member	545 label Biography information for Paul Flynn

416203

registered interest
date	04/09/2015
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	Bangladesh: 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, pursuant to the Answer of 8 June 2015 to Question 835, what recent discussions he has had with his counterpart in Bangladesh about religious freedom in that country; and what support the UK is offering to the authorities in that country to protect secular campaigners from religious violence.
tabling member constituency	Newport West
tabling member printed	Paul Flynn
uin	8692
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/09/2015 answer text <p>The UK has been resolute in its condemnation of the murders of four secular bloggers and activists in Bangladesh this year. In my statement following the most recent murder on 7 August, I said that freedom of speech is a universal right which must be protected and I called for an urgent investigation to bring the perpetrators to justice. The UK is fully committed to the protection of freedom of religion or belief and supports the freedom of people of all faiths – and those of none – to express and practice their beliefs in peace and safety. <br><br>Together with other diplomatic missions in Dhaka, the British High Commission has called on the government and law enforcement authorities to take all necessary steps to protect those at risk for expressing their opinions. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office Human Rights and Democracy Programme has also supported a project by Article 19 in Bangladesh to work with bloggers to develop a Charter of Bloggers Rights, provide safety training and produce a review of current legislation restricting online expression. We welcome the visit to Bangladesh from 31 August to 9 September of the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion and Belief and look forward to reading his report.</p> answering member constituency East Devon answering member printed Mr Hugo Swire question first answered 14/09/2015 14:59:14 answering member 1408 label Biography information for Lord Swire
tabling member	545 label Biography information for Paul Flynn

391434

registered interest
date	20/07/2015
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	Islamic State
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 the provision of financial assistance from Saudi Arabian citizens to support ISIS activities in Syria and Iraq; and what discussions he has held with foreign counterparts on tackling such assistance.
tabling member constituency	Newport West
tabling member printed	Paul Flynn
uin	8060
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/09/2015 answer text <p>We work closely with countries in the Gulf, including Saudi Arabia, to counter the threat from terrorists and extremists across the region. Saudi Arabia is a key partner on a broad range of counter terrorism questions. The Saudi government is acutely aware of the threat from terrorist groups such as Al Qaida and ISIL to their own and global security, and have been at the forefront of efforts to combat them. Saudi Arabia has a comprehensive set of laws in place to prevent terrorist financing, which we assess that it vigorously enforces.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 07/09/2015 14:41:30 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	545 label Biography information for Paul Flynn