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174104

registered interest
date	15/01/2015
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	Turkey
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what recent assessment they have made of the situation of human rights in Turkey.
tabling member printed	Lord Kennedy of Southwark
uin	HL4207
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/01/2015 answer text <p>We and our EU partners monitor closely the human rights situation in Turkey. The UK supports the EU Commission’s assessment of human rights in Turkey, given in its 2014 Annual Progress Report on Turkey’s EU accession. In 2014, Turkey made progress on its human rights reform agenda and adopted an Action Plan for the Prevention of Human Rights Violations. Turkey also continued to build the capacity of its human rights institutions. We welcome this progress and the continuing efforts of the Turkish government aimed at resolving the Kurdish issue.</p><p>However, as the EU’s report has underlined, there is still much to do to implement action plans, strengthen further the human rights institutional framework, and bring Turkish human rights legislation in line with European and international standards, including on rights for minority religious and ethnic groups.</p><p>The report also highlighted areas of concern over the independence and impartiality of the judiciary, the rule of law, and restrictions on the freedom of expression, including temporary bans on social media imposed by the Turkish government. We will continue to work with our EU partners and international institutions, such as the EU and Council of Europe, to support Turkey in its continuing reform agenda.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 22/01/2015 15:57:16 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	4153 label Biography information for Lord Kennedy of Southwark

174105

registered interest
date	15/01/2015
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	Sri Lanka
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their latest assessment of the situation of human rights in Sri Lanka.
tabling member printed	Lord Kennedy of Southwark
uin	HL4208
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/01/2015 answer text <p>We continue to have a number of serious concerns about the human rights situation in Sri Lanka, such as the harassment of human rights defenders and activists, and attacks on religious minorities. President Sirisena has pledged to lead a more democratic and accountable government, including restoring the independence of the police and judiciary, ensuring electoral reforms, and protecting the rights and freedoms of all religions in Sri Lanka. We welcome these early commitments.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 23/01/2015 12:39:14 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	4153 label Biography information for Lord Kennedy of Southwark

167236

registered interest
date	02/12/2014
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
hansard heading	Embassies
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many foreign states and commonwealth countries have embassies, High Commissions or other diplomatic missions in the United Kingdom.
tabling member printed	Lord Kennedy of Southwark
uin	HL3337
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/12/2014 answer text <p>According to our records a total of 175 foreign States and Commonwealth countries have embassies, High Commissions or other diplomatic missions in the United Kingdom. Further information can be found on the “Foreign embassies in the UK” page on the Government website at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/foreign-embassies-in-the-uk. Copies of the current lists of diplomatic missions and consular offices outside London are attached.</p> answering member printed Lord Wallace of Saltaire question first answered 22/12/2014 16:20:53 answering member 1816 label Biography information for Lord Wallace of Saltaire attachment 1 file name London_Diplomatic_List_-November_2014.pdf title London Diplomatic List as at 17 December 2014
tabling member	4153 label Biography information for Lord Kennedy of Southwark

166650

registered interest
date	27/11/2014
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
hansard heading	Colombia
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 government of Colombia's land restitution process.
tabling member printed	Lord Kennedy of Southwark
uin	HL3241
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/12/2014 answer text Whilst security for claimants and those returning to their land is a key concern, our 2013 Human Rights Report (released on 10 April 2014) notes that some progress has been made on the issue of land restitution. Since January 2012 there have been 64,815 registered land restitution claims. In his recent meeting with President Santos on 7 November, the Deputy Prime Minister, the right hon. Member for Sheffield Hallam (Mr Clegg), welcomed the Colombian government’s efforts to improve respect for human rights in Colombia, including through its land restitution and victims reparations processes. Our Embassy in Bogota runs several human rights projects to help improve Colombia’s land registry process, increase access to protection measures and raise awareness of the UN guiding principles on business and human rights. Officials from our Embassy also meet regularly with indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities and we also funded a project aimed at developing the role of organisations in protecting communities’ rights to the territories. We are following closely several emblematic land restitution cases; our Ambassador raised the cases of the Curvaradó and Jiguamandó communities with the Ministry of the Interior in July and acts as an observer on the case. answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 10/12/2014 14:08:23 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	4153 label Biography information for Lord Kennedy of Southwark

166651

registered interest
date	27/11/2014
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
hansard heading	United Arab Emirates
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the UAE authorities regarding their conviction of Osama al-Najjar.
tabling member printed	Lord Kennedy of Southwark
uin	HL3242
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/12/2014 answer text We are aware of the sentencing of Osama al-Najjar, following alleged comments on twitter and other activities. While we have not made representations on this case, our views about the importance of freedom of expression as a universal human right are well known. We believe that people everywhere must be allowed to freely discuss and debate issues, challenge their governments and make informed decisions in accordance with international human rights law. Our broad strategic engagement with the United Arab Emirates provides an opportunity to openly discuss these issues. answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 09/12/2014 14:37:19 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	4153 label Biography information for Lord Kennedy of Southwark

166652

registered interest
date	27/11/2014
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
hansard heading	Democratic Republic of Congo
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo regarding the Kawama demolitions.
tabling member printed	Lord Kennedy of Southwark
uin	HL3243
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/12/2014 answer text <p>Amnesty International issued a report on 17 November 2014 into the demolitions of homes and commercial buildings at Kawama in November 2009. Officials at our Embassy in Kinshasa have regular and frank dialogue with the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) on a number of issues, including on cases of alleged human rights violations, and will make representations urging the Government of the DRC to fully investigate the allegations made in the report.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 10/12/2014 14:09:04 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	4153 label Biography information for Lord Kennedy of Southwark

166653

registered interest
date	27/11/2014
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
hansard heading	Zimbabwe
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their latest assessment of the political situation in Zimbabwe regarding the relationship between Zanu-PF and the Movement for Democratic Change.
tabling member printed	Lord Kennedy of Southwark
uin	HL3244
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/12/2014 answer text <p>The UK remains committed to supporting the aspirations of the Zimbabwean people for a more democratic, stable and prosperous future. To this end, we actively engage with the Government of Zimbabwe, opposition parties and civil society and continue to call for constructive collaboration and dialogue between all groups.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 09/12/2014 14:38:53 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	4153 label Biography information for Lord Kennedy of Southwark

166654

registered interest
date	27/11/2014
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
hansard heading	Sudan and South Sudan
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their latest assessment of the violence suffered by civilians since the referendum in both Sudan and South Sudan.
tabling member printed	Lord Kennedy of Southwark
uin	HL3245
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/12/2014 answer text <p>Since the independence referendum of 2011, civilians in Sudan and South Sudan have continued to be victims of violence. Over 1.9 million South Sudanese have been displaced since December 2013 and the UN estimates that 6.9 million people across Sudan are currently in need of humanitarian assistance. To seek an end to this suffering, the UK is a strong advocate of the peace processes in both countries, a leading humanitarian donor, and a firm supporter of the UN Missions in Sudan and South Sudan.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 09/12/2014 14:43:50 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	4153 label Biography information for Lord Kennedy of Southwark

166655

registered interest
date	27/11/2014
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
hansard heading	Embassies
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many embassies or consulates they have closed in each year since 2010.
tabling member printed	Lord Kennedy of Southwark
uin	HL3246
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/12/2014 answer text <p>The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has not closed any Embassies over this period but has suspended operations in Tehran, Damascus and Tripoli for security reasons. Overall, the total number of FCO posts (Embassies, Consulates-General, Consulates, Multilateral Missions and Trade and Investment Offices) worldwide has risen from 257 to 267 since 2010. However, in order to help fund expansions elsewhere, we have closed a number of Consulates in Europe and elsewhere, as new technology has enabled us to deliver services in different ways.</p><p> </p><p>The FCO has closed the following Consulates-General and Consulates since 2010:</p><p> </p><p>2010: One: Consulate-General Geneva, Switzerland</p><p> </p><p>2011: Two: Consulate-General Lille, France; Consulate-General Venice, Italy</p><p> </p><p>2012: Three: Consulate-General Basra, Iraq; Consulate Florence, Italy; Consulate Funchal, Portugal</p><p> </p><p>2013: One: Consulate Pattaya, Thailand</p><p> </p><p>The FCO has also downgraded the following Consulates-General and Consulates to Trade and Investment Offices since 2010:</p><p> </p><p>2012: Two: Consulate-General Lyon, France; Consulate Naples, Italy</p><p> </p><p>2014: One: Consulate Bilbao, Spain</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 09/12/2014 14:58:20 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	4153 label Biography information for Lord Kennedy of Southwark

164492

registered interest
date	24/11/2014
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
hansard heading	Côte d’Ivoire
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the political situation and stability in Ivory Coast since the end of the civil war there in 2011.
tabling member printed	Lord Kennedy of Southwark
uin	HL3085
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/12/2014 answer text <p>There has been significant progress in stabilising Ivory Coast since the post-electoral crisis of 2010/11, but more needs to be done. Much depends on further reconciliation between the government and opposition, as well as the elections in October 2015, which must be free and fair. We, therefore, welcome the inauguration of the Independent Electoral Commission on 30 August, and the resumption of opposition participation in that Commission in November.</p><p>The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Rochford and Southend East (James Duddridge) raised these issues with Ivorian Foreign Minister Diby at the UN General Assembly in September, as well as with the Ivorian Minister for Industry and Mines on 2 December 2014.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 04/12/2014 16:54:43 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	4153 label Biography information for Lord Kennedy of Southwark