Show Search Form

Search Results

registered interest	true false
date	exactly: or between: and
answering body
answering dept id
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name
hansard heading
house id
legislature	pref label
question text
tabling member constituency
tabling member printed
uin
answer	is ministerial correction true false date of answer exactly: or between: and answer text answering member constituency answering member printed question first answered answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

513898

registered interest
date	19/04/2016
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	Libya: Military Aid
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the Foreign Secretary's recent visit to Tripoli, whether they are considering the deployment of ground troops to Libya as part of UK efforts to support the Government of National Accord, and what practical assistance they plan to provide, if any, in terms of training Libya's police, coastguard and military.
tabling member printed	The Marquess of Lothian
uin	HL7772
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/04/2016 answer text The Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), was clear in his oral Statement to the House of Commons on 19 April that the British Government has no plans to deploy troops to Libya in a combat role. The security agenda must be owned and led by the new Libyan government. The UK, along with international partners, stands ready to respond to requests from the Libyan government for assistance in training the Libyan armed forces, to improve their effectiveness in providing security, and in the fight against Daesh. But any support the UK provides would be in response to a clear request made by the Libyan government. During his visit to Tripoli, the Foreign Secretary agreed with Prime Minister Serraj that we should continue to work closely to establish what those training and technical support requirements are; and what, if any, role the international community can play in helping to meet them. answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 27/04/2016 15:16:38 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	259 label Biography information for The Marquess of Lothian

513899

registered interest
date	19/04/2016
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: Taliban
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking in response to the Taliban's recent announcement of a spring offensive and warnings of large-scale attacks in Afghanistan.
tabling member printed	The Marquess of Lothian
uin	HL7773
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/04/2016 answer text <p>The Taliban’s announcement of a spring offensive is consistent with the insurgency’s pattern of activity and was anticipated by the Afghan authorities. The UK is an integral part of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation's Resolute Support Mission (RSM), which is working to train, assist and advise the Afghan National Security and Defence Forces to meet the challenge posed by an enduring insurgency. Working in close cooperation with the Afghan authorities and RSM, the UK keeps its security under constant review.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 27/04/2016 15:17:10 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	259 label Biography information for The Marquess of Lothian

514035

registered interest
date	19/04/2016
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 Affairs Select Committee
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 times he has attended public meetings of the Foreign Affairs Committee since his appointment.
tabling member constituency	Burnley
tabling member printed	Julie Cooper
uin	34557
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/04/2016 answer text <p>Ministerial attendance at parliamentary committees is a matter of public record. The transcripts of appearances by the Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) are available on the Foreign Affairs Committee website.</p><p>http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/foreign-affairs-committee/formal-minutes/</p> answering member constituency Aylesbury answering member printed Mr David Lidington question first answered 26/04/2016 15:21:11 answering member 15 label Biography information for Sir David Lidington
tabling member	4405 label Biography information for Julie Cooper

514037

registered interest
date	19/04/2016
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: Russian Language
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 Russian language (a) speakers, (b) interpreters and (c) translators are employed by his Department; and what steps he is taking to increase the number of such experts working in his Department.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	34522
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/04/2016 answer text <p>We have 163 Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) employees with some level of Russian capability, ranging from basic Russian to operational skills (equivalent to degree level) recorded centrally.</p><p>Russian is a priority language for the FCO, and since 2010, we have increased the number of Russian-language speaker positions in our Russian and former Soviet Union Posts by 30% and increased the minimum duration for Russian-language training from 10 to 14 months.</p><p>The FCO does not deploy UK-based staff overseas as translators or interpreters. British Embassy Moscow has one full time locally recruited translator/interpreter position. Our local staff overseas routinely assist with translation as part of their daily work.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 27/04/2016 13:19:39 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

514038

registered interest
date	19/04/2016
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	Russia: Foreign Relations
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 steps his Department has taken to counter Russian disinformation against western countries and NATO.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	34521
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/04/2016 answer text <p>The UK is working with allies to support initiatives that promote a plural and balanced Russian-language media environment; enhance the strategic communications capabilities of NATO and the EU; and build resilience in the region to the impact of information warfare, including in Ukraine and Georgia.</p><p>We are also investing in soft power by supporting the work of the British Council and the BBC. The BBC’s global reputation and editorial independence is crucial. In keeping with its long-standing aim to “provide independent, impartial and accurate news across the world”, it is developing plans to enhance its BBC Russian digital service, for example by providing extended news bulletins to partner stations.</p> answering member constituency Aylesbury answering member printed Mr David Lidington question first answered 26/04/2016 15:01:26 answering member 15 label Biography information for Sir David Lidington
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

514039

registered interest
date	19/04/2016
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	Nagorno Karabakh
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 EU counterparts on tensions in Nagorno-Karabakh.
tabling member constituency	North East Fife
tabling member printed	Stephen Gethins
uin	34533
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/04/2016 answer text <p>The UK is deeply concerned about the recent upsurge in fighting on the Nagorno-Karabakh line of contact. I issued a statement on 2 April calling for the sides to halt the fighting and to exercise restraint. While the UK has no direct role in negotiations, we strongly support the work of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group Co-Chairs. On 18 April, I raised Nagorno-Karabakh at the Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg and expressed my desire to see the Co-Chairs inject new energy into the process. We will continue to urge the sides to work with the Minsk Group Co-Chairs to reach a negotiated peace settlement.</p> answering member constituency Aylesbury answering member printed Mr David Lidington question first answered 26/04/2016 15:12:42 answering member 15 label Biography information for Sir David Lidington
tabling member	4434 label Biography information for Stephen Gethins

514040

registered interest
date	19/04/2016
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	Nagorno Karabakh
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 the government of the Russian Federation on tensions in Nagorno-Karabakh.
tabling member constituency	North East Fife
tabling member printed	Stephen Gethins
uin	34534
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/04/2016 answer text <p>On 11 April, the National Security Adviser (NSA) discussed the recent upsurge in fighting in Nagorno-Karabakh with senior Russian officials in Moscow. The NSA expressed concern about the recent violence and support for the OSCE Minsk Group’s efforts to reach a negotiated peace settlement. The British Embassy in Moscow will follow up these discussions with Russian counterparts at working level.</p> answering member constituency Aylesbury answering member printed Mr David Lidington question first answered 26/04/2016 15:17:04 answering member 15 label Biography information for Sir David Lidington
tabling member	4434 label Biography information for Stephen Gethins

514042

registered interest
date	19/04/2016
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	Palestinians: International Assistance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what progress his Department has made on steps to ease the blockade of Gaza, with reference to the oral contribution of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 25 February 2015, Official Report, columns 155-8WH.
tabling member constituency	Gloucester
tabling member printed	Richard Graham
uin	34617
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/04/2016 answer text <p>We remain deeply concerned by the situation in Gaza. Officials from our Embassy and Consulate General regularly raise the need to make progress towards a durable solution for Gaza, and press for practical steps to advance reconstruction and economic development with both the Israeli Government and the Palestinian Authority (PA).</p><p>We have urged the PA to make progress on resuming control in Gaza. We are also urging Egypt to show maximum flexibility in opening the Rafah crossing.</p><p>We have welcomed the steps that Israel has taken to ease some restrictions, including extension of the fishing zone to nine nautical miles, extension of agricultural exports beyond the shmita year, increase of water supply and support for energy and desolation projects. We urge Israel to take further action to ease restrictions.</p><p>We are concerned about recent reports of diversion of cement entering Gaza through the Gaza Reconstruction Mechanism (GRM). While we understand Israeli security concerns, new restrictions on the import of cement have resulted in a slowdown in reconstruction activity and will have a significant impact on employment. The Department for International Development support to the Materials Monitoring Unit of the GRM also helps provide monitoring to ensure construction materials are used for civilian purposes.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 27/04/2016 13:22:51 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	3990 label Biography information for Richard Graham

514043

registered interest
date	19/04/2016
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: Staff
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 officials in his Department work in the referendum unit.
tabling member constituency	St Albans
tabling member printed	Mrs Anne Main
uin	34712
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/05/2016 answer text <p>The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is appropriately resourced to support the Government’s priorities. It is not possible to identify a precise figure for full time equivalent staff working on the referendum because a range of staff are involved across various FCO departments – eg EU department, legal advisers, press office – and for some of whom the proportion of their time devoted to referendum issues varies day by day.</p> answering member constituency Aylesbury answering member printed Mr David Lidington question first answered 04/05/2016 15:32:35 answering member 15 label Biography information for Sir David Lidington
tabling member	1568 label Biography information for Mrs Anne Main

513429

registered interest
date	18/04/2016
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	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government under what conditions they would refer an incident or a series of incidents of suspected mass killings or alleged human rights abuses to the UN Security Council for a determination on whether genocide was occurring as defined by the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL7686
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/04/2016 answer text <p>The Government believes that recognition of genocides should be a matter for international courts, not political bodies. It should be a legal, rather than political determination, decided by international judges after consideration of all the evidence available in the context of a credible international judicial process.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 26/04/2016 13:27:05 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool