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114724

registered interest
date	05/11/2014
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	Visits Abroad
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 trips by Scottish Government Ministers have been supported by his Department or British embassies and consulates in each year since 2010; what the purpose of these trips was; and what support was offered.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow East
tabling member printed	Margaret Curran
uin	213577
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/11/2014 answer text <p>UK Embassies provide considerable support for Scottish Government Ministers when they are overseas. In 2013, UK Embassies supported more than 40 overseas visits by Scottish Government Ministers and in 2014 (up to October 2014), a further 14. The nature of the visits varies widely, as do the destinations, from supporting the First Minister of Scotland’s visit to Washington for Tartan Week, a full cultural programme in Berlin for the Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs, to the Minister for External Affairs and International Development’s trade engagements in the Gulf. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not hold central records from before this period.</p> answering member constituency Aylesbury answering member printed Mr David Lidington question first answered 10/11/2014 14:42:39 answering member 15 label Biography information for Sir David Lidington
tabling member	3982 label Biography information for Margaret Curran

114778

registered interest
date	05/11/2014
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	Diego Garcia
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 took to strengthen formal oversight of US use of Diego Garcia after the disclosure in 2008 that two US rendition flights had refuelled there in 2002.
tabling member constituency	Chichester
tabling member printed	Mr Andrew Tyrie
uin	213470
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/11/2014 answer text My honourable friend refers to the US Government’s disclosure in 2008 that, contrary to earlier assurances, two flights carrying a detainee landed and refuelled on Diego Garcia in 2002. Following this disclosure, the US Government assured Her Majesty’s Government that these had been the only two cases and that there would be no future transfer of detainees through the UK, its airspace or Overseas Territories without express permission; and stated that, should there be any doubt as to whether any operation falls outside the Exchange of Notes that govern the use of Diego Garcia, the US Government would consult the UK Government. Since that time, Her Majesty’s Government has sought regular reassurance from the US Government, including by means of annual political-military talks between senior officials, that all previous assurances on transfer of detainees provided by the US Government since 2008 remain valid and correct. In addition, the Officer in Charge of the United Kingdom Service elements in Diego Garcia, a senior Naval Officer, is routinely informed of all ship and aircraft movements. answering member constituency Aylesbury answering member printed Mr David Lidington question first answered 10/11/2014 16:18:26 answering member 15 label Biography information for Sir David Lidington
tabling member	112 label Biography information for Lord Tyrie

114780

registered interest
date	05/11/2014
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	Diego Garcia
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how the Government exercised its formal oversight of US use of Diego Garcia between 2001 and 2008.
tabling member constituency	Chichester
tabling member printed	Mr Andrew Tyrie
uin	213471
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/11/2014 answer text <p>As my honourable friend is aware, use of the defence facility in Diego Garcia is governed by the Exchange of Notes between the UK and US, which places treaty obligations on both parties. These Notes provide that, as regards the use of the facility in normal circumstances, the US Commanding Officer and the Officer in Charge of the United Kingdom Service element shall inform each other of intended movements of ships and aircraft. In other circumstances, they provide that the use of the facility shall be a matter for the joint decision of the two Governments. Oversight of US activities between 2001 and 2008 was thus exercised: through the exchange both of routine information, via the Governments’ representatives in Diego Garcia; and, where non-routine matters were concerned, through regular dialogue between the two Governments, including by means of annual political-military discussions between senior officials.</p> answering member constituency Aylesbury answering member printed Mr David Lidington question first answered 10/11/2014 14:57:38 answering member 15 label Biography information for Sir David Lidington
tabling member	112 label Biography information for Lord Tyrie

106288

registered interest
date	04/11/2014
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	Burkina Faso
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 hold discussions with the African Union on the situation in Burkina Faso following the military coup in that country.
tabling member constituency	East Londonderry
tabling member printed	Mr Gregory Campbell
uin	213425
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/11/2014 answer text <p>The UK strongly supports the co-ordinated response by the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) aimed at bringing the crisis in Burkina Faso to a swift and peaceful resolution. We call on the interim authorities to work peacefully with all parties to bring about a return to civilian democratic governance as soon as possible. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Rochford and Southend East (James Duddridge) discussed the situation in Burkina Faso with Smail Chergui, the African Union Peace and Security Commissioner on 14 October. We will continue to engage with the African Union and ECOWAS regularly as the situation evolves.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency East Devon answering member printed Mr Hugo Swire question first answered 07/11/2014 15:22:02 answering member 1408 label Biography information for Lord Swire previous answer version 26763 answering member constituency East Devon answering member printed Mr Hugo Swire answering member 1408 label Biography information for Lord Swire
tabling member	1409 label Biography information for Mr Gregory Campbell

106293

registered interest
date	04/11/2014
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	Ascension Island
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 risk of Chikungunya disease being introduced from the Caribbean into Ascension Island.
tabling member constituency	Brent North
tabling member printed	Barry Gardiner
uin	213322
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/11/2014 answer text <p>At the present time, Ascension Island Government (AIG) assesses that there is a low risk of Chikungunya disease being introduced to Ascension Island from the Caribbean. AIG continues to monitor the situation, with the United States Air Force Base on Ascension, and will keep its precautionary measures under review.</p> answering member constituency Aylesbury answering member printed Mr David Lidington question first answered 10/11/2014 14:19:20 answering member 15 label Biography information for Sir David Lidington
tabling member	146 label Biography information for Barry Gardiner

106295

registered interest
date	04/11/2014
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	Diego Garcia
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the Answer of 17 November 2008 to the hon. Member for Kingston and Surbiton, Official Report, columns 191-2W, on Diego Garcia: detainees, how many people were detained in the prison on Diego Garcia in each year from January 2002 to January 2009; and for what reasons and for how long each such person was detained.
tabling member constituency	Chichester
tabling member printed	Mr Andrew Tyrie
uin	213302
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/11/2014 answer text <p>The main purpose of the UK detention facility on Diego Garcia, commonly known as the reception centre, is to hold illegal fishermen caught in the Territory's waters. It was opened in 2007. BIOT Administration records show that between the point of it opening and January 2009, only one person has been imprisoned there for a period of 10 days during 2008 for an offence of assault. In September, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office released information following a Freedom of Information Act request which showed that a number of Sri Lankans were also held during the period he asks about, for offences related to illegally fishing in BIOT waters. These were held in the police station which is located next to the reception centre.</p> answering member constituency East Devon answering member printed Mr Hugo Swire question first answered 07/11/2014 14:52:46 answering member 1408 label Biography information for Lord Swire
tabling member	112 label Biography information for Lord Tyrie

106296

registered interest
date	04/11/2014
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	Diego Garcia
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the Answer of 20 November 2008 to the hon. Member for Kingston and Surbiton, Official Report, column 748W, on Diego Garcia: detainees, for how many years the US detention facility was open; and for what reasons the US detention facility was decommissioned.
tabling member constituency	Chichester
tabling member printed	Mr Andrew Tyrie
uin	213304
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/11/2014 answer text <p>The US have informed us that holding cells were used to house US military personnel in accordance with the United States Uniform Code of Military Justice. The US has confirmed that it built these in 1984 and decommissioned them in 2007. UK authorities do not hold information as to the reasons for the US decision to decommission their holding cells.</p> answering member constituency East Devon answering member printed Mr Hugo Swire question first answered 07/11/2014 14:47:25 answering member 1408 label Biography information for Lord Swire
tabling member	112 label Biography information for Lord Tyrie

106297

registered interest
date	04/11/2014
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	Diego Garcia
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the Answer of 20 November 2008 to the hon. Member for Kingston and Surbiton, Official Report, column 748W, on Diego Garcia: detainees, how many people were detained in the US detention facility on Diego Garcia before 2007; and for what reason.
tabling member constituency	Chichester
tabling member printed	Mr Andrew Tyrie
uin	213303
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/11/2014 answer text <p>The US have informed us that US military personnel are held in these holding cells in accordance the United States Uniform Code of Military Justice. UK authorities do not maintain records of these detentions.</p> answering member constituency East Devon answering member printed Mr Hugo Swire question first answered 07/11/2014 14:46:25 answering member 1408 label Biography information for Lord Swire
tabling member	112 label Biography information for Lord Tyrie

106300

registered interest
date	04/11/2014
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	Iran
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has raised the cases of Farshid Fathi and Alireza Seyyedian with his Iranian counterparts.
tabling member constituency	Luton South
tabling member printed	Gavin Shuker
uin	213225
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/11/2014 answer text <p>We have not raised these cases specifically with the Iranian Government. However, we remain deeply concerned by the detention and ill treatment of all prisoners of conscience in Iran, and the ongoing discrimination against Christians and other minority religious groups. We have called for the Iranian government to protect the rights of all minority groups in Iran and end the persecution of individuals on the basis of their faith.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 10/11/2014 14:50:57 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	4013 label Biography information for Mr Gavin Shuker

106301

registered interest
date	04/11/2014
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	Iraq
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 effectiveness of international efforts to assist the Yazidi people; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Harrow West
tabling member printed	Mr Gareth Thomas
uin	213227
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/11/2014 answer text UK aid is reaching displaced people across Iraq, including in the Kurdish region, where many Yazidis have fled to. In August, the UK conducted seven air drops to provide life-saving aid to Yazidi people trapped on Mount Sinjar. Through these airdrops, the Department For International Development (DFID) provided over 80 tonnes of aid, including 9,400 reusable water purification containers filled with clean water, 1,000 solar lanterns, and 1,000 shelter kits for the people stranded on the mountain. DFID continue to assess the humanitarian situation. They have provided £23 million of aid to Iraq including £17.5 million of funding to UN agencies, Non Governmental Organisation partners and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to ensure displaced people get the basic assistance they need - including food, shelter, water, sanitation and medical care. answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 07/11/2014 10:30:51 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	177 label Biography information for Gareth Thomas