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166202

registered interest
date	26/11/2014
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	Islamic State
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much they estimate IS to have received in kidnap ransoms; and what assessment they have made of the reported Iraqi intelligence estimates that they have received $200 million.
tabling member printed	Lord Mendelsohn
uin	HL3186
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/12/2014 answer text <p>There is considerable speculation over how much the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and other terrorist groups have secured from kidnapping for ransom. In October 2014 the UN Al Qaeda Sanctions Monitoring Team estimated that ISIL had received between US$35 and US$45 million in ransom payments in the preceding twelve months.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 11/12/2014 12:48:40 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	4286 label Biography information for Lord Mendelsohn

166203

registered interest
date	26/11/2014
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	Islamic State
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government which governments they are aware of which have paid ransoms to IS; and what discussions they have had with them.
tabling member printed	Lord Mendelsohn
uin	HL3187
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/12/2014 answer text <p>The UN Al Qaeda Sanctions regime sets out the international legal framework. It makes clear that ransom payments to terrorist organisations are illegal. All UN Member States are bound by this. We are unable to comment on reports of ransom payments by other countries. <br><br>The UK policy position is clear. We do not pay ransoms or make any other substantive concessions to terrorists. Ransom payments strengthen terrorist groups and encourage them to carry out further kidnaps. This is why the UK has also led the drive to secure agreement on the principle of not paying ransoms. Under UK Presidency in 2013 the G8 made an unequivocal commitment to reject ransom payments to terrorists. The UK also secured the first standalone UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) on tackling terrorist ransom payments, which was unanimously adopted in January 2014, as UNSCR 2133.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 04/12/2014 15:52:59 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	4286 label Biography information for Lord Mendelsohn

166206

registered interest
date	26/11/2014
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	International Commission on Missing Persons
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what support has been provided by the United Kingdom to the International Commission on Missing Persons in each of the last three years.
tabling member printed	Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale
uin	HL3190
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/12/2014 answer text The UK has been a strong and consistent supporter of the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP) since its creation in 1996. We support the ICMP in all of its program areas – the Western Balkans, Colombia, Iraq and Libya. The UK has provided grants to the ICMP for the following amounts: 2012: £18,101; 2013: £160,407; 2014: £253,051. These grants have supported projects which relate to deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) identification activities at the Tomasica Excavation Site in Bosnia and aiding the Government of Libya address the issue of missing persons. The UK also provides political support as the ICMP’s work supports our wider objectives on justice and accountability. With our Dutch colleagues, the UK has successfully led a recent initiative to develop an international agreement that will grant the ICMP a new, international legal status. answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 04/12/2014 15:54:11 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	4168 label Biography information for Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale

166207

registered interest
date	26/11/2014
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	International Commission on Missing Persons
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they expect to secure international agreement on the legal status of the International Commission on Missing Persons as an international organisation.
tabling member printed	Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale
uin	HL3191
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/12/2014 answer text Yes. The UK and the Netherlands have led a recent initiative to draft an international agreement that will accord the International Commission on Missing Persons the status of an international organisation and we expect that the UK and other States will sign the agreement shortly. answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 04/12/2014 15:54:38 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	4168 label Biography information for Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale

165868

registered interest
date	25/11/2014
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	Crimes against Humanity
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the UK's responsibilities are in international law to identify, prevent, suppress and punish acts of genocide and crimes against humanity; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Blaydon
tabling member printed	Mr David Anderson
uin	215972
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/12/2014 answer text <p>The UK is party to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide 1948 which requires that we prevent and punish the crime of genocide in our jurisdiction. We are also party to the Convention Against Torture 1948 which requires us to take measures to prevent torture in our jurisdiction, and to prosecute or extradite individuals who are in the UK, and who are alleged to have committed torture anywhere in the world.</p><p> </p><p>As a State Party to the International Criminal Court Statute (ICC), the UK has also made it a domestic crime to commit any of the crimes in the ICC Statute, including genocide and crimes against humanity. Where such crimes take place in the UK, or are committed by UK nationals, they can be prosecuted before the UK courts.</p> answering member constituency Aylesbury answering member printed Mr David Lidington question first answered 02/12/2014 15:35:42 answering member 15 label Biography information for Sir David Lidington
tabling member	1486 label Biography information for Mr David Anderson

165978

registered interest
date	25/11/2014
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	Russia
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Russian Federation on that country's increased patrols near NATO airspace; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Kemptown
tabling member printed	Simon Kirby
uin	215796
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/12/2014 answer text <p>We have made no direct representations to the Government of Russia on this issue. The UK strongly supports comments made by NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg last week calling on Russia to obey the norms of international air traffic and understand that he has plans to follow up with Russia directly on this point. NATO Foreign Ministers, including the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), will discuss Russia’s actions at the forthcoming meeting on 2 December. The UK strongly supports exploring options to improve military transparency between NATO and Russia.</p> answering member constituency Aylesbury answering member printed Mr David Lidington question first answered 02/12/2014 15:38:19 answering member 15 label Biography information for Sir David Lidington
tabling member	3929 label Biography information for Simon Kirby

165979

registered interest
date	25/11/2014
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	Bahrain
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, on how many occasions he has met Prince Nasser bin Hamad of Bahrain in an official capacity; and when the next such meeting is planned.
tabling member constituency	Liverpool, Walton
tabling member printed	Steve Rotheram
uin	215826
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/11/2014 answer text <p>I have not previously met Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa of Bahrain and I do not currently have any meetings with him planned.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 28/11/2014 13:57:56 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	4035 label Biography information for Steve Rotheram

165980

registered interest
date	25/11/2014
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	Water
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 he is taking to reduce water (a) usage and (b) bills in his Department; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Kemptown
tabling member printed	Simon Kirby
uin	215962
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/12/2014 answer text <p>In the last two years, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has implemented, or is implementing, the following measures to reduce water consumption in its UK estate:</p><p>•Reducing water flow pressure</p><p>•Adjusting urinal flushing</p><p>•Installation of shower and tap regulators</p><p>•Installation of single flush toilets and low flush urinals</p><p>•Water softening on data-centre chilled water system</p><p>•Installation of more efficient washing machines</p><p>•Installation of toilet cistern water saving devices</p><p>•Extensive installation of water sub-meters</p><p>•Analysis of water consumption per building to identify waste</p><p>•Grey water harvesting at our Hanslope Park data-centre building</p><p>•Water audit at Hanslope Park</p><p>•Leak detection</p><p>By the quarter July to September 2014, these measures had reduced water consumption by 27.5% compared to the same period in 2013. That represents an annual water saving of 18,256m3.</p><p>There have been no specific actions yet to renegotiate water tariffs.</p> answering member constituency Aylesbury answering member printed Mr David Lidington question first answered 02/12/2014 15:40:39 answering member 15 label Biography information for Sir David Lidington
tabling member	3929 label Biography information for Simon Kirby

165981

registered interest
date	25/11/2014
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, what recent assessment he has made of the level of press freedom in Iran.
tabling member constituency	Aberconwy
tabling member printed	Guto Bebb
uin	215935
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/11/2014 answer text <p>Freedom of expression in Iran is severely restricted. Iran has more journalists in prison than almost any other country. New outlets and online media are heavily censored and the majority of newspapers are now government controlled. We continue to urge Iran to guarantee the rights of all its citizens in line with its international obligations. We most recently raised our concerns around freedom of expression during Iran’s Universal Periodic Review during the UN Human Rights Council on 31 October.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood grouped question UIN 215938 question first answered 28/11/2014 13:42:01 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	3910 label Biography information for Guto Bebb

165982

registered interest
date	25/11/2014
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, what recent assessment he has made of the extent of restriction of access to the internet in Iran.
tabling member constituency	Aberconwy
tabling member printed	Guto Bebb
uin	215936
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/11/2014 answer text Iran systematically filters and restricts access to the internet. Millions of websites are blocked, including social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook. Many Iranian citizens find technical ways around the restrictions but their online activity can put them at risk. In May 2014, eight Iranians were sentenced to a combined 123 years in prison for their Facebook activities. Charges included blasphemy, insulting the Supreme Leader, and spreading propaganda against the system. We urge Iran to allow freedom of expression, and respect the rights of all its citizens in line with its international obligations. We most recently raised our concerns around freedom of expression during Iran’s Universal Periodic Review at the UN Human Rights Council on 31 October. answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 28/11/2014 13:43:52 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	3910 label Biography information for Guto Bebb