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421072

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	Syria: Sexual Offences
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 the Government has made of the level of sexual violence (a) within Syria and (b) in camps for Syrian refugees.
tabling member constituency	Dulwich and West Norwood
tabling member printed	Helen Hayes
uin	11597
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/10/2015 answer text We are extremely concerned by the high levels of sexual violence in Syria and within Syrian refugee camps. The UN Commission of Inquiry report of September 2015 highlighted widespread sexual abuse carried out by the Syrian regime, ISIL and some armed opposition groups within Syria. Assad’s forces and militia are responsible for the vast majority of sexual violence, which include threats, rape, degrading body searches and sexual harassment in prisons and branches of the security agencies. ISIL propaganda condones the barbaric treatment of male and female captives, sexual relations with adolescent girls and sexual slavery. Unfortunately, many of those who flee the conflict remain extremely vulnerable to sexual violence. Exploitation of vulnerable individuals within refugee camps was highlighted by the UN Equity for Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women report “We keep Silent” issued in April 2014. The UK is providing £1 billion in humanitarian aid, which includes support to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to provide services for survivors of sexual violence and has so far reached over 27,000 women in Syria. We are also supporting case management in Jordan for over 800 survivors and cash assistance to vulnerable refugee women in Lebanon. The FCO has committed £5.2 million to projects preventing sexual violence in Syria. We are supporting projects to train health professionals and human rights defenders in collecting and preserving evidence of human rights abuses including sexual violence. answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 19/10/2015 14:08:51 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood previous answer version 23902 answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	4510 label Biography information for Helen Hayes

420695

registered interest
date	12/10/2015
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	Syria: Armed Conflict
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he is holding at the UN on a possible Security Council resolution on the establishment of safe zones in Syria.
tabling member constituency	Leeds Central
tabling member printed	Hilary Benn
uin	11276
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/10/2015 answer text <table><tbody><tr><td><p>The Government is providing £1.1billion in humanitarian aid to displaced Syrians and is considering ways in which it can help protect civilians in Syria and will continue to do so. Safe zones in Syria would be a difficult and complex option, that would require significant military resource, and for which there is currently no Parliamentary support in the UK. At the international level, Security Council members continue to discuss a range of humanitarian responses to the conflict in Syria, but there is no agreement so far. There is currently no prospect of passing a credible resolution in the Security Council as Russia has indicated that it would veto any resolution that did not have the support of the Syrian regime.</p></td></tr></tbody></table> answering member constituency Runnymede and Weybridge answering member printed Mr Philip Hammond question first answered 15/10/2015 15:14:46 answering member 105 label Biography information for Lord Hammond of Runnymede
tabling member	413 label Biography information for Hilary Benn

420699

registered interest
date	12/10/2015
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	Middle East: Armed Conflict
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 role played by access to natural resources across Iraq and Syria in the ongoing conflict in those countries; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
uin	11451
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/10/2015 answer text Natural resources are a factor in the conflicts in Iraq and Syria. Oil is one of ISIL’s main sources of revenue. The UK has played a key role in efforts to limit ISIL’s access to revenue sources, such as by supporting UN Security Council Resolutions 2177 and 2199 and working with international partners to ensure those resolutions are enforced. ISIL control of territory along the Euphrates river valley in both Iraq and Syria is affecting water levels in the region, exacerbating the humanitarian situations in Iraqi and Syria. The UK Government remains committed to defeating ISIL and to ending the wider conflict in Syria through a political transition away from the Assad regime. answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 15/10/2015 11:57:20 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

420700

registered interest
date	12/10/2015
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	Gaza: Reconstruction
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 Israeli counterpart on the Gaza Reconstruction Mechanism.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Selly Oak
tabling member printed	Steve McCabe
uin	11441
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/10/2015 answer text <p>Our Embassy in Tel Aviv raised the Gaza Reconstruction Mechanism with officals from Israel's Ministry of Defence on 17 September. We regularly urge the Israeli Government to intensify measures to support Gaza’s reconstruction and economic development. On 10 September, during Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s visit to the UK the Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (David Cameron), and the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Runnymead and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), emphasised the importance of improving daily life for the people of Gaza, for example through better power and water supplies and facilitating exports from Gaza.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 15/10/2015 11:55:51 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	298 label Biography information for Steve McCabe

420702

registered interest
date	12/10/2015
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	Russia: Foreign Policy
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 aims and objectives are of the Government's policy towards Russia.
tabling member constituency	Mid Sussex
tabling member printed	Sir Nicholas Soames
uin	11433
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/10/2015 answer text <p>The Government’s objectives in respect of Russia are to protect UK interests and those of our allies and partners; to engage with Russia on global security issues and in key areas of shared interest; to promote our values, including the rule of law and human rights; and to build stronger links between the British and Russian people more widely.</p><p>This means that we are focused on: keeping the pressure on Russia to adhere to its international obligations; supporting Ukraine and the implementation of the Minsk agreements; persuading Russia to concentrate efforts on tackling ISIL and finding a political solution in Syria; promoting UK prosperity via trade links within the constraints of sanctions; and encouraging cooperation in education, culture and science, e.g. through the British Council-led Year of English Language and Literature in Russia in 2016.</p> answering member constituency Aylesbury answering member printed Mr David Lidington question first answered 15/10/2015 14:26:04 answering member 15 label Biography information for Sir David Lidington
tabling member	116 label Biography information for Lord Soames of Fletching

419789

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	Arms Trade: 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 his policy is on the sale of arms manufactured by UK companies to governments which have committed human rights abuses.
tabling member constituency	Huddersfield
tabling member printed	Mr Barry Sheerman
uin	10747
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/10/2015 answer text This Government supports a responsible defence and security industry that helps meet the legitimate defence needs of other states, and contributes to their security and law and order. We take our arms export responsibilities very seriously and we operate one of the most rigorous and transparent arms export control regimes in the world. All defence and dual-use exports are required to meet the UK’s strict export control legislation and adhere to the UK international commitments including international treaties and obligations. Each application for an export licence is subject to rigorous case-by-case assessment against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria. Risks around human rights violations are a key part of our assessment. answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 15/10/2015 13:36:36 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	411 label Biography information for Mr Barry Sheerman

420008

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	Gibraltar: Politics and Government
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the job description for the Governor of Gibraltar includes a requirement that the post-holder be a serving or retired military officer.
tabling member constituency	Denton and Reddish
tabling member printed	Andrew Gwynne
uin	10940
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/10/2015 answer text <p>In the case of the recent recruitment of the Governor of Gibraltar, the position was open to serving and former senior civil servants and military officers. The successful candidate was then selected on merit.</p> answering member constituency Aylesbury answering member printed Mr David Lidington question first answered 16/10/2015 13:39:52 answering member 15 label Biography information for Sir David Lidington
tabling member	1506 label Biography information for Andrew Gwynne

420009

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	Gibraltar: Spain
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 has taken to ensure the development of co-operation with Spain on tackling serious crime in British Gibraltar Territorial Waters.
tabling member constituency	Denton and Reddish
tabling member printed	Andrew Gwynne
uin	10941
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/10/2015 answer text <p>Responsibility for law enforcement in British Gibraltar Territorial Waters lies with Her Majesty’s Government of Gibraltar. The UK worked in close consultation with both the Government of Gibraltar and the Government of Spain to reach an agreement on 28 August on stepping up law enforcement cooperation. We have since raised this issue with the Spanish authorities at various levels; I raised the matter most recently with the Spanish Minister for Europe, Fernando Eguidazu, on 12 September.</p> answering member constituency Aylesbury answering member printed Mr David Lidington question first answered 16/10/2015 13:39:27 answering member 15 label Biography information for Sir David Lidington
tabling member	1506 label Biography information for Andrew Gwynne

420011

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	Palestinians
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 make representations to the Palestinian Authority on introducing legislation to abolish the death penalty.
tabling member constituency	The Wrekin
tabling member printed	Mark Pritchard
uin	10984
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/10/2015 answer text <p>The Government opposes all use of the death penalty as a matter of principle, including sentences imposed by the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank. I have asked that my officials in Jerusalem raise the issue of the death penalty with the Palestinian Authority in due course.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 15/10/2015 12:14:16 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	1576 label Biography information for Mark Pritchard

420013

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	Overseas Aid
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what checks his Department carries out on non-governmental organisations and charities before allocating them funding to ensure that they do not have discriminatory policies against individual countries or states.
tabling member constituency	The Wrekin
tabling member printed	Mark Pritchard
uin	10983
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/10/2015 answer text <p>The Foreign and Commonwealth Office conducts due diligence checks, for example background checks, on non-governmental organisations and charities before any offer of funding is made. However, the checks vary depending on the size, nature and operating environment of the proposed work.</p> answering member constituency Aylesbury answering member printed Mr David Lidington question first answered 19/10/2015 12:57:00 answering member 15 label Biography information for Sir David Lidington
tabling member	1576 label Biography information for Mark Pritchard