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77977

registered interest
date	15/07/2014
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	St Helena
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 his Department is taking to ensure that the opening of the airport on St Helena does not lead to the development of child sex tourism in that territory.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Yardley
tabling member printed	John Hemming
uin	205829
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/07/2014 answer text <p>Safeguarding children in St Helena is a critical priority for the St Helena Government and the UK. Whilst Territory Governments have the principal responsibility for ensure the safeguarding of children in the Overseas Territories, the UK provides practical assistance and support. DFID and the FCO have been supporting child safeguarding initiatives in the OT’s for the last nine years, most recently through the Safeguarding Children in the Overseas Territories (SCOT) programme (2013-2016), which followed on from an earlier SCOT programme (2009-2013) and a regional Child Protection Programme (CPP, 2005-2008). This new programme will focus on gaining a deeper understanding of the problem including how to detect, prevent and address child abuse.</p><p>Following recent further allegations relating to child abuse in St Helena, the then Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs agreed to establish an independent panel of experts to investigate these specific allegations and related matters. In response to these allegations the island’s Executive Council said: “We have taken great steps on St Helena to protect our children and vulnerable people against abuse of any kind. We know that there are concerns, as there are in any community, but solid progress has been made in improving our safeguarding capabilities. We know there is still more to do, and we will continue to strive for further improvements</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Boston and Skegness answering member printed Mark Simmonds question first answered 21/07/2014 10:42:52 answering member 1393 label Biography information for Mark Simmonds
tabling member	1483 label Biography information for John Hemming

77978

registered interest
date	15/07/2014
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	St Helena
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what information his Department has received about allegations of child abuse and police corruption on St Helena since May 2010; when that information was received; and what steps his Department took in response to that information.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Yardley
tabling member printed	John Hemming
uin	205830
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/07/2014 answer text <p>Safeguarding children in St Helena is a critical priority for the St Helena Government and the UK. There have been a number of allegations in recent years about child safety and police corruption. In response there have been several investigations and reviews into St Helena – including from independent police forces and from child safety NGO. These have resulted in detailed action plans from the St Helena Government and police service to improve their ability to protect children.</p><p>Last week, we received further allegations of a conspiracy to cover up child abuse on St Helena from former employees of the St Helena Government. We take such allegations extremely seriously. In response, the then Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs agreed to establish an independent panel of experts to investigate these specific allegations and related matters. We hope to be able to announce further details shortly.</p> answering member constituency Boston and Skegness answering member printed Mark Simmonds question first answered 21/07/2014 10:40:03 answering member 1393 label Biography information for Mark Simmonds
tabling member	1483 label Biography information for John Hemming

77979

registered interest
date	15/07/2014
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	St Helena
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what information the Governor of St Helena has received about allegations of child abuse and police corruption in that territory since May 2010; when that information was received; and what steps the Governor took in response to that information.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Yardley
tabling member printed	John Hemming
uin	205831
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/07/2014 answer text <p>The Governor and the elected government of St Helena take very seriously any allegations of child abuse and police corruption. All allegations are investigated and where evidence is available those responsible are dealt with according to the law. There have been numerous successful prosecutions over the period in question with substantial sentences awarded to those convicted of an offence.</p> answering member constituency Boston and Skegness answering member printed Mark Simmonds question first answered 21/07/2014 10:35:05 answering member 1393 label Biography information for Mark Simmonds
tabling member	1483 label Biography information for John Hemming

77983

registered interest
date	15/07/2014
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	Egypt
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 political stability of Egypt.
tabling member constituency	Romford
tabling member printed	Andrew Rosindell
uin	205914
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/07/2014 answer text <p>We believe that a genuinely open political process, in which all political groups are able to participate, will lead to long-term stability in Egypt. We are concerned at restrictions on political freedoms, including freedom of expression and association, and the trials of journalists. We are also concerned at reports of the absence of a fair hearing in some recent trials. The UK encourages the Egyptian Government to implement the rights enshrined in Egypt’s constitution.</p><p>Prosperity will also be important for Egypt’s long-term stability. We welcome Egyptian Government starting to implement economic reforms. The UK supports the Egyptian people in their aspirations for greater economic opportunities, political participation, freedom and rights.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 21/07/2014 09:06:07 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	1447 label Biography information for Andrew Rosindell

77986

registered interest
date	15/07/2014
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	Pitcairn Islands
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 protect biodiversity on the Pitcairn Islands.
tabling member constituency	Romford
tabling member printed	Andrew Rosindell
uin	205917
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/07/2014 answer text <p>HMG works closely with the Pitcairn Island Council, the Pitcairn community and other stakeholders on the protection of biodiversity on the Pitcairn Islands. We are currently drafting a revised Pitcairn Ordinance (Law) on environmental protection to entrench these protections further.</p><p>The Government is also currently funding, through Darwin Plus, a project to develop a sustainable marine and fisheries management plan for the Pitcairn Islands.</p><p>We have committed to working constructively with the Pitcairn Island Council, and other stakeholders to see if there are practical solutions for more affordable enforcement, including enhanced international co-operation, alternative sources of funding, and innovative methods to achieve the same objective.</p> answering member constituency Boston and Skegness answering member printed Mark Simmonds question first answered 21/07/2014 10:16:22 answering member 1393 label Biography information for Mark Simmonds
tabling member	1447 label Biography information for Andrew Rosindell

77988

registered interest
date	15/07/2014
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	British Overseas Territories
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 he has made of the importance of the sustainability of the British Overseas Territories.
tabling member constituency	Romford
tabling member printed	Andrew Rosindell
uin	205916
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/07/2014 answer text <p>The sustainability of the UK’s Overseas Territories is a priority for my Department and for the whole of Government. The UK Government has a fundamental responsibility and objective to ensure the security and good governance of the Territories and their peoples and to ensure the good stewardship of their natural environments. On the latter point, the government has worked closely with the Territories to mainstream environmental policy and to help them understand how their unique natural heritage can bring them positive benefits. The Government is contributing some £2 million per annum to the Darwin Fund which supports environmental management in the Territories.</p><p>The Government set out its vision and strategy for the Overseas Territories in the 2012 White Paper - The Overseas Territories: Security, Success and Sustainability. I recognise the valuable work of the Hon member for Romford as the chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on the Overseas Territories.”</p> answering member constituency Boston and Skegness answering member printed Mark Simmonds question first answered 21/07/2014 10:18:49 answering member 1393 label Biography information for Mark Simmonds
tabling member	1447 label Biography information for Andrew Rosindell

77992

registered interest
date	15/07/2014
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	St Helena
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 his Department has taken to tackle offences of child abuse on St Helena.
tabling member constituency	Birmingham, Yardley
tabling member printed	John Hemming
uin	205832
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/07/2014 answer text <p>Territory Governments have the principal responsibility for ensure the safeguarding of children in the Overseas Territories, for which the UK provides practical assistance and support. DFID and the FCO have been supporting child safeguarding initiatives in the OT’s for the last nine years, most recently through the Safeguarding Children in the Overseas Territories (SCOT) programme (2013-2016), which followed on from an earlier SCOT programme (2009-2013) and a regional Child Protection Programme (CPP, 2005-2008). Although tangible progress was made in earlier programmes to raise awareness and build capacity, the new programme will focus on gaining a deeper understanding of the problem including how to detect, prevent and address child abuse.</p><p>In St Helena, the SCOT programme has helped encourage revised and updated legislation to protect children, established professional protocols and procedures for those involved in child services, improved the provision of training for St Helena officials, and helped to promote local ownership of the safeguarding agenda. Support has been provided to St Helena through a Lucy Faithfull Foundation review (2013) and technical expertise to take forward a robust child safeguarding action plan arising from review recommendations.</p><p>The FCO and DFID have been working closely with the UK police who have investigated reports into child sex abuse of St Helena and continue to do so.</p> answering member constituency Boston and Skegness answering member printed Mark Simmonds question first answered 21/07/2014 10:25:16 answering member 1393 label Biography information for Mark Simmonds
tabling member	1483 label Biography information for John Hemming

77993

registered interest
date	15/07/2014
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	Billing
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 value is of duplicate supplier payments identified by his Department since 2010; and what proportion of such payments have since been recovered in each of the last two financial years.
tabling member constituency	West Bromwich East
tabling member printed	Mr Tom Watson
uin	205972
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/07/2014 answer text <p>The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) does not hold all of the required data centrally and could not answer this question in full without incurring disproportionate costs. However, we recently investigated duplicate supplier payments for the eight month period from April to November 2013 and identified just one duplicate invoice, with a value of £2,501. Our financial control system prevented any payment being made. The FCO has several controls in place to prevent duplicate payments.</p> answering member constituency Aylesbury answering member printed Mr David Lidington question first answered 21/07/2014 12:06:46 answering member 15 label Biography information for Sir David Lidington
tabling member	1463 label Biography information for Lord Watson of Wyre Forest

77630

registered interest
date	14/07/2014
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	Pay
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 employed by his Department, of each grade, have remained at that grade since 2010 but received a pay rise; and how much of a rise each such person at each such grade has received.
tabling member constituency	Exeter
tabling member printed	Mr Ben Bradshaw
uin	205456
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/07/2014 answer text <p>The Foreign and Commonwealth Office entered a two year pay freeze with effect from 1 April 2011. Senior Civil Servants (SMS officers) pay was also frozen in 2010. During the pay freeze, the only staff who received pay increases were those whose salary was less than £21,000 who received a pay increase of at least £250 depending on their performance, in line with HM Treasury public sector pay policy. The FCO emerged from the pay freeze in 2013.</p><p>In 2013 and 2014, staff who performed their role to the required standards received an average 1% salary increase. The exception was staff earning less than £21,000, who continued to receive at least £250, depending on performance.</p><p>The numbers of staff that stayed in the same grade from 2010 to 2014 are set out below.</p><p>A1 7<br>A2 363<br>B3 345<br>C4 407<br>C5 138<br>D6 312<br>D7 159<br>All SMS 173<br>Grand Total 1904</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 18/07/2014 14:36:58 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	230 label Biography information for Mr Ben Bradshaw

77631

registered interest
date	14/07/2014
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	Central African Republic
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 security situation in the Central African Republic.
tabling member constituency	Sleaford and North Hykeham
tabling member printed	Stephen Phillips
uin	205543
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/07/2014 answer text <p>The security situation in the Central African Republic (CAR) continues to be severely unstable. Sectarian violence continues, and there is widespread displacement of civilians. The UK is playing a strong role as part of the international community's response. We provided early support to the deployment of the African Union mission (MISCA), as well as to the EU security mission (EUFOR), and co-sponsored the UN Security Council Resolution that authorised a UN Peacekeeping Operation (PKO), which will deploy in September. Through DFID, the UK has also provided £23m in humanitarian aid to a range of NGOs and UN agencies, providing access to protection, food, water and sanitation, shelter and healthcare.</p> answering member constituency Boston and Skegness answering member printed Mark Simmonds question first answered 17/07/2014 12:00:58 answering member 1393 label Biography information for Mark Simmonds
tabling member	4054 label Biography information for Stephen Phillips