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227988

registered interest
date	17/03/2015
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Mediterranean Sea
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many vessels, aircraft and drones are available for Operation Triton; and what assessment they have made of their adequacy to cope with current flows of migrants.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL5803
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/03/2015 answer text <p>Frontex has recently reported that the technical resources provided by the Member States to Operation Triton include: 2 Fixed Wing Aircraft, 1 Helicopter, 2 Open Shore Patrol Vessels, 6 Coastal Patrol Vessels and 1 Coast Patrol Boat. We understand that this provision of technical resource fully meets the request made to Frontex for assistance by Italy, the host state of this Operation.<br><br>To date, Operation Triton has intercepted thousands of migrants in the Central Mediterranean, both directly and through cooperation with Italy’s national search and rescue efforts, bringing those intercepted safely to the EU. While the UK is not able to join Frontex, we continue to support Operation Triton through the deployment of UK experts. To date we have met all Frontex requests, and made clear our willingness to consider any further requests for support of this kind. <br><br>The recent deaths in the Mediterranean are a further tragic reminder of the great risks migrants take when they attempt the perilous journey to reach Europe across the Mediterranean. Like our counterparts across the European Union, the UK wishes to find the best way to prevent tragedies of this kind. Unfortunately, in the open sea, no amount of vessels and surveillance can ensure a safe passage.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Bates question first answered 24/03/2015 16:38:34 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

227989

registered interest
date	17/03/2015
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Mediterranean Sea
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to discuss with UNICEF the content of its recent statement on the risks to children who attempt to cross the Mediterranean in order to reach Europe.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL5804
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/03/2015 answer text <p>The Government is determined to do all it can with international partners, including UN agencies, to reduce the flow of illegal migrants attempting these perilous crossings and <br>to combat the organised criminals who are making huge profits by exploiting vulnerable people. The presence of children on these voyages is a matter of particular concern.<br><br>We are taking action at a national and international level to find sustainable solutions, for example through regional protection initiatives and the new Khartoum Process, a joint EU and African Union initiative supporting dialogue and concrete cooperation to tackle people smuggling and human trafficking in the Horn of Africa, including measures to address the abuse and exploitation of children and other vulnerable migrants. <br><br>The Government also welcomes joint EU efforts to provide concrete support to Italy to assist that country in meeting its responsibilities towards those arriving on its shores, and the EU’s intention to enhance efforts to address the root causes of the situation under its forthcoming European Agenda on Migration.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Bates question first answered 24/03/2015 16:37:42 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

222815

registered interest
date	23/02/2015
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Mediterranean Sea
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their response to the statement by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees that a robust search and rescue operation is necessary in order to save lives in the central Mediterranean.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL5156
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/03/2015 answer text <p>The number of deaths in the Mediterranean, and on the land routes from the Horn of Africa to the Southern Mediterranean, are a tragic reminder of the great risks migrants take when they attempt the perilous journey to reach Europe.</p><p>The Government believes that the best approach lies in the continuation of Frontex (EU external border agency) Operation Triton alongside Italy’s ongoing coordination of normal search and rescue activities. Frontex has been clear that its maritime operations will assist with individual search and rescue efforts in their operational areas if called upon to do so by national search and rescue coordinators.</p><p>At the same time, the UK is continuing work with other EU countries to tackle the causes of illegal immigration and the organised trafficking gangs behind it, as well as increasing support and protection for those who need it in North and East Africa. It is action of this kind which offers the best hope of an effective response to the numbers of attempted crossings and the tragic loss of lives.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Bates question first answered 02/03/2015 15:15:02 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

179747

registered interest
date	12/02/2015
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Mediterranean Sea
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the ability of Operation Triton to save the lives of those at risk in the Mediterranean; and what proposals they will make to assist Spain, Italy and Greece in dealing with the flow of migrants and refugees.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL5024
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/02/2015 answer text <p>The EU's external border agency, Frontex, has stated that since the launch of Operation Triton in November 2014 they helped to save 6,000 migrants on their way to Italy. The UK has responded positively to requests from Frontex to deploy two debriefers and a nationality expert to support Operation Triton, with further support committed for 2015. We have made clear that we are willing to consider any further requests from Frontex for UK support.<br><br>The recent deaths are a tragic reminder of the great risks to migrants attempting to reach Europe by crossing the Mediterranean in unseaworthy and ill-equipped vessels. During Italy's Mare Nostrum operation in 2014 many thousands of migrants were intercepted and brought to Italy, but over 3,000 died at sea. <br><br>While EU Ministers have previously agreed that the principal responsibility for migrants and refugees rests with the Member State whose territory they arrive in, the Government continues to provide concrete support to those Member States under particular pressure both through the EU agencies and directly. <br><br>We are also investing in joint EU efforts to mitigate pressures on these Member States through work in key countries of origin and transit, including efforts to tackle the root causes of these dangerous journeys and the organised criminal gangs behind them, and to increase support for protection for refugees in North and East Africa and in the Middle East.</p><p>In particular we are we are playing a leading role in the new ‘Khartoum Process’ launched at a Ministerial Conference in Rome on 28 November, aimed at combating people smuggling and human trafficking in the Horn of Africa. We are also supporting the EU's Middle East Regional Development and Protection Programme, which is seeking sustainable regional solutions for those fleeing the Syrian crisis, as well as providing over £700 Million in UK humanitarian aid.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Bates question first answered 24/02/2015 15:51:19 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

101734

registered interest
date	30/10/2014
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Mediterranean Sea
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had or plan to have with the governments of Egypt and Tunisia regarding methods of preventing unseaworthy vessels carrying refugees and migrants leaving their shores.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL2543
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/11/2014 answer text <p>On 10 October, the Justice and Home Affairs Council unanimously agreed Council Conclusions on better managing migratory flows into the EU. Those Conclusions place particular emphasis on work with the Tunisian, Egyptian and Libyan authorities to find ways to curtail the supply of vessels from Tunisia and Egypt.</p><p>The EU and Member States are already developing a ‘Mobility Partnership’ with Tunisia. The UK signed the political declaration of this Partnership in March 2014. This Partnership is intended to lead to concrete work with Tunisia the area of migration, including efforts to address the current situation in the Mediterranean.</p><p>The EU and Member States are also seeking an enhanced migration dialogue with Egypt, possibly leading to the development of a similar ‘Mobility Partnership’. To date, however, Egypt has expressed no interest in a Partnership of this kind.</p><p>We also hope to work with both Egypt and Tunisia under the new EU ‘Khartoum Process’, due to be launched at a Ministerial Conference in Rome on 28 November. This new initiative will focus on combating people smuggling and human trafficking in the Horn of Africa.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Bates question first answered 18/11/2014 15:12:19 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

101736

registered interest
date	30/10/2014
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Mediterranean Sea
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to prevent further deaths by drowning in the Mediterranean through the mobilisation of aircraft, drones and satellites, and radar.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL2545
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/11/2014 answer text <p>Governments across the EU have been deeply disturbed by the fourfold increase in deaths since the launch of the 'Mare Nostrum' operation. Efforts to prevent further deaths in the Mediterranean remain focused on national search and rescue activities led and coordinated by the appropriate EU Member State National Coordination Centre. However, Search and Rescue remains outside the competence of the EU or its Agencies, including Frontex. <br><br>These efforts are supported by the new European Border Surveillance System (EUROSUR), which was set up to reduce the number of irregular migrants entering the EU undetected; to reduce the number of deaths at the maritime borders by saving more lives at sea, and to increase the internal security of the EU as a whole by contributing to the prevention of cross-border crime. It uses ship reporting systems, satellite imagery and sensors mounted on vehicles, vessels or other craft to help build a shared pre-frontier intelligence picture.<br><br>The UK does not participate in the Eurosur Regulation as that Regulation is limited to the Member States of the Schengen area. However the UK has negotiated an amendment to the Eurosur Regulation which permits the UK to cooperate and exchange information with neighbouring Member States through bilateral or multilateral agreements.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Bates question first answered 17/11/2014 12:17:32 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

101737

registered interest
date	30/10/2014
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Mediterranean Sea
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of statements by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Caritas Internationalis, Save the Children Fund and others on the case for effective search and rescue measures to prevent further loss of life in the Mediterranean.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL2546
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/11/2014 answer text <p>The Government has considered the statements made by the UN High Commissioner and other organisations calling for effective search and rescue measures to prevent further loss of life in the Mediterranean. The Italian Government took the decision to end the current operation, Mare Nostrum, after careful consideration and with the unanimous support of EU Ministers.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Bates question first answered 24/11/2014 16:20:33 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

92415

registered interest
date	06/10/2014
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	Mediterranean Sea
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what naval or air-sea rescue contribution they will make to prevent refugees and migrants drowning in the Mediterranean.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL1977
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/10/2014 answer text <p>We do not support planned search and rescue operations in the Mediterranean. We believe that they create an unintended ‘pull factor’, encouraging more migrants to attempt the dangerous sea crossing and thereby leading to more tragic and unnecessary deaths. The Government believes the most effective way to prevent refugees and migrants attempting this dangerous crossing is to focus our attention on countries of origin and transit, as well as taking steps to fight the people smugglers who wilfully put lives at risk by packing migrants into unseaworthy boats.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 15/10/2014 12:48:18 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton