The UK Government has not been involved in talks with the German Government on compensation for British survivors of Thalidomide. We have been assisting the Thalidomide Trust in making their own representations directly to the German Government.<\/p>
<\/p>
At the request of representatives of the Thalidomide Trust the then Minister for Europe (Rt Hon David Lidington MP) wrote on 4 February to the German Ambassador to London, setting out the Trust\u2019s desire for further discussions with the German Government and requesting his support in raising the matter within Germany. The Ambassador passed this request to the German Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth. The FCO received a response from the Families Ministry on 1 June. In this response the German Government sets out that UK survivors of Thalidomide are able to apply for compensation from the Contergan Foundation For Disabled People.<\/p>
<\/p>
The Contergan Foundation was established by the German Government to help disabled people whose deformities can be linked to their mothers taking medicinal products during pregnancy which contained thalidomide. While funded in part by the German Government, the Contergan Foundation is independent of the German Government who do not control or influence the awards made. As such the Families Ministry declined to meet the Thalidomide Trust for further discussions and reiterated their belief that British survivors should contact the Contergan Foundation.<\/p>
<\/p>
The UK Government remains in contact with the Thalidomide Trust to discuss all aspects of this case.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/343", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Alan Duncan"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Rutland and Melton"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Sir Alan Duncan"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2016-08-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2016-08-02T15:45:25.193Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2016-07-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Germany: Thalidomide"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what progress has been made in his talks with the German government on compensation for British citizens affected by Thalidomide.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4496", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Scott Mann"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "North Cornwall"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Scott Mann"} ], "uin" : "42407"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/535248", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/535248/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "We continue to take robust measures to protect all our staff in Russia and raise our concerns with the Russian authorities in Moscow and the Embassy in London as appropriate."} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/343", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Alan Duncan"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Rutland and Melton"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Sir Alan Duncan"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2016-07-25", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2016-07-25T13:36:15.7Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2016-07-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Russia: Diplomatic Service"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Russian government on increases in the number of attacks on EU and US diplomats stationed in Russia.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1576", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mark Pritchard"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "The Wrekin"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mark Pritchard"} ], "uin" : "42321"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/535249", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/535249/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Government shares the concern of the international community regarding the deteriorating political, economic and social situation in Venezuela.<\/p>
<\/p>
We have urged all sides to work constructively in the best interests of the country and the people of Venezuela. We support the planned dialogue between the Venezuelan Government and Opposition, facilitated by the Union of South American Nations regional body.<\/p>
<\/p>
We are aware of the acute shortages of basic foods and medicines. On 10 July, parts of Venezuela\u2019s border with Colombia were opened temporarily for the first time since August 2015. This allowed thousands of Venezuelans to cross into Colombia to purchase basic food and medicines. Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials are in contact with their counterparts in the Department for International Development and the EU to discuss what future assistance might be offered, if asked by the Venezuelan Government<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/343", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Alan Duncan"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Rutland and Melton"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Sir Alan Duncan"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2016-08-02", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2016-08-02T15:19:44.937Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2016-07-11", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Venezuela: Politics and Government"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent reports he has received on the steps taken by the Venezuelan government in response to shortages of basic commodities and political unrest in that country.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4379", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Calum Kerr"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Calum Kerr"} ], "uin" : "42299"} ], "itemsPerPage" : 10, "page" : 0, "startIndex" : 1, "totalResults" : 3, "type" : ["http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#ListEndpoint", "http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#Page"]} }