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1309384

registered interest
date	15/04/2021
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Tigray: Armed Conflict
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that accurate information is available concerning the recent conflict in Tigray, Ethiopia.
tabling member constituency	West Ham
tabling member printed	Ms Lyn Brown
uin	181224
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/04/2021 answer text <p>We are concerned by instances of media personnel being detained or harassed in Tigray and have lobbied alongside the international community to secure their release. We are also concerned about limitations to access, including the revocation of media licenses, and access to information and communication networks. A free and independent media in Ethiopia is vital to protect human rights. The lack of telephone and internet services in Tigray is hampering humanitarian relief and extending the suffering of the 4.5 million people in Tigray in desperate need.</p><p>We continue to raise the importance of political and media freedoms with senior officials, and did so directly with Ethiopian Deputy Prime Minister Demeke on the 5 March. We continue to call for the restoration of communication services in Tigray. We will continue to champion open and free political expression in the run up to the 5 June elections in the country.</p> answering member constituency Rochford and Southend East answering member printed James Duddridge question first answered 23/04/2021 14:03:26 answering member 1559 label Biography information for Sir James Duddridge
tabling member	1583 label Biography information for Ms Lyn Brown

1309406

registered interest
date	15/04/2021
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the Government's plans are to protect (a) human rights and (b) women's rights in Afghanistan following the withdrawal of UK troops in September 2021.
tabling member constituency	Carmarthen East and Dinefwr
tabling member printed	Jonathan Edwards
uin	181233
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/04/2021 answer text <p>The UK remains committed to supporting Afghanistan on its path to a more peaceful and positive future. We will continue to work closely with the UN, Afghanistan and our international partners to intensify peace efforts as NATO forces drawdown.</p><p>The UK has assisted in the significant improvement in the rights of all Afghans, including women and minorities. Life expectancy increased from 56 years in 2002 to 65 in 2020. There are 8.2 million more children in school now than in 2002, including 3.7 million girls. However, only a negotiated and inclusive settlement will safeguard the rights and freedoms that Afghans want and deserve. We will continue to make clear to all sides that any Afghan-led political settlement must preserve progress, including protection for women and minorities.</p><p>Afghanistan is a focus country under the UK National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security. This plan shows how the UK aims to reduce the impact of conflict on women and girls and to promote their inclusion in conflict resolution. It is part of wider efforts to ensure that the UK's foreign policy consciously and consistently delivers for women and girls. The UK has also provided technical assistance for the implementation of Phase 2 of Afghanistan's National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security (which runs from 2019 - 2022).</p> answering member constituency Selby and Ainsty answering member printed Nigel Adams question first answered 23/04/2021 13:57:14 answering member 4057 label Biography information for Nigel Adams
tabling member	3943 label Biography information for Jonathan Edwards

1309442

registered interest
date	15/04/2021
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Commonwealth Fund
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much funding he has allocated to the Commonwealth Fund programme Women Mediators across the Commonwealth for 2021-22.
tabling member constituency	Dundee West
tabling member printed	Chris Law
uin	181311
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/04/2021 answer text <p>We are engaged in ongoing discussions with the Steering Committee of the Women Mediators across the Commonwealth Network (WMC) on the future direction of the network and how best the FCDO can support, along with suitable funding options. We remain committed to supporting women's meaningful engagement in peace processes; inclusion is a cornerstone of our new, integrated foreign, security and development policy.</p> answering member constituency Selby and Ainsty answering member printed Nigel Adams question first answered 23/04/2021 14:01:21 answering member 4057 label Biography information for Nigel Adams
tabling member	4403 label Biography information for Chris Law

1309481

registered interest
date	15/04/2021
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Human Rights
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to update the Government's strategy on supporting human rights defenders.
tabling member constituency	Liverpool, Walton
tabling member printed	Dan Carden
uin	181412
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/04/2021 answer text <p>The UK strongly supports Human Rights Defenders worldwide to enable them to carry out their work safely and without fear. We are considering carefully the request from Amnesty International and other Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) for a UK Government strategy on Human Rights Defenders. In 2019, the Minister of State responsible for Human Rights, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, launched the document 'UK support for Human Rights Defenders' which was drawn up with significant and important input from relevant stakeholders, including Amnesty International, and which sets out how the UK Government engages with Human Rights Defenders to advance the human rights agenda globally.</p> answering member constituency Selby and Ainsty answering member printed Nigel Adams question first answered 23/04/2021 14:03:03 answering member 4057 label Biography information for Nigel Adams
tabling member	4651 label Biography information for Dan Carden

1309543

registered interest
date	15/04/2021
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Spain: British Nationals Abroad
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department has taken to identify (a) the needs of UK nationals residing in Spain and (b) how those needs may have changed since the UK left the EU.
tabling member constituency	Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle
tabling member printed	Emma Hardy
uin	181407
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/04/2021 answer text <p>The Withdrawal Agreement, signed on 24 January 2020, provides citizens with the certainty they need about their rights going forward. It means UK nationals living in Spain before the end of the transition period can continue to live, work, study and access benefits and services broadly as they did before the UK left the EU. Throughout the negotiations, we have sought to understand the unique circumstances of UK nationals living in Spain and continue to use the feedback received from UK nationals to help inform our approach.</p><p>The Government has been actively engaging with UK nationals in Spain through our Embassy in Madrid and Consulates across Spain. This has included town hall events; social media outreach; interviews with print media and radio; as well as digital content on gov.uk such as the Living in Guides. We have also launched a multi-million pound communications campaign for UK nationals in the EU, which informs them about the actions they may need to take. To date, there have been over 318 outreach events in Spain. We also maintain a regular dialogue with both the Spanish government and civil society groups.</p><p>The Government is also working with third party organisations through the UK Nationals Support Fund to help UK nationals who may struggle to register in Spain. Since May 2020, 126,503 UK nationals have accessed the services of our three grant-funded organisations in Spain. 3,306 people have been directly supported by a caseworker and 1,013 registrations have been submitted on behalf of those who would struggle to do so themselves.</p> answering member constituency Aldridge-Brownhills answering member printed Wendy Morton question first answered 23/04/2021 13:32:34 answering member 4358 label Biography information for Wendy Morton
tabling member	4645 label Biography information for Emma Hardy

1309548

registered interest
date	15/04/2021
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Western Sahara: Natural Resources
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make representations to the UN Security Council to call for an end to the illegal extraction of natural resources from Western Sahara against the interests and wishes of the indigenous Saharawi.
tabling member constituency	Leeds North West
tabling member printed	Alex Sobel
uin	181420
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/04/2021 answer text <p>The UK notes the UN legal view from 2002, which stated that commercial activity in Western Sahara (including the exploration for, and exploitation of natural resources) is not inherently illegal but must not disregard the interests and wishes of the people of Western Sahara. We also note the European Court of Justice ruling of December 2016 on the applicability of the EU-Morocco Association Agreement to Western Sahara. The Association Agreement was subsequently amended to comply with the ruling following EU consultations with a wide spectrum of Western Saharan representatives, stake-holders, civil society, and other organisations. The UK-Morocco Association Agreement replicates the effects of the existing EU-Morocco Association Agreement, including on the current territorial application and products originating in Western Sahara subject to controls by customs authorities of Morocco.</p> answering member constituency Braintree answering member printed James Cleverly question first answered 23/04/2021 13:21:54 answering member 4366 label Biography information for James Cleverly
tabling member	4658 label Biography information for Alex Sobel

1309550

registered interest
date	15/04/2021
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Morocco: Political Prisoners
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make representations to the UN Security Council to advocate for the release of Saharawi civilian prisoners in Moroccan prisons.
tabling member constituency	Leeds North West
tabling member printed	Alex Sobel
uin	181421
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/04/2021 answer text <p>Human rights is a UK priority around the world, including in Morocco, and we raise human rights issues with Morocco accordingly. The UK and Morocco have regular discussions on human rights, including prison conditions. The UN Security Council adopted Resolution 2548 on 30 October 2020. The resolution stresses the importance of improving the human rights situation in Western Sahara and the Tindouf camps, and encourages the parties to work with the international community to develop and implement independent and credible measures to ensure full respect for human rights, bearing in mind their relevant obligations under international law.</p> answering member constituency Braintree answering member printed James Cleverly question first answered 23/04/2021 12:21:46 answering member 4366 label Biography information for James Cleverly
tabling member	4658 label Biography information for Alex Sobel

1309577

registered interest
date	15/04/2021
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Developing Countries: Climate Change
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department is taking steps to compensate poorer countries for the effects of climate change resulting from carbon emissions from wealthier nations.
tabling member constituency	Newport West
tabling member printed	Ruth Jones
uin	181442
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/04/2021 answer text <p>Tackling climate change and biodiversity loss is an international priority for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and we are calling for significantly increased action to support the most vulnerable to adapt and build resilience to the impacts of climate change. The UK has pledged to double its International Climate Finance to £11.6 billion from 2021-26 and we are using our COP26 and G7 Presidencies to urge all other donors to be equally ambitious in their commitments.</p> answering member constituency Rochford and Southend East answering member printed James Duddridge question first answered 23/04/2021 13:56:15 answering member 1559 label Biography information for Sir James Duddridge
tabling member	4716 label Biography information for Ruth Jones

1309607

registered interest
date	15/04/2021
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Property Rights: Croatia
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether there is a reciprocity agreement between the UK and Croatia allowing British nationals to purchase property in Croatia.
tabling member constituency	Cheadle
tabling member printed	Mary Robinson
uin	181312
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/04/2021 answer text <p>There is currently no agreement in place specifically for the purpose of UK nationals buying homes in Croatia and vice versa. The FCDO is actively working to try and find a solution to ensure that British Nationals who wish to purchase property in Croatia are able to do so.</p> answering member constituency Aldridge-Brownhills answering member printed Wendy Morton question first answered 23/04/2021 13:23:13 answering member 4358 label Biography information for Wendy Morton
tabling member	4406 label Biography information for Mary Robinson