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1241163

registered interest
date	07/10/2020
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	Saudi Arabia: 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, what steps he is taking to support human rights defenders in Saudi Arabia.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	100388
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/10/2020 answer text <p>Our close relationship with Saudi Arabia allows us to raise our concerns about human rights, including on human rights defenders, in private and in public. We have expressed significant concerns about reports of continuing arrests and arbitrary detentions of human rights defenders in Saudi Arabia, including women's rights activists. We have also expressed concern over lack of legal representation for the women's rights defenders, the use of solitary confinement, and pressed for due process. The UK signed a statement at the UN Human Rights Council on 15 September noting our concerns in Saudi Arabia and calling for the release of all political detainees. We continue to raise concerns at all levels and we are monitoring the ongoing situation closely.</p> answering member constituency Braintree answering member printed James Cleverly question first answered 14/10/2020 14:49:08 answering member 4366 label Biography information for James Cleverly
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1241164

registered interest
date	07/10/2020
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	Colombia: 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, what recent assessment he has made of the situation for human rights defenders in Colombia.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	100389
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/10/2020 answer text <p>The UK Government remains concerned about the persistent level of violence towards human rights defenders in Colombia, and we have noted indications that this may have worsened during the COVID-19 lockdown.</p><p>We regularly raise this issue, as well as specific cases of concern with the Colombian Government, and in multilateral fora. We have also called on the Colombian Government to prioritise tackling and preventing this violence. Most recently, our Permanent Representative to the UN expressed our deep concern at the UN Security Council on 14 July, and we will use our position as penholder to raise the issue with the international community at next week's Security Council meeting.</p><p>I emphasised that the UK views this issue as one of utmost importance during a phone call with Colombian Foreign Minister Claudia Blum on 2 June. Lord Ahmad, the Minister responsible for human rights, will reiterate these concerns when he makes a virtual visit to Colombia next week.</p><p>Colombia is a UK Government 'Human Rights Priority Country,' and as such, our Embassy in Bogota has provided significant programming to help those at risk, including support to the Attorney General's office to strengthen their capacity in investigating threats against, and murders of human rights defenders.</p><p>We will continue to raise our concerns with the relevant state actors in Colombia.</p> answering member constituency Aldridge-Brownhills answering member printed Wendy Morton question first answered 12/10/2020 13:48:58 answering member 4358 label Biography information for Wendy Morton
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1241170

registered interest
date	07/10/2020
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	Air Pollution
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 1 October 2020 to Question 91717, how much funding his Department (a) has allocated in the last five years and (b) plans to allocate in 2021-22 to tackle pollution overseas.
tabling member constituency	Oxford West and Abingdon
tabling member printed	Layla Moran
uin	100530
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/10/2020 answer text <p>The UK Government provides extensive support for countries to cope with the effects of climate change, reduce pollution, and improve environmental standards. Reducing emissions and increasing the uptake of clean energy generation directly contributes to tackling air pollution. Since 2011, our International Climate Finance has avoided 31 million tonnes of emissions and installed 2,000 megawatts of clean energy. In the last 5 years the UK has spent £2.9 billion on climate change mitigation in many low- and middle-income countries. We have committed to doubling the UK's International Climate Finance to £11.6 billion between 2021/22 and 2025/26. FCDO is providing support to tackle air pollution in South Asia, where the threat to public health is particularly severe. This includes the development of urban air quality improvement plans, as well as reducing pollution associated with a range of manufacturing processes through the Sustainable Manufacturing and Environmental Pollution programme, which also operates in East and West Africa.</p><p>The UK Government is also supporting efforts to tackle plastics pollution and waste internationally. FCDO programmes have boosted research efforts, supported Ghana, Vanuatu and Uganda in testing new approaches to plastic alternatives, and will help communities in Haiti, Pakistan and Kenya with waste collection and recycling. The joint FCDO and DEFRA £500 million Blue Planet Fund will have a direct focus on combating pollution on land and sea. The UK has also committed £250 million, of which £150m is from FCDO, between 2018 and 2022 to the Global Environment Facility, which has ocean protection and tackling plastic pollution as major themes.</p> answering member constituency Rochford and Southend East answering member printed James Duddridge grouped question UIN 100532 question first answered 13/10/2020 16:58:22 answering member 1559 label Biography information for Sir James Duddridge previous answer version 53535 answering member constituency Rochford and Southend East answering member printed James Duddridge answering member 1559 label Biography information for Sir James Duddridge
tabling member	4656 label Biography information for Layla Moran

1241171

registered interest
date	07/10/2020
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	Development Aid: Poverty
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 1 October 2020 to Question 91717, how many (a) programmes and (b) civil servants there are supporting the work of his Department on tackling poverty overseas.
tabling member constituency	Oxford West and Abingdon
tabling member printed	Layla Moran
uin	100531
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/10/2020 answer text <p>The FCDO is committed to tackling poverty and this is a key component of our mission. As at 1 September the FCDO employs over 7,500 Home Civil Servants and Diplomatic Service Staff, who are all working towards this goal.</p><p>Information on Official Development Assistance programmes managed by FCDO is published at https://devtracker.fcdo.gov.uk</p> answering member constituency Rochford and Southend East answering member printed James Duddridge question first answered 12/10/2020 09:36:23 answering member 1559 label Biography information for Sir James Duddridge
tabling member	4656 label Biography information for Layla Moran

1241172

registered interest
date	07/10/2020
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: Air Pollution
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 1 October 2020 to Question 91717, which developing countries are in receipt of funding from his Department to tackle pollution.
tabling member constituency	Oxford West and Abingdon
tabling member printed	Layla Moran
uin	100532
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/10/2020 answer text <p>The UK Government provides extensive support for countries to cope with the effects of climate change, reduce pollution, and improve environmental standards. Reducing emissions and increasing the uptake of clean energy generation directly contributes to tackling air pollution. Since 2011, our International Climate Finance has avoided 31 million tonnes of emissions and installed 2,000 megawatts of clean energy. In the last 5 years the UK has spent £2.9 billion on climate change mitigation in many low- and middle-income countries. We have committed to doubling the UK's International Climate Finance to £11.6 billion between 2021/22 and 2025/26. FCDO is providing support to tackle air pollution in South Asia, where the threat to public health is particularly severe. This includes the development of urban air quality improvement plans, as well as reducing pollution associated with a range of manufacturing processes through the Sustainable Manufacturing and Environmental Pollution programme, which also operates in East and West Africa.</p><p>The UK Government is also supporting efforts to tackle plastics pollution and waste internationally. FCDO programmes have boosted research efforts, supported Ghana, Vanuatu and Uganda in testing new approaches to plastic alternatives, and will help communities in Haiti, Pakistan and Kenya with waste collection and recycling. The joint FCDO and DEFRA £500 million Blue Planet Fund will have a direct focus on combating pollution on land and sea. The UK has also committed £250 million, of which £150m is from FCDO, between 2018 and 2022 to the Global Environment Facility, which has ocean protection and tackling plastic pollution as major themes.</p> answering member constituency Rochford and Southend East answering member printed James Duddridge grouped question UIN 100530 question first answered 13/10/2020 16:58:22 answering member 1559 label Biography information for Sir James Duddridge previous answer version 53537 answering member constituency Rochford and Southend East answering member printed James Duddridge answering member 1559 label Biography information for Sir James Duddridge
tabling member	4656 label Biography information for Layla Moran

1241176

registered interest
date	07/10/2020
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	Hong Kong: National Security
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to his Department’s speech transcript, UN Human Rights Council 45: UK statement on China for item 4 general debate published on 25 September 2020, what assessment his Department has made of the number of people detained without trial under Hong Kong's new National Security Law imposed by Chinese authorities and (b) what steps his Department is taking to address such a breach of the Sino-British Joint Declaration.
tabling member constituency	Oxford West and Abingdon
tabling member printed	Layla Moran
uin	100533
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/10/2020 answer text <p>Beijing's imposition on Hong Kong of the National Security Law (NSL) is a serious breach of the legally binding Sino-British Joint Declaration. It violates the high degree of autonomy of executive and legislative powers and independent judicial authority, provided for in the Joint Declaration. We understand that as of 12 October 2020, one person has been charged under the NSL and denied bail. According to the Hong Kong Police Force's latest figures, a further 27 people have been arrested under the NSL and released on bail.</p><p>The Foreign Secretary set out his concerns about the situation in Hong Kong to Chinese State Councillor and Minister for Foreign Affairs Wang Yi on 8 June and 28 July. FCDO officials have also raised concerns about the arrests directly with the Hong Kong and Chinese authorities, making clear that due process must be followed in all cases. On 25 September, the UK raised concerns about the NSL in our national statement at the 45th session of the UN Human Rights Council on China, during the Item 4 general debate. On 6 October, we and 38 other countries expressed our deep concern on Hong Kong, Xinjiang and Tibet at the UN Third Committee.</p><p>The rights and freedoms of people in Hong Kong must be upheld. We will continue to bring together our international partners to stand up for the people of Hong Kong and to hold China to their international obligations.</p> answering member constituency Selby and Ainsty answering member printed Nigel Adams question first answered 16/10/2020 10:14:41 answering member 4057 label Biography information for Nigel Adams
tabling member	4656 label Biography information for Layla Moran

1241220

registered interest
date	07/10/2020
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	Eritrea: Christianity
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 his counterpart in Eritrea on the ongoing treatment of 27 Christians released on bail after being detained without trial for several years.
tabling member constituency	East Londonderry
tabling member printed	Mr Gregory Campbell
uin	100304
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/10/2020 answer text <p>We welcome the recent release of at least 60 Christians, as well as people from other faith groups. The UK Government, along with partners in the international community, takes every opportunity to voice our concern about arbitrary arrests and detentions in Eritrea, and have called for the release of those arrested and detained on the basis of religion. Over the past year, our Ambassador in Asmara has raised arbitrary detentions of members of the Christian community, as well as members of non-registered religious groups - most recently with the Minister of Information on 7 August. We will continue to seek opportunities to raise these cases in our engagements.</p> answering member constituency Rochford and Southend East answering member printed James Duddridge question first answered 12/10/2020 10:43:02 answering member 1559 label Biography information for Sir James Duddridge
tabling member	1409 label Biography information for Mr Gregory Campbell

1241251

registered interest
date	07/10/2020
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	Sub-Saharan Africa: Famine
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 he is taking to ensure that food shortages and famine across Sub-Saharan Africa do not result in an increase in sexual exploitation of adolescent girls.
tabling member constituency	Hayes and Harlington
tabling member printed	John McDonnell
uin	100281
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/10/2020 answer text <p>Sexual exploitation is completely unacceptable. That is why the UK is a vocal advocate for safeguarding against sexual exploitation, abuse and sexual harassment (SEAH). We remain firmly committed to raising safeguarding standards across the aid sector and we continue to have zero tolerance to any form of sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment.</p><p>FCDO launched a new UK Strategy on Safeguarding Against SEAH last month that applies to all UK Official Development Assistance. Partners undergo our enhanced safeguarding due diligence to ensure they meet our high standards.</p><p>The current food security situation in sub-Saharan Africa places adolescent girls at increased risk of sexual exploitation. All humanitarian programmes, including those addressing chronic hunger and its broader underlying drivers, undertake a robust gender analysis of SEAH risks. This informs programme design, interventions and monitoring. The UK is also a leading donor on gender-responsive social protection. This protects and builds the resilience of poor and vulnerable families to reduce negative coping mechanisms such as exchanging sex for food or marrying daughters in exchange for assets or cash.</p> answering member constituency Rochford and Southend East answering member printed James Duddridge question first answered 15/10/2020 14:30:32 answering member 1559 label Biography information for Sir James Duddridge
tabling member	178 label Biography information for John McDonnell

1241252

registered interest
date	07/10/2020
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	Sub-Saharan Africa: Children
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 assessment he has made of the effect of the closure of schools and related school feeding programmes in Sub-Saharan Africa on (a) girls and (b) all children in that region.
tabling member constituency	Hayes and Harlington
tabling member printed	John McDonnell
uin	100282
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/10/2020 answer text <p>The education of over 1.3 billion children in over 150 countries has been disrupted since COVID-19 struck, including many across Sub-Saharan Africa. It is estimated that 10 million children may never return to school, and past evidence suggests the majority will be girls.</p><p>The effects of school closures go beyond the millions of hours of lost learning. School-based nutrition programmes provide a key safety net for many children and families and help keep children - particularly girls - in school. School closures also increase the risk of child labour, neglect, violence and sexual abuse.</p><p>In response, the UK has taken decisive action. We have adapted our bilateral education programmes in 18 countries to provide child protection, learning continuity, safe reopening of schools. As the largest donor to the Global Partnership for Education we have helped establish a dedicated $500 million COVID-19 accelerated funding window to maintain basic education. We have topped up our contribution to the global fund for Education in Emergencies to which we are also the largest donor, which includes support for school feeding programmes in Sub-Saharan Africa including in Burkina Faso, Niger, DRC, Mali, Uganda and Somalia.</p> answering member constituency Aldridge-Brownhills answering member printed Wendy Morton question first answered 16/10/2020 10:03:03 answering member 4358 label Biography information for Wendy Morton
tabling member	178 label Biography information for John McDonnell

1241268

registered interest
date	07/10/2020
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	Independent Commission for Aid Impact
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 terms of reference are for the review of the Independent Commission for Aid Impact; and when he plans to publish those terms.
tabling member constituency	Rotherham
tabling member printed	Sarah Champion
uin	100409
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/10/2020 answer text <p>We will update Parliamentarians on the Terms of Reference for the review of ICAI in due course.</p> answering member constituency Aldridge-Brownhills answering member printed Wendy Morton question first answered 12/10/2020 13:49:13 answering member 4358 label Biography information for Wendy Morton
tabling member	4267 label Biography information for Sarah Champion