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1699307

registered interest
date	27/03/2024
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	Israel Defense Forces: British Nationals Abroad
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of British nationals travelling to Israel to fight in the Israel Defence Forces.
tabling member printed	Baroness Warsi
uin	HL3704
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/04/2024 answer text <p>The UK recognises the right of British nationals with more than one nationality to serve in the legitimately recognised armed forces of their additional nationalities. This includes the Israel Defence Force.</p><p>With respect to the current conflict in Gaza, Section 4 of the Foreign Enlistment Act 1870 makes it an offence for a British subject to enlist in the military of a foreign state at war with another foreign state with which the UK is at peace. That prohibition does not extend, however, to enlistment in a foreign government's forces which are engaged in a civil war or combating terrorism or internal uprisings. The Occupied Palestinian Territories are not currently recognised as a state by the UK. The 1870 Act therefore does not apply in this instance.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 12/04/2024 09:41:39 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	3839 label Biography information for Baroness Warsi

1699240

registered interest
date	26/03/2024
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	Religious Freedom
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to facilitate engagement and meetings between faith communities and the Prime Minister's Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion and Belief.
tabling member printed	Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick
uin	HL3630
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/04/2024 answer text <p>Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) is one of the UK's longstanding human rights priorities. I and the Prime Minister's Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief, Fiona Bruce MP, regularly meets with members of different faith communities to discuss freedom of religion or belief around the world. She also attends each meeting of the UK FoRB Forum, which brings together around 80 civil society groups working on the issue. Over the last year, she has hosted a series of round table meetings focussing on different countries of concern, at which various faith groups have been well represented.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 12/04/2024 09:40:36 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	4130 label Biography information for Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick

1698291

registered interest
date	25/03/2024
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	Proscribed Organisations: Arms Trade
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to build consensus among international partners on halting the supply of arms to all parties funding, sheltering or supporting proscribed terrorist groups, including Hamas.
tabling member printed	Lord Pickles
uin	HL3595
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/04/2024 answer text <p>The UK is a signatory to the Arms Trade Treaty and fully implements its provisions. While the Treaty does not explicitly prohibit transfers to non-state actors, the UK considers that the requirements in Article 7 (Export and Export Assessment) and Article 11 (Diversion) require States Parties to take all appropriate steps to prevent the sale or diversion of arms to undesirable end uses or end users, including terrorist groups. Specifically, Article 7 deals with exports which would 'undermine peace and security' or could be used to breach international conventions or protocols relating to terrorism to which the exporting state is a party.</p><p>The Government will also not grant an export licence if to do so would be inconsistent with the Strategic Export Licensing Criteria, which includes Criterion 1: respect for the UK's international obligations and commitments. An export licence will also be refused if there is a risk that the items will be diverted to an undesirable end-user or for an undesirable end-use, including to terrorist organisations.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 12/04/2024 09:38:41 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	33 label Biography information for Lord Pickles

1698292

registered interest
date	25/03/2024
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	Hamas: UNRWA
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the implications for the UK’s foreign policy of Israel’s claims to have discovered a Hamas intelligence command centre and terror tunnels beneath UNWRA’s Gaza headquarters.
tabling member printed	Lord Pickles
uin	HL3596
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/04/2024 answer text <p>The UK takes allegations of neutrality violations seriously including any incidents related to UN installations. This is something we monitor closely in our annual assessment of UNRWA. When violations have been identified in the past, UNRWA has taken action including raising the issue with relevant parties.</p><p>We are aware that the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services and Catherine Colonna have now provided their interim reports to the UN Secretary-General. Their independent investigations include assessment of the policies and systems UNRWA has in place to ensure neutrality.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 12/04/2024 09:39:44 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	33 label Biography information for Lord Pickles

1698307

registered interest
date	25/03/2024
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	UNRWA: Finance
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government how much funding they provided to UNRWA in each of the past five years.
tabling member printed	Lord Weir of Ballyholme
uin	HL3611
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/04/2024 answer text <p>The UK provided the following funding to UNRWA in each of the last five financial years:</p><p>FY 2019 - 20: £65.5 million</p><p>FY 2020 - 21: £65 million</p><p>FY 2021 - 22: £11 million</p><p>FY 2022 - 23: £18.7 million</p><p>FY 2023 - 24: £35 million</p><p>The UK provided £35 million to UNRWA this financial year, including an uplift of £16 million for the Gaza humanitarian response, all of which was disbursed before the recent allegations came to light. No more British funding is due this financial year and we have paused any future funding of UNRWA.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 12/04/2024 09:37:19 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	4970 label Biography information for Lord Weir of Ballyholme

1698221

registered interest
date	22/03/2024
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 and Iran: Women
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Gender Apartheid Inquiry report Shattering Women's Rights, Shattering Lives: Parliamentary Ad-Hoc Inquiry Into The Situation Of Women And Girls In Afghanistan And Iran, published by the International Bar Association on 4 March, with particular reference to the forthcoming 79th meeting of the UN General Assembly Sixth Committee in April.
tabling member printed	Baroness Lister of Burtersett
uin	HL3562
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/04/2024 answer text <p>The FCDO is aware of the report. There are complex legal and political questions which arise in considering any new crime of 'gender apartheid'. We are considering these questions and consulting legal advisers and subject matter experts. The situations of women and girls in Afghanistan and Iran are distinct and we will consider the unique circumstances of each country when assessing the recommendations of the Inquiry.</p><p>We have repeatedly condemned Taliban and Iranian policies and actions that restrict the rights of women and girls. Officials from the UK Mission to Afghanistan regularly press Taliban acting ministers to reverse their harmful policies on women and girls. Since Iran's mass protests of 2022-23, we have sanctioned 94 individuals or entities for human rights abuses, including senior decision makers responsible for Iran's oppressive hijab law. We will continue to work with the international community to address women and girls' rights issues in Afghanistan and Iran.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 12/04/2024 09:35:02 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	4234 label Biography information for Baroness Lister of Burtersett

1698029

registered interest
date	21/03/2024
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: Human Rights
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the statement by Lord Cameron of Chipping Norton in a press release on 19 March that the new Article 23 National Security Legislation in Hong Kong "undermines Hong Kong’s implementation of binding international obligations including the Sino-British Joint Declaration and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights", what steps they are taking to ensure that human rights and civil liberties in Hong Kong are protected.
tabling member printed	The Marquess of Lothian
uin	HL3523
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/04/2024 answer text <p>We will continue to raise our strong opposition to the continued erosion of rights and freedoms in Hong Kong and China's ongoing non-compliance with the Sino-British Joint Declaration in international fora and at the highest levels of government. The Foreign Secretary last did so with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on 16 February. Our Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva also set out our concerns at the Human Rights Council on 20 March, noting the view of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights that the law was likely incompatible with international law. We will monitor the application of the new Safeguarding National Security Ordinance in Hong Kong closely and not hesitate to speak out in defence of international rights and norms.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 12/04/2024 09:36:34 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	259 label Biography information for The Marquess of Lothian

1698031

registered interest
date	21/03/2024
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	Gaza: Humanitarian Situation
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification report Famine Review Committee: Gaza Strip, March 2024, published on 18 March, what steps they are taking to prevent famine in Gaza.
tabling member printed	The Marquess of Lothian
uin	HL3525
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/04/2024 answer text <p>Palestinians are facing a devastating and growing humanitarian crisis.</p><p>On 20 March, the Foreign Secretary announced the UK has funded WFP to provide 2000 tons of food aid, enough to feed 275,000 people in Gaza.</p><p>On 25 March, the Royal Air Force airdropped 10 tonnes of food aid - including water, rice and baby food - directly to civilians in Gaza.</p><p>We have trebled our aid commitment this financial year and we are doing everything we can to get more aid in as quickly as possible by land, sea and air.</p><p>We continue to call for an immediate pause to get aid in and hostages out, then progress towards a sustainable, permanent ceasefire, without a return to destruction, fighting and loss of life.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 08/04/2024 12:27:23 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	259 label Biography information for The Marquess of Lothian

1697648

registered interest
date	20/03/2024
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: Sanctions
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the answer by the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office on 20 March on Hong Kong security legislation, whether they are still actively considering targeted sanctions against Chinese officials; and if not, why.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL3440
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/04/2024 answer text <p>The FCDO has never ruled out sanctions designations on any individual or entity. Any document which says otherwise is inaccurate and does not correctly reflect government policy at the time or currently. It is not appropriate to speculate on future designations, as to do so could reduce their impact, but the FCDO continues to keep potential sanctions designations under close review.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 09/04/2024 09:44:56 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1697682

registered interest
date	20/03/2024
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	Israel: Hamas
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what further steps they will take, along with international partners, to secure a ceasefire in the Israel–Hamas war.
tabling member printed	Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick
uin	HL3480
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/04/2024 answer text <p>The Government has long been calling for an immediate pause to get aid in and hostages out, then progress towards a sustainable, permanent ceasefire, without a return to destruction, fighting and loss of life. The UK welcomed the UN Security Council Resolution 2728 on 25 March, which reflects international consensus behind the UK's position.</p><p>Vital elements for a lasting peace include:</p><ul><li>the release of all hostages;</li><li>the formation of a new Palestinian Government for the West Bank and Gaza, accompanied by an international support package;</li><li>removing Hamas's capacity to launch attacks against Israel;</li><li>Hamas no longer being in charge of Gaza; and,</li><li>a political horizon which provides a credible and irreversible pathway towards a two-state solution.</li></ul><p>The Foreign Secretary and Prime Minister have reiterated these messages in their contacts with Prime Minister Netanyahu and other senior Israeli political leaders, as well as leaders in Qatar, Jordan, Oman, Saudi Arabia Lebanon, Egypt, and the UAE in recent weeks.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 09/04/2024 09:42:31 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	4130 label Biography information for Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick