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79771

registered interest
date	30/07/2014
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	Sovereignty
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their definition of a nation.
tabling member printed	Lord Laird
uin	HL1660
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/08/2014 answer text <p>The normal criteria for recognition of a nation or state are set out in the Written Answer by the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on 16 November 1989, House of Commons Hansard Official Report, Column 494, noted below for ease of reference:</p><p>“The normal criteria that we apply for recognition as a state are that it should have, and seem likely to continue to have, a clearly defined territory with a population, a Government who are able of themselves to exercise effective control of that territory, and independence in their external relations. Other factors, including some United Nations resolutions, may also be relevant.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 18/08/2014 09:58:24 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	2479 label Biography information for Lord Laird

79773

registered interest
date	30/07/2014
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	War Crimes
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their definition of a war crime.
tabling member printed	Lord Laird
uin	HL1662
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/08/2014 answer text <p>The definition of a war crime is set out in the International Criminal Court Act 2001, section 50 and Schedule 8 (which sets out the terms of Article 8.2 of the Statute of the International Criminal Court).</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 18/08/2014 09:58:51 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	2479 label Biography information for Lord Laird

79779

registered interest
date	30/07/2014
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	Chernobyl: Children
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have assisted in any schemes offering holidays in the United Kingdom to children affected by the Chernobyl disaster; and if not, whether they have been asked to, or plan to.
tabling member printed	Lord Roberts of Llandudno
uin	HL1668
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/08/2014 answer text <p>Up until 2013 children affected by the Chernobyl disaster travelling to the UK on recuperation visits under the auspices of a registered UK charity were granted gratis UK visas. The decision to discontinue the scheme was one of a number of difficult spending decisions across Government. The Visa Application Centre in Minsk will continue to offer a mobile service for some of the children travelling with Chernobyl charities spending a number of days accepting applications and collecting Biometric data in the regions at no additional cost.</p><p>Our Embassy in Minsk has funded other projects run by Chernobyl Children’s charities in 2013 and 2014. These include projects to avoid such children being placed in institutional care and creating a better child protection system in Belarus.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Northover question first answered 18/08/2014 09:40:31 answering member 2539 label Biography information for Baroness Northover
tabling member	3691 label Biography information for Lord Roberts of Llandudno

79784

registered interest
date	30/07/2014
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	Middle East
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel about the bombardment of Gaza.
tabling member printed	Lord Jones of Cheltenham
uin	HL1673
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/08/2014 answer text Officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv are holding regular discussions with the Government of Israel about the current Gaza crisis. On 29 July the Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), called for an unconditional, immediate, humanitarian ceasefire. answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 18/08/2014 09:50:44 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	248 label Biography information for Lord Jones of Cheltenham

79795

registered interest
date	30/07/2014
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	British Petroleum
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consideration they have given to the judgments of courts in the United States which have recently awarded significant damages against BP; and what discussions they have had with the government of the United States about the issue.
tabling member printed	Lord Blencathra
uin	HL1684
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/08/2014 answer text The British Government has taken a close interest in the regulatory and legal action in the US against BP following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010 and has discussed this issue with the US authorities on several occasions. It remains concerned that BP, like all British companies, should receive fair and equitable treatment at the same time as dealing fairly with the consequences of the spill. The Government’s support for BP’s activities in the US has included submitting an amicus brief before the Southern Texas District Court on 2 December 2013 in support of BP in its case regarding its disbarment from US government contracts by the US Environmental Protection Agency – a bar which has since been lifted. answering member printed Baroness Northover question first answered 18/08/2014 09:41:21 answering member 2539 label Biography information for Baroness Northover
tabling member	497 label Biography information for Lord Blencathra

79800

registered interest
date	30/07/2014
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	Diego Garcia
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Warsi on 28 July (WA 249), whether they will now answer the question as tabled.
tabling member printed	Lord Ashcroft
uin	HL1689
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/08/2014 answer text <p>The United States is our most important bilateral ally and we have regular discussions on a range of sensitive issues. It is our longstanding position not to comment on discussions of that nature. With regard to Mr Belhaj allegedly stopping over in Diego Garcia, I refer the noble Lord to the response given by my noble friend, the former Senior Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Baroness Warsi), on 17 June 2014, Official Report, Column WA36, that, aside from the two cases of rendition through Diego Garcia (British Indian Ocean Territory) in 2002, there have been no other instances in which US intelligence flights landed in the UK, our Overseas Territories, or the Crown Dependencies, with a detainee on board since 11 September 2001.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 18/08/2014 09:55:55 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	2568 label Biography information for Lord Ashcroft

79801

registered interest
date	30/07/2014
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	Albania
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what agreements have been signed, to which the United Kingdom and Albania are both parties, for the period 1 March 2013 to the present; and whether they will place copies of any such agreements in the Library of the House and on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office database.
tabling member printed	Lord Storey
uin	HL1690
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/08/2014 answer text <p>The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) treaty database records all bilateral and multilateral treaties involving the United Kingdom signed since 1834. The FCO does not maintain a comprehensive central record or hold copies of the texts of memoranda of understanding concluded between Government Departments and other states or organizations.</p><p>Legally-binding agreements to which both the UK and Albania have become parties since 1 March 2013 are as follows:</p><p>Bilateral:</p><p>1. The Agreement between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Albania for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with respect to Taxes on Income and on Capital was signed on 26 March 2014 and was published as UK Treaty Series No. 3, 2014.</p><p>Multilateral:</p><p>2. The Arms Trade Treaty was signed by Albania on 3 June 2013 and by the United Kingdom on 3 June 2013. This was published as UK Miscellaneous Series No. 3, 2013.</p><p>3. Protocol No.15 amending the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms [CETS No.213] was signed by Albania on 11 February 2014 and by the United Kingdom on 24 June 2014. The text to this treaty is published on the Council of Europe website.</p><p>All treaties, including those amending previous treaties, that are subject to ratification, accession, approval or completion of procedures are laid before both Houses of Parliament as a Command Paper for twenty-one sitting days in accordance with Part 2 of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010. Those treaties which enter into force on signature do not have to be laid before Parliament for twenty-one sitting days but are laid before both Houses of Parliament as a Command Paper in the UK Treaty Series once they have entered into force.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 18/08/2014 09:57:26 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	4238 label Biography information for Lord Storey

79803

registered interest
date	30/07/2014
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	Palestinians
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of reports that Hamas militants are attempting to negotiate a new arms deal with North Korea for missiles and communications equipment.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL1692
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/08/2014 answer text <p>We are aware of recent reports that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) is supplying missile technology to Hamas militants. The DPRK supplies a wide range of conventional arms to customers worldwide, including Syria and Iran. Its sale of arms and related material to countries already in the grip of conflict exploits and increases regional instability. We urge all countries to exercise vigilance in the implementation of DPRK UN Security Council Resolutions.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 18/08/2014 10:01:39 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

79804

registered interest
date	30/07/2014
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	Religious Freedom
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the reply by Lord Wallace of Saltaire on 24 July (HL Deb, cols 1324–8) to the debate on Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, how many officials in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office are specifically focused on freedom of religion, and for what percentage of their time; and what resources are specifically allocated for the promotion of Article 18 through United Kingdom diplomatic services.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL1693
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/08/2014 answer text <p>Within the Human Rights and Democracy Department (HRDD), the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has one full time Desk Officer wholly dedicated to Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB), who works closely with the Team Leader in the Equalities and Non-Discrimination Team, who themselves spend approximately 50% of their time on FoRB. Additionally, the Head and the Deputy Head of HRDD spend approximately 5% and 20% respectively of their time on FoRB issues; one Human Rights Advisor spends 5% and one HRDD Communications Officer approximately 10%.</p><p>As FoRB is one of only six thematic human rights priorities for the FCO, a considerable number of other FCO officials in London and overseas are engaged directly on FoRB as part of their wider human rights work. Given that violations of FoRB can be closely associated with other threats to UK interests around the world, I cannot provide a precise figure for the total number of FCO officials working on FoRB, though the number is high and rising.</p><p>This year, seven FoRB projects around the world were approved and received total funding of £307,835.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 18/08/2014 10:01:08 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

79805

registered interest
date	30/07/2014
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	Iraq
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the reply by Lord Wallace of Saltaire on 24 July (HL Deb, cols 1324–8) to the debate on Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, what assistance has been given to Christians who have been forced to leave their homes in Mosul; whether they have any plans to offer asylum to those affected; and what representations they have made to governments in the Gulf in respect of the funding of ISIS.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL1694
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/08/2014 answer text <p>The UK condemns the human rights abuses reported in Iraq and has committed £5 million to the humanitarian effort to support people displaced by fighting there. All asylum claims made in the UK are carefully considered in accordance with the UK’s obligations under the 1951 Refugee Convention and the European Convention on Human Rights. The Home Office, which is responsible for all asylum claims, closely monitors developments in Iraq and other countries of return and will take decisions on a case-by-case basis in the light of the latest available country information. We regularly discuss terrorist financing with governments in the Gulf including through the mechanisms of the Financial Action Task Force.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 18/08/2014 10:00:21 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool