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174734

registered interest
date	20/01/2015
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	Russia
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on expansion of the sanctions regime on Russia.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	221358
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/01/2015 answer text <p>I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by the Secretary of state for Foreign and Commowealth Affairs, my right hon. friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), to the hon. Member for Washington and Sunderland West (Mrs Hodgson) on 20 January 2015 (PQ 907106) official report column 77. The UK and our EU partners have been very clear with Russia about what it needs to do for the easing of sanctions to be considered. Conversely, if it continues to ignore its obligations under the Minsk agreements, and continues to destabilise Ukraine, we will need to consider strengthening our sanctions.</p> answering member constituency Aylesbury answering member printed Mr David Lidington question first answered 26/01/2015 16:25:27 answering member 15 label Biography information for Sir David Lidington
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

174735

registered interest
date	20/01/2015
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	Sri Lanka
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the election in Sri Lanka and the prospects for an independent war crime inquiry in that country.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	221359
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/01/2015 answer text <p>The Sri Lankan Presidential Election was generally peaceful and well-managed with a high voter turnout. We commend Sri Lanka’s Election Commission for its conduct of the election, and all Sri Lanka’s political parties and people for accepting the final result and committing to the peaceful transfer of power. The result on the day reflected the will of the Sri Lankan people.</p><p> </p><p>However, we also note the view of Commonwealth Observers that an inadequate electoral and legal framework coupled with an unequal pre-electoral environment, meant the election contest fell short of key benchmarks for democratic elections. We hope that this is something Sri Lanka will now address, with the support of the international community.</p><p> </p><p>We are encouraging the new government to engage with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, including over the UN Human Rights Council resolution agreed in March 2014. This is consistent with the Prime Minister's, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), statement after the elections that the UK “encourages President Sirisena to support the ongoing UN Office of the High Commission for Human rights investigation into human rights abuses so that the issues of the past can be addressed and the country can move forward to a brighter, peaceful future where all Sri Lankan’s can play a role.”</p> answering member constituency East Devon answering member printed Mr Hugo Swire question first answered 27/01/2015 14:48:10 answering member 1408 label Biography information for Lord Swire
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

174736

registered interest
date	20/01/2015
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	Hamas
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department has taken in response to the decision of the General Court of the European Union on Hamas.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	221360
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/01/2015 answer text <p>The EU General Court judgment is procedural and does not mean the EU and UK have changed their position on Hamas. The effects of the EU Hamas listing, including asset freezes, remain in place. We are studying the detail of the judgment carefully, and will work with partners to ensure that the Hamas listing at the EU is maintained. Hamas’ military wing has been proscribed in the UK since 2001 under separate UK legislation. This is not affected by the EU General Court judgment.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 27/01/2015 14:43:18 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

174737

registered interest
date	20/01/2015
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	Libya
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what support his Department is providing to help the Libyan government bring peace and stability to that country.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	221361
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/01/2015 answer text <p>The UK Government, working closely with our international partners, continues to support the people of Libya and the efforts of the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for Libya, Bernardino Leon, to resolve the political crisis. Since 2011, the UK has also funded much practical support to Libya. The current focus is on contributing to UN political settlement efforts through the Prime Minister's Special Envoy to the Libyan Political Transition, Jonathan Powell. The UK is also providing expert advice to the Constitutional Drafting Assembly; helping to enhance the quality and coverage of media reporting of events in Libya; providing support in the areas of border controls and humanitarian demining; and helping Libyan institutions to effectively manage their public finances.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 27/01/2015 14:52:47 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

174738

registered interest
date	20/01/2015
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	Turkey
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the human rights situation in Turkey.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	221362
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/01/2015 answer text <p>We and our EU partners monitor closely the human rights situation in Turkey. The UK supports the European Commission’s assessment of human rights in Turkey, set out in its 2014 Annual Progress Report on Turkey’s EU accession.</p><p>In 2014, Turkey made progress on its human rights reform agenda and adopted an Action Plan for the Prevention of Human Rights Violations. Turkey also continued to build the capacity of its human rights institutions. We welcome this progress and the continuing efforts of the Turkish government aimed at resolving the Kurdish issue.</p><p>However, as the EU’s report has underlined, there is still much to do to implement action plans, strengthen further the institutional framework, and bring Turkish human rights legislation into line with European and international standards, including on rights for minority religious and ethnic groups. The report also highlighted areas of concern over the independence and impartiality of the judiciary, the rule of law, and restrictions on the freedom of expression, including temporary bans on social media imposed by the Turkish government. We will continue to work with our EU partners and international institutions, such as the EU and Council of Europe, to support Turkey in its continuing reform agenda.</p> answering member constituency Aylesbury answering member printed Mr David Lidington question first answered 27/01/2015 16:15:06 answering member 15 label Biography information for Sir David Lidington
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

171608

registered interest
date	18/12/2014
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	Abduction: Children
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assistance overseas posts provide to UK nationals who are seeking the return of their child from a country that is not party to the 1980 Hague Convention.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	219490
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/01/2015 answer text <p>The UK lobbies countries that are not signatories of the 1980 Hague Convention to sign it. Cases involving non-Hague convention signatories are much harder to resolve and parents often face lengthy and expensive court proceedings abroad to try to facilitate their return.</p><p>Whilst the FCO cannot interfere in another country’s judicial process, where due process is not being followed, or cases take a disproportionately long time to resolve, we raise this with our appropriate counterparts.</p><p>There are a number of steps that parents can take if their child is taken overseas without their consent. We encourage parents to contact the Foreign and Commonwealth Office consular officials who can provide further guidance.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 06/01/2015 13:56:44 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

166556

registered interest
date	27/11/2014
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	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent reports his Department has received on the efforts of the Palestinian Authority to access water from the Eastern Mountain Aquifer.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	216257
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/12/2014 answer text <p>The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has not received any reports on the efforts of the Palestinian Authority to access water from the Eastern Mountain Aquifer. However, the UK regularly raises issues of water in the Occupied Palestinian Territories with the Israeli authorities, including stressing the urgent need for Israel to take immediate and practical measures to improve the current unacceptable situation and ensure fair distribution of water in the West Bank and Gaza.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 03/12/2014 12:48:25 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

156269

registered interest
date	18/11/2014
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	Burma
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what guidance his Department has issued on the use of the word Rohingya in communications with the government of Burma.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	214863
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/11/2014 answer text <p>No guidance has been issued and it is a word that we continue to use in communications with the government of Burma. The history of the word Rohingya is contested in Burma, but whatever the history we believe in the right of minorities to choose the name by which they are identified. I and other British Ministers are on record using the word Rohingya.</p> answering member constituency East Devon answering member printed Mr Hugo Swire question first answered 25/11/2014 16:17:54 answering member 1408 label Biography information for Lord Swire
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

156270

registered interest
date	18/11/2014
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	Burma
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions his Department has had with his Burmese counterpart on the Rohingya in Burma forming a political party in that country.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	214864
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/11/2014 answer text <p>Our Embassy in Rangoon have raised our strong concerns. We were disappointed about the recent passing of legislation by the Burmese Parliament that will deny holders of temporary registration cards the ability to form and join political parties. This affects a majority of the Rohingya and some 400,000 members of other minorities. We are also particularly concerned by an expected draft Bill that would deny these individuals the right to vote in next year’s elections.</p><p>British Ministers and officials continue to raise our wider concerns about the treatment of the Rohingya with Burmese counterparts. I did so in October with the Minister of Immigration and the new chief Minister of Rakhine State.</p> answering member constituency East Devon answering member printed Mr Hugo Swire question first answered 25/11/2014 16:20:56 answering member 1408 label Biography information for Lord Swire
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

147525

registered interest
date	10/11/2014
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	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of reports of bomb attacks against Fatah officials in the Gaza strip.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	214085
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/11/2014 answer text <p>The Foreign and Commonwealth Office was concerned by reports of bomb attacks targeting Fatah officials in Gaza on 7 November. Investigations have been launched in Gaza into who was responsible.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 18/11/2014 14:42:24 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord