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173398

registered interest
date	13/01/2015
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 steps he plans to take to encourage the consolidation of developments in religious freedom in Turkey.
tabling member constituency	Belfast North
tabling member printed	Mr Nigel Dodds
uin	220606
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/01/2015 answer text <p>We regularly raise the issue of religious freedom in bilateral discussions with the Turkish government. In early January 2015, Her Majesty´s Ambassador to Turkey met with the Head of the Diyanet (Presidency of Religious Affairs in Turkey) to discuss religious freedom. In 2014, we organised a round table with religious groups in Istanbul with the Archbishop of Canterbury. Our embassy in Ankara has regular meetings with religious groups and civil society to discuss strengthening freedom of religion in Turkey. The 2014 European Commission Annual Progress report on Turkey noted the need for comprehensive reform of legislation on freedom of thought, conscience and religion, and application of this legislation, in line with European Court of Human Rights rulings, Council of Europe recommendations and EU standards. We support this assessment and will continue to work closely with Turkey, EU Member States, and with the European institutions, to encourage further reforms, including on religious freedom, that will continue to underpin Turkey’s accession process.</p> answering member constituency Aylesbury answering member printed Mr David Lidington question first answered 19/01/2015 16:46:49 question first ministerially corrected 19/01/2015 16:56:26 answering member 15 label Biography information for Sir David Lidington previous answer version 39095 answering member constituency Monmouth answering member printed David T. C. Davies answering member 1545
tabling member	1388 label Biography information for Lord Dodds of Duncairn

173399

registered interest
date	13/01/2015
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	Religious Freedom
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 he is taking to promote freedom of religion internationally.
tabling member constituency	Huddersfield
tabling member printed	Mr Barry Sheerman
uin	220566
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/01/2015 answer text <p>The promotion and protection of the right to freedom of religion or belief is one of the UK’s human rights priorities. We actively raise individual cases and work to combat discriminatory legislation and practices through multilateral systems and targeted project work.</p><p>As an example of our bilateral work, the Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron) has raised our concerns regarding misuse of blasphemy laws in Pakistan with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on several occasions, most recently in December 2014. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) raised our concerns with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on 13 November. The Parliamentary-Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth East (Mr Ellwood), also raised the misuse of these laws with Pakistan’s High Commissioner to the UK in October.</p><p>We are active in our project work in a wide range of countries and we will continue to be active bilaterally, multilaterally, through project work and in providing training to our staff to tackle religious persecution internationally.</p> answering member constituency Aylesbury answering member printed Mr David Lidington question first answered 19/01/2015 15:55:28 answering member 15 label Biography information for Sir David Lidington
tabling member	411 label Biography information for Mr Barry Sheerman

173400

registered interest
date	13/01/2015
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	Kashmir
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 he is taking to encourage an end to clashes between Indian and Pakistani troops in Kashmir.
tabling member constituency	Belfast North
tabling member printed	Mr Nigel Dodds
uin	220570
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/01/2015 answer text <p>I refer the right hon. Member to my answer of 27 November 2014 (<a href="http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-questions-answers/?page=1&amp;max=20&amp;questiontype=AllQuestions&amp;house=commons%2clords&amp;uin=215726" target="_blank">PQ 215726</a>).</p> answering member constituency East Devon answering member printed Mr Hugo Swire question first answered 20/01/2015 14:54:36 answering member 1408 label Biography information for Lord Swire
tabling member	1388 label Biography information for Lord Dodds of Duncairn

173401

registered interest
date	13/01/2015
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	North Korea
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 the Government has had with the South Korean authorities about (a) North Korean progress towards viable nuclear weapons and (b) protecting UK companies from North Korean hacking.
tabling member constituency	Belfast North
tabling member printed	Mr Nigel Dodds
uin	220567
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/01/2015 answer text <p>The UK and the Republic of Korea (ROK) are close partners and regularly discuss matters relating to the Korean Peninsula, as well as broader international security concerns. The most recent Ministerial discussions were on 3 December 2014, when the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), held strategic talks with the ROK Foreign Minister, Yun Byung-se. These talks covered a range of issues including international security. The Foreign Secretary made clear during these discussions our concern that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea continues to advance its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes. Separately, the ROK is one of a range of international partners with which we have engaged to help protect the UK and British businesses from cyber attacks. The Government is also working closely with industry to address the threat and impact of cyber attacks, as part of the UK Cyber Security Strategy.</p> answering member constituency East Devon answering member printed Mr Hugo Swire question first answered 20/01/2015 14:47:35 answering member 1408 label Biography information for Lord Swire
tabling member	1388 label Biography information for Lord Dodds of Duncairn

173403

registered interest
date	13/01/2015
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	Western Sahara
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what information his Department holds on reports made to the UN by Morocco as required of an administering power of Western Sahara.
tabling member constituency	Ceredigion
tabling member printed	Mr Mark Williams
uin	220646
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/01/2015 answer text <p>Morocco is not listed by the UN as the administering Power of Western Sahara and has not therefore transmitted information on the territory in accordance with Article 73e of the charter of the UN.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 21/01/2015 14:21:58 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	1498 label Biography information for Mr Mark Williams

173404

registered interest
date	13/01/2015
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	Cyprus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the Government's obligations are as a guarantor of the 1960 Treaty of Guarantee in relation to Cyprus.
tabling member constituency	Knowsley
tabling member printed	Mr George Howarth
uin	220624
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/01/2015 answer text <p>Under the Treaty of Guarantee the three Guarantor Powers - UK, Turkey and Greece - guarantee the independence, territorial integrity and security of the Republic of Cyprus. If the Treaty provisions are breached, Article IV provides for the three Guarantor powers to consult. The UK meets its current obligations under the Treaty through supporting the UN-facilitated settlement process, which is aimed at achieving a bizonal, bicommunal federation with political equality as defined by the relevant Security Council resolutions.</p> answering member constituency Aylesbury answering member printed Mr David Lidington question first answered 19/01/2015 16:12:01 answering member 15 label Biography information for Sir David Lidington
tabling member	481 label Biography information for Sir George Howarth

173406

registered interest
date	13/01/2015
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	Egypt
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 he plans to take to encourage better protection of religious minorities in Egypt.
tabling member constituency	Belfast North
tabling member printed	Mr Nigel Dodds
uin	220608
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/01/2015 answer text <p>We deplore all discrimination against religious minorities and constraints on their freedom to practise their faith. Foreign Office Ministers have been clear with Egyptian interlocutors throughout recent events in Egypt that the freedom of religious belief needs to be protected and that the ability to worship in peace is a vital component of a democratic society. UK officials raised the importance of freedom of religion with Egyptian Deputy Assistant Minister for Human Rights, Dr Mahy Abdel Latif on 14 January 2015.</p><p>The UK Government welcomed the comments made by President al-Sisi at Al-Azhar University on 1 January and at the Coptic Cathedral in Cairo on 6 January on his commitment to religious tolerance. We also welcome the protection for religious belief enshrined in the Egyptian constitution. We urge to Egyptian Government to ensure that those rights are implemented.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 20/01/2015 15:16:50 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	1388 label Biography information for Lord Dodds of Duncairn

173408

registered interest
date	13/01/2015
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	Cyprus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if in the Government's role as a guarantor of the 1960 Treaty in relation to Cyprus he will make representations to the UN facilitated process for a comprehensive settlement on the confiscation of property owned by Turkish Cypriots in Vasiliko in order to facilitate oil and gas exploitation in Northern and Southern Cyprus.
tabling member constituency	Knowsley
tabling member printed	Mr George Howarth
uin	220625
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/01/2015 answer text The UK strongly supports the UN-facilitated process for a comprehensive settlement, which remains the best way to address the complex issues relating to the division of Cyprus, including issues of property ownership and access. We have no current plans to make representations to the Government of the Republic of Cyprus on the issue of proposed developments in the Vasiliko area. The Treaty of Guarantee (1960) provides for the three Guarantor powers to consult in order to guarantee the independence, territorial integrity and security of the Republic of Cyprus. The UK meets its current obligations under the Treaty through supporting the UN-facilitated settlement process, which is aimed at achieving a bizonal, bicommunal federation with political equality as defined by the relevant Security Council resolutions. answering member constituency Aylesbury answering member printed Mr David Lidington question first answered 19/01/2015 16:31:57 answering member 15 label Biography information for Sir David Lidington
tabling member	481 label Biography information for Sir George Howarth

173051

registered interest
date	12/01/2015
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	Press Freedom
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when the UK next plans to host UN World Press Freedom Day.
tabling member constituency	Clacton
tabling member printed	Mr Douglas Carswell
uin	220379
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/01/2015 answer text Recent events in Paris, and the public demonstrations which followed, have made World Press Freedom Day particularly relevant this year. We fully support the aims of the day, and the focus both on press freedom and the safety of journalists. We have no plans at present to host a future World Press Freedom Day. We do, however, mark the day across our network, hosting events and issuing statements, such as our “Shine a Light” campaign in 2013 which highlighted repression of the media and freedom of expression across the world. Through events and statements we use the day to reaffirm our commitment to a free press, the safety of journalists and freedom of expression which is one of our human rights priorities. answering member constituency Aylesbury answering member printed Mr David Lidington question first answered 19/01/2015 16:17:42 answering member 15 label Biography information for Sir David Lidington
tabling member	1527 label Biography information for Mr Douglas Carswell

173075

registered interest
date	12/01/2015
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	Press Freedom
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 international counterparts about press freedom.
tabling member constituency	Bristol East
tabling member printed	Kerry McCarthy
uin	220359
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/01/2015 answer text <p>The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron) led the UK’s expression of condolence and solidarity with France after the events in Paris last week and my noble Friend the right hon. Baroness Anelay of St Johns has written to the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to commend their responses to the attacks. The public reaction was a visible demonstration of the importance attached to press freedom, and freedom of expression, in Europe and beyond. Freedom of expression has been a human rights priority for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), from the beginning of this Parliament; and the subject of an Expert Group which advises Ministers. We raise press freedom regularly in multilateral fora, supporting relevant initiatives and resolutions, and raise it in bilateral conversations – in private and in public. For example, issues and rights connected with freedom of expression, and press freedom, are important elements of much of the analysis in the FCO’s Annual Human Rights Report – which this year will have a particular focus on “protecting civil society space”.</p> answering member constituency Aylesbury answering member printed Mr David Lidington question first answered 15/01/2015 16:08:05 answering member 15 label Biography information for Sir David Lidington
tabling member	1491 label Biography information for Kerry McCarthy