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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

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

173076

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	Russia
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to the Russian government on the human rights implications of the decision to ban transgender people and other groups from driving.
tabling member constituency	Bristol East
tabling member printed	Kerry McCarthy
uin	220363
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/01/2015 answer text <p>The Russian government’s decree of 29 December 2014 prohibited certain groups from driving. The Russian Ministry of Health stated on 13 January that the law does not relate to drivers’ sexual orientation, but did not mention transgender people. We have asked the Russian government for clarification on the application and implementation of this amendment in order to fully understand its impact.</p> answering member constituency Aylesbury answering member printed Mr David Lidington question first answered 15/01/2015 13:55:51 answering member 15 label Biography information for Sir David Lidington
tabling member	1491 label Biography information for Kerry McCarthy

173078

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	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 discussions he has had with the Palestinian Authority on its accession to the International Criminal Court.
tabling member constituency	Finchley and Golders Green
tabling member printed	Mike Freer
uin	220361
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/01/2015 answer text <p>The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) spoke to Palestinian Authority President Abbas about this issue on 7 January.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 15/01/2015 15:41:48 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	4004 label Biography information for Mike Freer

173080

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	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, whether his Department recognises Morocco as the administering power in the non-self-governing territory of Western Sahara.
tabling member constituency	Ceredigion
tabling member printed	Mr Mark Williams
uin	220367
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/01/2015 answer text <p>Like the UN, the UK does not recognise a de jure administering power in Western Sahara. Morocco exercises de facto control over part of the territory.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 15/01/2015 15:42:54 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	1498 label Biography information for Mr Mark Williams

173081

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	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 representations he has made to his new Sri Lankan counterpart on protecting the Tamil and Muslim minority communities; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Kemptown
tabling member printed	Simon Kirby
uin	220383
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/01/2015 answer text <p>On 9 January the Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), congratulated Maithripala Sirisena on his victory in the Presidential elections, and also encouraged President Sirisena to support the ongoing UN Office of the High Commission for Human Rights investigation into human rights abuses. The issues of the past must be addressed so Sri Lanka can move forward to a brighter, peaceful future where all Sri Lankans can play a role.</p><p> </p><p>The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymead and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), said that Sri Lanka has a renewed opportunity now to grow as a stable, prosperous and inclusive country, reflecting the wishes of all its people.</p><p> </p><p>I personally spoke to the new Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on 12 January and made clear that we look forward to working with the new government and reinvigorating the long standing partnership between the UK and Sri Lanka. We will continue to engage with the new Sri Lankan government on the concern of minority communities.</p> answering member constituency East Devon answering member printed Mr Hugo Swire question first answered 16/01/2015 14:14:01 answering member 1408 label Biography information for Lord Swire
tabling member	3929 label Biography information for Simon Kirby

173083

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	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 steps the Government took to ensure that the recent election in Sri Lanka was free and fair; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Kemptown
tabling member printed	Simon Kirby
uin	220384
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/01/2015 answer text <p>The UK joined an EU Heads of Mission statement on 2 January calling for the elections to be peaceful, credible and transparent. We encouraged the government of Sri Lanka to invite international observers, including from the EU and the Commonwealth, and provided support to local election monitoring groups. Officials from the British High Commission in Colombo also travelled around the country in the run-up to elections, observing the preparations and voting process, and co-ordinating closely with like-minded diplomatic missions and local groups.</p> answering member constituency East Devon answering member printed Mr Hugo Swire question first answered 19/01/2015 16:22:33 answering member 1408 label Biography information for Lord Swire
tabling member	3929 label Biography information for Simon Kirby

173187

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	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 recent assessment he has made of progress by Burma towards establishing democracy; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Kemptown
tabling member printed	Simon Kirby
uin	220428
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/01/2015 answer text <p>We recognise the significant steps towards democratic reform that the government of Burma has taken over the past two years. This includes releasing hundreds of political prisoners and discharging hundreds of child soldiers. It has also included lifting of restrictions on the media, which has opened the space for the growth of a vibrant civil society.</p><p> </p><p>At the same time, we recognise much more needs to be done, and that in some areas progress has declined. We remain deeply concerned about the recent intimidation, detention and sentencing of reporters and political activists, the appalling situation of Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine State, and about ongoing conflict in ethnic areas and associated human rights abuses, including sexual violence. All of our concerns are thoroughly documented in our Annual Report on Human Rights, and the quarterly updates to them. I personally raise our concerns regularly with the government of Burma.</p><p> </p><p>Burma’s elections, scheduled for October or November this year, will be a critically important test of the government’s commitment to see the reforms through to their conclusion. It is vital for Burma’s future development that these are inclusive and credible. The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron) made this point to President Thein Sein at the Group of Twenty (G20) summit in Brisbane in November.</p> answering member constituency East Devon answering member printed Mr Hugo Swire question first answered 15/01/2015 12:17:36 answering member 1408 label Biography information for Lord Swire
tabling member	3929 label Biography information for Simon Kirby

173188

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	Middle East
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 steps his Department has taken to support the Middle East peace process.
tabling member constituency	Barnsley Central
tabling member printed	Dan Jarvis
uin	220414
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/01/2015 answer text <p>The UK's priority remains the achievement of a two-state solution. We continue to believe that the best way to achieve this is through negotiations. We are in close touch with international partners to that end. At the current time we are urging the parties to avoid taking any steps which will make the search for peace harder. The Foreign Secretary has been discussing ways of progressing the MEPP with partners on a regular basis.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 15/01/2015 14:31:00 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	4243 label Biography information for Dan Jarvis