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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

173402

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	Nigeria
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 raise at the UN the recent killings by Boko Haram in Baga and surrounding villages in Nigeria.
tabling member constituency	East Londonderry
tabling member printed	Mr Gregory Campbell
uin	220541
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/01/2015 answer text <p>The UK fully supports the statements made by the United Nations Secretary-General and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights which strongly condemned the recent killing of civilians by the terrorist group Boko Haram in Baga, Nigeria. Boko Haram continues to wreak havoc across North East Nigeria, causing suffering in communities of different faiths and ethnicities. As I set out in my answer to the Honourable Member for Brent Central (Sarah Teather)'s Urgent Question on 12 January (Hansard Column 601), the UK has taken an active role in leading international support to Nigeria in its fight against Boko Haram, alongside other international partners, including the UN. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) also discussed the situation with Secretary Kerry on 15 January 2015.</p> answering member constituency East Devon answering member printed Mr Hugo Swire question first answered 16/01/2015 13:46:41 answering member 1408 label Biography information for Lord Swire
tabling member	1409 label Biography information for Mr Gregory Campbell

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

173407

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	Nigeria
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many incidents caused by Boko Haram in Nigeria involved British citizens in the last five years.
tabling member constituency	Barnsley Central
tabling member printed	Dan Jarvis
uin	220630
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/01/2015 answer text <p>Five British nationals have reported their involvement in incidents caused by Boko Haram. However, we believe that more than 4,000 people were killed last year by Boko Haram, primarily in north-east Nigeria, but also in terrorist attacks throughout the country. The United Nations estimates that more than 1.5 million people have been displaced by Boko Haram’s terrorist activities.</p><p>As reflected in Travel Advice, terrorist groups in Nigeria, including Boko Haram, continue to pose a significant threat to British nationals and British interests in parts of the country. We believe that the terrorist group Ansaru are responsible for the murder of at least nine foreign hostages, including two British nationals in separate incidents in Nigeria in 2012 and in 2013. The UK has made clear our commitment to standing by Nigeria in its fight against terrorism.</p> answering member constituency East Devon answering member printed Mr Hugo Swire question first answered 16/01/2015 13:22:50 question first ministerially corrected 16/01/2015 13:53:35 answering member 1408 label Biography information for Lord Swire previous answer version 38835 answering member constituency Rochford and Southend East answering member printed James Duddridge answering member 1559
tabling member	4243 label Biography information for Dan Jarvis

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

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