Show Search Form

Search Results

registered interest	true false
date	exactly: or between: and
answering body
answering dept id
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name
hansard heading
house id
legislature	pref label
question text
tabling member constituency
tabling member printed
uin
answer	is ministerial correction true false date of answer exactly: or between: and answer text answering member constituency answering member printed question first answered answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

167204

registered interest
date	02/12/2014
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	Bangladesh
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they and the European Union High Representative on Foreign Affairs respectively have made to the government of Bangladesh about its Foreign Donations (Voluntary Activities) Regulation Bill 2014.
tabling member printed	Lord Avebury
uin	HL3305
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/12/2014 answer text <p>The Government is aware that the Government of Bangladesh has approved the draft Foreign Donations Act (FDA) to go to Parliament. We are following the development of the new legislation closely. The Government, EU and other like-minded partners raised our concerns over restricting civil society with the Government of Bangladesh during the drafting of the Act. This included the Department for International Development (DfID) Country Representative leading a delegation to report donors’ concerns over aspects of the Act.</p><p> </p><p>During the meeting between the Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), and the Bangladesh Prime Minister in July, both agreed on the importance of an open society and political system in which democratic political participation and media freedoms are respected. Most recently in October, the former DfID Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, my right hon. Friend the Member for Hornsey and Wood Green (Lynne Featherstone), set out UK concerns on the FDA during her visit to Bangladesh, stressing that the Act risked penalising genuine donor and civil society activity.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 10/12/2014 14:29:02 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	1665 label Biography information for Lord Avebury

167222

registered interest
date	02/12/2014
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	Thailand
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether British Embassy officials are attending the trials in Thailand of British citizen Andy Hall.
tabling member printed	Baroness Goudie
uin	HL3323
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/12/2014 answer text <p>Officials from our Embassy in Bangkok attended three days of Mr Hall's recent criminal defamation trial, including the opening and closing day, in order to observe proceedings. We also encouraged officials from other EU Member States to attend. We are pleased to note that one case of criminal defamation against Mr Hall has been dismissed.</p><p>Officials, both in Bangkok and London, are in regular contact with Mr Hall, and will continue to monitor Mr Hall’s case closely, ensuring that his case is raised with the Thai authorities where appropriate and reminding the authorities of their obligations to ensure international human rights standards are upheld.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 16/12/2014 14:09:29 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	3575 label Biography information for Baroness Goudie

167234

registered interest
date	02/12/2014
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	Government Departments: Disabled Staff
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they have taken following the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's <i>Diversity and Equality Report </i>(April 2014), which showed that staff with a disability reported higher experiences of discrimination, bullying or harassment than overall averages.
tabling member printed	Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town
uin	HL3335
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/12/2014 answer text <p>Following the 2013 Staff Survey results, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO)’s Human Resources Committee formed a Bullying, Harassment and Discrimination (BHD) Action Group (chaired by a Director General, and made up of representatives from Human Resources, staff associations and Posts overseas). This group has worked towards developing a better working culture, encouraging staff to tackle or raise a concern as soon as possible and dispelling any perception that concerns will not be taken seriously and acted upon. We will continue to reinforce the message that managers are required to treat seriously all concerns raised; to be initially neutral; and to take action as appropriate. Advice on our Intranet has been streamlined, made more user-friendly, and is accessible to all staff. There is also a ‘Respect Toolkit’ offering further guidance on BHD issues, and we are developing the role of our global network of ‘First Response Officers’ who can help support and advise individuals over BHD related concerns. These actions are not specific to staff with disabilities but cover all staff raising concerns about BHD. The 2014 staff survey results are currently being analysed and we will again act on the outcomes of that analysis. <br><br>The FCO’s Human Resources Directorate has a dedicated Disability Support Team. This team is responsible for providing advice and support to disabled colleagues and their line managers, and for raising disability awareness and confidence across our organisation. The Team work with contracted experts who help to raise awareness and provide support materials across the disability spectrum. This includes providing one-to-one support, and support at team and departmental level as required. Currently we are also running a number of regular “all staff drop-in awareness sessions” which each have a focus on an individual disability. We are also working closely with Civil Service colleagues on a more joined up approach to disability support across the Civil Service.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 16/12/2014 14:13:14 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	4159 label Biography information for Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town

167248

registered interest
date	02/12/2014
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	Israel
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman’s recent suggestion that Israel should offer economic incentives to encourage the transfer of Israeli Arabs to a Palestinian state.
tabling member printed	Baroness Tonge
uin	HL3349
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/12/2014 answer text The British Government has not made an assessment of this suggestion. We are clear with the Israeli authorities that we believe it is important that all Israeli citizens receive equal rights and treatment under Israeli law, including the Arab-Israeli minority. answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 16/12/2014 14:18:39 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	200 label Biography information for Baroness Tonge

167483

registered interest
date	02/12/2014
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	Ukraine
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 Ukrainian government since that country's recent parliamentary elections.
tabling member constituency	South Antrim
tabling member printed	Dr William McCrea
uin	216767
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/12/2014 answer text <p>I refer the Hon Member to Question 211380 of 28 October which details the British Government’s latest contact with the Ukrainian government.</p> answering member constituency Aylesbury answering member printed Mr David Lidington question first answered 09/12/2014 15:34:50 answering member 15 label Biography information for Sir David Lidington
tabling member	655 label Biography information for Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown

167484

registered interest
date	02/12/2014
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	Nigeria
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 has taken to support the Nigerian government in tackling acts of terrorism by Boko Haram.
tabling member constituency	Bedford
tabling member printed	Richard Fuller
uin	216806
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/12/2014 answer text <p>The UK, along with other international partners, is providing military, intelligence and development support to Nigeria to assist its efforts to tackle the terrorist activities of Boko Haram and to address the root causes of instability. The substantial package of UK assistance includes training and advice to Nigerian units deploying against Boko Haram; support to the Nigerians in bringing increased development and prosperity to the North East; and a commitment to draw 1 million more children into education in Northern Nigeria by 2020. One of Boko Haram's strategies has been to deny Nigeria's children access to opportunity and exposure to perspectives outside their narrow and barbaric ideology. On 3 September, while leading the UK delegation at a conference on Boko Haram in Abuja with regional foreign ministers, I stressed the importance of regional and international cooperation to help Nigeria end the threat from Boko Haram.</p> answering member constituency Rochford and Southend East answering member printed James Duddridge question first answered 09/12/2014 14:12:20 answering member 1559 label Biography information for Sir James Duddridge
tabling member	3912 label Biography information for Richard Fuller

167485

registered interest
date	02/12/2014
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	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 information his Department has supplied to the British embassy in Moscow to enable people involved in the (a) arrest, torture and death of Sergei Magnitsky and (b) fraud he uncovered to be identified when visa applications are assessed.
tabling member constituency	North East Cambridgeshire
tabling member printed	Stephen Barclay
uin	216804
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/12/2014 answer text <p>The Home Office works closely with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and other government departments to identify individuals whose presence in the UK would not be conducive to the public good, including on the basis of human rights abuses. Details of individuals who are banned from entering the UK are included on the UK watch list which means that Entry Clearance Officers and Border Force officials are able to refuse visas or deny entry. It is Government policy not to discuss specific information held on watch lists as to do so would not be in the interests of border and national security.</p><p>The FCO cooperates with the Home Office on the availability of independent, reliable and credible evidence that an individual has committed human rights abuses. Where our Posts abroad have identified individuals that should be refused entry to the UK on the basis of human rights abuses they will refer such cases to the Home Office for consideration.</p> answering member constituency Aylesbury answering member printed Mr David Lidington question first answered 09/12/2014 15:37:44 answering member 15 label Biography information for Sir David Lidington
tabling member	4095 label Biography information for Steve Barclay

167486

registered interest
date	02/12/2014
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	Diplomatic Service
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the Answer of 15 September 2008 to Question 218988 and pursuant to the Answer of 27 November 2014 to Question 215445, how much it cost to collate the information to answer Question 218988; and what the estimated cost is for answering Question 215445.
tabling member constituency	Vale of Clwyd
tabling member printed	Chris Ruane
uin	216793
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/12/2014 answer text The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) no longer holds information pertaining to the cost of collating the response given by the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, the hon. Member for Sheffield Heeley (Meg Munn) on 15 September 2008 (PQ 218988). The guide to Parliamentary work (available on the Cabinet Office website at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guide-to-parliamentary-work and already in the Library of the House) sets out that Government departments can refuse to answer a question where the cost of responding to that question would be above the disproportionate cost threshold, which is currently set at £850. The FCO has calculated that any answer which involves consulting all Ambassadors and High Commissioners in our overseas Network would exceed this threshold. answering member constituency Aylesbury answering member printed Mr David Lidington question first answered 09/12/2014 15:07:49 answering member 15 label Biography information for Sir David Lidington
tabling member	534 label Biography information for Chris Ruane

167489

registered interest
date	02/12/2014
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	Cuba
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his policy is on the relaxation of the EU's political position on Cuba.
tabling member constituency	Romford
tabling member printed	Andrew Rosindell
uin	216915
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/12/2014 answer text <p>On 29 April 2014, Cuba and the EU opened negotiations on a bilateral agreement on Political Dialogue and Cooperation in Havana. The UK supported the opening of negotiations with Cuba. The agreement will allow the EU to respond more effectively to Cuba’s ongoing process of change and modernisation by providing a stronger framework for political dialogue and improved cooperation. The defence and promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms will remain central to the relationship. Two rounds of negotiations have so far taken place, led by the European External Action Service on the EU side. Our position during the negotiations has been balanced, constructive and supportive of the proposal.</p> answering member constituency East Devon answering member printed Mr Hugo Swire question first answered 09/12/2014 14:36:44 answering member 1408 label Biography information for Lord Swire
tabling member	1447 label Biography information for Andrew Rosindell

167490

registered interest
date	02/12/2014
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	Cuba
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 the European Commission on that body's policy towards Cuba.
tabling member constituency	Romford
tabling member printed	Andrew Rosindell
uin	216914
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/12/2014 answer text <p>Officials have participated actively in the negotiations of the EU-Cuba Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement during regular meetings of the Latin American and Caribbean Working Group in Brussels and also via regular meetings among EU Heads of Mission in Havana. We have adopted a positive stance in pursuit of a strategic agreement that supports UK and EU political, human rights and commercial objectives.</p> answering member constituency East Devon answering member printed Mr Hugo Swire question first answered 09/12/2014 14:40:42 answering member 1408 label Biography information for Lord Swire
tabling member	1447 label Biography information for Andrew Rosindell