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1311215

registered interest
date	21/04/2021
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Gulf Strategy Fund
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to their Gulf Strategy Fund Programme summary, published on 30 March, what human rights (1) due diligence, and (2) safeguarding, procedures are applied to Gulf Strategy Fund (GSF) projects; what are the objectives of GSF funded projects in Bahrain aimed at (a) building the capacity of oversight bodies, (b) police reform, and (c) developing counter-terrorism capabilities; which organisations receive funding through the GSF; and how much has so far been (i) spent by, and (ii) allocated to, the GSF in the 2021/22 financial year.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL15129
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/04/2021 answer text <p>The Gulf Strategy Fund allocation for 2021/22 is £10m. Individual country allocations are under consideration. Projects will be delivered through Government Departments and Agencies, commercial contracts and staff recruited on local contracts.</p><p>Due diligence around human rights considerations is considered through the use of Overseas Security and Justice Assistance (OSJA) assessments.</p><p>The objectives of the Bahrain projects are a) to support local oversight bodies to develop a complaints management system to ensure greater police accountability and enhance public confidence in Bahrain's transparency procedures, b) to contribute towards the Bahraini-led reform programme which includes promoting evidence-based police investigations in line with best international standards and c) to help develop Bahrain's thinking and capability around the prevention of extremist violence.</p> answering member printed Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park question first answered 29/04/2021 12:38:27 answering member 4062 label Biography information for Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1309901

registered interest
date	16/04/2021
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Germany: British National (Overseas)
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that officials in Germany have declined to recognise the status of British National (Overseas) passport holders; and what steps they intend to take to ensure the status of the passport is recognised by (1) the authorities in Germany, and (2) the authorities in other countries.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL14989
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/04/2021 answer text <p>We are aware that the Hong Kong SAR Government recently wrote to several foreign Consulates urging them not to accept BN(O) passports for visa applications. The Hong Kong Government has no authority to dictate which passports foreign governments recognise as valid. We will continue to issue BN(O) passports, which remain valid travel documents. We are in contact with relevant Government authorities, including the German authorities, on this issue.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 29/04/2021 10:08:29 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1307725

registered interest
date	12/04/2021
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Africa: Development Aid
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to (1) maintain, or (2) increase the level of funding in 2021/2022 for (a) parliamentary strengthening, and (b) promoting pluralism in Africa; and what plans they have to (i) maintain, or (ii) increase this funding through the Westminster Foundation for Democracy in 2021/2022.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL14692
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/04/2021 answer text <p>As outlined in the recently-published Integrated Review, the UK will support strong, transparent and accountable political processes and institutions overseas. The Government will continue to use its development budget to champion and strengthen democratic institutions, human rights, free media and effective governance. Supporting open societies is a priority in Africa, the way we act to promote democracy and defend democratic freedoms in each country is dependent on the context and needs of the country concerned. The Westminster Foundation for Democracy is an important partner in delivering this work in many African contexts.</p><p>The impact of the global pandemic on the UK economy has forced us to take the tough but necessary decision to temporarily reduce how much we spend on Official Development Assistance (ODA). We will temporarily move to a target of spending 0.5 per cent of Gross National Income (GNI) on ODA, rather than 0.7 per cent. This is a temporary measure and we will return to 0.7 per cent when the fiscal situation allows. We are now working through the implications of these changes for individual programmes. No decisions have yet been made on individual budget allocations.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 26/04/2021 12:11:59 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1275008

registered interest
date	08/01/2021
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Development Aid: Agriculture
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how much of the UK Official Development Assistance spend is directed towards agriculture; and what percentage of that spend is directed towards (1) agroecological approaches, and (2) small farms; and whether they benchmark those figures against the level of such provision from other countries.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL11913
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/01/2021 answer text <p>The UK Government is committed to supporting the agricultural sector in developing countries. In 2018 the UK Government spent £322 million in Official Development Assistance on agriculture projects and provided significant additional funding for agriculture through its core funding of multilateral institutions working in the sector. This makes us a middle-ranking donor in the sector.</p><p>Whilst the UK Government does not break down expenditure on agroecological approaches or small farms, we are supporting a wide range of programmes in both these areas. For example, we have been supporting smallholder farmers and their agriculture systems in 47 countries through our bilateral agriculture programmes as well as the multilateral flagships Adaptation for Smallholder Agriculture Programme and Global Agriculture and Food Security Programme.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 22/01/2021 11:09:32 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1271530

registered interest
date	15/12/2020
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Africa: Human Rights
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 24 November (HL10267), what plans they have to establish an inquiry to address the legacies of African enslavement, in particular (1) Afriphobia, (2) colonisation, (3) neocolonialism, and (4) environmental and ecological destruction; and what steps they will take to ensure that the victims of those legacies and their descendants are consulted as part of any such inquiry.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL11464
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/12/2020 answer text <p>The Government has no plans to establish such an enquiry.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 30/12/2020 13:54:57 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1259963

registered interest
date	09/12/2020
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Hong Kong: HSBC
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with HSBC Bank about the freezing of the bank accounts of pro-democracy campaigners from Hong Kong; what assessment they have made of the implications of such practices for the continued eligibility of HSBC to have a headquarters in London; and what specific plans they have to prevent financial institutions from subverting democracy.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL11272
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/12/2020 answer text <p>We are in close contact with a wide range of businesses in Hong Kong, but it is for businesses themselves to make their own judgement calls. We are concerned that a number of recent decisions by the authorities in Hong Kong are further evidence of a determined campaign to stifle opposition and silence dissent. As a signatory to the Sino-British Joint Declaration, China must abide by the legally binding commitments it made to uphold fundamental rights and freedoms, and respect Hong Kong's high degree of autonomy for at least 50 years from 1997. The UK will continue to pursue an approach in Hong Kong that is rooted in our values, defends the rights of the people of Hong Kong and respects the provisions of the Joint Declaration.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 23/12/2020 14:57:13 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1255619

registered interest
date	25/11/2020
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Saudi Arabia: Human Rights
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Prime Minister raised (1) human rights issues in Saudi Arabia, including (a) the continued potential use of the death penalty for those who allegedly committed crimes as minors, and (b) the continued detention of women activists arrested in 2018 for campaigning for the right to drive, and (2) the case for ensuring unimpeded access for human rights groups to Yemen, in his discussions with the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia on 24 November.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL10690
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/12/2020 answer text <p>Our close relationship with Saudi Arabia allows us to raise our concerns about human rights, including on political detainees and use of the death penalty, in private and in public. The Prime Minister addressed the issue of women's rights and further developments needed in that area in his recent discussions with the Crown Prince.</p><p>The UK strongly opposes the death penalty in all countries and in all circumstances, as a matter of principle. This is especially the case for juveniles and for crimes other than the most serious. The Minister for the Middle East and North Africa raised the death penalty with Dr Awwad al Awwad, President of Saudi Arabia's Human Rights Commission, during his virtual visit in July. I raised the death penalty in a call with Dr Awwad in June.</p><p>We have consistently raised concerns over the continued detention of women's rights defenders at senior levels with the Saudi authorities. The UK signed a statement at the UN Human Rights Council on 15 September, calling for the release of women's rights defenders. I raised women's rights defenders during my call with Dr Awwad in June. The Minister for the Middle East most recently raised the women's rights defenders' cases with the Saudi Ambassador to the UK on 16 November.</p><p>We remain deeply concerned about the human rights situation in Yemen, which is a human rights priority country for the UK. We call on all parties to facilitate unhindered access for humanitarian actors and agencies and ensure that humanitarian workers are able to conduct their work safely and without harm.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 09/12/2020 16:29:13 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1254034

registered interest
date	19/11/2020
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Human Rights: Standards
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made, if any, of the report by the World Benchmarking Alliance 2020 Corporate Human Rights Benchmark, published on 16 November; and what steps they plan to take, if any, to address the findings of that report.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL10497
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/11/2020 answer text <p>The UK Government welcomes the fourth iteration of Corporate Human Rights Benchmark report. It is disappointing to see that only a minority of companies demonstrate a willingness to take human rights seriously and go beyond creating policies and commitments, to taking practical steps in addressing human rights violations.</p><p>The UK Government is already taking action to advance this agenda, ensuring that companies comply with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. The UK Government has also been a founding supporter of the World Benchmarking Alliance and continues to support their work.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 27/11/2020 12:07:54 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1251612

registered interest
date	12/11/2020
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Human Rights
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how they plan to comply with the United Nations Framework on Reparations; and what plans they have to establish an inquiry into reparatory justice.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL10267
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/11/2020 answer text <p>We are not aware of a &quot;United Nations Framework on Reparations&quot;, and can find no reference to such a framework in the UN's document database. There is a framework called: &quot;Basic Principles and Guidelines on the Right to a Remedy and Reparation for Victims of Gross Violations of International Human Rights Law and Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law&quot;. As implied by its title, this addresses reparation for individuals for gross or serious violations of human rights law or international humanitarian law. These bodies of law are not retroactive. If a UK citizen's rights are violated, they have recourse to remedy and reparation through the Human Rights Act 1998 (HRA), which gives further effect to the European Convention on Human Rights. In particular, section 8 HRA states that &quot;In relation to any act (or proposed act) of a public authority which the court finds is unlawful, may grant such relief or remedy, or make such order within its powers as it considers just and appropriate&quot;. There are no plans to establish an inquiry into section 8 HRA.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 24/11/2020 16:18:04 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1249814

registered interest
date	09/11/2020
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	United Arab Emirates: Detainees
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the United Arab Emirates about the release of 18 Yemenis and one Russian, who are currently detained and at risk of forced repatriation.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL10043
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/11/2020 answer text <p>The UK remains committed to the promotion of universal freedoms and human rights. The UK regularly raises human rights concerns with the UAE at senior levels and continues to encourage the UAE to uphold international human rights obligations.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 17/11/2020 15:13:46 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle