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1105747

registered interest
date	27/03/2019
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	Africa
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 Cabinet colleagues on extending the responsibilities of the Minister for Africa to the whole of Africa.
tabling member constituency	Rochford and Southend East
tabling member printed	James Duddridge
uin	237652
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/04/2019 answer text <p>The Foreign Secretary has had no discussions with Cabinet colleagues on this matter.</p> answering member constituency Rutland and Melton answering member printed Sir Alan Duncan question first answered 01/04/2019 13:24:39 answering member 343 label Biography information for Sir Alan Duncan
tabling member	1559 label Biography information for Sir James Duddridge

1019517

registered interest
date	03/12/2018
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	Eswatini: Human Rights
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the level of human rights violations in eSwatini.
tabling member constituency	Rochford and Southend East
tabling member printed	James Duddridge
uin	198263
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/12/2018 answer text <p>In recent years the Eswatini Government has made a number of positive legislative changes, with respect to the human rights of its citizens. These include the Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Act, which was signed into law in July 2018. However, the human rights situation in Eswatini remains troubling and we regularly raise our concerns with the Swazi authorities. The UK was a full participant in the Eswatini’s Universal Periodic Review, which took place in at the Human Rights Council in Geneva in 2016, where a series of recommendations were made. We continue to press for an improvement in the Human Rights situation in Eswatini, including the implementation of these recommendations.</p> answering member constituency West Worcestershire answering member printed Harriett Baldwin question first answered 11/12/2018 16:08:26 answering member 4107 label Biography information for Dame Harriett Baldwin
tabling member	1559 label Biography information for Sir James Duddridge

1019522

registered interest
date	03/12/2018
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	Eswatini: Non-governmental Organisations
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 she has had with civil society organisations in the UK on eSwatini.
tabling member constituency	Rochford and Southend East
tabling member printed	James Duddridge
uin	198265
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/12/2018 answer text <p>Officials in the UK last met representatives from Action for Southern Africa (ACTSA) and Swaziland Human Rights Network UK in May 2018 to discuss human rights and democracy in eSwatini.</p> answering member constituency West Worcestershire answering member printed Harriett Baldwin question first answered 10/12/2018 16:37:43 answering member 4107 label Biography information for Dame Harriett Baldwin
tabling member	1559 label Biography information for Sir James Duddridge

1019523

registered interest
date	03/12/2018
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	Eswatini: 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, what progress there has been on establishing a High Commission in eSwatini.
tabling member constituency	Rochford and Southend East
tabling member printed	James Duddridge
uin	198266
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/12/2018 answer text <p>We are in the process of appointing a High Commissioner to Eswatini and in sourcing property in Mbabane. We expect to have representation in the country by mid-2019.</p> answering member constituency West Worcestershire answering member printed Harriett Baldwin question first answered 10/12/2018 16:30:02 answering member 4107 label Biography information for Dame Harriett Baldwin
tabling member	1559 label Biography information for Sir James Duddridge

1019783

registered interest
date	03/12/2018
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	Eswatini: Elections
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment has he made of whether the eSwatini elections were free and fair.
tabling member constituency	Rochford and Southend East
tabling member printed	James Duddridge
uin	198775
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/12/2018 answer text <p>The British High Commission in Pretoria deployed an informal election observation team to Eswatini in September. They, along with a number of official international observers, assessed the elections to be broadly free, fair and orderly. However, in line with the African Union's own election monitoring report, we note that the participation of political parties was prohibited and we recommend that Eswatini lift this restriction for future elections, so as to enable a more open and democratic system for its voters.</p> answering member constituency West Worcestershire answering member printed Harriett Baldwin question first answered 11/12/2018 16:09:55 answering member 4107 label Biography information for Dame Harriett Baldwin
tabling member	1559 label Biography information for Sir James Duddridge

999188

registered interest
date	31/10/2018
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	Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what progress has been made on the actions agreed at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2018.
tabling member constituency	Rochford and Southend East
tabling member printed	James Duddridge
uin	186274
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/11/2018 answer text <p>Further to my answer to PQ 162458, the UK continues to work with the three pillars of the Commonwealth – the Commonwealth Secretariat, its member states, and its people to people networks – to deliver on commitments set out in the 2018 Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting (CHOGM) communique. For example;</p><ul><li><p>Member states have increased cooperation in international organisations. In Geneva, the UK hosted a meeting of Commonwealth Permanent Representatives to discuss multilateral issues in advance of the Human Rights Council. New Zealand has hosted a similar Commonwealth meeting to discuss issues relating to the World Trade Organisation. In New York, it has been agreed that Commonwealth members of the UN Security Council will regularly brief other Commonwealth countries in Security Council business.</p></li></ul><ul><li><p>The Prime Minister included a passage on the Commonwealth in her speech to the UN General Assembly. She spoke explicitly as Commonwealth Chair-in-Office on behalf of the Heads of Government of 53 Commonwealth countries – over a quarter of the UN membership – to reaffirm their shared shared commitment to work together within a rules based international system to address shared global challenges.</p></li></ul><ul><li><p>The UK and Ghana convened the inaugural meeting of the Commonwealth-led Digital Finance Champions Group in Accra on 26 September. The initiative will drive the use of secure and inclusive digital finance, especially for vulnerable and underbanked people.</p></li></ul><ul><li><p>The Commonwealth Standards Network launched in Geneva on 26 September. The network aims to boost trade between Commonwealth member states by increasing the use of existing international standards. The network will allow member states to share knowledge and enable the creation of vital links between our economies.</p></li></ul><ul><li><p>Following the lead of Commonwealth Heads of Government, 152 countries have now endorsed the joint statement calling on states to leave no girl behind, and provide opportunity for at least 12 years of quality education for all girls and boys.</p></li></ul><ul><li><p>Following its launch in Bangladesh, Ghana, Kenya and Nigeria, over 1,300 women entrepreneurs have registered with 'SheTrades Commonwealth'. The Programme aims to increase economic growth and job creation by enabling the increased participation of women-owned businesses in international trade.</p></li></ul><ul><li><p>Guyana has become the first country to partner with the UK funded Commonwealth Marine Economies Programme to develop a Maritime Economy Plan. The Programme aims to support the sustainable growth and development of 17 Commonwealth Small Island Developing States in the Caribbean and Pacific.</p></li></ul><ul><li><p>Twenty countries, over a third of the Commonwealth, have now signed up to the Commonwealth Clean Oceans Alliance – the Blue Charter Action Group co-chaired by the UK and Vanuatu to tackle marine plastic pollution. During her visit to Africa in September, the Prime Minister announced that the UK would make up to an additional £5 million available to provide technical assistance to developing countries that join the initiative.</p></li></ul><ul><li><p>The Prime Minister also announced a Young Leaders Plastic Challenge Badge, working in partnership with UN Environment, Scouts and Girl Guides, to help an estimated 50,000 young people in Kenya and two further African countries to become leaders in raising awareness about the importance of reducing plastic consumption.</p></li></ul><ul><li><p>In support of the Commonwealth Cyber Declaration, the UK has partnered with the World Bank to deliver national cyber security capacity reviews in 11 member states. With support from Oxford University's Global Cyber Security Capacity Centre and Australia's Oceania Centre, we are now well placed to meet the commitment for every Commonwealth country to voluntarily undertake reviews by CHOGM 2020.</p></li></ul> answering member constituency North East Bedfordshire answering member printed Alistair Burt question first answered 09/11/2018 13:04:45 answering member 1201 label Biography information for Alistair Burt
tabling member	1559 label Biography information for Sir James Duddridge

964344

registered interest
date	03/09/2018
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	Africa: Embassies
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has plans to open new High Commissions and Embassies in Africa; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Rochford and Southend East
tabling member printed	James Duddridge
uin	169223
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/09/2018 answer text <p>In a sign of our deep and long-term relationship with the continent, we are increasing the British diplomatic presence in sub-Saharan Africa so we can develop more effective partnerships and achieve our mutual goals. During her recent visit to Africa the Prime Minister announced that the UK would open new sovereign missions in Niger and Chad as a demonstration of our commitment to the Sahel region. This is in addition to the announcement made by the former Foreign Secretary in the margins of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in April that we would be opening two new High Commissions in Lesotho and Eswatini. In May this year we also upgraded UK presence in Mauritania to an Embassy.</p> answering member constituency West Worcestershire answering member printed Harriett Baldwin question first answered 11/09/2018 16:36:45 answering member 4107 label Biography information for Dame Harriett Baldwin
tabling member	1559 label Biography information for Sir James Duddridge

867382

registered interest
date	20/03/2018
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	Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting
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 outputs published from the Commonwealth Parliamentarians’ Forum hosted by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association from 26 February to 1 March 2018, whether he plans to take steps in response to those outputs; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Rochford and Southend East
tabling member printed	James Duddridge
uin	133357
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/03/2018 answer text <p>The Foreign Secretary was delighted to address delegates to the Commonwealth Parliamentarians' Forum during their recent visit to London. He has received copies of the forum outputs, including: the Declaration of the First Commonwealth Parliamentarians Forum; The Youth Delegate Declaration; and a letter from delegates calling for the creation of a Commonwealth Climate Change Council at April's Heads of Government Meeting.</p><p>Mitigating the effects of climate change, especially as it affects small island states, will be one of the main policy areas leaders will discuss at the summit. Issues affecting the Commonwealth's young population will also feature prominently during the summit, with one of the four official forums at the start of the week dedicated to Youth.</p> answering member constituency North East Bedfordshire answering member printed Alistair Burt question first answered 28/03/2018 13:17:51 answering member 1201 label Biography information for Alistair Burt
tabling member	1559 label Biography information for Sir James Duddridge

660124

registered interest
date	16/12/2016
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	Zimbabwe: Bank Notes
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for economic stability in Zimbabwe of the government in that country issuing bank notes in its own currency equivalent to the US dollar.
tabling member constituency	Rochford and Southend East
tabling member printed	James Duddridge
uin	58021
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/12/2016 answer text <p>Zimbabwe faces a serious economic crisis. Bond notes have provided some short term liquidity, but they are not a sustainable solution to Zimbabwe’s economic challenges. Without fundamental reform, taking into account the advice of the International Financial Institutions, an economic collapse is a real prospect. The British Embassy in Harare continues to monitor the situation and we are keeping our travel advice under review.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 22/12/2016 11:30:05 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	1559 label Biography information for Sir James Duddridge

660125

registered interest
date	16/12/2016
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	Ghana: Customs
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 the efficiency of the customs service in Ghana.
tabling member constituency	Rochford and Southend East
tabling member printed	James Duddridge
uin	58023
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/12/2016 answer text <p>Ghana's customs service falls under the responsibility of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) with whom we share a good relationship.</p><p>We support the World Bank's respected and influential annual Doing Business Survey, which reports on many of the key issues that businesses face in countries across the world. One important indicator that the report examines relates to trading across borders. The effectiveness of a country's customs procedures are highly relevant to this indicator. For Ghana, the 2016 survey indicated a small improvement in the country's relative ranking for trading across borders. However, burdensome procedures and corruption at borders are among the most problematic factors for trade in Ghana. Customs procedures lack efficiency and exporting and importing require time-consuming paperwork to clear goods at the border. Corruption and bribery in these processes are widespread. A recent report by US based GAN Integrity found that whilst Ghana performs best in the West African region for road governance in relation to customs services, controls and demands for bribes are increasing at the Tema port exit.</p><p>We continue to follow these matters closely and regularly raise concerns about the ease of doing business including corruption with the Government of Ghana.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 22/12/2016 11:26:00 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	1559 label Biography information for Sir James Duddridge