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

63261

registered interest
date	23/06/2014
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	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 assessment he has made of the conduct of the current census in Burma and the extent to which this has been affected by recent violence and rising ethnic tensions.
tabling member constituency	Belfast East
tabling member printed	Naomi Long
uin	201776
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/06/2014 answer text <p>Reports from independent international observers of the census suggest that, with the exception of Rakhine State and parts of Kachin State, the enumeration process appears to have been largely carried out effectively. We continue to monitor the process closely. There has not been a census in Burma for 30 years, and this census will provide a vital source of data to inform better government service delivery.</p><p>We are concerned by reports of the census being used as a pretext for one incident of localised violence in Kachin State. However, we do not believe that there is a link between the census and recent violence elsewhere in Kachin. Conflict in Kachin State has been ongoing for almost three years, and the challenges of census data collection in the area reflected the continued lack of trust on the ground. We continue to support strongly government and ethnic group efforts to reach a sustainable peace, through a ceasefire and political dialogue that can help bring an end to human rights abuses in ceasefire areas.</p><p>Similarly our assessment is that recent violence in Rakhine has been caused by underlying intercommunal tensions that have previously led to violence there. We were deeply disappointed that, in the case of the Rohingya, the Burmese government contravened its long-standing assurance that all individuals would have the right to self-identify their ethnic origin in the census. We have been clear that this decision is contrary to international norms and standards on census conduct. I summoned the Burmese Ambassador to make these points.</p> answering member constituency East Devon answering member printed Mr Hugo Swire question first answered 26/06/2014 11:47:52 answering member 1408 label Biography information for Lord Swire
tabling member	3920 label Biography information for Naomi Long

63263

registered interest
date	23/06/2014
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	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 assessment he has made of whether there is a causal link between the census in Burma and the violence currently taking place in that country.
tabling member constituency	Belfast East
tabling member printed	Naomi Long
uin	201777
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/06/2014 answer text <p>Reports from independent international observers of the census suggest that, with the exception of Rakhine State and parts of Kachin State, the enumeration process appears to have been largely carried out effectively. We continue to monitor the process closely. There has not been a census in Burma for 30 years, and this census will provide a vital source of data to inform better government service delivery.</p><p>We are concerned by reports of the census being used as a pretext for one incident of localised violence in Kachin State. However, we do not believe that there is a link between the census and recent violence elsewhere in Kachin. Conflict in Kachin State has been ongoing for almost three years, and the challenges of census data collection in the area reflected the continued lack of trust on the ground. We continue to support strongly government and ethnic group efforts to reach a sustainable peace, through a ceasefire and political dialogue that can help bring an end to human rights abuses in ceasefire areas.</p><p>Similarly our assessment is that recent violence in Rakhine has been caused by underlying intercommunal tensions that have previously led to violence there. We were deeply disappointed that, in the case of the Rohingya, the Burmese government contravened its long-standing assurance that all individuals would have the right to self-identify their ethnic origin in the census. We have been clear that this decision is contrary to international norms and standards on census conduct. I summoned the Burmese Ambassador to make these points.</p> answering member constituency East Devon answering member printed Mr Hugo Swire question first answered 26/06/2014 11:53:20 answering member 1408 label Biography information for Lord Swire
tabling member	3920 label Biography information for Naomi Long

63264

registered interest
date	23/06/2014
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	Interception Warrants
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 interception warrants were (a) issued, (b) declined and (c) cancelled by his Department under (i) section 8(1) and (ii) section 8(4) of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 in the last six months for which figures are available.
tabling member constituency	Torbay
tabling member printed	Mr Adrian Sanders
uin	201668
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/06/2014 answer text <p>It is the long standing policy of successive Governments not to comment on matters of intelligence. I would refer the Hon. Member to Section 3 of the 2013 Annual Report of the Interception of Communications Commissioner, The Rt Hon. Sir Anthony May, which was presented to Parliament pursuant of Section 58(6) of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000.</p> answering member constituency Faversham and Mid Kent answering member printed Hugh Robertson question first answered 30/06/2014 11:52:38 answering member 1415 label Biography information for Sir Hugh Robertson
tabling member	237 label Biography information for Mr Adrian Sanders

63068

registered interest
date	20/06/2014
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	British Indian Ocean Territory
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the contribution of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs of 17 June 2014, Official Report, column 947, on Diego Garcia, what factors the Government will take into account when deciding on future plans for British Indian Ocean Territory.
tabling member constituency	Crawley
tabling member printed	Henry Smith
uin	201664
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/06/2014 answer text <p>In my answer in the House on 17 June I spoke about the key factors that the Government will consider in coming to a policy decision on resettlement of the Territory – value for the UK taxpayer, long-term contingent liabilities, and defence requirements of Diego Garcia to the UK and our allies. This consideration will clearly be driven by the report on the feasibility of resettlement by the independent consultants, which will provide us with a factual analysis of the practicalities that any resettlement might involve, including the economic sustainability of a resettled population, and its environmental impact, and of course the views of Chagossians themselves about what they want to see from our policy. We look forward to the final report which is expected by January 2015.</p> answering member constituency Boston and Skegness answering member printed Mark Simmonds question first answered 26/06/2014 10:14:18 answering member 1393 label Biography information for Mark Simmonds
tabling member	3960 label Biography information for Henry Smith

63069

registered interest
date	20/06/2014
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	India
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received on sexual assault of ethnic Chin women and children from Burma in New Delhi, India; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Walsall South
tabling member printed	Valerie Vaz
uin	201663
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/06/2014 answer text <p>We are aware of such reports. We are committed to working with the new Indian government and international partners to address the problem of gender-based violence, human trafficking and child exploitation in India. Through the Department for International Development's (DFID) programmes, we support measures in India's 120 poorest districts to promote the empowerment and access to benefits and services of excluded and vulnerable groups. Through DFID, we also provide support to national and state authorities in India helping girls to complete basic education and further tackling violence against women and girls.</p><p>The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), invited the Indian government to attend the recent Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict and has already discussed the initiative with the new Indian Foreign Minister. The Indian High Commissioner to the UK attended the Summit.</p> answering member constituency East Devon answering member printed Mr Hugo Swire question first answered 25/06/2014 16:18:00 answering member 1408 label Biography information for Lord Swire
tabling member	4076 label Biography information for Valerie Vaz

63070

registered interest
date	20/06/2014
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	Burma
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 an assessment of the accuracy of the report of 9 May 2014 by the James Martin Center for Non-proliferation Studies that a military factory in Pauk Township of the central Magwe Division, Burma, has some features that are consistent with a chemical plant.
tabling member constituency	Walsall South
tabling member printed	Valerie Vaz
uin	201667
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/06/2014 answer text <p>The James Martin Centre report states that it is not possible to determine the nature of the facility in question. We are unable to make any further assessments at this stage. <br><br>We have made a concerted effort to encourage Burma to ratify their Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). I raised this most recently with Deputy Foreign Minister U That Kyaw on 12 June. We are working with the OPCW to offer practical support, and the UK National Authority to the CWC has offered to host a Burmese delegation later this year.</p> answering member constituency East Devon answering member printed Mr Hugo Swire question first answered 25/06/2014 16:24:34 answering member 1408 label Biography information for Lord Swire
tabling member	4076 label Biography information for Valerie Vaz

63071

registered interest
date	20/06/2014
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	Sudan
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 he has taken to call for the release of Mariam Ibrahim and her son from prison in Sudan and for her death sentence to be revoked.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
uin	201657
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/06/2014 answer text We have repeatedly raised our concerns about this appalling case with the Government of Sudan. The Prime Minister, The Secretary of State for Development and I all issued statements calling for Meriam Ibrahim to be released immediately. We also raised our concerns directly with the Government of Sudan: I highlighted this case in a letter to Presidential Assistant Professor Ghandour; my DFID colleague Lynne Featherstone raised it with the Sudanese Foreign Minister; and our Ambassador in Khartoum has raised it on multiple occasions with other Ministers and senior officials. answering member constituency Boston and Skegness answering member printed Mark Simmonds question first answered 25/06/2014 10:23:49 answering member 1393 label Biography information for Mark Simmonds
tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

62906

registered interest
date	19/06/2014
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	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 most recent reports he has received on the three Israeli teenagers kidnapped on the West Bank on 12 June 2014; what recent steps he has taken to help secure their release; what representations he has made regarding this matter; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Hertsmere
tabling member printed	Mr James Clappison
uin	201532
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/06/2014 answer text <p>The Foreign and Commonwealth Office receives daily updates from our posts in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. We have offered practical support. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), spoke to the Israeli Foreign Minister on 17 June about this issue. I also discussed this issue with both Israeli and Palestinian authorities during my visit to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories between 18-19 June.</p> answering member constituency Faversham and Mid Kent answering member printed Hugh Robertson question first answered 26/06/2014 09:36:11 answering member 1415 label Biography information for Sir Hugh Robertson
tabling member	67 label Biography information for Mr James Clappison

62907

registered interest
date	19/06/2014
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	Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how much the Government has paid to the Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus in each of the last four years; and what assessment he has made of the cost-effectiveness of that committee.
tabling member constituency	Christchurch
tabling member printed	Mr Christopher Chope
uin	201573
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/06/2014 answer text <p>In 2010 the Government made a bilateral contribution of US$4,037, and in 2013 the Government provided US$56,797. The Committee on Missing Persons (CMP) has used the UK's most recent contribution to buy a backup generator and DNA matching software. EU funding of the CMP, to which the UK contributes, totalled US$16,289,719 from 2006-2014. We did not provide any bilateral funds in 2011 or 2012.</p><p>In addition to this financial support, the Government supports the CMP by allowing it to work from a British-owned site in the Buffer Zone, thus easing their administration costs. The UK also indirectly supports the CMP through lobbying of parties who can facilitate the Committee's work. We hope that our political support and contributions through the EU will continue to help the CMP in their important work.</p><p>CMP funds are administered by the United Nations Development Programme according to international accounting standards with independent financial audits undertaken on an annual basis. We have made no specific assessment of the cost effectiveness of the CMP. We nonetheless recognise and welcome the painstaking, sensitive, and technically challenging work undertaken by the bicommunal teams of the CMP.</p> answering member constituency Aylesbury answering member printed Mr David Lidington question first answered 24/06/2014 15:22:48 answering member 15 label Biography information for Sir David Lidington
tabling member	242 label Biography information for Sir Christopher Chope

62908

registered interest
date	19/06/2014
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	Central African Republic
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 ensure that the UN-led peacekeeping force in the Central African Republic is prepared to protect civilians and is fully operational as soon as possible.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow Central
tabling member printed	Anas Sarwar
uin	201456
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/06/2014 answer text <p>We are working closely with partners to support UN planning for MINUSCA's deployment as mandated on 15 September, ready to assume immediate responsibility for the protection of civilians. We will continue to provide expertise and resources to ensure a well planned, phased approach that prioritises protection of civilians, and enables a smooth transition of responsibility for security from the African Union led mission, MISCA. We will also continue to support efforts to identify troops and equipment to contribute to MINUSCA's military component.</p> answering member constituency Boston and Skegness answering member printed Mark Simmonds question first answered 24/06/2014 09:38:18 answering member 1393 label Biography information for Mark Simmonds
tabling member	3981 label Biography information for Anas Sarwar