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 question first ministerially corrected answering member label previous answer version answering member constituency answering member printed answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

177160

registered interest
date	02/02/2015
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	Saudi Arabia
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 Answer of 20 January 2015, Official Report, column 79, whether he met the Saudi Arabia Deputy Foreign Minister; and with whom he has discussed the case of Raif Badawi.
tabling member constituency	Paisley and Renfrewshire South
tabling member printed	Mr Douglas Alexander
uin	222907
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/02/2015 answer text <p>Due to the late King’s ill health at the time, the <del class="ministerial">Deputy</del> <ins class="ministerial">Vice</ins> Foreign Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia did not attend the Counter ISIL meeting in London as had been planned. Instead, I raised the case of Raif Badawi with the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to London, as the most senior member of the Saudi delegation, at the inaugural meeting of the Small Group of the Global Coalition to Counter ISIL, on 22 January.</p> answering member constituency Runnymede and Weybridge answering member printed Mr Philip Hammond question first answered 05/02/2015 11:13:30 question first ministerially corrected 05/02/2015 13:43:29 answering member 105 label Biography information for Lord Hammond of Runnymede previous answer version 43055 answering member constituency Runnymede and Weybridge answering member printed Mr Philip Hammond answering member 105 label Biography information for Lord Hammond of Runnymede
tabling member	632 label Biography information for Mr Douglas Alexander

176770

registered interest
date	29/01/2015
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	Africa and Middle East
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 his Department has taken to tackle the persecution of Christians in (a) Africa and (b) the Middle East.
tabling member constituency	Belfast South
tabling member printed	Dr Alasdair McDonnell
uin	222675
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/02/2015 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 regularly urge foreign governments at senior levels to uphold the rights of all minorities; work to build international consensus on freedom of religion or belief; and support practical projects on community dialogue with civil society and faith groups.</p><p>An example of our lobbying in Africa was the case of Meriam Ibrahim, who was sentenced to death for apostasy. The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), the Secretary of State for International Development, my right hon. Friend the member for Putney (Ms Greening) and the Minister for Africa my hon. Friend the Member for Rochford and Sounthend East (Mr Duddridge) all publicly condemned her sentencing, and called on the Government of Sudan to respect the right to freedom of religion or belief and international human rights laws. Following UK and international pressure Ms Ibrahim was subsequently released.</p><p>We are deeply concerned by the difficulties facing many Christians and religious minorities in the Middle East and deplore all discrimination and constraints on freedom of religion.</p> answering member constituency Aylesbury answering member printed Mr David Lidington question first answered 03/02/2015 17:38:20 answering member 15 label Biography information for Sir David Lidington
tabling member	1596 label Biography information for Dr Alasdair McDonnell

176832

registered interest
date	29/01/2015
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	Egypt
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations the Government has made to the Egyptian government about the death of Shaimaa El-Sabbagh; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Harrow West
tabling member printed	Mr Gareth Thomas
uin	222764
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/02/2015 answer text <p>We deplore the deaths in Egypt in recent days. We are deeply concerned by the use of deadly force against those demonstrating peacefully on 25 January. My rt hon friend the Foreign Secretary spoke to Egypt’s Foreign Minister, Sameh Shukri, on 27 January and conveyed his deep concern about the violence and the deaths, including that of Shaimaa El-Sabbagh. He urged that an independent investigation take place as soon as possible. I also raised these concerns with the Egyptian Ambassador on 27 January.</p><p>Egypt’s long-term stability and success requires protection of the rights that underpin peaceful politics, including accountability of the security forces and revision of the demonstrations law.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 03/02/2015 17:56:23 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	177 label Biography information for Gareth Thomas

176275

registered interest
date	28/01/2015
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	Libya
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress they have made in the past year in discussions with the government of Libya about compensation for people in Northern Ireland in respect of shipments of arms and explosives from that country to the IRA.
tabling member printed	Lord Laird
uin	HL4533
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/02/2015 answer text <p>I refer the noble Lord to my answer of 17 December 2014 (HL3464). There have been no developments in the interim.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 04/02/2015 14:12:10 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	2479 label Biography information for Lord Laird

176441

registered interest
date	28/01/2015
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	Burma
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the government of Burma has taken steps to implement the declaration to end sexual violence which it signed in June 2014.
tabling member constituency	Bradford East
tabling member printed	Mr David Ward
uin	222511
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/02/2015 answer text <p>While we welcomed the Burmese government’s endorsement of the Declaration of Commitment to End Sexual Violence in Conflict and attendance at the Global Summit in June 2014, their implementation of the commitments contained within it has been limited. <br><br>We continue to raise the issue of sexual violence with the Burmese government, as I did I when I met Deputy Foreign Minister U Thant Kyaw in June 2014. Most recently, my Right Hon. Friend the Member for Hornsey and Wood Green (Lynne Featherstone), in her capacity as Champion for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, discussed sexual violence with senior members of the Burmese government and civil society during her visit to Burma in January. <br><br>While there have been some developments, such as the conviction in a civilian court last year of a Burmese soldier for the rape of a minor, there is much more that can and should be done. We continue to encourage the Burmese government to take concrete action, by strengthening legislation, reducing impunity for perpetrators, and improving access to justice for survivors. <br><br>The Declaration also commits the international community to support conflict-affected states in strengthening their capacity to prevent and respond to sexual violence in conflict. The UK has allocated over £300,000 to projects doing this in Burma. The prevention of sexual violence in conflict is also a key element of our defence engagement with Burma and is included, along with the importance of human rights and the rule of law, in any education courses we deliver to the military in Burma.</p> answering member constituency East Devon answering member printed Mr Hugo Swire question first answered 02/02/2015 12:23:14 answering member 1408 label Biography information for Lord Swire
tabling member	3923 label Biography information for Mr David Ward

176444

registered interest
date	28/01/2015
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	Employment Agencies
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 staff in his Department have been employed through employment or recruitment agencies in each year since 2010-11.
tabling member constituency	Sefton Central
tabling member printed	Bill Esterson
uin	222518
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/02/2015 answer text <p>The Civil Service-wide Recruitment Freeze was introduced in May 2010, which limits new appointments to front-line and business critical roles only this usually means specialist roles. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is reducing UK based headcount by 10% in the current Spending Round.</p><p>Recruitment agencies are used to recruit for positions that require specialist skills and expertise not available elsewhere in the organisation. The number of FCO staff who were employed through employment or recruitment agencies from 2010-11 onwards is:</p><p>2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15</p><p>36 11 78 75 16</p><p><br>Recruitment in 2012/13 increased as a result of a need to staff our recently established Corporate Services Centre in Milton Keynes. From 2013/14 onwards the data includes directly recruited summer and graduate interns.</p><p>The FCO also has a separate contract in place with Hays Specialist Recruitment for the provision of temporary staff for essential frontline roles whilst internal recruitment processes take place. The number of temporary staff who were employed through recruitment agencies from 2010-11 onwards, on contracts of varying length, is:</p><p><br>2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15</p><p>19 61 116 59 28</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 04/02/2015 15:11:23 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
tabling member	4061 label Biography information for Bill Esterson

176445

registered interest
date	28/01/2015
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, pursuant to the Answer of 19 January 2015 to Question 220624, what the powers vested in the three treaty Guarantor powers are in relation to the bodies with which they consult, by Article IV of the 1960 Treaty of Guarantor in respect of Cyprus.
tabling member constituency	Knowsley
tabling member printed	Mr George Howarth
uin	222485
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/02/2015 answer text <p>Article IV of the 1960 Treaty of Guarantee states that, “In the event of a breach of the provisions of the present Treaty, Greece, Turkey and the United Kingdom undertake to consult together with respect to the representations or measures necessary to ensure observance of those provisions.” The Guarantor powers have no vested powers, under the Article IV of the Treaty of Guarantee, to consult with any external bodies. 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 04/02/2015 12:53:04 answering member 15 label Biography information for Sir David Lidington
tabling member	481 label Biography information for Sir George Howarth

176446

registered interest
date	28/01/2015
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, pursuant to the Answer of 19 January 2015 to Question 220624, what powers are available to the UN-facilitated settlement process to intervene in respect of the confiscation of property owned by Turkish Cypriots in Vasiliko in order to facilitate oil and gas explortation in Northern and Southern Cyprus.
tabling member constituency	Knowsley
tabling member printed	Mr George Howarth
uin	222486
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/02/2015 answer text <p>Property issues will be discussed by representatives of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities during the relevant chapter in the UN facilitated negotiations. It will be for the parties to decide when these issues will be discussed as part of the settlement process, and to agree a solution. 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.</p> answering member constituency Aylesbury answering member printed Mr David Lidington question first answered 04/02/2015 12:53:26 answering member 15 label Biography information for Sir David Lidington
tabling member	481 label Biography information for Sir George Howarth

176447

registered interest
date	28/01/2015
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	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 implications for his policies of the findings of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom's Report, Burma: Religious Freedom and Related Human Rights Violations are Hindering Broader Reforms, published in November 2014.
tabling member constituency	Walsall South
tabling member printed	Valerie Vaz
uin	222458
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/02/2015 answer text <p>We share the Commission’s concerns on freedom of religion in Burma, the situation of the Rohingya, the rise in hate speech and the draft faith-based legislation, along with how these are affecting Burma’s reform process. We have raised our concerns in detail on the proposed so-called ‘protection of race and religion’ laws both bilaterally and in company with our partners in the European Union. We work closely with civil society on these issues in Burma, particularly during our visits to Rakhine state, where the UK is one of the largest bilateral donors of humanitarian assistance. Our Annual Report on Human Rights details the full range of our concerns, and the actions we are taking to address them.</p> answering member constituency East Devon answering member printed Mr Hugo Swire question first answered 04/02/2015 14:49:10 answering member 1408 label Biography information for Lord Swire
tabling member	4076 label Biography information for Valerie Vaz

176448

registered interest
date	28/01/2015
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	Venezuela
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 Venezuelan counterpart on the human rights situation in that country; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Kemptown
tabling member printed	Simon Kirby
uin	222459
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/02/2015 answer text <p>Her Majesty's Ambassador in Caracas most recently discussed human rights with the Venezuelan Foreign Minister on 31 January. This follows his discussions with the Vice Foreign Minister on the same subject in December.</p><p>I remain concerned about the situation in Venezuela. I have written to the Venezuelan government, and have discussed regional efforts to promote political dialogue in the country with Ministers from across Latin America.</p> answering member constituency East Devon answering member printed Mr Hugo Swire question first answered 04/02/2015 17:30:53 answering member 1408 label Biography information for Lord Swire
tabling member	3929 label Biography information for Simon Kirby