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 previous answer version answering member constituency answering member printed answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

447757

registered interest
date	26/01/2016
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	Yemen: Military Intervention
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 it his policy to support an independent inquiry into alleged breaches of international humanitarian law in Yemen by the UN Human Rights Council.
tabling member constituency	Leeds Central
tabling member printed	Hilary Benn
uin	24114
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/02/2016 answer text <p>The UK supported a UN Human Rights Council resolution in October 2015, which called on the UN to provide technical assistance to the Government of Yemen, assist the Yemeni National Independent Commission of Inquiry and report back to the next session of the Human Rights Council. It is for the Government of Yemen to decide how its domestic human rights monitoring mechanism should work and the UK welcomes Yemen’s commitment to cooperate with the UN on protection of human rights.</p><p>The UK has also encouraged members of the Saudi-led coalition to investigate allegations of breaches of international humanitarian law, and for their investigations to be thorough and conclusive.</p> answering member constituency Runnymede and Weybridge answering member printed Mr Philip Hammond question first answered 01/02/2016 12:18:41 answering member 105 label Biography information for Lord Hammond of Runnymede previous answer version 42232 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	413 label Biography information for Hilary Benn

447760

registered interest
date	26/01/2016
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	Yemen: Military Intervention
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 his oral Answer of 12 January 2016, Official Report, column 697, on how many occasions the Government has used personnel who are present as a quick check when a report has been received of a potential breach of international humanitarian law in Yemen.
tabling member constituency	Leeds Central
tabling member printed	Hilary Benn
uin	24111
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/02/2016 answer text <p>We have a very small number of staff working in Saudi headquarters in a liaison capacity only to provide insight into Saudi operations. These liaison officers are not involved in the targeting process – whether it be the selection, decision making or directing. They remain under UK command and control.</p><p>The role of the liaison officers is to maintain an information flow with the Saudi authorities. When concerns are raised by non-governmental organisations, or in the media, liaison officers pass all available information back to the UK. This will help inform our assessment of compliance with international humanitarian law which is taken in Whitehall.</p> answering member constituency Runnymede and Weybridge answering member printed Mr Philip Hammond question first answered 01/02/2016 14:16:00 answering member 105 label Biography information for Lord Hammond of Runnymede previous answer version 42235 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	413 label Biography information for Hilary Benn

447761

registered interest
date	26/01/2016
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	Yemen: Military Intervention
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 made an assessment of who is responsible for reported airstrikes that have (a) targeted and (b) hit as collateral damage (i) cultural heritage monuments, (ii) ancient heritage sites and (iii) museums in Yemen.
tabling member constituency	Leeds Central
tabling member printed	Hilary Benn
uin	24112
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/01/2016 answer text <p>We remain concerned about the damage to cultural property in Yemen during the current conflict in Yemen. We do not routinely make assessments of responsibility for damage to cultural property in Yemen. Yemen and many members of the Saudi-led coalition are parties to the 1954 Hague Convention on the Protection of Cultural Property in the event of Armed Conflict and to the 1972 World Heritage Convention. We have raised our concerns regarding protection of cultural property with both the government of Yemen and the Saudi Arabian government. A political solution is the best way to achieve long-term stability in Yemen and we remain fully and actively supportive of the UN’s efforts to bring an end to the conflict.</p> answering member constituency Runnymede and Weybridge answering member printed Mr Philip Hammond question first answered 29/01/2016 14:54:46 answering member 105 label Biography information for Lord Hammond of Runnymede
tabling member	413 label Biography information for Hilary Benn

447762

registered interest
date	26/01/2016
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	Diplomatic Immunity
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when the Government has requested the sending state to (a) waive, (b) suspend and (c) remove the rights to diplomatic immunity of an individual diplomat to the UK since 2010.
tabling member constituency	Leeds Central
tabling member printed	Hilary Benn
uin	24113
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/01/2016 answer text <p>Under Article 32 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, a diplomat’s immunity may only be waived by the sending State. The VCDR does not refer to immunity being suspended, nor removed. Full statistics and details about requests for waivers of immunity for the period specified are not recorded centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. Such requests would cover instances where a diplomat was the alleged offender; the alleged victim of a crime; where a diplomat has witnessed a crime and police have sought a witness statement; or where police have sought witness statements from diplomats in relation to unconnected investigations. However, statistics for waivers requested in respect of serious and significant offences allegedly committed by individuals with some form of diplomatic or consular immunity are recorded centrally for the period covering 2010-2014. In total, 14 such requests were made during this period.</p> answering member constituency Runnymede and Weybridge answering member printed Mr Philip Hammond question first answered 29/01/2016 13:31:29 answering member 105 label Biography information for Lord Hammond of Runnymede
tabling member	413 label Biography information for Hilary Benn

447231

registered interest
date	25/01/2016
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	Iran: 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 21 January 2016 to Question 22858, on the basis of the evidence seen by the Government, what assessment he has made of who was responsible for the damage to the Iranian Embassy in Sana'a.
tabling member constituency	Leeds Central
tabling member printed	Hilary Benn
uin	23905
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/01/2016 answer text <p>It is important to determine the facts of any incident. From current evidence we have seen, it does not appear that a Saudi airstrike hit the Iranian Embassy. We are continuing to work with all parties to de-escalate regional tensions.</p> answering member constituency Runnymede and Weybridge answering member printed Mr Philip Hammond question first answered 28/01/2016 16:32:18 answering member 105 label Biography information for Lord Hammond of Runnymede
tabling member	413 label Biography information for Hilary Benn

447233

registered interest
date	25/01/2016
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	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, when he plans to publish the Human Rights and Democracy Report 2015.
tabling member constituency	Leeds Central
tabling member printed	Hilary Benn
uin	23908
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/01/2016 answer text The FCO plans to publish the 2015 Human Rights and Democracy Report in April 2016. answering member constituency Runnymede and Weybridge answering member printed Mr Philip Hammond question first answered 28/01/2016 16:34:50 answering member 105 label Biography information for Lord Hammond of Runnymede
tabling member	413 label Biography information for Hilary Benn

447234

registered interest
date	25/01/2016
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	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, whether his Department plans to use the criteria for identifying human rights countries of concern first published in the 2012 annual human rights and democracy report in the next edition of that report.
tabling member constituency	Leeds Central
tabling member printed	Hilary Benn
uin	23907
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/01/2016 answer text <p>For the 2015 Annual Human Rights Report, the FCO is applying the following criteria in identifying human rights priority countries: <br>• the human rights situation in the country <br>• evidence of a trajectory of change <br>• the extent of the FCO’s work on human rights in that country.</p> answering member constituency Runnymede and Weybridge answering member printed Mr Philip Hammond question first answered 28/01/2016 16:36:13 answering member 105 label Biography information for Lord Hammond of Runnymede
tabling member	413 label Biography information for Hilary Benn

447390

registered interest
date	25/01/2016
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	Capital Punishment
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 blog item on his Department's website, entitled FCO - Abolition of the death penalty remains a high priority, published on 4 August 2015, which countries have caused concern by their increased use of the death penalty.
tabling member constituency	Leeds Central
tabling member printed	Hilary Benn
uin	23995
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/01/2016 answer text The long-term trend is for the number of executions carried out and the number of states continuing to execute, to reduce each year. The Government’s hope and expectation is that this trend will continue. It is therefore a matter of concern when states which have refrained from executing for some years revert to use of the death penalty. One such country is Pakistan, which lifted its seven year moratorium on executions in 2014 following the attack on a school in Peshawar. Since then, Pakistan has executed an estimated 340 people. Our comprehensive list of countries of concern can be found in the 2014 Annual Human Rights Report, which includes our concerns with countries such as Saudi Arabia and their use of the death penalty. We continue to oppose its use in all forms, in all countries. answering member constituency Runnymede and Weybridge answering member printed Mr Philip Hammond question first answered 28/01/2016 17:48:06 answering member 105 label Biography information for Lord Hammond of Runnymede
tabling member	413 label Biography information for Hilary Benn

445939

registered interest
date	19/01/2016
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	Kamal Foroughi
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what further representations his Department plans to make to the Iranian government on securing the release of Kamal Foroughi from imprisonment.
tabling member constituency	Leeds Central
tabling member printed	Hilary Benn
uin	23102
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/01/2016 answer text <p>I have raised the case of Mr Foroughi with President Rouhani and Foreign Minister Zarif. The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron) spoke to President Rouhani in July 2015 about this case, followed up with a letter on 19 October requesting an update on Mr Foroughi’s welfare and requesting that consular access be granted. The Prime Minister spoke again to President Rouhani on the 19th of January. Mr Foroughi’s case was raised by the Prime Minister in that conversation. We will continue to raise this case, alongside our other consular cases with the Iranian government regularly, at all appropriate levels, including at Ministerial and through our embassy officials in Tehran.</p> answering member constituency Runnymede and Weybridge answering member printed Mr Philip Hammond question first answered 22/01/2016 14:03:02 answering member 105 label Biography information for Lord Hammond of Runnymede
tabling member	413 label Biography information for Hilary Benn

445940

registered interest
date	19/01/2016
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	Turkey: Arrests
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 he has made to the Turkish government on the arrest of academics (a) in general and (b) at the Kocaeli University in north-western Turkey.
tabling member constituency	Leeds Central
tabling member printed	Hilary Benn
uin	23103
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/01/2016 answer text I was concerned to hear reports of academics being arrested for expressing their views on the conflict in southeast Turkey. This included 15 academics from Kocaeli University who have subsequently been released. Our Ambassador in Turkey released a public statement on the issue, expressing concern. We regularly underline the importance of Fundamental Freedoms, including freedom of expression as part of our dialogue with the Turkish government. Freedom of expression and public debate must be respected without fear of intimidation. answering member constituency Runnymede and Weybridge answering member printed Mr Philip Hammond question first answered 22/01/2016 14:04:35 answering member 105 label Biography information for Lord Hammond of Runnymede
tabling member	413 label Biography information for Hilary Benn