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1105455

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	Equatorial Guinea: 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 plans he has to respond to concerns about the human rights situation in Equatorial Guinea.
tabling member constituency	Bristol West
tabling member printed	Thangam Debbonaire
uin	237688
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/04/2019 answer text <p>​We remain concerned about the human rights situation in Equatorial Guinea including; lack of freedom of expression and assembly, lack of transparency, lack of an independent judiciary, disproportionate punishment, use of torture, and detention conditions.We have no diplomatic mission or resident diplomatic staff in Equatorial Guinea. We use regular visits by our non-resident Ambassador (based in Cameroon) and discussions with the Chargé in London to raise human rights concerns.</p> answering member constituency West Worcestershire answering member printed Harriett Baldwin question first answered 01/04/2019 14:33:22 answering member 4107 label Biography information for Dame Harriett Baldwin
tabling member	4433 label Biography information for Thangam Debbonaire

1105472

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	Indian Ocean Tuna Commission
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, under what membership criteria the United Kingdom claims current membership of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission.
tabling member constituency	Kilmarnock and Loudoun
tabling member printed	Alan Brown
uin	237799
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/04/2019 answer text <p>The UK is a member of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) in right of the British Indian Ocean Territory, which is a coastal state within the geographic scope of the IOTC (see article IV of the IOTC Agreement).</p> answering member constituency Rutland and Melton answering member printed Sir Alan Duncan question first answered 01/04/2019 16:49:29 answering member 343 label Biography information for Sir Alan Duncan
tabling member	4470 label Biography information for Alan Brown

1105125

registered interest
date	26/03/2019
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	Cuba: Prince Charles
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 place in the Library a copy of the minutes of the meetings held between HRH the Prince of Wales and officials of the Cuban Government during his recent visit to that country.
tabling member constituency	Hyndburn
tabling member printed	Graham P Jones
uin	237046
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/04/2019 answer text <p>In accordance with long-standing Royal practice, The Prince of Wales’ conversations are private</p> answering member constituency Rutland and Melton answering member printed Sir Alan Duncan question first answered 01/04/2019 13:23:26 answering member 343 label Biography information for Sir Alan Duncan
tabling member	3999 label Biography information for Graham P Jones

1105184

registered interest
date	26/03/2019
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	Belarus: Diplomatic Relations
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 UK’s diplomatic relations with Belarus.
tabling member constituency	North East Fife
tabling member printed	Stephen Gethins
uin	237136
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/04/2019 answer text <p>​The UK has steadily increased its engagement with Belarus since the release of political prisoners and consequent lifting of the majority of EU Restrictive Measures in February 2016. UK engagement is focused on building regional stability in Europe's Eastern Neighbourhood and on encouraging Belarus' closer participation in the international rules-based system. This includes encouraging Belarus to show greater respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. We also continue to promote the economic, commercial and cultural links between our countries. I met President Lukashenka and Foreign Minister Makei respectively in September 2017 and in March 2018.</p> answering member constituency Rutland and Melton answering member printed Sir Alan Duncan question first answered 01/04/2019 13:57:03 answering member 343 label Biography information for Sir Alan Duncan
tabling member	4434 label Biography information for Stephen Gethins

1105185

registered interest
date	26/03/2019
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	Belarus: Human Rights and Press Freedom
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 promote (a) human rights and (b) press freedom in Belarus.
tabling member constituency	North East Fife
tabling member printed	Stephen Gethins
uin	237137
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/04/2019 answer text <p>​The UK remains concerned about the human rights situation in Belarus. We continue to urge Belarus to show greater respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, including media freedom. Our Ambassador in Minsk raised these issues most recently with the Belarusian Deputy Foreign Minister in a meeting on 19 February 2019. Our Embassy subsequently attended the trial of the editor of the independent online media outlet, tut.by. The UK also joined EU partners in raising human rights concerns during the EU-Belarus Coordination meeting on 12-13 December 2018. Through the Global Britain Fund, our Embassy funds a number of Human Rights projects, including support for Non-Governmental Organisations advocating a moratorium on the death penalty and support for the growth of independent media in Belarus.</p> answering member constituency Rutland and Melton answering member printed Sir Alan Duncan question first answered 01/04/2019 14:01:03 answering member 343 label Biography information for Sir Alan Duncan
tabling member	4434 label Biography information for Stephen Gethins

1105186

registered interest
date	26/03/2019
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	Baltic States and Eastern Europe: Disinformation
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 with his overseas counterparts to tackle the distribution of disinformation in (a) Ukraine, (b) Belarus and (c) the Baltic States.
tabling member constituency	North East Fife
tabling member printed	Stephen Gethins
uin	237138
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/04/2019 answer text <p>​We have a regular dialogue with international partners on the challenge posed by hostile state disinformation, including to align donor support in this field. The Foreign Secretary discussed disinformation at the EU Foreign Affairs Council on 21 January in the context of the European Commission's ambitious Action Plan Against Disinformation. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office's own dedicated Counter Disinformation and Media Development Programme aims to protect national security by countering disinformation directed at the UK and its Allies from Russia. It funds projects in a number of different countries that seek to enhance independent media, support civil society organisations that expose disinformation and share good practice with partner governments. Media plurality, institutional resilience and public awareness provide strong defences against disinformation, whatever the source, and sit at the heart of our efforts. In particular, we are supporting a new Open Information Partnership of European Non-Governmental Organisations, charities, academics, think-tanks and journalists which are working to respond to manipulated information in the news, social media and across the public space.</p> answering member constituency Rutland and Melton answering member printed Sir Alan Duncan question first answered 03/04/2019 15:24:39 answering member 343 label Biography information for Sir Alan Duncan
tabling member	4434 label Biography information for Stephen Gethins

1105187

registered interest
date	26/03/2019
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	Bahrain: Integrated Activity Fund
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 effectiveness of the his Department's Integrated Activity Fund in Bahrain .
tabling member constituency	North East Fife
tabling member printed	Stephen Gethins
uin	237139
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/04/2019 answer text <p>All programming is subject to governance arrangements and evaluation to ensure it continues to deliver in line with objectives.</p> answering member constituency Cities of London and Westminster answering member printed Mark Field question first answered 03/04/2019 16:13:01 answering member 1405 label Biography information for Mark Field
tabling member	4434 label Biography information for Stephen Gethins

1105193

registered interest
date	26/03/2019
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	Thailand: 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 discussions he has had with his Thai counterpart on the conduct of the recent elections in Thailand.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
uin	236999
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/04/2019 answer text <p>Ahead of the elections in Thailand on Sunday 24 March, the UK engaged in regular dialogue at Ministerial and senior official level with the Thai authorities and urged them to embrace a free and open environment in which elections could occur, including during Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha’s meeting with the Prime Minister in June 2018. Our Embassy in Bangkok also used every opportunity to press for the elections to be conducted in a transparent and peaceful manner.</p><p> </p><p>Following the elections on Sunday, I issued a statement welcoming the fact that elections had taken place and highlighted that it was important that any reported irregularities were investigated swiftly, fairly and transparently. I also emphasised that the process of government formation should be conducted in a proper and open manner, and reflect what people voted for.</p> answering member constituency Cities of London and Westminster answering member printed Mark Field question first answered 01/04/2019 13:10:05 answering member 1405 label Biography information for Mark Field
tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

1105201

registered interest
date	26/03/2019
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	Israel: Golan Heights
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 Government of (a) the United States and (b) Israel on sovereignty of the Golan Heights.
tabling member constituency	Mid Sussex
tabling member printed	Sir Nicholas Soames
uin	236977
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/04/2019 answer text <p>On 26 March officials from our Embassy in Washington raised our concerns with US counterparts about the US Presidential Proclamation recognising that the Golan Heights are part of the State of Israel. We are clear that the UK views the Golan Heights as territory occupied by Israel. Annexation of territory by force is prohibited under international law, including the UN Charter. The decision by the US to recognise lsraeli sovereignity over the Golan Heights is in contravention of UN Security Council Resolution 497. The UK did not recognise Israel's annexation in 1981 and we have no plans to change our position. On 26 March we joined Belgium, France, Germany and Poland at the UN Security Council in reiterating this position.</p> answering member constituency Cities of London and Westminster answering member printed Mark Field question first answered 01/04/2019 16:15:35 answering member 1405 label Biography information for Mark Field
tabling member	116 label Biography information for Lord Soames of Fletching

1105217

registered interest
date	26/03/2019
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	China: Minority Groups
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 will make to the Chinese Government on the protection of minorities in light of the recent allegations of forced organ harvesting in China.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow North East
tabling member printed	Mr Paul Sweeney
uin	237156
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/04/2019 answer text <p>We are aware of reports that allege that organ harvesting may be taking place in China, including suggestions that minority and religious groups are being specifically targeted. This includes the 2016 update to the Kilgour, Matas and Gutmann report and other information provided so far to the ongoing tribunal organised by the International Coalition to End Transplant Abuse in China. We continue to scrutinise the situation carefully and review new information as it becomes available. At present, however, our assessment is that there is not a strong enough evidential base to substantiate the claim that systematic state-sponsored or sanctioned organ harvesting is taking place in China. We therefore have no current plans to raise these allegations with the Chinese Government.</p> answering member constituency Cities of London and Westminster answering member printed Mark Field question first answered 01/04/2019 13:13:46 answering member 1405 label Biography information for Mark Field
tabling member	4642 label Biography information for Mr Paul Sweeney