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914715

registered interest
date	01/06/2018
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	Iran: BBC Persian 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 assessment his Department has made of the criminal charges issued by the Iranian authorities against BBC Persian staff; and what representations he has made to his Iranian counterpart on that subject.
tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
tabling member printed	Tom Brake
uin	148591
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/06/2018 answer text <p>We are concerned by the charges against BBC Persian staff. I call upon the Government of Iran to cease all such action against BBC staff and their families, and to end harassment of independent journalists, whether affiliated to the BBC or not. Freedom of expression and freedom of the press are essential to a free and open society.</p><p>We expressed our concern about Iranian treatment of BBC Persian staff at the UN Human Rights Council on 12 March and both the Foreign Secretary and I have raised the issue, including the criminal charges, with our Iranian counterparts on several occasions. Most recently I raised these issues during my visit to Tehran on 29 April. We will continue to raise the treatment of BBC Persian staff and their families with the Iranian government at all levels.</p> answering member constituency North East Bedfordshire answering member printed Alistair Burt question first answered 06/06/2018 14:17:06 answering member 1201 label Biography information for Alistair Burt
tabling member	151 label Biography information for Tom Brake

914716

registered interest
date	01/06/2018
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	Iran: BBC Persian Service
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 personally raise the matter of criminal charges against BBC Persian staff during his next meeting with his Iranian counterpart or at the earliest opportunity.
tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
tabling member printed	Tom Brake
uin	148592
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/06/2018 answer text <p>We are concerned by the charges against BBC Persian staff. I call upon the Government of Iran to cease all such action against BBC staff and their families, and to end harassment of independent journalists, whether affiliated to the BBC or not. Freedom of expression and freedom of the press are essential to a free and open society.</p><p>We expressed our concern about Iranian treatment of BBC Persian staff at the UN Human Rights Council on 12 March and both the Foreign Secretary and I have raised the issue, including the criminal charges, with our Iranian counterparts on several occasions. Most recently I raised these issues during my visit to Tehran on 29 April. We will continue to raise the treatment of BBC Persian staff and their families with the Iranian government at all levels.</p> answering member constituency North East Bedfordshire answering member printed Alistair Burt question first answered 06/06/2018 14:19:54 answering member 1201 label Biography information for Alistair Burt
tabling member	151 label Biography information for Tom Brake

914733

registered interest
date	01/06/2018
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	South Sudan: Peace Negotiations
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 prospects for a durable peace settlement to end the civil war in South Sudan following the Intergovernmental Authority on Development-mediated negotiations between the parties to that conflict.
tabling member constituency	Islington South and Finsbury
tabling member printed	Emily Thornberry
uin	148682
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/06/2018 answer text <p>The third phase of the High Level Revitalisation Forum closed on 23 May with the parties unable to reach agreement on the key governance and security issues that are essential for long term peace. However, following a meeting of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD)'s Council of Ministers, IGAD has decided to convene a further round of discussions between the parties to push for a viable agreement.</p><p>The UK continues to engage closely with IGAD and its member states to urge them to take clear, robust action against those who violate the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (COHA). Violations have continued since the agreement was signed in December. The Minister for Africa, along with senior officials including the UK Ambassador to South Sudan and the UK Special Representative, consistently raise the UK's concerns about ongoing violations of the COHA with IGAD and its member states, and continue to urge swift action against spoilers.</p><p>We continue to provide financial and political support to the ceasefire monitoring body, the Ceasefire and Transitional Security Arrangements Monitoring Mechanism (CTSAMM), to ensure that it is able to continue reporting on violations in a timely manner. We are nevertheless concerned that some CTSAMM reports have not been made public. The UK therefore continues to call on IGAD to ensure that reports are published in a timely manner and acted upon quickly.</p> answering member constituency Uxbridge and South Ruislip answering member printed Boris Johnson grouped question UIN 148692 148693 148694 question first answered 08/06/2018 12:05:25 answering member 1423 label Biography information for Boris Johnson
tabling member	1536 label Biography information for Emily Thornberry

914734

registered interest
date	01/06/2018
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	South Sudan: Peacekeeping Operations
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what information his Department holds on the number of instances of (a) obstruction of free movement of UN peacekeepers and (b) other violations of the status of forces agreement between the UN and South Sudan by the Government of that country in (i) 2017 and (ii) 2018.
tabling member constituency	Islington South and Finsbury
tabling member printed	Emily Thornberry
uin	148683
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/06/2018 answer text <p>Information on the number of instances of violations of the status of forces agreement is recorded by the UN, and is published on the website of the Security Council in the UN Secretary General's reports on South Sudan.</p><p>From December 2016 to November 2017, the UN reports that 191 violations of the status of forces agreement occurred. This included 104 instances of the obstruction of the free movement of peacekeepers.</p><p>From November 2017 to February 2018, the UN reports that 30 violations of the status of forces agreement occurred. This included 12 instances of the obstruction of the free movement of peacekeepers.</p> answering member constituency Uxbridge and South Ruislip answering member printed Boris Johnson question first answered 08/06/2018 12:08:25 answering member 1423 label Biography information for Boris Johnson
tabling member	1536 label Biography information for Emily Thornberry

914735

registered interest
date	01/06/2018
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	South Sudan: 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, with reference to UN Security Council Resolution 2406, what steps the Government is taking to support the provision of technical advice and assistance to the Government and security forces of South Sudan on (a) compliance with international humanitarian law and (b) the investigation and prosecution of human rights abuses.
tabling member constituency	Islington South and Finsbury
tabling member printed	Emily Thornberry
uin	148684
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/06/2018 answer text <p>The Government does not provide bilateral technical advice and assistance on compliance with international humanitarian law or on the investigation and prosecution of human rights abuses to the Government of South Sudan or to the South Sudanese security forces.</p><p>We welcomed the Security Council's 15 March decision to renew the mandate of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). This includes providing technical assistance and advice on international humanitarian law and on investigating and prosecuting human rights violations. The UK strongly supports UNMISS and has deployed over 300 troops to enable the Mission to deliver its mandate effectively.</p><p>In March this year, we gave our strong support to the renewal of the mandate of the Commission for Human Rights in South Sudan, to monitor and report on the human rights situation, to collect and preserve evidence, and to clarify those groups and individuals who are responsible.</p> answering member constituency Uxbridge and South Ruislip answering member printed Boris Johnson question first answered 08/06/2018 12:10:29 answering member 1423 label Biography information for Boris Johnson
tabling member	1536 label Biography information for Emily Thornberry

914736

registered interest
date	01/06/2018
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	South Sudan: Conflict Resolution
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 merits of the August 2015 agreement on the resolution of the conflict in the Republic of South Sudan as a framework for ending the civil war in that country.
tabling member constituency	Islington South and Finsbury
tabling member printed	Emily Thornberry
uin	148685
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/06/2018 answer text <p>The Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan (ARCSS), signed in 2015, was not able to prevent the outbreak of violence in 2016. This is why, last year, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) began mediating on a process for revitalising the 2015 agreement through a High Level Revitalisation Forum (HLRF), in order to address the issues that led to conflict.</p><p>The third phase of the HLRF closed on 23 May with the parties unable to reach agreement on the key governance and security issues. IGAD has since decided to take forward one further round of discussions to seek compromise. The British Government has called on the parties participating in the HLRF to make the necessary compromises for peace, and to form an inclusive Transitional Government of National Unity that is fully representative of the varied groups in South Sudan.</p> answering member constituency Uxbridge and South Ruislip answering member printed Boris Johnson grouped question UIN 148686 question first answered 08/06/2018 12:12:47 answering member 1423 label Biography information for Boris Johnson
tabling member	1536 label Biography information for Emily Thornberry

914737

registered interest
date	01/06/2018
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	South Sudan: Conflict Resolution
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 the composition of the Government of South Sudan constitutes a transitional government of national unity in accordance with the terms of the August 2015 agreement on the resolution of the conflict in the Republic of South Sudan.
tabling member constituency	Islington South and Finsbury
tabling member printed	Emily Thornberry
uin	148686
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/06/2018 answer text <p>The Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in South Sudan (ARCSS), signed in 2015, was not able to prevent the outbreak of violence in 2016. This is why, last year, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) began mediating on a process for revitalising the 2015 agreement through a High Level Revitalisation Forum (HLRF), in order to address the issues that led to conflict.</p><p>The third phase of the HLRF closed on 23 May with the parties unable to reach agreement on the key governance and security issues. IGAD has since decided to take forward one further round of discussions to seek compromise. The British Government has called on the parties participating in the HLRF to make the necessary compromises for peace, and to form an inclusive Transitional Government of National Unity that is fully representative of the varied groups in South Sudan.</p> answering member constituency Uxbridge and South Ruislip answering member printed Boris Johnson grouped question UIN 148685 question first answered 08/06/2018 12:12:47 answering member 1423 label Biography information for Boris Johnson
tabling member	1536 label Biography information for Emily Thornberry

914738

registered interest
date	01/06/2018
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	South Sudan: Peacekeeping Operations
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 progress towards full deployment of the Regional Protection Force to South Sudan in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 2304 of August 2016.
tabling member constituency	Islington South and Finsbury
tabling member printed	Emily Thornberry
uin	148687
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/06/2018 answer text <p>Detachments of troops from Rwanda, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Ethiopia have arrived and are now operational in Juba, bringing the total number of Regional Protection Force (RPF) troops to 1,030.</p><p>The UK gave our strong support to the Security Council's decision to renew the mandate of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) which, extended to March 2019, maintains UNMISS's overall troop ceiling of 17,000, and includes the RPF's deployment of 4,000 troops. We continue to engage with the UN Secretary General's office, and with the Head of UNMISS, to encourage the full and swift deployment of the RPF.</p> answering member constituency Uxbridge and South Ruislip answering member printed Boris Johnson grouped question UIN 148688 question first answered 08/06/2018 12:15:40 answering member 1423 label Biography information for Boris Johnson
tabling member	1536 label Biography information for Emily Thornberry

914739

registered interest
date	01/06/2018
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	South Sudan: Peacekeeping Operations
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 4,000 troops is the appropriate level for the Regional Protection Force in South Sudan; and what recent discussions he has had with the UN Secretary-General on the proposed number of troops to be deployed as part of that force.
tabling member constituency	Islington South and Finsbury
tabling member printed	Emily Thornberry
uin	148688
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/06/2018 answer text <p>Detachments of troops from Rwanda, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Ethiopia have arrived and are now operational in Juba, bringing the total number of Regional Protection Force (RPF) troops to 1,030.</p><p>The UK gave our strong support to the Security Council's decision to renew the mandate of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) which, extended to March 2019, maintains UNMISS's overall troop ceiling of 17,000, and includes the RPF's deployment of 4,000 troops. We continue to engage with the UN Secretary General's office, and with the Head of UNMISS, to encourage the full and swift deployment of the RPF.</p> answering member constituency Uxbridge and South Ruislip answering member printed Boris Johnson grouped question UIN 148687 question first answered 08/06/2018 12:15:40 answering member 1423 label Biography information for Boris Johnson
tabling member	1536 label Biography information for Emily Thornberry

914740

registered interest
date	01/06/2018
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	South Sudan: Humanitarian Aid
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 counterpart in the US Administration on its review of financial assistance to South Sudan; what information his Department holds on the options under consideration; and when he expects that review to be completed.
tabling member constituency	Islington South and Finsbury
tabling member printed	Emily Thornberry
uin	148689
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/06/2018 answer text <p>The US Government announced on 8 May that it would initiate a comprehensive review of its assistance programmes to South Sudan, which will include a focus on ensuring that US Government funding is not being diverted to fuel conflict.</p><p>Through our Troika partnership, the British Government continues to work closely with the US Government as the latter begins its comprehensive review. We are committed to working with the US and all of our international partners to address the suffering of the South Sudanese people, and to promote the cause of peace in South Sudan.</p> answering member constituency Uxbridge and South Ruislip answering member printed Boris Johnson question first answered 08/06/2018 12:18:04 answering member 1423 label Biography information for Boris Johnson
tabling member	1536 label Biography information for Emily Thornberry