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100079

registered interest
date	21/10/2014
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	Gibraltar: Spain
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anelay of St Johns (HL1709), how many incursions by Spanish state vessels into British Gibralter Territorial Waters there have been in 2014 to date and in each of the preceding five years; and, in the light of these numbers, what is their assessment of the efficacy of the defence of United Kingdom sovereignty over these waters using current methods.
tabling member printed	Lord Patten
uin	HL2285
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2014 answer text <p>There were 247 unlawful incursions between January and September this year. There were 103 in 2010, 24 in 2011, 229 in 2012 and 496 in 2013, as stated in the reply of 17 June, Official Report, column WA38, given by the former Senior Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, the right hon. Baroness Warsi. The Government cannot readily provide statistics for incursions before 2010 as this could only be obtained at a disproportionate cost.</p><p>Incursions are a violation of sovereignty, not a threat to it. They do not change the fact of British sovereignty over British Gibraltar Territorial Waters. The Government challenges and protests all unlawful incursions and these actions effectively defend our sovereignty over British Gibraltar Territorial waters.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 29/10/2014 15:24:51 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	1137 label Biography information for Lord Patten

92759

registered interest
date	13/10/2014
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	Turkey
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had, or intend to have, with President Erdogan over the nature of secular society in Turkey.
tabling member printed	Lord Patten
uin	HL1995
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/10/2014 answer text We and our EU partners regularly engage with the Turkish government on the full range of EU accession matters, including on human rights and freedom of religion and belief. We are encouraged by the progress Turkey has made on these issues. In particular, we welcome the steps taken to protect the interests of religious minorities in Turkey. This includes the freedom granted to hold religious services at the Greek Orthodox Sumela Monastery and Armenian Orthodox Akdamar Church; updated religious textbooks for schools; and the returning of property seized by the state to religious minorities. We are also encouraged by the ‘democratisation package’ announced by the Turkish government in October 2013, aimed at addressing concerns over minority rights. answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 24/10/2014 12:57:03 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	1137 label Biography information for Lord Patten

92760

registered interest
date	13/10/2014
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	Turkey
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the effect on Anglo–Turkish internet communications of the law passed on 10 September allowing the government of Turkey to block websites for up to four hours without authorisation by a court.
tabling member printed	Lord Patten
uin	HL1996
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2014 answer text <p>On 2 October, the Turkish Constitutional Court annulled provisions which had been introduced in September in the law on the internet, which had extended the Turkish government’s powers over the blocking of websites. The UK fully supports the EU’s efforts to encourage the Turkish government to ensure that any new internet legislation is implemented in line with EU standards and does not infringe on freedom of expression. We believe the internet and social media have vital roles to play in a modern democracy.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 21/10/2014 14:51:56 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	1137 label Biography information for Lord Patten

92761

registered interest
date	13/10/2014
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	Turkey
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anelay of St Johns on 26 September (HL1788), whether it is their assessment that the freedom of worship of British Christian and Jewish visitors to Turkey is unfettered and exists in all regions of the country.
tabling member printed	Lord Patten
uin	HL1997
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2014 answer text <p>It is our assessment that British Christians and Jewish visitors do have the freedom to worship there. The EU’s Annual Progress Report on Turkey (October 2014) stated that freedom of worship continued to be generally respected. It also highlighted that more work needed to be done on all fundamental freedoms to ensure that people can exercise these rights unhindered. The UK, together with its EU partners, will continue to encourage Turkey to make progress on these issues.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 21/10/2014 14:49:33 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	1137 label Biography information for Lord Patten

89946

registered interest
date	01/09/2014
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	Turkey
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Popat on 11 August (HL1600), whether their assessment is that British Christian and Jewish visitors to Turkey do or do not have freedom of worship in those countries.
tabling member printed	Lord Patten
uin	HL1788
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/09/2014 answer text <p>It is our assessment that British Christian and Jewish visitors to Turkey do have freedom to worship there. The Turkish government is continuing to improve protections for all religious minorities in Turkey and we welcome this.</p><p>We and our EU partners assess however that more needs to be done to entrench freedom of religion for all in Turkey and we will continue to encourage the Turkish authorities to make further progress, as part of our wider human rights dialogue.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 15/09/2014 09:44:08 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	1137 label Biography information for Lord Patten

89947

registered interest
date	01/09/2014
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	Gibraltar: Spain
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Warsi on 30 July (HL1323), why they accept that the European Commission has a locus in the matter of the border between Spain and Gibraltar; and whether they consider that locus to apply to action by the European Commission concerning incursions into British Gibraltar territorial waters by Spanish vessels from Spanish territorial waters.
tabling member printed	Lord Patten
uin	HL1789
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/09/2014 answer text <p>Gibraltar forms part of the EU and the EU provisions on the free movement of workers, capital and services apply to Gibraltar. Spain is entitled to establish checks at the border with Gibraltar, but these checks must be proportionate and non-discriminatory in order to remain in compliance with EU law. Pursuant to its role as guardian of the EU treaties the European Commission has an important role to play in assessing whether Spain has complied with these EU law obligations. We have made consistently clear to the Commission that we believe Spain has breached EU law in this area and the Commission recently agreed that the checks giving rise to waiting several hours to cross the border were disproportionate.</p><p>Incursions by Spanish state vessels into British Gibraltar Territorial Waters raise issues under the international law of the sea rather than under EU law. The UK robustly defends its sovereignty over British Gibraltar Territorial Waters by challenging all unlawful incursions and by making formal protests to the Spanish government.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 15/09/2014 09:42:41 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	1137 label Biography information for Lord Patten

79708

registered interest
date	28/07/2014
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	Turkey
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the freedom to worship of British Christian and Jewish visitors to Turkey.
tabling member printed	Lord Patten
uin	HL1600
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/08/2014 answer text <p>We regularly discuss issues concerning Freedom of Religion and Belief with the Turkish government, religious leaders and non-governmental organisations in that country.</p><p>We are encouraged by positive steps taken by the Turkish government to improve protections for all religious minorities in Turkey. However, we share the assessment of the EU that more needs to be done to safeguard freedom of religion in Turkey.</p><p>Freedom of religion is a fundamental freedom that all, including those visiting a country, are entitled to.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Popat question first answered 11/08/2014 11:03:33 answering member 4173 label Biography information for Lord Popat
tabling member	1137 label Biography information for Lord Patten

79709

registered interest
date	28/07/2014
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	Indonesia
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the freedom to worship of British Christian and Jewish visitors to Indonesia.
tabling member printed	Lord Patten
uin	HL1601
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/08/2014 answer text <p>Indonesia has a strong tradition of religious diversity and tolerance and in general those of minority faiths in Indonesia, including any British visitors, are able to practice their religion. Various denominations of Christian churches are well represented across Indonesia. The Jewish community in Indonesia is very small, although there is at least one working synagogue. However, we are concerned that there has been a rise of localised instances of inter-and intra-religious conflict, and examples where the rights of religious minority groups have not been protected.</p><p>The former Senior Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Rt Hon Baroness Warsi, convened meetings of international leaders, including with the Foreign Minister of Indonesia, to generate practical steps to promote freedom of religion or belief, and to fight religious intolerance within our societies. Our Ambassador in Jakarta has discussed these issues with Indonesian Ministers, civil society, and religious leaders. We have supported projects to improve respect for freedom of religion or belief. We also raise freedom of religion and belief concerns at the annual EU-Indonesia Human Rights Dialogue. We continue to monitor the situation and raise any concerns with the Government of Indonesia.</p> answering member printed Lord Popat question first answered 11/08/2014 11:07:32 answering member 4173 label Biography information for Lord Popat
tabling member	1137 label Biography information for Lord Patten

79710

registered interest
date	28/07/2014
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	Brunei
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the freedom to worship of British Christian and Jewish visitors to Brunei.
tabling member printed	Lord Patten
uin	HL1602
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/08/2014 answer text <p>British visitors can worship at Anglican and Catholic Churches in Brunei. The former Senior Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Rt Hon Baroness Warsi, attended an Easter Sunday service at St Andrew’s Church on 20 April. There are no synagogues but private worship is permitted.</p><p>Brunei’s constitution protects religious freedom. In practice though, restrictions are imposed by administrative regulations and laws, including under the phased implementation of the Sharia (Syariah) Penal Code Order 2013. For example, proselytism by faiths other than the officially sanctioned Shafi’i school of Islam is not permitted. We urged Brunei to protect their citizens' constitutional rights to freedom of religion or belief, and to not impose restrictions on minority faith groups at their Universal Periodic Review at the United Nations Human Rights Council in May.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Popat question first answered 11/08/2014 11:15:30 answering member 4173 label Biography information for Lord Popat
tabling member	1137 label Biography information for Lord Patten

79711

registered interest
date	28/07/2014
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	Religious Freedom
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they place any restrictions on the freedom to worship of those of all faiths from Brunei, Indonesia or Turkey visiting the United Kingdom.
tabling member printed	Lord Patten
uin	HL1603
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/08/2014 answer text <p>The UK does not place any restrictions on freedom to worship by those of all faiths from any country. Freedom of religion or belief and respect for religious diversity and pluralism is at the heart of British society.</p><p>Religious freedom is a valuable indicator of wider democratic principles and is often a test of other fundamental freedoms.</p><p>We stress that freedom of religion or belief and freedom of expression are interdependent, interrelated and mutually reinforcing.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Popat question first answered 11/08/2014 11:09:17 answering member 4173 label Biography information for Lord Popat
tabling member	1137 label Biography information for Lord Patten