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1002685

registered interest
date	06/11/2018
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	Syria: Abduction
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent assessment her Department has made of the risk of kidnap for ransom to (a) aid workers and (b) other representatives of non-governmental organisations operating in Idlib province in Syria.
tabling member constituency	Islington South and Finsbury
tabling member printed	Emily Thornberry
uin	188759
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/11/2018 answer text <p>Kidnapping for ransom poses a threat to the safety and security of aid workers and NGO staff operating throughout Syria, including in Idlib province. The UK continues to call on all parties to respect international humanitarian law and protect civilians and humanitarian actors, so aid can reach those in desperate need, and those responding to the crisis can help the most vulnerable without fear of attack. Under a duty of care to their staff, humanitarian agencies should be conducting risk assessments and taking appropriate mitigating action to protect workers. The UK will continue to support any action to protect humanitarian actors throughout the country.</p><p> </p><p>The UK does not make ransom payments, on the basis that providing money or property fuels terrorist activity and encourages further kidnappings. Any payment to, or for the benefit of, a proscribed terrorist organisation is contrary to UN sanctions, and therefore illegal. DFID aid complies with UK and international counter terrorism legislation, and our funding agreements commit partners to understand and comply with international counter terrorism legislation. All partners undergo a stringent due diligence process and strict controls and procedures are in place to prevent diversion, to ensure that UK aid reaches its intended beneficiaries.</p> answering member constituency North East Bedfordshire answering member printed Alistair Burt grouped question UIN 188761 question first answered 13/11/2018 17:58:53 answering member 1201 label Biography information for Alistair Burt
tabling member	1536 label Biography information for Emily Thornberry

1002686

registered interest
date	06/11/2018
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	Syria: Abduction
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 her Department holds on the organisations responsible for the kidnap for ransom of (a) aid workers and (b) other representatives of non-governmental organisations operating in Idlib province in Syria.
tabling member constituency	Islington South and Finsbury
tabling member printed	Emily Thornberry
uin	188760
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/11/2018 answer text <p>​A number of armed groups operate in Idlib province, several of which have either engaged in or pose a risk of kidnap for ransom. There remains a very high risk of kidnapping in Idlib and throughout Syria, which can be for financial or political gain. An individual's occupation may not protect them against kidnapping, and many terrorists in Syria view those engaged in humanitarian aid work as legitimate targets. We continue to advise British nationals against travel to Syria and our Travel Advice highlights the very real threat from kidnapping.</p> answering member constituency North East Bedfordshire answering member printed Alistair Burt question first answered 12/11/2018 16:08:41 answering member 1201 label Biography information for Alistair Burt
tabling member	1536 label Biography information for Emily Thornberry

1002687

registered interest
date	06/11/2018
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	Syria: Abduction
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether funding allocated by her Department to non-governmental organisations operating in Idlib province in Syria has been used to make ransom payments to obtain the release of kidnapped aid workers in 2018.
tabling member constituency	Islington South and Finsbury
tabling member printed	Emily Thornberry
uin	188761
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/11/2018 answer text <p>Kidnapping for ransom poses a threat to the safety and security of aid workers and NGO staff operating throughout Syria, including in Idlib province. The UK continues to call on all parties to respect international humanitarian law and protect civilians and humanitarian actors, so aid can reach those in desperate need, and those responding to the crisis can help the most vulnerable without fear of attack. Under a duty of care to their staff, humanitarian agencies should be conducting risk assessments and taking appropriate mitigating action to protect workers. The UK will continue to support any action to protect humanitarian actors throughout the country.</p><p> </p><p>The UK does not make ransom payments, on the basis that providing money or property fuels terrorist activity and encourages further kidnappings. Any payment to, or for the benefit of, a proscribed terrorist organisation is contrary to UN sanctions, and therefore illegal. DFID aid complies with UK and international counter terrorism legislation, and our funding agreements commit partners to understand and comply with international counter terrorism legislation. All partners undergo a stringent due diligence process and strict controls and procedures are in place to prevent diversion, to ensure that UK aid reaches its intended beneficiaries.</p> answering member constituency North East Bedfordshire answering member printed Alistair Burt grouped question UIN 188759 question first answered 13/11/2018 17:58:53 answering member 1201 label Biography information for Alistair Burt
tabling member	1536 label Biography information for Emily Thornberry

1002690

registered interest
date	06/11/2018
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	Tanzania: Politics and Government
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 validity of the grounds for the detention of the Tanzanian MP Zitto Kabwe by that country’s security services on 31 October 2018.
tabling member constituency	Islington South and Finsbury
tabling member printed	Emily Thornberry
uin	188764
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/11/2018 answer text <p>The British Government is concerned about the arbitrary arrest of opposition parliamentarians in Tanzania. Most recently on 2 November, following the arrest and detention of MP Zitto Kabwe the British High Commission in Dar es Salaam raised the case with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, urging the Tanzanian authorities to follow due process. We have subsequently also raised the case with the Minister of Home Affairs. Additionally, the High Commissioner met with Zitto Kabwe on 7 November to hear first hand his account of his detention and subsequent treatment.</p> answering member constituency West Worcestershire answering member printed Harriett Baldwin question first answered 14/11/2018 15:23:20 answering member 4107 label Biography information for Dame Harriett Baldwin
tabling member	1536 label Biography information for Emily Thornberry

1002691

registered interest
date	06/11/2018
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	Tanzania: Politics and Government
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 ask the Chair of the Commonwealth Ministerial Advisory Group to initiate an inquiry into the recent conduct of the Government of Tanzania to assess its potential infringement of the Commonwealth's shared political values.
tabling member constituency	Islington South and Finsbury
tabling member printed	Emily Thornberry
uin	188765
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/11/2018 answer text <p>We are in close contact with the Commonwealth Secretariat and with other Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) members on a range of issues related to the observance of the Commonwealth's fundamental political values. The Commonwealth Secretariat and the Secretary General assess whether there has been a serious or persistent violation of the Commonwealth's political values, including by bringing matters to CMAG's attention. However, discussions between CMAG members are by convention not disclosed. Alongside international partners we will continue to raise our concerns at the deteriorating human rights situation with the Government of Tanzania.</p> answering member constituency West Worcestershire answering member printed Harriett Baldwin question first answered 13/11/2018 15:31:05 answering member 4107 label Biography information for Dame Harriett Baldwin
tabling member	1536 label Biography information for Emily Thornberry

1002692

registered interest
date	06/11/2018
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	Tanzania: Politics and Government
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 fair and impartial trials of members of the Tanzanian parliament facing criminal charges in that country.
tabling member constituency	Islington South and Finsbury
tabling member printed	Emily Thornberry
uin	188766
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/11/2018 answer text <p>The British Government is concerned about the arbitrary arrest and detention of opposition parliamentarians in Tanzania and the deteriorating space for democracy and human rights. Most recently on 2 November, following the arrest and detention of an opposition MP the British High Commission in Dar es Salaam raised the case with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, urging the Tanzanian authorities to follow due process. We have subsequently also raised the case with the Minister of Home Affairs.</p> answering member constituency West Worcestershire answering member printed Harriett Baldwin question first answered 14/11/2018 15:25:01 answering member 4107 label Biography information for Dame Harriett Baldwin
tabling member	1536 label Biography information for Emily Thornberry

1002693

registered interest
date	06/11/2018
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	Tanzania: Politics and Government
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 his counterpart in Tanzania on recent prosecutions of members of that country’s political opposition under the provisions of that country's penal code criminalising speech deemed insulting to the president.
tabling member constituency	Islington South and Finsbury
tabling member printed	Emily Thornberry
uin	188767
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/11/2018 answer text <p>When I met the Tanzanian Minister for Constitutional and Legal Affairs on 11 October we discussed democracy and political space in Tanzania. On 2 November, following the arrest and detention of an opposition MP, the British High Commission in Dar es Salaam raised the case with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, urging the Tanzanian authorities to follow due process. We have subsequently also raised the case with the Minister of Home Affairs. We will continue to raise publicly and privately our concerns with the Government of Tanzania on developments which threaten democratic values and the rights of all Tanzanians.</p> answering member constituency West Worcestershire answering member printed Harriett Baldwin question first answered 13/11/2018 15:32:19 answering member 4107 label Biography information for Dame Harriett Baldwin
tabling member	1536 label Biography information for Emily Thornberry

1002695

registered interest
date	06/11/2018
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	Tanzania: LGBT+ People
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 representations to his counterpart in Tanzania urging the Government of that country to prevent the proposed rounding up of LGBT people by the local authorities in Dar es Salaam.
tabling member constituency	Islington South and Finsbury
tabling member printed	Emily Thornberry
uin	188769
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/11/2018 answer text <p>I am concerned by reports of threats against the LGBT community in Tanzania. The British High Commission, alongside international partners, carried out a demarche on the Tanzanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 2 November, urging the authorities to respect human rights and protect all citizens from discrimination. I welcome the Government of Tanzania's statement on 4 November making clear that such threats do not represent government policy, and that it will protect human rights as enshrined in the country's constitution. We must all reject language that invites violence against any group in society.</p> answering member constituency West Worcestershire answering member printed Harriett Baldwin question first answered 13/11/2018 15:33:28 answering member 4107 label Biography information for Dame Harriett Baldwin
tabling member	1536 label Biography information for Emily Thornberry

1002700

registered interest
date	06/11/2018
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	Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the Government’s priorities have been for the 51st session of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organisation, held in Vienna on 5 to 7 November 2018.
tabling member constituency	Islington South and Finsbury
tabling member printed	Emily Thornberry
uin	188771
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/11/2018 answer text <p>The UK has always strongly supported the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty and the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organisation (CTBTO). Our goal is to see this Treaty enter into force and bring an end to nuclear weapon test explosions or any other nuclear explosion. We used the Preparatory Committee to continue conversations on how to continue to best support the CTBTO. We continue to press for ratification by those countries who will bring the Treaty into force (Annex II countries). We continue to support the CTBTO's verification system, which is a unique and immensely important international asset. We have supported the 2019 Budget Update but have also called on all States Signatories in arrears of their assessed contributions to make payments to reduce their arrears as a matter of urgency. We continue to participate in and support both of the CTBTO's working groups.</p> answering member constituency Rutland and Melton answering member printed Sir Alan Duncan question first answered 12/11/2018 12:08:29 answering member 343 label Biography information for Sir Alan Duncan
tabling member	1536 label Biography information for Emily Thornberry

1001925

registered interest
date	05/11/2018
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	Development Aid: Human Rights
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether UK official development assistance supports the work of agencies cited for human rights abuses in the October 2018 Human Rights Watch report Two authorities, one way, zero dissent.
tabling member constituency	Islington South and Finsbury
tabling member printed	Emily Thornberry
uin	188039
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/11/2018 answer text <p>UK Official Development Assistance does not provide financial assistance or assets to support the Palestinian Authority (PA) agencies implicated in the Human Rights Watch report and continues to have a no contact policy with Hamas in its entirety. The report has made some serious and concerning allegations about human rights violations by the PA and we have immediately raised our concerns with the Palestinian Ministry of Interior. We continue to urge the PA to respect human rights, to ensure complaints of mistreatment or arbitrary detention are properly investigated and to continue to improve the performance of the security sector.</p><p> </p><p>The Ministry of Defence (MOD) currently delivers training courses and supports the development of training institutions across the Palestinian Authority security sector. Participants from two agencies referenced in the report, the Preventative Security Organisation and General Intelligence Service, have attended courses delivered by the MOD and by training institutions that are supported by the MOD. These courses serve to reinforce accountability, responsible governance and a common approach to the upholding of human rights and human rights law.</p> answering member constituency North East Bedfordshire answering member printed Alistair Burt question first answered 14/11/2018 17:04:07 answering member 1201 label Biography information for Alistair Burt
tabling member	1536 label Biography information for Emily Thornberry