The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has lobbied countries across the globe to ensure that British nationals who are waiting to be repatriated are not regarded as over-stayers and will not suffer any immigration penalties. We advise British nationals who are in this position to contact the relevant immigration authority in the country in which they are located. In a number of countries, including Thailand and Indonesia, we have provided British national travellers with expiring visas with letters and information notes from the Consulate to support their visa extension requests.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4366", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for James Cleverly"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Braintree"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "James Cleverly"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-05-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-05-07T15:54:37.58Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2020-05-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "British Nationals Abroad: Coronavirus"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support British nationals overseas whose visas have expired during the lockdown period; and what recent discussions his Department has had with its overseas counterparts on ensuring that those British nationals are not unfairly sanctioned by those states.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4802", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Suzanne Webb"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Stourbridge"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Suzanne Webb"} ], "uin" : "42208"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1192092", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1192092/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Saudi Arabia is an important strategic partner to the UK in tackling potential security and terrorist threats to the UK and other countries. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not currently run any security, justice or policing support in Saudi Arabia. The British Government has worked with the Government of Saudi Arabia on a range of mutually beneficial security and policing priorities. All of our cooperation is subject to individual rigorous human rights risk assessments (Overseas Security and Justice Assistance assessments), to ensure all work meets our human rights obligations.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4366", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for James Cleverly"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Braintree"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "James Cleverly"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-05-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "previousAnswerVersion" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1192092/answer/previousversion/19492", "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4366", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for James Cleverly"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Braintree"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "James Cleverly"} } , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-05-07T14:57:27.503Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2020-05-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Saudi Arabia: Security"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what (a) security, (b) justice and (c) policing support his Department provided to Saudi Arabia in (i) 2018, (ii) 2019 and (iii) 2020.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4738", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Alyn Smith"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Stirling"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Alyn Smith"} ], "uin" : "42183"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1192095", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1192095/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
HMG currently has 10 Overseas Security and Justice Assistance assessments (OSJAs) for ongoing security activity in Saudi Arabia. Collecting information on historic OSJAs across Government will take more time. OSJAs are owned by several departments. Due to the confidential nature of our cooperation we cannot share information beyond this. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 2020 is not leading any programmes, and therefore has no OSJAs.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4366", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for James Cleverly"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Braintree"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "James Cleverly"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-05-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "previousAnswerVersion" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1192095/answer/previousversion/19487", "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4366", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for James Cleverly"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Braintree"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "James Cleverly"} } , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-05-13T15:37:12.857Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2020-05-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Saudi Arabia: Security"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many Overseas Security and Justice Assistance (OSJA) assessments were undertaken in respect of security, justice and policing support to Saudi Arabia in (a) 2018, (b) 2019 and (c) 2020; how many of those OSJA assessments were approved; and which Ministers approved each of those OSJA assessments.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4738", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Alyn Smith"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Stirling"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Alyn Smith"} ], "uin" : "42184"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1192101", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1192101/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
We welcome the decision by Saudi Arabia to end the use of the death penalty as a discretionary punishment for minors, including those under the age of 18 at the time of the alleged crime.<\/p>
We remain concerned about the cases of Ali al Nimr, Dawood al Marhoon and Abdullah Hasan al-Zaher, and continue to follow them closely.<\/p>
The Saudi authorities understand our position that we oppose the death penalty in all circumstances and especially in cases that involve child defendants. This position is in line with the minimum standards set out in the 2008 EU Guidelines on the Death Penalty; the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; and, the Arab Charter on Human Rights.<\/p>
The former Minister for the Middle East and North Africa raised our concerns about the death penalty with Deputy Justice Minister HE Abdullah Al Sulaimi on 11 February. The Foreign Secretary also raised our human rights concerns with Saudi Arabia during his visit in March this year.<\/p>
We will continue to raise our concerns with the Government of Saudi Arabia to promote the protection of all child defendants against the death penalty regardless of the crime committed. We will encourage the authorities to review death penalty judgements for all minors, or individuals who were minors when the crime was committed.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4366", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for James Cleverly"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Braintree"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "James Cleverly"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-05-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "previousAnswerVersion" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1192101/answer/previousversion/19485", "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4366", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for James Cleverly"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Braintree"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "James Cleverly"} } , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-05-07T15:00:06.057Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2020-05-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Saudi Arabia: Capital Punishment"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to his Saudi Arabian counterpart on the (a) application of the Royal Decree announced 26 April 2020 to (i) Ali al Nimr, (ii) Dawood al Marhoon, (iii) Abdullah Hasan al-Zaher and (iv) all other child defendants facing the death penalty and (b) subsequent commutation of their death sentences.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4738", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Alyn Smith"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Stirling"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Alyn Smith"} ], "uin" : "42185"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1192110", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1192110/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The UK Government is working with the airline industry and host governments across the world to help bring back British travellers to the UK as part of the plan announced by the Foreign Secretary on 30 March - with up to £75 million available for special charter flights from priority countries, focused on helping the most vulnerable travellers.<\/p>
We will prioritise vulnerable British nationals most at risk from the effects of Coronavirus who normally live in the UK and are trying to return home for these flights, together with their families who normally live with them in the UK. We are giving additional consideration to the local context and the situation of the individual themselves, this can include lock-down processes in country, access to reliable healthcare, possible reduction in access to routine medication, and those at additional risk if they contract the virus, for example the elderly or those with pre-existing medical conditions. \u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4057", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Nigel Adams"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Selby and Ainsty"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Nigel Adams"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-05-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-05-06T15:38:25.037Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2020-05-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "British Nationals Abroad: Coronavirus"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what medical criteria his Department is using to prioritise UK nationals overseas for Government commissioned flights for repatriation.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4638", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Slough"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi"} ], "uin" : "42161"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1192210", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1192210/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Transparency and accuracy of information is essential for an effective global response to the pandemic. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is leading the UK's cross government effort to address disinformation and misinformation. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is supporting this effort. We are helping to identify disinformation narratives about the UK from foreign actors. We are working with international partners to better understand the scale, scope and impact of disinformation and help shield our citizens so they can get the right information to protect themselves and save lives. We are building international cooperation among like-minded nations to enable us to tackle the threat of disinformation.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4057", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Nigel Adams"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Selby and Ainsty"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Nigel Adams"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-05-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-05-12T15:13:55.247Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2020-05-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Coronavirus: Disinformation"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign & Commonwealth Affairs what diplomatic steps he is taking to help tackle disinformation on the covid-19 pandemic internationally.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3960", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Henry Smith"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Crawley"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Henry Smith"} ], "uin" : "41974"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1192228", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1192228/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Home Secretary and her department lead on and work closely with French authorities to manage the migratory pressures at our joint border, including during the current context of the Covid-19 pandemic.<\/p>
Under the terms of the 2018 Sandhurst Agreement, the UK and France have worked together to further enhance co-operation on managing the shared border. This includes strengthening co-operation around migration and facilitating access to the asylum procedure for those who seek international protection, and working to reduce the number of people crossing the border illegally, risking their own safety and lives. Following the UK-France Summit at Sandhurst in 2018, £1.1 million was committed and has since been spent to support the development of reception centres for migrants in France.<\/p>
The relocation of vulnerable individuals into reception centres remains an issue of domestic responsibility for the French Government. Since the introduction of the COVID-19 measures in France on 17 March, French authorities have worked with over 600 migrants to relocate them to accommodation centres. In these centres asylum claims can be lodged, and any other urgent needs assessed.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4358", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Wendy Morton"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Aldridge-Brownhills"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Wendy Morton"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-05-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-05-12T08:49:46.5Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2020-05-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Calais: Coronavirus"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the Answer of 27 April 2020 to Question 37562 on Calais: coronavirus, what support his Department is providing to its French counterparts on the ongoing sheltering operation for displaced populations in northern France in light of its commitments under the 2018 Sandhurst Agreement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3930", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Caroline Lucas"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Brighton, Pavilion"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Caroline Lucas"} ], "uin" : "41961"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1192234", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1192234/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The welfare of British nationals remains our top priority, and we remain committed to ensuring that British travellers around the globe are able to return home. Since the outbreak in Wuhan, we estimate that over 1.3 million people have returned to the UK via commercial routes - the majority supported by our work with airlines and foreign governments to keep vital routes open. We have now brought back more than 25,000 people on 123 flights organised by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office from 24 different countries and territories.<\/p>
We are aware that the number of British nationals remaining overseas is now in the low tens of thousands and our effort is focused on supporting their return as quickly and safely as possible. Over the next week we will return thousands more British nationals on charter flights from India, Nigeria, Argentina, Bangladesh, Colombia, Guyana, Honduras, Ghana, Pakistan, Nigeria, and New Zealand.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4366", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for James Cleverly"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Braintree"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "James Cleverly"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-05-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-05-07T14:55:54.357Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2020-05-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "British Nationals Abroad: Coronavirus"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent estimate he has made of the number of UK citizens stranded abroad due to the covid-19 pandemic; and where those citizens are located.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4770", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Amy Callaghan"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "East Dunbartonshire"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Amy Callaghan"} ], "uin" : "42195"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1192273", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1192273/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "