The British Government has been a leader in developing policies and practical action to promote the Protection of Civilians within the UN system. The Government is updating its Protection of Civilians Strategy to ensure that it is fit for purpose in the context of modern conflict, and comprehensive in addressing the situation of children and other particularly vulnerable people such as people with disabilities and older people in conflict zones. As part of that commitment the Government is working with the Polish Government to introduce a new UN Security Council Resolution specifically addressing the needs of the disabled in armed conflict within the broader protection of civilians resolutions that have already been agreed. The Government expects that Resolution to be passed before the end of June 2019.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1405", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mark Field"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Cities of London and Westminster"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mark Field"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-06-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-06-20T15:35:29.977Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-06-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Armed Conflict"} , "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 encourage the UN to prioritise the protection of (a) people with disabilities and (b) older people in conflict zones.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4342", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Liz McInnes"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Heywood and Middleton"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Liz McInnes"} ], "uin" : "264424"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1132030", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1132030/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
We are concerned that some women\u2019s rights defenders, including Loujain al-Hathloul, remain in detention. We raise our concerns regularly and freely, using a range of Ministerial and diplomatic channels, including our Ambassador and Embassy team in Riyadh. The Foreign Secretary raised the detention of women\u2019s rights defenders during his visit to Saudi Arabia in March. The UK was signatory to the joint statement on 7 March at the United Nations Human Rights Council which raised significant concerns about reports of continuing arrests and arbitrary detentions of human rights defenders in Saudi Arabia, including women's rights activists. The UK, along with other embassies in Saudi Arabia, requested and were denied access to the trials of women\u2019s rights defenders that took place on 13 and 27 March.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1466", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dr Andrew Murrison"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South West Wiltshire"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Dr Andrew Murrison"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-06-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-06-18T16:46:43.217Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-06-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Loujain al-Hathloul"} , "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 diplomatic steps his Department is taking to help secure the release of Loujain Al-Hathloul in Saudi Arabia.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1533", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dame Diana Johnson"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Kingston upon Hull North"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Diana Johnson"} ], "uin" : "264376"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1132053", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1132053/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Bahrain has brought in new legislation related to alternative sentencing and has already started to implement provisions under this new legal framework. We welcome this positive move in reforming the judicial system. UK expertise have supported this process.<\/p>
In a recent statement from the Embassy of Bahrain they confirmed that \u201cTo date, 388 men, 52 women, and 11 young offenders have had potential prison time replaced by alternative sentences, and a number of further cases remain under consideration by the judiciary.\u201d<\/p>
This law makes Bahrain the first country in the Middle East to introduce separate alternative sentencing legislation.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1466", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dr Andrew Murrison"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South West Wiltshire"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Dr Andrew Murrison"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-06-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-06-18T16:50:51.867Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-06-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Bahrain: Sentencing"} , "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 role the Government has played in assisting the Bahraini authorities in (a) developing and (b) implementing new criminal sentencing arrangements.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1502", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr David Jones"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Clwyd West"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr David Jones"} ], "uin" : "264373"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1131701", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1131701/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
\u200bThis is a long-standing case and relates to contracts signed over 40 years ago with the pre-revolution Iranian regime. The case is subject to a legal process, and the most recent hearing concluded on 22 May. We await the court's judgement, which will be a step forward in this complex and long-standing case. As Ministers have said in Parliament, it would be inappropriate to comment in detail while litigation continues.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1466", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dr Andrew Murrison"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South West Wiltshire"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Dr Andrew Murrison"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-06-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-06-21T11:20:46.413Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-06-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Iran: Chieftain Tanks"} , "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 discussions his Department has had with the Ministry of Defence on the £400 million which is reported to be due to Iran following arrangements made between the UK and Iran in the 1970s for the purchase of Chieftain tanks; and what recent discussions he has had with his Iranian counterpart on that matter.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4516", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Heidi Allen"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "South Cambridgeshire"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Heidi Allen"} ], "uin" : "263845"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1131745", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1131745/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
\u200bDetails on the UK Statistics Authority's interventions are published in the correspondence[1]<\/a>, publications[2]<\/a>, and issues log[3]<\/a> sections of their website since 2010.<\/p> The Authority's Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) also carry out regular assessments and systemic reviews, details of which can also be found on the Authority's website[4]<\/a>.<\/p>