Asked by: Baroness Goudie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to engage with EU countries, particularly Denmark, to seek a (1) speedy, and (2) satisfactory, resolution regarding membership to the Lugano Convention.
Answered by Lord Wolfson of Tredegar
The Government continues to engage with EU member states, including Denmark, about the UK’s application to join the Lugano Convention when opportunities arise. We maintain that the UK meets the criteria for accession both because Lugano is open to countries outside the EU and all non-EU members have already supported the UK's membership. However, the Government understands that the EU is unlikely to return to considering our application for some months. The UK remains a leader in Private International Law. We are committed to ensuring cross-border legal disputes can be resolved smoothly, in the interests of families, consumers and businesses in the UK, across Europe and beyond.
Asked by: Baroness Goudie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask Her Majesty's Government why they have delayed seeking membership to join the Lugano Convention.
Answered by Lord Wolfson of Tredegar
The UK applied to join the Lugano Convention in April 2020. This provided ample time for the contracting parties to consider the application so that it could have been brought into force by the end of the Transition Period. Switzerland, Norway and Iceland gave their consent within that timescale. However, the European Union declined to begin to consider the UK’s application until after the end of the Transition Period and has to date not provided a definitive response to our application. The Government maintains that the UK meets the criteria for accession.
Asked by: Baroness Goudie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce sanctions on Burmese companies involved in the supply of aviation fuel to the military in Myanmar.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
The UK has been at the forefront of the international sanctions response. Since 1 February 2021, the UK has worked quickly, in coordination with partners, to impose targeted sanctions on the junta. We have sanctioned the junta's ruling body and its military leadership, as well as key revenue streams for the military, including three State Owned Enterprises, a high profile business associate, the two largest military business conglomerates and defence entities which arm and equip the military.
We cannot speculate on future designations but we are looking at a range of further targets and measures. The UK is committed to targeted sanctions which directly impact the military without harming the wider population.
Asked by: Baroness Goudie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with representatives of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) about the case for not inviting Myanmar to participate to meetings of ASEAN and other such fora to avoid recognising or legitimising the military regime in that country.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
The UK supports ASEAN's efforts to find a resolution to the crisis in Myanmar. We discussed the deteriorating situation with ASEAN partners at the G7 Foreign and Development Ministers' Meeting from 10-12 December. We reiterated our support for the ASEAN Five Point Consensus and raised the need to de-escalate conflict, tackle the flow of arms and ensure humanitarian access.
We acknowledge their landmark decision not to invite the Commander-in-Chief to their Leaders' Summit in October 2021, due to a lack of progress on the Five Point Consensus. We will continue to engage with ASEAN and the Special Envoy to express our concerns about the current crisis, and work together to push for a peaceful resolution.
Asked by: Baroness Goudie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what cross-border aid they are providing to vulnerable populations in Myanmar.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
Meeting humanitarian needs and supporting the resilience of the most vulnerable remains our priority. Since the coup the FCDO has provided £49.4 million in aid to Myanmar. We continue to provide humanitarian assistance through International NGOs, the UN, Red Cross and civil society organisations to those affected by conflict and natural disasters including with food, water, hygiene and sanitation services, shelter, medical equipment, and protection for the most vulnerable especially in displacement camps.
We are closely monitoring the outbreaks of fighting, including on supply routes in border regions, to ensure support reaches those in most need. At present, the UK is funding partners providing assistance on the borders with Thailand and India. As the situation unfolds, we will continue to consider all options to ensure that humanitarian aid can be delivered to those that need it.
Asked by: Baroness Goudie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of reductions to mine clearance funding.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
Since 2018, under the second iteration of the Global Mine Action Programme (GMAP2), the UK has been one of the most generous countries in the world in funding demining. By the end of financial year 2020/21, GMAP2 had invested £124 million in mine action activities, with at least £17 million more to be spent in this financial year. Under GMAP2 the UK has cleared and confirmed safe 435.2 million square metres of land, the equivalent of over 60,952 football pitches, and has delivered risk education messages to over 3.7 million people in communities affected by mines.
The FCDO remains committed to continuing its support to mine action across the globe. The Global Mine Action Programme 3 (GMAP3) is due to begin in financial year 2022/23. We are working towards finalising funding and country allocations and will share plans as soon as this work is complete.
Asked by: Baroness Goudie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how much the UK will spend on mine clearance in Angola this year.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
Our Global Mine Action Programme (GMAP2) is forecasting spend of almost £1 million in Angola during this financial year (21/22) on mine clearance and other mine action activities such as risk education to help keep affected communities safe. This is additional to the £9.3 million we have already spent on mine action in Angola under GMAP2 since 2018.
As of September 2021, GMAP2 funded activity had cleared and confirmed safe over 27 million square metres of land in Angola (the equivalent of 3,784 football pitches) and provided 95,004 people with risk education. We are in the process of finalizing individual country allocations for the next financial year (22/23) under the next iteration of our global mine action programme (GMAP3).
Asked by: Baroness Goudie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to increase assistance for women and girls in Afghanistan.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
We continue to raise rights of women and girls in our political engagement with the Taliban, including pressing them to ensure full and equal access to education for all. The Government has doubled our aid to £286 million FY 2021/22. We have now disbursed over £145 million which will support over 3.4 million people in Afghanistan and the region, providing emergency food, health, shelter, water and protection. Our humanitarian programmes will provide assistance to the most vulnerable, including women and girls. We are also funding child protection support and supporting access to gender-based violence services. In addition, we are meeting directly with Afghan women to inform our policies and programmes.
Asked by: Baroness Goudie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to strengthen UK legislation on supply chain impacts on human rights, given their commitment to implementing the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
The Government is clear that it expects all UK businesses to respect human rights throughout their operations, in line with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. In response to the Guidelines, the UK was the first State to produce a National Action Plan https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/522805/Good_Business_Implementing_the_UN_Guiding_Principles_on_Business_and_Human_Rights_updated_May_2016.pdf.
We have enhanced supply chain transparency through the Companies Act (2013, 2016) and continue to strengthen the Modern Slavery Act 2015, including through the on-going review of the Modern Slavery Strategy which is due to be published in Spring 2022. Section 54 of the Act, places a requirement on businesses with a turnover of £36 million or more to publish an annual modern slavery statement stating the steps they have taken to prevent modern slavery in their operations and supply chains.
Following a public consultation in 2019 the Government committed to; extending reporting requirements to public bodies with a budget of £36 million or more; requiring organisations to submit reports by an annual deadline; and requiring organisations to publish their statement on the Government modern slavery statement registry. In January 2021, the Government announced that financial penalties will be introduced for organisations who fail to meet their statutory obligations to publish annual modern slavery statements.
Asked by: Baroness Goudie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will grant refugee status to Afghans who have fled the Taliban and are seeking refuge in the UK.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford
All asylum and human rights claims are carefully considered on their individual facts and merits in accordance with our international obligations under the Refugee Convention and European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). Those who need protection are normally granted five years’ limited leave, have full access to the labour market and mainstream benefits, and can apply for settlement after five years.
Our country policy and information notes contain an assessment of risk and makes it clear that each case will be considered on its own merits and that no one who is at real risk of persecution or serious harm in Afghanistan will be expected to return there. The country policy guidance for Afghanistan is available on gov.uk.