Asked by: Baroness Mobarik (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential measures to facilitate trade between the UK and Northern Cyprus.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
In accordance with the rest of the international community, with the sole exception of Turkey, the UK does not recognise the self-declared 'Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus' as an independent state. Several United Nations Security Council Resolutions and international court rulings limit links between the UK and the north. Nevertheless, we are committed to alleviating the isolation of the Turkish Cypriots within these constraints. We regularly engage the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce to discuss how we can deepen trade links within the relevant parameters.
Asked by: Baroness Mobarik (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to facilitate UK businesses seeking to operate in Northern Cyprus.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
In accordance with the rest of the international community, with the sole exception of Turkey, the UK does not recognise the self-declared 'Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus' as an independent state. Trade between the UK and the north of Cyprus, including our ability to facilitate UK businesses seeking to operate in the north of Cyprus, is limited by Security Council Resolutions and international court rulings. However, we recognise that the status quo in Cyprus causes serious difficulties for Turkish Cypriots. We regularly engage the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce to discuss how we can deepen trade links within the relevant parameters.
Asked by: Baroness Mobarik (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have any information on the number of UK merchant ships that docked at (1) Gazimağusa, and (2) Berbera, seaports in each year since 2010; and why their policies towards both unrecognised countries differ in terms of their international investment.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
No UK flagged vessels have docked at Famagusta (Gazimagusa) since 2018. One vessel docked five times at Berbera over the same period. We do not hold data before 2018. The situations in the north of Cyprus and Somaliland are different and require different approaches. The UK supports measures to promote economic development in both, whilst respecting UN Security Council Resolutions that limit links between the UK and the north of Cyprus.
Asked by: Baroness Mobarik (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the comments made in 2004 by the then Prime Minister on the need to “end the isolation of northern Cyprus”; and what progress they have made towards lifting sanctions on trade and travel to that region.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
In accordance with the rest of the international community, with the sole exception of Turkey, the UK does not recognise the self-declared "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" as an independent state. Several UN Security Council Resolutions also limit links between UK and the north of Cyprus. Within these constraints we support measures to reduce the isolation of the Turkish Cypriot community and regularly engage the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce on this issue. We continue to support a just and lasting Cyprus Settlement as the best means of resolving the difficulties caused by the division of the island.
Asked by: Baroness Mobarik (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the British High Commissioner to Cyprus has visited the Muratağa, Sandallar and Atlilar memorial in Northern Cyprus; and, if not, what plans they have to visit.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
We recognise that the events of 1974 and the preceding period continue to cast a long shadow over Cyprus. We regularly engage with Cypriot civil society organisations to appropriately remember those who lost their lives, families and loved ones during the period. The UK continues to support the Committee for Missing Persons by providing financial support, including for DNA testing.
Asked by: Baroness Mobarik (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Scottish Government to ensure that policies on fentanyl are aligned across the UK.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
We have ongoing discussions with the Scottish Government on drug policy issues, including in relation to drugs such as fentanyl, to understand current threats and the opportunities for collaboration. In addition, the UK Drugs Ministerial is the forum for discussions at ministerial level between His Majesty’s Government and the devolved administrations. The next UK Drugs Ministerial is planned for the Autumn.
While fentanyl is controlled as a Class A drug across the UK through the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, the Scottish Government is responsible for policies addressing drug use and drug harms in areas that are devolved, including healthcare and criminal justice.
Asked by: Baroness Mobarik (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to address the illicit (1) importation, and (2) distribution, of fentanyl.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The UK Government published its 10-year drug strategy ‘From Harm to Hope’ in 2021. Within this strategy we commit to disrupting all parts of drug supply chains from production and trafficking, to disrupting the retail market and attacking the profits of organised criminal activity. The Government and partner agencies are highly alert to the risk from fentanyl.
Fentanyl is controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 as a Class A drug and two fentanyl precursors, ANPP and NPP, are also controlled in the UK.
Working with law enforcement partners, we are monitoring the supply of fentanyl and other synthetic drugs into the UK and act decisively when they are discovered. Operationally, the NCA works closely with the Home Office, National Policing, Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID), and Border Force, to review the threat and ensure a rapid response to any escalation.
At the UK border, Border Force prioritises intelligence-based activity to detect all Class A drugs (including fentanyl), and works closely with the NCA to investigate and shut down distribution networks when they are identified. The NCA proactively monitors dark web sales, and has acted effectively to take down markets and vendors. Additionally, the NCA and Home Office work closely with international partners to identify, disrupt and share intelligence on the trafficking of synthetic opioids.
Asked by: Baroness Mobarik (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports of (1) torture, (2) mistreatment, and (3) disappearances, of LGBT individuals in Tanzania; and what steps they are taking in response.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
The rights of LGBT+ individuals in Tanzania are coming under increasing pressure. The UK Government is clear that there needs to be an end to violence and discrimination against LGBT+ people in Tanzania and around the world. The British High Commission in Dar es Salaam is in regular contact with the LGBT+ community and human rights defenders to ensure we have a full understanding of the situation. Mindful that overt western interventions can exacerbate the situation, our responses are always informed by the LGBT+ community's perspective on what will best assure their safety.
Asked by: Baroness Mobarik (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the total budget for the Home Office for each year since 2009.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
The Home Office reports budgetary information in the Annual Report and Accounts by financial year (April to March).
Financial Year | £000s |
2021-22 | 18,681,143 |
2020-21 | 17,974,929 |
2019-20 | 14,892,011 |
2018-19 | 15,694,071 |
2017-18 | 14,154,085 |
2016-17 | 13,530,820 |
2015-16 | 12,615,214 |
2014-15 | 13,644,128 |
2013-14 | 12,461,515 |
2012-13 | 10,492,524 |
2011-12 | 10,641,338 |
2010-11 | 10,854,940 |
2009-10 | 10,991,194 |
2008-09 | 10,627,462 |
Source: HO annual reports and accounts - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Asked by: Baroness Mobarik (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many staff have been employed by the Home Office for each year since 2009.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
The number of staff employed by the Home Office is published in our annual reports.
2008/09 | 3189 | |
2009/10 | 3719 | |
2010/11 | 3350 | |
2011/12 | 11141 | *Machine of Government change increase |
2012/13 | 12456 | |
2013/14 | 26328 | *Machine of Government change increase |
2014/15 | 31556 | |
2015/16 | 31034 | |
2016/17 | 32173 | |
2017/18 | 31790 | |
2018/19 | 34982 | |
2019/20 | 33628 | |
2020/21 | 34469 | |
2021/22 | 35781 | |
*Based on headcount (not full-time equivalent). Include permanent employees | ||
Sources - https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/ho-annual-reports-and-accounts
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-home-office-departmental-report-2009