Asked by: Baroness Northover (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to establish a process to discuss finance for loss and damage due to climate change in developing countries.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
The UK is committed to supporting efforts to assist developing countries avert, minimise and address loss and damage.
As COP26 Presidency, the UK will work with the incoming Egyptian Presidency for COP27 and UNFCCC Subsidiary Body Chairs to follow up on the actions set out in the COP26 Decision text. This includes the Glasgow Dialogue which will discuss the arrangements for the funding of activities to avert, minimise and address loss and damage. As Presidency we will also be supporting the process to operationalise the Santiago Network, which will catalyse and deliver technical support to enable countries to cope with the impacts of climate change.
We are also taking action through our International Climate Finance (ICF) - which will total £11.6 billion over the next 5 years, with an extra £1bn in if fiscal conditions allow - as well as through broader humanitarian assistance. Between 2016 and 2019, the UK spent £2 billion of ICF on adaptation and investments in areas needed to address loss and damage, including around £202 million on humanitarian assistance directly linked to climate change and building resilience to it, and £115 million on financial protection and risk management.
Asked by: Baroness Northover (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government which (1) international organisations, and (2) NGOs, they are working with as part of the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford
We are working across government and with partners such as UNHCR to design the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS), amidst a complex and changing picture. We are committed to working in step with the international community to get this right, and we will set out more details soon.
The first to be resettled through the ACRS will be some of those who arrived in the UK under the evacuation programme, which included individuals who were considered to be at particular risk.
The ACRS will be focused on people affected by events in Afghanistan, who are located in Afghanistan or in the region.
Eligible people will be prioritised and referred for resettlement to the UK as set out in the policy statement published on gov.uk on 13 September.
Asked by: Baroness Northover (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme places have been allocated to those who have already evacuated to EU member states.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford
We are working across government and with partners such as UNHCR to design the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS), amidst a complex and changing picture. We are committed to working in step with the international community to get this right, and we will set out more details soon.
The first to be resettled through the ACRS will be some of those who arrived in the UK under the evacuation programme, which included individuals who were considered to be at particular risk.
The ACRS will be focused on people affected by events in Afghanistan, who are located in Afghanistan or in the region.
Eligible people will be prioritised and referred for resettlement to the UK as set out in the policy statement published on gov.uk on 13 September.
Asked by: Baroness Northover (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made with the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme; and when the scheme will open.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford
We are working across government and with partners such as UNHCR to design the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS), amidst a complex and changing picture. We are committed to working in step with the international community to get this right, and we will set out more details soon.
The first to be resettled through the ACRS will be some of those who arrived in the UK under the evacuation programme, which included individuals who were considered to be at particular risk.
The ACRS will be focused on people affected by events in Afghanistan, who are located in Afghanistan or in the region.
Eligible people will be prioritised and referred for resettlement to the UK as set out in the policy statement published on gov.uk on 13 September.
Asked by: Baroness Northover (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how much money they owe to Iran; when they expect to pay it; and why they have not yet paid it.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
The IMS debt is a longstanding issue and we have been consistently clear that we continue to explore options to resolve this 40-year old case.
Asked by: Baroness Northover (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government in what circumstances a British national is granted diplomatic protection in consular cases; what were the reasons for granting such protection for Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe; and whether they will grant similar diplomatic protection to Anoosheh Ashoori.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Diplomatic protection is a mechanism under international law according to which a State may seek to secure reparation for injury to one of its nationals, on the basis that the second State has committed an internationally wrongful act against the national. It is the right of the State to raise with another State the question of treatment of one of its nationals by that other State and to call that other State to account on the international plane. Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe was given Diplomatic Protection in March 2019. Mr Ashoori’s release is a top priority for the Foreign Secretary and we will continue to review when best to deploy the tools that we have to secure his release. FCDO has been supporting Mr Ashoori's family since we became aware of his detention. The Foreign Secretary has remained in contact with the family to reinforce the UK's efforts to bring him home and last met with them on 18 November.
Asked by: Baroness Northover (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to counter the practice of hostage-taking by the government of Iran; and what assessment they have made of the value of the Declaration Against Arbitrary Detention in State-to-State Relations, launched in February, in taking such steps.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
We do not accept any of our dual nationals being used as diplomatic leverage. We remain committed to securing the immediate and permanent release of unfairly detained British nationals in Iran, including Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Anoosheh Ashoori. The Foreign Secretary discussed their cases with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian on 8 November. The Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister, Bagheri Kani visited the FCDO on 11 November to meet senior government officials and Minister Cleverly, who raised all our cases with his Iranian counterpart.
As part of the Canadian Initiative Against Arbitrary Detention, we are committed to enhancing international cooperation to stop any State from arbitrarily detaining foreign nationals for coercive purposes. We are working with our G7 partners to enhance mechanisms to uphold international law, tackle human rights abuses and stand up for our shared values.
Asked by: Baroness Northover (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government which ministers have visited Iran to discuss the case of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe with the government of that country since July 2019; and (1) who was the minister, and (2) when was the visit, in each case.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
The Foreign Secretary and Ministers take every opportunity to discuss a wide range of issues with Iran, including through our Ambassador in Tehran and in phone calls. Officials routinely visit Tehran for discussions with Iranian counterparts. Such discussions include nuclear non-compliance, regional stability and security, the release of British dual nationals and Iranian human rights violations. The Foreign Secretary discussed Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe's case with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian on 8 November. The Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister, Bagheri Kani visited the FCDO on 11 November to meet senior government officials and Minister Cleverly, who raised all our cases with his Iranian counterpart.Asked by: Baroness Northover (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made as to whether (1) Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, and (2) Anoosheh Ashoori, is a hostage of the government of Iran; and whether there are any other British nationals in a similar position.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
We do not accept our nationals being used as diplomatic leverage and have repeatedly made this clear to Iran. We remain committed to securing the immediate and permanent release of unfairly detained British nationals in Iran, including Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Anoosheh Ashoori.
Asked by: Baroness Northover (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will open the Afghan citizens resettlement scheme, announced in August.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford
The Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme is not yet open and remains under development. However, the first to be resettled through this scheme will be some of those who arrived in the UK under the evacuation programme, which included individuals who were considered to be at particular risk – including women’s rights activists, prosecutors and journalists.
Further information on the eligibility, prioritisation and referral of people for the ACRS is set out in the policy statement published on gov.uk on 13 September.