Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the UK Commissioner to the EU supported (a) the process which was followed leading to the appointment of Professor Dr Martin Selmyr as Secretary General of the European Commission and (b) the process prior to the appointment of Professor Dr Martin Selmyr; and what representations the UK Commissioner made to the EU Commissioner on that appointment.
Answered by Alan Duncan
Appointments to the European Commission administration are an internal matter for the Commission. The Commissioner nominated by the UK is employed by the European Commission, not the British Government. As such, the question is one for the European Commission not for the British Government.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 3 April 2018 to Question 134583, on Martin Selmayr, what communications his Department had with the UK Commissioner to the EU on the appointment of Professor Dr Martin Selmayr as Secretary General of the European Commission prior to that appointment.
Answered by Alan Duncan
There were no such communications.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what correspondence his Department had with the UK Commissioner to the EU on the appointment of Professor Dr Martin Selmayr as Secretary General of the European Commission prior to that appointment.
Answered by Alan Duncan
There was no such correspondence.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential implications of the Human Rights Watch report on exploitation of construction workers building football stadiums in Russia on his policies towards that country; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Alan Duncan
We regularly raise our concerns with the Russian authorities on their human rights record and we expect FIFA to do the same with regard to projects releated to the World Cup.
Tackling modern slavery is a priority for the British Government and the treatment of migrant workers in Russia, including those involved in the construction of World Cup sites, is a matter of concern. The British Embassy in Moscow is funding an International Organization for Migration project to improve the understanding and skills of social workers in Russia so they can better support the victims of modern slavery. This should also raise awareness of the problem within Russian society.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the safety of (a) LGBT fans travelling to the World Cup and (b) other LGBT travellers to Russia; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Alan Duncan
As part of the 'Be on the Ball' campaign, the FCO has published specific travel advice for the World Cup next year (www.gov.uk/russia2018). We recommend all British fans travelling to the World Cup in Russia in 2018 have a close look at this advice. FCO travel advice for Russia is clear on the need to be careful as an LGBT visitor to the country, particularly following the introduction of a law banning the promotion of 'non-traditional sexual relations' in June 2013, given its potential to legitimise homophobia and encourage violence against LGBT people. The issue of LGBT rights is one that we raise regularly with the Russian authorities.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether non-participation in the March 2017 UN Conference to Negotiate a Ban on Nuclear Weapons is compliant with the UK's obligations under the Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Answered by Alan Duncan
The UK is complying with its obligations under the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make it his policy to send a UK representative to the March 2017 UN Conference to negotiate a ban on nuclear weapons.
Answered by Alan Duncan
I refer the Hon. Member to my answer to Written Question 66495.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether it is the Government's policy that the UK is part of the European Project, as that term is used by the EU Commission and the European Council; and if the Prime Minister will make a statement.
Answered by David Lidington
The Government is in favour of the UK remaining in a reformed EU. It has made its position on the referendum clear, and published a number of papers analysing the choice facing the British people.
As stated in the paper “The best of both worlds: the United Kingdom’s special status in a reformed European Union” published on 22 February 2016, the Government has secured agreement that the Treaties will be changed in the future so that the UK is carved out of ‘ever closer union’ and established a mechanism for decision-making to return from Brussels to the UK and other nation states, where this is most appropriate. This is all consistent with the UK’s longstanding approach to our relationship with the EU: that it should be based on the practical pursuit of our national interest. Our new settlement means that it has been formally recognised that the UK is not committed to further political integration into the EU and we have secured specific confirmation that the concept of ‘ever closer union’ will not apply to the UK in the future.”
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what estimate his Department has made of the number of political prisoners in Bahrain; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
We do not hold such details. However, we regularly discuss human rights and reform with the Government of Bahrain - including at the biannual UK-Bahrain Joint Working Group meeting which was most recently held in November 2015. If we have specific concerns around specific cases, we raise these with the Government of Bahrain.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the perceptions of the Shia in Bahrain as to the legitimacy of the Alkhalifa government in that country.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
We follow the political situation closely in Bahrain, including Shia interests. We encourage all political parties, to engage constructively in political dialogue in order to reach an inclusive political settlement. Despite the opposition’s decision to boycott the 2014 elections, we commended the participation of a broad range of candidates which saw 14 independent Shia candidates win seats, of which three were women.