Asked by: Lord Ashcroft (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Warsi on 2 July (WA 275), whether it is the case that no flights of any kind with any detainee on board have landed at Diego Garcia since September 2001.
Answered by Baroness Warsi
As I said in my answer of 17 June, aside from the two cases of rendition through Diego Garcia (British Indian Ocean Territory) in 2002, there have been no other instances in which US intelligence flights have landed in the UK, our Overseas Territories, or the Crown Dependencies, with a detainee on board since 11 September 2001. Though my answer of 2 July referred to this previous answer, it did not specifically repeat the reference to the two cases in 2002, and I want to clarify that for my noble friend.
Asked by: Lord Ashcroft (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether there are any proposals to use the sinking fund balance under the Turks and Caicos Islands debt obligations to pay down, to pay off or to buy back existing debt to reduce interest charges.
Answered by Baroness Warsi
The UK and Turks and Caicos Islands governments have agreed a framework for management of public finances that includes principles of good financial management as well as the debt ceilings. Key requirements are that net debt is less than 110 per cent of revenue by the end of the financial year 2015/16 and less than 80 per cent of revenue by the end of the financial year 2018/19, and that debt service is less than 10 per cent of annual operating revenue and liquid assets at least 25 per cent of annual operating revenue.
The Turks and Caicos Islands government has run a surplus for the last two years and continues to be on track to meet the provisions of the agreed framework document. In accordance with the Turks and Caicos Islands legislation, surpluses are paid into a Sinking Fund. The Sinking Fund may only be used for the purposes of paying down debt. However, how the debt is repaid is ultimately a delegated matter for the Turks and Caicos Islands government.
Asked by: Lord Ashcroft (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assistance is being given to the St Lucia police to find the murderer of Oliver Gobat, a British citizen; and if none, why.
Answered by Baroness Warsi
The Government of St Lucia has requested UK Police assistance with the investigation into the death of Oliver Gobat. In order to consider this request the British Government will require assurances that any person convicted of the alleged crime will not be sentenced to death and we are discussing this with the St Lucians. The Government opposes the use of the death penalty in all circumstances.
Asked by: Lord Ashcroft (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Northover on 23 June (WA 136), why they will not place in the Library of the House a document that is freely available to commercial investors.
Answered by Baroness Northover
The publication of the requested document is a matter for the TCI Government.
Asked by: Lord Ashcroft (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Wallace of Saltaire on 30 June 2014 (WA 218), whether civilian awards, not for gallantry, can be awarded posthumously.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
Honours made in the Orders of Knighthood may not be awarded posthumously.
Asked by: Lord Ashcroft (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Warsi on 17 June (WA 36), whether the figure for United States intelligence flights includes all intelligence flights by United States aircraft.
Answered by Baroness Warsi
I refer my noble friend to my previous response in which I said that no US intelligence flights with a detainee on board have landed in the UK, our overseas territories, or the Crown Dependencies since 11 September 2001.
Asked by: Lord Ashcroft (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Wallace of Saltaire on 24 June (WA 146), whether they will now answer the question as originally put.
Answered by Lord Wallace of Saltaire - Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson (Cabinet Office)
All military and civilian gallantry awards may be awarded posthumously; honours made in the Orders of Knighthood may not be awarded posthumously.
Asked by: Lord Ashcroft (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any civilian honours other than the George Cross can be awarded posthumously.
Answered by Lord Wallace of Saltaire - Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson (Cabinet Office)
I refer the noble Lord to the answer I gave on 16 June 2014, (Official Report) Column Ref WA126.
Asked by: Lord Ashcroft (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will place in the Library of the House the bond document of the loan that they have guaranteed for the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Answered by Baroness Northover
The TCI Government issued US$170 million of bonds in 2011 under the terms of an Offering Memorandum. This was guaranteed by DFID. It would not be appropriate for her Majesty's Government to place a Turks and Caicos Islands Government document in the Library of the House. A copy might be requested, however, from the Turks and Caicos Islands Government.
Asked by: Lord Ashcroft (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Liberation and Justice Movement in Sudan has been involved in South Sudan; and if so in what capacity and on what side.
Answered by Baroness Warsi
We are not aware of any reports that suggest that the Liberation and Justice Movement in Sudan has been involved in the conflict in South Sudan.