Asked by: Lord Austin of Dudley (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to appeal the decision by the First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) to overturn the Home Office’s revocation of Dana Abuqamar’s visa.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
It is His Majesty’s Government’s long-standing position not to comment on individual cases.
Asked by: Lord Austin of Dudley (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with Ofsted about schools allowing pupils to be absent to attend protest marches, what assessments Ofsted and schools should make of safeguarding issues arising from pupils being allowed to attend such events, and what advice the Department for Education is planning to issue to schools in this regard.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Shadow Minister (Education)
The government is clear that missing school for events such as political protests is unacceptable and should not be condoned.
The department has been monitoring events closely and has written to all schools and local authorities supporting leaders and teachers in taking firm action. The department encourages schools and local authorities to set clear expectations to parents on attendance, confirming that absence for this kind of activity should be treated as unauthorised. The department has been clear that school leaders and local authorities should be enforcing attendance policies, and they should take immediate action where these policies have been breached. In the most egregious cases this can mean fines or prosecution. The department has shared this communication with Ofsted to ensure all inspectors are clear on the position.
Asked by: Lord Austin of Dudley (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to reconsider their funding of the Council for British Research in the Levant, given that Council’s decision to arrange a seminar by Dr Salman Abu Sitta at Edinburgh University on 8 November.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government does not directly fund or have a relationship with the Council for British Research in the Levant (CBRL). The Government only has a funding relationship with the independent British Academy, who in turn fund hundreds of researchers across the humanities and social sciences, as well as eight British International Research Institutes (BIRI), including the CBRL. These connect researchers and support world-leading research. They are independent organisations, overseen by Boards of Trustees. However, the Academy undertakes regular reporting, evaluation and monitoring of their funding through which issues can be raised or assurances sought on any aspect of delivery.
Asked by: Lord Austin of Dudley (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential for cooperation on education between the Kurdistan region of Iraq and the UK.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
The UK supports the Kurdistan Region of Iraq's education sector and recently hosted the Prime Minister and Minister of Education of the Kurdistan Regional Government and discussed opportunities for collaboration in education. In discussions with the Secretary of State for the Department for Education we agreed to work closely to further expand our collaboration. Our Consulate in Erbil continues to identify opportunities for and work with UK institutions that offer both academic and vocational training programmes, including City and Guilds who now have established an office in Iraq.
Asked by: Lord Austin of Dudley (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential for gas from the Kurdistan region to diversify the supply of gas to the UK.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Great Britain has highly diverse sources of gas supply. These include pipelines from the UK and Norwegian continental shelves (UKCS & NCS), interconnection with the European continent, and three Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) terminals, providing the UK with one of the largest LNG import infrastructures in Europe.
The UK’s diverse range of sources of gas supply is a strength to the Government’s approach to energy security. The integrated nature of the global gas market, and the fact that it is an internationally traded commodity, ensures that the UK continues to work closely with all its international partners.
Asked by: Lord Austin of Dudley (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the (1) possibility, and (2) impact, of sanctions on Iran being lifted as part of a renegotiated Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA); and what discussions they have held with the government of the United States in relation to this.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
We are at the end of talks to restore the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA). The deal on the table is a result of intensive negotiations and is based on input from all JCPoA participants, and the United States. The US has offered to lift JCPoA-related sanctions which would benefit the Iranian people. In exchange, Iran would reverse its nuclear escalation, return its nuclear programme to strict JCPoA limits and restore extensive monitoring by the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Asked by: Lord Austin of Dudley (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the approach of the government of the United States to the negotiations on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, following confirmation of the departure of three members of the United States negotiating team on 24 January.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
We have reached the end of talks in Vienna to restore the JCPoA. The deal on the table is a result of intensive negotiations and is based on input from all JCPoA participants, and the United States. The US has offered to lift JCPoA-related sanctions which would benefit the Iranian people. In exchange, Iran would reverse its nuclear escalation, return its nuclear programme to strict JCPoA limits and restore extensive monitoring by the International Atomic Energy Agency.
We urge all parties to focus on rapidly concluding the deal and implementing it in full.
Asked by: Lord Austin of Dudley (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the (1) possibility, and (2) impact, of the government of the United States lifting sanctions on the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as part of agreement with the government of Iran on a revised Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action; and what discussions they have held with the government of the United States on this matter.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
We are at the end of talks to restore the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA). The deal on the table is a result of intensive negotiations and is based on input from all JCPoA participants and the United States. The US has offered to lift JCPoA-related sanctions iin exchange for Iran returning to full compliance with its nuclear commitments. In exchange, Iran would reverse its nuclear escalation, return its nuclear programme to strict JCPoA limits and restore extensive monitoring by the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Asked by: Lord Austin of Dudley (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the (1) possibility, and (2) impact, of the government of the United States lifting sanctions on the Iranian charitable foundation Bonyad Mostazafan as part of agreement with the government of Iran on a revised Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action; and what discussions they have held with the government of the United States on this matter.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
We are at the end of talks to restore the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA). The deal on the table is a result of intensive negotiations and is based on input from all JCPoA participants and the United States. The US has offered to lift JCPoA-related sanctions iin exchange for Iran returning to full compliance with its nuclear commitments. In exchange, Iran would reverse its nuclear escalation, return its nuclear programme to strict JCPoA limits and restore extensive monitoring by the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Asked by: Lord Austin of Dudley (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the (1) possibility, and (2) impact, of the government of the United States lifting sanctions that had been imposed by US Executive Order 13876 on (a) Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, (b) President Ebrahim Raisi, (c) Vice President Mohsen Rezaei, (d) Hossein Dehghan, and (e) other Iranians associated with the Supreme Leader and accused of acts of terrorism, as part of agreement with the government of Iran on a revised Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action; and what discussions they have held with the government of the United States on this matter.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
We are at the end of talks to restore the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA). The deal on the table is a result of intensive negotiations and is based on input from all JCPoA participants and the United States. The US has offered to lift JCPoA-related sanctions iin exchange for Iran returning to full compliance with its nuclear commitments. In exchange, Iran would reverse its nuclear escalation, return its nuclear programme to strict JCPoA limits and restore extensive monitoring by the International Atomic Energy Agency.