Asked by: Lord Balfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of why the most recent attempt to reach a settlement in Cyprus was unsuccessful; what plans they have to push for a settlement based on the equal rights for both parts of the island; and what preparations to pursue such an equal settlement they have made for the United Nations talks to be held in Geneva on 27 April.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
In 2017, the two Cypriot Leaders, supported by the UN Secretary-General who played an important role, came closer than ever before to reaching a settlement. Unfortunately, this did not prove possible, which led the UN Secretary-General to close the Conference.
A Cyprus Settlement is in the best interests of the Cypriot communities and the wider region. The Foreign Secretary has therefore been actively engaged in support of UN efforts to find a Cyprus solution and will represent the UK as a Guarantor Power at the UN-led informal five-party talks from 27-29 April.
Ahead of talks, the Foreign Secretary spoke to the Cypriot FM on 22 March and the Turkish Foreign Minister on 23 March. The Foreign Secretary visited the island on 4 February and met President Anastasiades, Turkish Cypriot leader Tatar and the UN. The Foreign Secretary also met the Greek Foreign Minister on 2 February. The UK is urging all sides to approach the UN talks in a spirit of flexibility and compromise. During the Minister for the Americas and European Neighbourhood's visit to Cyprus (7-9 April), she reiterated this message and the UK's support for a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement of the Cyprus issue.
Asked by: Lord Balfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to support the UN-led settlement talks between Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders; and what assessment they have made of the impact of the UK's departure from the EU on their role in those talks.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
A Cyprus Settlement remains key to resolving wider tensions in the region. We are supportive of the UN Secretary General's efforts and the proposal of the informal meeting between the parties ("5+UN"). The UK is actively engaging with the parties ahead of the 5+UN meeting to urge them to approach the meeting in the spirit of flexibility and compromise. The Foreign Secretary delivered this message to both the Greek Cypriot leader and the Turkish Cypriot leader during his visit to Cyprus on 4 February, as well as in phone calls with the Turkish Foreign Minister and Greek Foreign Minister.
Talks to reunite Cyprus are led by the Leaders of the two communities on-island and facilitated by the UN. The UK's role as a Guarantor Power under the 1960 Treaty of Guarantee is unrelated to our membership of the European Union.
Asked by: Lord Balfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the UN’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and (2) the decision by the UN to designate 2021 as the International year of Fruits and Vegetables.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UN has responded to the COVID-19 crisis across three pillars: responding to the health crisis, safeguarding lives and livelihoods, and building back better. The UN has adapted and enhanced their programmes across each of these pillars, including their 'Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan' and 'Global Humanitarian Response Plan', which promote a coordinated UN response. UK investment and relationships with the UN - with an additional £145 million to UN appeals including £75 million to the WHO - have galvanised a stronger global response. The UN will continue to be a key ally in our efforts to build back better.
The 194 members of the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation agreed to propose 2021 as the International Year of Fruit and Vegetables in July 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic. Our assessment is that it will help to raise the importance of fruit and vegetables for a healthy diet.
Asked by: Lord Balfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the proposal by the UN Secretary General to expand negotiations relating to the future of Cyprus to include the government of (1) Greece, (2) Turkey, (3) the Republic of Cyprus, and (4) the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, alongside the UK and UN; whether they support such a proposal; if not, why not; and what discussions they have had with the government of (1) Greece, and (2) Turkey, about participating in such negotiations.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK remains a strong supporter of a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement of the Cyprus issue, based on the internationally accepted model of a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation as set out in relevant Security Council Resolutions. To that end, we welcome the UN Secretary General's ongoing commitment to work with the parties to conduct in-depth consultations and we look forward to the possibility of an informal meeting hosted by the UN which includes the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders, and the Guarantor Powers, Greece, Turkey and the UK.
We are engaging all parties regularly. The Foreign Secretary met with Greek Foreign Minister Dendias on 2 February, spoke to Turkish Foreign Minister Cavusoglu on 3 February, and travelled to Cyprus on 4 February, to urge all sides to engage constructively ahead of the talks and to demonstrate flexibility in their approach so the Settlement process can progress.
Asked by: Lord Balfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker, further to the report by the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament Russia, published on 21 July, what plans the Conduct Committee has to respond to the recommendations of that report.
Answered by Lord McFall of Alcluith
I have consulted the Chair of the Conduct Committee, Lord Mance, who reports that the Committee had an initial discussion on 23 July about the ISC recommendation aimed at the House of Lords. The Committee requested a detailed paper on the rules around members working with foreign governments and the wider question of whether members should be required to disclose the amounts of money that they earn. The Committee will consider the paper in September.
Asked by: Lord Balfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government to list, by airline, how many repatriation flights they have provided since 1 February for British citizens stranded due to COVID-19; and how many such citizens remain abroad waiting for flights. [T]
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The welfare of British nationals remains our top priority, and we remain committed to ensuring that British travellers around the globe are able to return home. Since the outbreak in Wuhan, we estimate that over 1.3 million people have returned to the UK via commercial routes - the majority supported by our work with airlines and foreign governments to keep vital routes open. We have now brought back more than 22,500 people on 108 flights organised by the Foreign Office from 22 different countries and territories. We have worked with the following airlines to provide these flights: British Airways, Biman, Cathay Pacific, EgyptAir, LATAM, PAL, Qatar Airways, Titan, TUI, Virgin Atlantic, Viva, Vueling.
We are aware that there are tens of thousands of British nationals remaining overseas and our effort is focused on supporting their return as quickly and safely as possible. Over the next week we will return thousands more Brits on 10s of charter flights from India, Nigeria, Argentina, Bangladesh, Colombia, Guyana, Honduras, Ghana, Pakistan, Nigeria, and New Zealand.
Asked by: Lord Balfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of any reputational damage to the UK caused by parliamentarians they appoint to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe joining political groupings which include parliamentarians with extremist views.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
All members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe are elected or appointed from the members of their national parliaments. Membership of the political groupings within the Parliamentary Assembly is a matter for the political groups themselves.
Asked by: Lord Balfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the decision by the European Conservatives Group of members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe to invite members of the Alternative für Deutschland group to join its parliamentary grouping.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Members of the UK delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe are independent parliamentarians. Membership of the political groupings within the Parliamentary Assembly is a matter for the political groups themselves.
Asked by: Lord Balfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 19 March (HL14319), whether they will now answer the question put, namely what support they are giving to the government of Turkey in its request for those accused of the murder of Jamal Khashoggi to be returned to stand trial in that country.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
As the Foreign Secretary has said, the Government condemns Jamal Khashoggi's killing in the strongest possible terms. The Government remains clear that anyone found responsible must be held fully accountable.
The ongoing Saudi judicial process is an important element in the process to establish accountability. The question of those accused standing trial in Turkey is a matter to be resolved by the Turkish and Saudi Arabian governments.
Asked by: Lord Balfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they made of the gender-related policies of the Islamic Republic of Iran before supporting its election to the UN’s Working Group on Communications on the Status of Women of the Commission on the Status of Women; whether, before supporting its election to the Working Group, they took account of the reported sentencing by a court in Iran of the human rights lawyer, Nasrin Sotudeh, to 38 years in prison and 148 lashes; and whether the gender-related policies of that country are consistent with their objective of promoting gender equality.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK has serious concerns about Iran's human rights record, including with respect to women's rights. The UK did not support the Islamic Republic of Iran's election to the UN's Working Group on Communications on the Status of Women. Iran was nominated by the Asian Group without objection; there is no mechanism for Member States to object to the nomination of a representative from another UN regional group. Separately, the Foreign Secretary publicly shared his concerns on 12 March in relation to Nasrin Sotoudeh's sentence, stating that 'human rights must be defended, not prosecuted'.