Asked by: Lord Chidgey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the findings of the UNESCO Director-General's 2018 Report on the Safety of Journalists and the Danger of Impunity which found that 104 journalists were killed in eight Commonwealth countries between 2006 and 2015, and that in none of these cases the perpetrators were brought to justice.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government is committed to tackling intimidation and violence against journalists wherever it occurs, including in Commonwealth countries, and to challenging impunity for such crimes. The Foreign Secretary highlighted our determination to address this issue on the International Day to End Impunity for Attacks Against Journalists on 2 November, announcing our intention to put the resources of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) behind the cause of media freedom and to hold an international conference on this issue, in 2019. We welcome the attention UNESCO has given to this problem.
We support the work of the Commonwealth Working Group on Media and Good Governance on Commonwealth principles of freedom of expression and the role of the media in good governance, and their continued efforts to prepare them for consideration at the Heads of Government meeting in Rwanda in 2020. Officials from the FCO and Cabinet Office have offered advice and support to members of the Working Group, most recently on 12 November 2018. The Working Group was given the opportunity to brief all member states on the proposed principles at senior official level, ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in April 2018. However, there was no consensus amongst member states for the principles to be formally included on Heads' agenda or in their official communiqué. We have discussed the principles with the Commonwealth Secretariat on several occasions since the Heads of Government Meeting. We continue to encourage the Working Group to work with member states and the Secretariat to build consensus towards adoption of the principles.
Asked by: Lord Chidgey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what process of consultation is in place between them and the Commonwealth Secretariat (1) prior to, (2) during, and (3) after, the process of setting the UK budget contribution; and what other parties are consulted.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
Member State contributions to the Commonwealth Secretariat's general budget are based on scales agreed at the UN, which are then agreed by the Commonwealth's Executive Committee and Board of Governors. The UK is a member of both groups. All Commonwealth countries are represented at the Board of Governors. Through attendance at these meetings we ensure that UK funds are allocated and spent in an efficient and transparent manner.
Asked by: Lord Chidgey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government which Government departments are responsible for setting the UK contribution to the Commonwealth Secretariat; on what basis it is set; and what data are used to determine increases or decreases in that contribution.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) is responsible for the UK's assessed contribution to the Commonwealth. The UK remains the largest financial contributor to the Commonwealth Secretariat, providing around 32% of the total budget. Financial contributions to the Commonwealth Secretariat's general budget are based on scales agreed at the UN. Under existing Commonwealth guidelines, the budget is shared amongst the membership in accordance with three principles: capacity to pay, equitable burden sharing, and shared ownership and responsibility. This ensures that all members enjoy an equal voice within the organisation.
In addition to FCO assessed contributions, the Department for International Development also makes voluntary contributions to the Commonwealth Fund for Technical Cooperation, and a number of other Commonwealth programmes.
Asked by: Lord Chidgey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what UK contribution to the Commonwealth Secretariat budget they made for the years (1) 2010, (2) 2011, (3) 2012, (4) 2013, (5) 2014, (6) 2015, and (7) 2016; and, for each further year for which a budget has been set, what will be the contribution.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office's assessed contributions to the Commonwealth Secretariat have been as follows:
2010/2011: £4,840,936
2011/2012: £5,168,586
2012/2013: £5,262,654
2013/2014: £5,326,331
2014/2015: £5,455,484
2015/2016: £5,469,640
Asked by: Lord Chidgey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the latest adjustments to the UK contributions to the Commonwealth Secretariat budget, particularly in relation to the scope and staffing of the Commonwealth Health and Education Unit and the measurement of progress of its work across the Commonwealth.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
Through projects and programmes, the Commonwealth Secretariat's general budget - to which the UK pays an assessed contribution - is used to deliver outcomes outlined in the Commonwealth Secretariat Strategic Plan. The Strategic Plan will be discussed and approved at the next Board of Governors meetings in March.
The UK's assessed contribution does not fund specific projects. The Department for International Development makes voluntary contributions to the Commonwealth Fund for Technical Cooperation and a number of Commonwealth programmes.
Asked by: Lord Chidgey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of reports from Human Rights Watch of collusion between Sudanese police forces and people smugglers trafficking people in the region.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
We are aware of, and deeply troubled by, reports of collusion between Sudanese police forces and people smugglers. We have raised our concerns over these reports with both the Ministry of Interior and the Commissioner for Refugees. We will continue to raise our concerns with the Government of Sudan as part of our wider engagement on migration issues.Asked by: Lord Chidgey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the extent of Regency Mining's operations and connections in South Kordofan.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
Regency Mines is a UK-registered company, which has operated agrominerals in Sudan. Following recent contact with the company, we understand that Regency Mines has no operations in South Kordofan, an area affected by conflict. More broadly, the United Kingdom advocates for the whole of the extractives industry to adopt the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights, which provide guidance to companies operating in countries affected by conflict.
Asked by: Lord Chidgey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of reports that Regency Mining is undertaking mining operations in South Kordofan.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
Regency Mines is a UK-registered company, which has operated agrominerals in Sudan. Following recent contact with the company, we understand that Regency Mines has no operations in South Kordofan, an area affected by conflict. More broadly, the United Kingdom advocates for the whole of the extractives industry to adopt the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights, which provide guidance to companies operating in countries affected by conflict.
Asked by: Lord Chidgey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what communication the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has had with the South Sudanese Transitional Government of National Unity.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Hon. Friend the Member for Rochford and Southend East (James Duddridge), wrote to President Salva Kiir Mayardit, First Vice President Dr Riek Machar Teny and the Minister for Foreign Affairs Deng Alor Kwol on 6 May. He welcomed the formation of the transitional government and urged them to secure peace, tackle the economic crisis and address the humanitarian situation. Our Embassy in Juba is also in direct contact with members of the transitional government and will continue to press for the full implementation of the peace agreement.Asked by: Lord Chidgey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has commissioned any research into migration to the EU from Horn of Africa nations, in the UK's role as the Chair of the Khartoum Process.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
In response to the migration crisis, the Government is building its evidence base on the drivers and trends in migration flows. We are working with partners, including through the Khartoum Process, to obtain a more systematic quantitative and qualitative data on flows and drivers of migration in source, transit and destination countries.
The UK is funding data analysis and evidence review work by the International Organization for Migration and the Open Data Institute on migration into the EU through the central Mediterranean route. The UK has also funded work for research into criminal networks facilitating human trafficking and smuggling in the Horn of Africa.