Asked by: Lord Farmer (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to secure the release of the British hostage, Emily Damari, held in captivity in Gaza since the 7 October 2023 attacks on Israel, and hostages directly related to British citizens such as Eli Sharabi, Avinatan Or and Oded Lifschitz.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
We condemn Hamas' continued holding of hostages in Gaza, including Emily Damari and all those connected to British citizens. Hamas must release all the hostages now, and a ceasefire deal must be agreed urgently to end the suffering. Since our first day in government we have been working alongside our allies and partners in the region in support of ongoing negotiations. We appreciate the tireless efforts of our partners in Qatar, Egypt and the United States, and continue to use all diplomatic avenues to further our aims. The Foreign Secretary reaffirmed to Israeli Foreign Minister Katz in Israel the UK's support in working together to deliver the return of all the hostages. The Foreign Secretary and the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Middle East, Afghanistan and Pakistan have also met the families of hostages with links to the UK, whose loved ones have been murdered or taken by Hamas, to express our deepest sympathies and to highlight the diplomatic efforts underway.
Asked by: Lord Farmer (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Sherlock on 7 August (HL344), how many staff in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office are permitted to undertake diversity-related network time during core working hours; what is the percentage of overall working time they are permitted to spend on such network activity; how many hours are allocated in total; what are the names of each of the networks being funded; and what plans they have to (a) increase, or (b) reduce, such funding.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The FCDO has 17 Staff Networks which relate to protected characteristics defined in the 2010 Equality Act, related characteristics referenced in the Civil Service Diversity & Inclusion Strategy, and FCDO specific groups for topics experienced as a global organisation. Staff Networks provide valuable insight and help us to meet the Public Sector Equality Duties. Co-Chairs of FCDO Staff Networks are volunteers who are allowed to spend up to 10 per cent of their contracted time to serve in this capacity - we do not record the hours this translates to. A small discretionary budget is available for Staff Networks to support their work in line with the Civil Service guidance and value for money. There are no plans to change the number of FCDO Staff Networks or related funding.
The Staff Networks are as follows: Armed Forces, Uniformed Volunteers & Family Staff Network, Country Based Staff, Disability Inclusion and Awareness Network, FCDO Women, FCDO/Diplomatic Service Families Association Carers' Network, FLAG: FCDO LGBT+ Staff Association, Flexible Working Network, Home Civil Service International Staff Network, Mental Health, Wellbeing and Listening Network, Over Fifties Network, Parents' Support Network, Parents of children with disabilities Network, Race and Ethnicity Network, Religion and Belief Group, Social Mobility Network, Unaccompanied Staff Network and Young People and Early Professionals Network.
Asked by: Lord Farmer (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to ensure the Prime Minister’s Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief is being adequately resourced and supported in relation (1) to her role in implementing the recommendations of the Bishop of Truro’s Independent Review for the Foreign Secretary of FCO Support for Persecuted Christians, published on 8 July 2019, and (2) to enabling the planning and delivery of the international ministerial conference on freedom of religion or belief in 2022.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
The Government has committed to implementing in full the recommendations in the Bishop of Truro's review, and work continues to implement them in a way that will bring real improvement to the lives of those persecuted due to their faith or belief. Of the 22 recommendations we have fully delivered ten, made good progress on a further eight, and are confident that all 22 will be delivered by the time of the independent review in 2022.
I [Lord Ahmad] meet monthly with the Envoy to discuss freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) activity. The Envoy also works closely with FCDO Ministers in promoting FoRB in their respective geographic areas, and through her Private Secretary in the FCDO, with support from the FCDO FoRB team and other officials on specific aspects of her role, as well as the FCDO media office and Special Advisers. Geographic and thematic policy desks have the opportunity to feed in to policy recommendations and offer advice on activities. We have committed to holding a Ministerial conference on FoRB, which will bring countries together to make global progress on this important issue.