Asked by: Lord Grocott (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park on 22 November (HL3795) detailing the steps they are taking regarding Russia's occupation of Crimea, what steps they are taking regarding Israel's occupation of the Golan Heights.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK position on the status of the Occupied Golan Heights is well-known and has not changed. In line with international law, and relevant Security Council resolutions, notably Resolutions 242 and 497, we do not recognise Israel's sovereignty over the territories occupied by Israel since June 1967, including the Golan Heights, and we do not consider them part of the territory of the State of Israel. Annexation of territory by force is prohibited under international law. Any declaration of a unilateral border change goes against the foundation of the rules-based international order and the UN Charter.
Asked by: Lord Grocott (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking in response to UN member states that have annexed parts of neighbouring states, in particular, in respect of (1) Russia's annexation of Crimea, and (2) Israel's annexation of the Golan Heights.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
Annexation of territory by force is prohibited under international law. Any declaration of a unilateral border change goes against the foundation of the rules-based international order and the UN Charter.
The UK does not recognise the illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol by Russia. We continue to make clear to Moscow that Crimea is, and will remain part of, Ukraine.
We have used our G7 Presidency to keep Crimea high on the international agenda, as shown by our G7 Foreign Ministers' statements on Crimea in March and April and the G7 Cornwall Summit communiqué in June, in which leaders reiterated their support for the Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity and called on Russia to withdraw troops and materiel from Crimea. We strongly support the establishment of the International Crimea Platform, as a means to raise global ambition on Crimea and hold Russia to account for its actions. We will continue to call for international monitoring missions to have access to Crimea, currently denied by Russia.
The UK's position on the status of the Occupied Golan Heights is well-known and has not changed. We do not consider them part of the territory of the State of Israel.
Asked by: Lord Grocott (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent discussions they have had with the government of Israel in respect of Israeli plans to annex parts of the West Bank.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We made clear our deep concerns about reports that the new Israeli Government coalition has reached an agreement which may pave the way for annexation of parts of the West Bank at the UN Security Council remote meeting on the Middle East Peace Process on 23 April. The UK position is clear: any unilateral moves towards annexation of parts of the West Bank by Israel would be damaging to efforts to restart peace negotiations and contrary to international law. The Prime Minister reiterated our opposition to the unilateral annexation of territory during a call with Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, on 6 February.
Asked by: Lord Grocott (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the government of Israel's activities in the Golan Heights.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK's position on the status of the Occupied Golan Heights is clear and has not changed. In line with international law, and relevant UN Security Council Resolutions, notably Resolutions 242 and 497, we do not recognise Israel's sovereignty over the territories occupied by Israel since June 1967, including the Golan Heights, and we do not consider them part of the territory of the State of Israel.
Asked by: Lord Grocott (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the government of Russia's activities in the Crimean Peninsula.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
On 18 March the Foreign Secretary made a statement condemning the illegal annexation of Crimea and called on Russia to release the 90 political prisoners held in Crimea and Russia, and end its unlawful control of the peninsula.
The Russian illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014 was a flagrant violation of a number of Russia's international commitments, including under the UN Charter, the OSCE Helsinki Final Act and the Budapest memorandum. The UK's position is clear - we will never recognise Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea. Russia must fully respect Ukraine's independence and territorial integrity. The ongoing militarisation of the peninsula, together with restrictions imposed by Russia on international shipping passing through the Kerch Strait, presents a serious security threat to the Black Sea region. We are also deeply concerned about the ongoing human rights violations experienced by ethnic and religious minorities in Crimea. What Russia has done and continues to do in Crimea breaches its obligations under international law and presents a serious challenge to the international rules-based order.
Asked by: Lord Grocott (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker which House of Lords Committee reports, published since the EU Referendum in 2016, have been directly related to the UK's departure from the EU, excluding reports by (1) the Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee, and (2) the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments.
Answered by Lord McFall of Alcluith
Since 23 June 2016 the following committees have published the following reports directly related to the UK’s departure from the EU. These include reports on legislation and treaties which are directly concerned with the Brexit process.
Constitution Committee (2016–17)
The invoking of Article 50 (4th report, HL Paper 44)
European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill (8th report, HL Paper 119)
The ‘Great Repeal Bill’ and delegated powers (9th report, HL Paper 123)
Constitution Committee (2017–19)
European Union (Withdrawal) Bill: interim report (3rd report, HL Paper 19)
Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Bill [HL] (8th report, HL Paper 39)
European Union (Withdrawal) Bill (9th report, HL Paper 69)
Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Bill (10th report, HL Paper 80)
Haulage Permits and Trailer Registration Bill [HL] (11th report, HL Paper 90)
Trade Bill (13th report, HL Paper 193)
Healthcare (International Arrangements) Bill (18th report, HL Paper 291)
European Union (Withdrawal) (No.5) Bill (19th report, HL Paper 339)
Delegated Powers and Regulatory Reform Committee (2016–17)
European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill (18th report, HL Paper 118)
Special Report: Submission to the House of Commons Procedure Committee inquiry on delegated powers in the “Great Repeal Bill” (23rd report, HL Paper 143)
Special Report: Second Submission to the House of Commons Procedure Committee inquiry on delegated powers in the “Great Repeal Bill” (30th report, HL Paper 164)
Delegated Powers and Regulatory Reform Committee (2017–19)
European Union (Withdrawal) Bill (3rd report, HL Paper 22)
Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Bill (7th report, HL Paper 38)
Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Bill (Government response); scrutiny of delegated legislation under the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill (correspondence) (10th report, HL Paper 58)
Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Bill; Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Bill (Government response (11th report, HL Paper 65)
European Union (Withdrawal) Bill (12th report, HL Paper 73)
Nuclear Safeguards Bill (13th report, HL Paper 77)
Haulage Permits and Trailer Registration Bill (15th report, HL Paper 84)
Nuclear Safeguards Bill (Government response) (17th report, HL Paper 102)
European Union (Withdrawal) Bill (Government response); Haulage Permits and Trailer Registration Bill (Government response) (20th report, HL Paper 119)
European Union (Withdrawal) Bill (correspondence) (22nd report, HL Paper 123)
European Union (Withdrawal) Bill (Government amendments) (23rd report, HL Paper 124)
European Union (Withdrawal) Bill (Further government amendments) (24th report, HL Paper 128)
Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Bill (Consideration of Commons Amendments); European Union (Withdrawal) Bill (correspondence) (26th report, HL Paper 140)
Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Bill (Government response) (28th report, HL Paper 147)
Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Bill (Government response) (32nd report, HL Paper 181)
Trade Bill (33rd report, HL Paper 186)
Agriculture Bill (34th report, HL Paper 194)
Fisheries Bill; Healthcare (International Arrangements) Bill (39th report, HL Paper 226)
Fisheries Bill (Government response) (45th report, HL Paper 274)
Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (46th report, HL Paper 275)
Healthcare (International Arrangements) Bill; Healthcare (International Arrangements) Bill (Government response) (47th report, HL Paper 289)
Healthcare (International Arrangements) Bill (changed to Healthcare (European Economic Area and Switzerland Arrangements) Bill) (Government response) (50th report, HL Paper 336)
European Union (Withdrawal)(No.5) Bill (51st report, HL Paper 340)
European Union (Withdrawal)(No.6) Bill (61st report, HL Paper 418)
Economic Affairs Committee (2017–19)
Brexit and the Labour Market (1st report, HL Paper 11)
European Union Committee (2016–17)
Scrutinising Brexit: the role of Parliament (1st report, HL Paper 33)
Brexit: parliamentary scrutiny (4th report, HL Paper 50)
Brexit: the options for trade (5th report, HL Paper 72)
Brexit: UK-Irish relations (6th report, HL Paper 76)
Brexit: future UK-EU security and police cooperation (7th report, HL Paper 77)
Brexit: fisheries (8th report, HL Paper 78)
Brexit: financial services (9th report, HL Paper 81)
Brexit: acquired rights (10th report, HL Paper 82)
Brexit: environment and climate change (12th report, HL Paper 109)
Brexit: Gibraltar (13th report, HL Paper 116)
Brexit: UK-EU movement of people (14th report, HL Paper 121)
Brexit and the EU budget (15th report, HL Paper 125)
Brexit: trade in goods (16th report, HL Paper 129)
Brexit: justice for individuals, families and businesses? (17th report, HL Paper 134)
Brexit: trade in non-financial services (18th report, HL Paper 135)
Brexit: the Crown Dependencies (19th report, HL Paper 136)
Brexit: agriculture (20th report, HL Paper 169)
European Union Committee (2017–19)
Brexit: the EU data protection package (3rd report, HL Paper 7)
Brexit: devolution (4th report, HL Paper 9)
Brexit: farm animal welfare (5th report, HL Paper 15)
Brexit: judicial oversight of the European Arrest Warrant (6th report, HL Paper 16)
Brexit: deal or no deal (7th report, HL Paper 46)
Brexit: sanctions policy (8th report, HL Paper 50)
Brexit: will consumers be protected? (9th report, HL Paper 51)
Brexit: energy security (10th report, HL Paper 63)
Brexit: the future of financial regulation and supervision (11th report, HL Paper 66)
Brexit: competition and State aid (12th report, HL Paper 67)
Brexit: reciprocal healthcare (13th report, HL Paper 107)
Brexit: food prices and availability (14th report, HL Paper 129)
Dispute resolution and enforcement after Brexit (15th report, HL Paper 130)
Brexit: Common Security and Defence Policy missions and operations (16th report, HL Paper 132)
UK-EU relations after Brexit (17th report, HL Paper 149)
Brexit: the proposed UK-EU security treaty (18th report, HL Paper 164)
Brexit: movement of people in the cultural sector (19th report, HL Paper 182)
Brexit: the customs challenge (20th report, HL Paper 187)
Brexit: plant and animal biosecurity (21st report, HL Paper 191)
Brexit: chemical regulation (23rd report, HL Paper 215)
Brexit: the Withdrawal Agreement and Political Declaration (24th report, HL Paper 245)
Brexit: the European Investment Bank (25th report, HL Paper 269)
Scrutiny of international agreements; treaties considered on 5 February 2019 (27th report, HL Paper 282)
Brexit: the Erasmus and Horizon programmes (28th report, HL Paper 283)
Scrutiny of international agreements; treaties considered on 12 February 2019 (29th report, HL Paper 287)
Scrutiny of international agreements; treaties considered on 20 February 2019 (30th report, HL Paper 296)
Scrutiny of international agreements; treaties considered on 26 February 2019 (31st report, HL Paper 300)
Scrutiny of international agreements; treaties considered on 5 March 2019 (32nd report, HL Paper 306)
Scrutiny of international agreements; treaties considered on 12 March 2019 (33rd report, HL Paper 315)
Scrutiny of international agreements; treaties considered on 19 March 2019 (34th report, HL Paper 321)
Beyond Brexit: how to win friends and influence people (35th report, HL Paper 322)
Scrutiny of international agreements; treaties considered on 3 April 2019 (36th report, HL Paper 337)
Scrutiny of international agreements; treaties considered on 9 April 2019 (37th report, HL Paper 342)
Scrutiny of international agreements; treaties considered on 30 April 2019 38th report, HL Paper 349)
Brexit: road, rail and maritime transport (39th report, HL Paper 355)
Scrutiny of international agreements; treaties considered on 14 May 2019 (40th report, HL Paper 362)
Scrutiny of international agreements; treaties considered on 11 June 2019 (41st report, HL Paper 379)
Scrutiny of international agreements: treaties considered on 9 July 2019 (44th report, HL Paper 402)
Scrutiny of international agreements: treaties considered on 23 July 2019 (45th report, HL Paper 416)
Scrutiny of international agreements: treaties considered on 9 September 2019 (46th report, HL Paper 421)
Scrutiny of international agreements: treaties considered on 7 October 2019 (47th report, HL Paper 427)
Brexit: refugee protection and asylum policy (48th report, HL Paper 428)
European Union Committee (2019–20)
Scrutiny of international agreements: treaties considered on 21 October 2019 (1st report, HL Paper 6)
Brexit: the financial settlement (2nd report, HL Paper 7)
Science and Technology Committee (2016–17)
A time for boldness: EU membership and UK science after the referendum (1st report, HL Paper 85)
Asked by: Lord Grocott (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government which member states of the United Nations have recognised Palestine as a state.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
136 UN member states have recognised a Palestinian state. They are: Afghanistan; Albania; Algeria; Angola; Antigua & Barbuda; Argentina; Azerbaijan; Bahrain; Bangladesh; Belarus; Belize; Benin; Bhutan; Bolivia; Bosnia & Herzegovina; Botswana; Brazil; Brunei Darussalam; Bulgaria; Burkina Faso; Burundi; Cambodia; Cape Verde; Central African Republic; Chad; Chile; China; Comoros; Republic of Congo; Costa Rica; Cote d' Ivoire; Cuba; Cyprus; Czech Republic; Democratic People's Republic of Korea; Democratic Republic of Congo; Djibouti; Dominica; Dominican Republic; Ecuador; Egypt; El Salvador; Equatorial Guinea; Ethiopia; Gabon; Gambia; Georgia; Ghana; Grenada; Guatemala; Guinea; Guinea-Bissau; Guyana; Haiti; Honduras; Hungary; Iceland; India; Indonesia; Iran; Iraq; Jordan; Kazakhstan; Kenya; Kuwait; Kyrgyzstan; Lao People's Democratic Republic; Lebanon; Lesotho; Liberia; Libya; Madagascar; Malawi; Malaysia; Maldives; Mali; Malta; Mauritania; Mauritius; Mongolia; Montenegro; Morocco; Mozambique; Namibia; Nepal; Nicaragua; Niger; Nigeria; Oman; Pakistan; Papua New Guinea; Paraguay; Peru; Philippines; Poland; Qatar; Romania; Russian Federation; Rwanda; Saint Lucia; Sao Tome and Principe; Saudi Arabia; Senegal; Serbia; Seychelles; Sierra Leone; Slovakia; Somalia; South Africa; South Sudan; Sri Lanka; Saint Lucia; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; Sudan; Suriname; Swaziland; Sweden; Syria; Tajikistan; Tanzania; Thailand; Timor-Leste; Togo; Tunisia; Turkey; Turkmenistan; Uganda; Ukraine; United Arab Emirates; Uruguay; Uzbekistan; Vanuatu; Venezuela; Vietnam; Yemen; Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The Holy See, which is not a member of the United Nations but has permanent observer status, has also recognised a Palestinian state.
Asked by: Lord Grocott (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to realise that part of the Balfour Declaration relating to Palestinians that "nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine".
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
As the Prime Minister has said the UK is proud of the role the UK played in helping to make a Jewish homeland a reality; however, we also understand and respect the sensitivities many have about the Balfour Declaration. Balfour remains unfinished business. That is why we are committed to ensuring that the whole of Balfour is fulfilled, through a two-state solution which provides security and justice for both Israelis and Palestinians, as well as protecting Jewish communities across the Middle East. Our focus now is on encouraging the parties to take steps which bring them closer to peace, and Ministers are in regular contact with them. We remain absolutely committed to ensure the two state solution of a secure and stable Israel, and a sovereign and sustainable Palestinian State are achieved at the earliest time possible and will continue our efforts at all levels in pursuing this objective.
Asked by: Lord Grocott (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anelay of St Johns on 7 March (HL6442), whether they support the application to join the EU of (1) Turkey, (2) Macedonia, (3) Montenegro, (4) Albania, and (5) Serbia.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
We support all five countries' aspiration to join the EU as an important means to drive reform. Turkey’s accession process remains the most effective mechanism to support continuing reform in Turkey. In the Western Balkans, the prospect of EU membership is helping to build stability and promote cooperation on issues that matter to the UK, including organised crime and illegal migration. The strict conditionality of the enlargement process means that it takes many years for a country to complete accession negotiations, undertake reforms and achieve the progress needed to meet EU membership criteria. Any decision to enlarge the EU requires the unanimous agreement of the governments of all existing Member States and ratification in accordance with each country’s constitutional arrangements. In the case of the UK, under the European Union Act 2011 ratification cannot take place without an Act of Parliament to approve the new accession. We can therefore ensure that our requirements are respected in any future EU enlargement. The UK will insist that controls on free movement cannot be lifted until accession countries’ economies have converged much more closely with existing Member States.
Asked by: Lord Grocott (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government which countries have expressed an interest in applying for membership of the EU.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
Article 49 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU) states that any European State which respects its values and is committed to promoting them may apply to become a member of the Union. The Council currently recognises five candidates for EU membership: Turkey, Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania and Serbia. Turkey, Montenegro and Serbia have started accession negotiations. Albania and Macedonia have Candidate Status but have not started accession negotiations. Bosnia and Herzegovina submitted its membership application on 15 February 2016. The General Affairs Council will revert to Bosnia and Herzegovina's application once it deems that sufficient progress in the implementation of the Reform Agenda has been achieved. Kosovo is recognised as a potential candidate and has signed and concluded a Stabilisation and Association Agreement with the EU. Iceland started negotiations in 2013, but last year requested that it no longer be considered a candidate country.