Asked by: Lord Hain (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government why the use of both the UK Conformity Assessment mark and the EU’s CE mark will be allowed indefinitely for UK companies in the electronic, industrial, consumer and other sectors, but not for medical products produced in the UK.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Medical devices are regulated by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and are considered high-risk goods. The Government has put in place legislation to extend the acceptance of CE marked medical devices on the Great Britain market up to 2028 or 2030, depending on the type of CE certificate held.
In addition, the MHRA are currently developing proposals for an international recognition framework. This would reduce, where safe to do so, barriers to medical devices entering the Great Britain market where they have already demonstrated to other trusted regulators that they meet our essential requirements.
Asked by: Lord Hain (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government why post-Brexit import checks on food and fresh produce from the EU have been delayed for the fifth time.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Border Target Operating Model (BTOM) has been developed following extensive engagement with the border industry and businesses across the UK. It incorporates feedback from the Draft BTOM which was published in April 2023. In response to this feedback, the Government has agreed a small delay of 3 months to the introduction of remaining sanitary and phytosanitary controls, which will now be introduced in January 2024. This has the benefit of giving stakeholders additional requested time to prepare for the model.
The Government remains committed to delivering the most effective border, and the BTOM is key to achieving this.
Asked by: Lord Hain (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have had any discussions with the governments of (1) the US, (2) Germany, (3) Japan, and (4) other relevant countries, about companies in those countries supplying arms materials to the government of Myanmar for the construction of its weapons.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Since the coup in Myanmar, the UK has led global efforts to reduce the flow of weapons to Myanmar through coordinating multilateral statements. The UK has kept the Myanmar issue on the G7 agenda, securing strong public commitments from G7 member states to tackle the flow of arms and equipment to Myanmar. We have also spearheaded efforts to impose sanctions on arms dealers and the military's own domestic production, in close coordination with the US, EU and Canada. We will continue to engage with our partners on how we can target the military's access to arms and to take coordinated action where appropriate.
Asked by: Lord Hain (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether any British companies are supplying arms materials to the government of Myanmar for the construction of its weapons.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK has had a comprehensive arms embargo on Myanmar since 2013, which prohibits the supply of dual-use items, including technology and manufacturing equipment, to the Myanmar military. We take a rigorous approach to due diligence in relation to our arms embargo, including enhanced military end-use controls for items destined for the military and security forces. We have also established the Myanmar Witness programme, which monitors weapons exports to Myanmar using open-source intelligence. We have found no evidence of British companies selling weapons or dual use goods to Myanmar. We will continue to take coordinated action to halt the military's access to arms and lobby countries who sell weapons to the military.
Asked by: Lord Hain (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to investigate British companies involved in supplying aviation fuel to the armed forces of the government of Myanmar; and what sanctions, if any, they are considering for such companies.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
On 28 February 2022, the UK updated its Overseas Business Risk Guidance https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/overseas-business-risk-myanmar-burma/overseas-business-risk-myanmar-burma to make it clear UK businesses should conduct thorough supply chain due diligence to ensure that commodities, such as aviation fuel do not reach the Myanmar military. Amnesty International's thorough report on the aviation fuel supply chain in Myanmar indicates that no British companies are involved in supplying aviation fuel to the armed forces. The UK has been clear that we oppose the provision of jet fuel, arms, military equipment, and dual use items to Myanmar which are used to facilitate human rights violations. We cannot speculate on future sanctions designations but we are looking at a range of further targets and other measures.
Asked by: Lord Hain (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps, if any, they are taking to prevent British companies from providing insurance services to vessels delivering aviation fuel to the government of Myanmar.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
On 28 February 2022, the UK updated its Overseas Business Risk Guidance https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/overseas-business-risk-myanmar-burma/overseas-business-risk-myanmar-burma to make it clear UK businesses should conduct thorough supply chain due diligence to ensure that commodities, such as aviation fuel do not reach the Myanmar military. Amnesty International's thorough report on the aviation fuel supply chain in Myanmar indicates that no British companies are involved in supplying aviation fuel to the armed forces. The UK has been clear that we oppose the provision of jet fuel, arms, military equipment, and dual use items to Myanmar which are used to facilitate human rights violations. We cannot speculate on future sanctions designations but we are looking at a range of further targets and other measures.
Asked by: Lord Hain (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of South Africa about (1) the activities of AfriForum, and (2) community relations in that country.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
Our High Commission in Pretoria regularly engages with the Government of South Africa and civil society regarding social issues including community relations. There have been no meetings with the Government of South Africa to discuss the activities of AfriForum.
Asked by: Lord Hain (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether Her Majesty’s Global Ambassador for Human Rights and Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva will engage with Botswana’s Permanent Mission in Geneva on how the government of Botswana intends to comply with UN Special Rapporteurs’ recommendations regarding the threat to former President of Botswana Ian Khama’s life.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
There have not been, nor are there any planned discussions between former President Khama and representatives of the UK Government on these issues. We are aware of the correspondence between the UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial Killings and the Government of Botswana regarding former President Khama. These communications form part of the range of direct interactions between the United Nations and a sovereign State, and other States do not tend to intervene in this process. It would not be appropriate for us to comment on the Government of Botswana's choice of legal representation, or its bilateral relationship with the South African institutions referred to. Former President Khama has not sought the assistance of the UK Government.
Asked by: Lord Hain (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the reported attacks by the government of Botswana on the South African Reserve Bank and the South African banking system, including RBS/NatWest and Ambassador Bridgette Motsepe.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
There have not been, nor are there any planned discussions between former President Khama and representatives of the UK Government on these issues. We are aware of the correspondence between the UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial Killings and the Government of Botswana regarding former President Khama. These communications form part of the range of direct interactions between the United Nations and a sovereign State, and other States do not tend to intervene in this process. It would not be appropriate for us to comment on the Government of Botswana's choice of legal representation, or its bilateral relationship with the South African institutions referred to. Former President Khama has not sought the assistance of the UK Government.
Asked by: Lord Hain (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Minister for Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean, during her visit to Pretoria on 11 and 12 July, discussed with the government of South Africa former President of Botswana Ian Khama taking refuge in South Africa.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
There have not been, nor are there any planned discussions between former President Khama and representatives of the UK Government on these issues. We are aware of the correspondence between the UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial Killings and the Government of Botswana regarding former President Khama. These communications form part of the range of direct interactions between the United Nations and a sovereign State, and other States do not tend to intervene in this process. It would not be appropriate for us to comment on the Government of Botswana's choice of legal representation, or its bilateral relationship with the South African institutions referred to. Former President Khama has not sought the assistance of the UK Government.