Lord Hylton

The Sovereign Base Areas Administration (SBAA) has a zero tolerance policy towards the trapping and killing of wild birds and continues to make significant efforts to prevent the trapping in the Eastern Sovereign Base Areas of Cyprus, using increased enforcement and denial of trapping opportunities.

The Sovereign Base Areas (SBA) Police continue to use a detect, deter and disrupt strategy against the trappers. This includes seeking improved evidence collection, using enhanced surveillance equipment, resulting in greater fixed penalty notices and/or court sentences. The programme of seizing bird trapping paraphernalia continues, as does extensive patrolling by the SBA Police during the migratory seasons.

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and BirdLife Cyprus have recognised the SBAA’s continued efforts highlighting an estimated 94% reduction in mist netting activity in 2020 compared to the baseline year of 2002.

All opportunities are taken to enhance the excellent cooperation between the SBAA, the RSPB, BirdLife Cyprus and other NGOs involved in preventing illegal bird trapping.

Defra has published or contributed to a range of assessments of the impact of artificial light on insects and wider biodiversity, as well as global and national assessments of the drivers of biodiversity loss more generally.

There has been no systematic research on or appraisal of the effects of urban lighting on migratory or resident birds. There is some evidence that artificial lighting can assist nocturnal feeding for some species under certain circumstances and prolong activity of birds beyond their normal periods. More significantly, there is evidence that shows strong light sources can disorient birds in flight and lead to direct mortality due to collisions with the light sources, their associated structures, and the ground.

In particular research suggests that artificial light can have an adverse effect on migratory birds’ ability to undertake long distance migrations. Birds attracted to light are not only at risk of death or injury due to collision with buildings and other structures, but are also at risk of exhaustion, starvation, or predation.

However, neither national nor global research has identified artificial light as a significant threat to UK bird populations. The UK’s recent report to the EU under Article 12 of the Birds Directive identified a medium threat to storm petrels from ‘attraction to and incineration by flares from oil platforms and rigs.

Government officials have met with relevant stakeholders including the Commission for Dark Skies but have not made an assessment of the impact of light pollution on astronomy.

The National Planning Policy Framework sets out how the possible ecological impacts of artificial light should be considered in the planning system. It makes clear that policies and decisions should limit the impact of light pollution on local amenity, dark landscapes, and nature conservation, including where there may be impacts on wildlife and ecosystems. Defra has contributed to associated guidance published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

The UK Government is committed to action for pollinators, globally and at home. We regularly discuss and share information on research, policy and practical activities with a number of countries, in and beyond Europe, on reported declines and how best to address them.

The UK is a member of ‘Promote Pollinators’, an international coalition of the willing, with 60 members, including countries in Europe and across the world, committed to action to protect pollinators.

We have also supported collaborative international research which has underpinned such initiatives, including a major global review of the status and threats to insect pollinators, published in 2015 by the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services.

The UK continues to play a leading role in the development of an ambitious post-2020 global framework for biodiversity to be adopted at the 15^th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity. We will be supporting ambitious targets to bend the curve on biodiversity loss by 2030 - including in areas which will help to recover insect populations, such as ecosystem restoration and species recovery - supported by strengthened reporting and review mechanisms to help facilitate the implementation of the targets.

The Government knows how important seasonal workers are to our farmers and growers and to the food-processing sector, supporting the growth and prosperity of our farming, fisheries and food and drink sectors by helping to ensure that produce is picked and processed.

In 2021 and beyond, agricultural businesses will continue to be able to rely on EU nationals living in the UK with settled or pre-settled status - around 3.5 million EU citizens and their families have been granted settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme - and there will continue to be other flexibility in the system.

Defra has been encouraging the horticulture sector to employ domestic workers, which has been supported by the 'Pick for Britain' campaign this year. This was a joint Defra and industry initiative to support the recruitment of British workers to help with this year's harvest during the Covid-19 pandemic. We will take lessons from this campaign to help inform the future needs of the sector.

The Seasonal Workers Pilot has operated in 2019 and 2020 and allowed the recruitment of up to 10,000 non-EEA seasonal workers this year. The Pilot will run until the end of December 2020 when the new points-based immigration system will come into force. The Pilot will be evaluated ahead of any decisions being taken on how future needs of the sector will be addressed.

We remain concerned about the impact the bush-meat trade can have on endangered species. However, we are not currently seeking a blanket ban on the sale of bush-meat as a means of preventing the transfer of zoonotic diseases. It is clear that poorly managed and illegal wildlife trade (IWT) poses threats to animal health and welfare, diminishes our biodiversity, undermines governance, and can result in serious public health issues. However, well managed, sustainable trade can make important contributions to biodiversity conservation, livelihoods and wealth creation, social cohesion and cultural identity, and help meet the nutritional needs of local and rural communities in developing nations.

Through the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic (OSPAR), the UK co-led a study (attached and available at https://www.ospar.org/documents?v=42718) on best practice for the design and recycling of fishing gear in the North-East Atlantic. This study will support countries to develop measures to reduce the environmental impact of fishing gear at end-of-life, which could include alternative gear design and improved recycling.

A wide variety of materials are used to make fishing gear and important design considerations include functionality, durability and cost. Plastic is an essential material in current fishing gear and the Government is not planning to end its use.

In England, the Government has committed to reviewing and consulting on measures such as Extended Producer Responsibility to ensure that fishing gear that is no longer fit for purpose is disposed of correctly and prevented from polluting the ocean.

This is a devolved matter and the information provided therefore relates to England only.

The Government has a range of policies in place to mitigate the impacts of drought, including the impact on food supplies and public health:

• The Environment Agency, which has responsibility for managing water resources and protecting the environment, chairs the National Drought Group (NDG). The NDG consists of representatives from regulators such as Public Health England (PHE), the agricultural sector and water companies. This group ensures that all sectors work together and take action to manage any impacts of dry weather and drought.

• Water companies have the legal duty to supply adequate quantities of wholesome water. To fulfil their duties, water companies maintain statutory drought plans, which set out the short-term actions they will take should a drought develop. Water companies’ drought plans are published on their websites.

The impacts of drought on food supply are mitigated by the UK’s robust and reliable food industry, which is experienced in dealing with scenarios that can affect food supply, from adverse weather damaging crops to transport issues abroad. The size and diversity of the industry is a key factor in enabling the food sector to remain resilient to food supply chain disruptions. The expertise, capability, levers and resilience to plan for and respond to food supply disruption lies within the industry.

The health effects of drought are primarily indirect, including: injury, risk to public and private water supply; dust-related problems for those with pre-existing respiratory and cardiovascular disease; and impacts on mental health and wellbeing. PHE specifically plans for the risks of hot weather, including drought, in the Heatwave and Summer preparedness programme of the Heatwave Plan for England - which became operational in June 2020.

The Forestry Commission produces statistics on woodland planting and restocking by area, but not by tree numbers, in the UK. These are Official Statistics produced to meet the standards of the Code of Practice for Statistics.

Woodland area statistics can be found on the Forest Research website together with background information at: https://www.forestresearch.gov.uk/tools-and-resources/statistics/forestry-statistics/

The area of new planting (woodland creation) and publicly funded restocking for each country in each of the last three years, taken from the published statistics, which report in hectares, is shown below.

Woodland Area (thousands of hectares)

Note: Publicly funded restocking is defined in the statistics as restocking of Forestry England, Forestry and Land Scotland, Natural Resources Wales Forest Service Woodlands and grant aided restocking of private sector woodland. This means that the level of restocking is under-reported in these statistics.

This is a fast-moving situation and Italy, Malta and Libya are all adapting their approach to the evolving threat posed by COVID-19. Their responses include dedicated structures to quarantine rescued migrants, mandatory self-isolation for 14 days, testing regimes and, in Libya’s case, disembarkation only in accordance with the Directorate for Combatting Illegal Migration’s capacity to provide shelter. The UK is monitoring these situations closely. In Libya, the UK continues to provide humanitarian support in the healthcare sector.

The UK has contributed over £744 million of UK Aid in response to the COVID-19 global pandemic, including £20 million to the UN Refugees Agency (UNHCR) to ensure UK Aid meets the needs of vulnerable groups such as refugees. This includes providing access to health services and medical supplies, improving shelters so people with symptoms can isolate, and making sure that there are adequate hygiene supplies and facilities for hand washing in camps and large settlements, to prevent the humanitarian disaster that mass infections among refugees would bring.

We are gravely disappointed that the new resolution loses two of the four crossing-points into Syria, including Yaroubiya, the only UN-mandated border crossing into the North East. With UN agencies unable to deliver aid cross-border into North East Syria, and medical supplies from Yaroubiya reaching 1.4 million people last year, DFID Ministers and UK Officials are raising this with the UN, and will ask the UN to report regularly on the humanitarian situation in North East Syria. DFID is also speaking with international partners to determine how to meet the immediate shortfall in medical supplies. The UK is committed to supporting UN and NGO partners to have unfettered humanitarian access to all those in need in Syria, across all modalities, and this cannot be time-restricted.

The Government has made no specific assessment of the letter referred to.

We are the NHS: People Plan 2020-2021 sets out actions to expand and develop our workforce by retaining staff for longer and building on the renewed interest in National Health Service careers. A copy is attached. The next phase of the NHS People Plan will focus on workforce growth and ensuring it has the right skills mix in place for a flexible and modern NHS.

No specific assessment has been made. However, the Department is regularly in discussions with other countries, including South Korea, on a wide range of issues relating to COVID-19 and has been throughout the pandemic. The Department will continue to work with other countries to defeat the virus.

Whilst we have made no specific assessment, the Government is committed to ensure that the United Kingdom continues to be one of the best places in the world for research and innovation and is at the forefront of health and social care research internationally and specifically, global research on pandemics.

The UK has pledged £388 million in aid funding for research into vaccines, tests and treatments which is part of a larger £744 million existing commitment to help end the pandemic and support the global economy. This also includes £250 million for global Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations to develop vaccines against coronaviruses. The UK will also provide £330 million a year for the next five years to the Global Vaccine Alliance, readying it to distribute a COVID-19 vaccine in developing countries.

We recognise the importance of international cooperation in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The United Kingdom convened a wide range of international leaders, Foreign and Health Ministers at the Global Vaccine Summit on 4 June. Ministers participate in regular dialogue including through the G7, G20, World Health Assembly and in ad hoc groupings convened by other partners – as well as initiating our own calls as required with specific partners.

COVID-19 presents a global challenge which requires a collaborative response. The UK Government will continue to work with other countries throughout the crisis and beyond.

To support the hospice movement in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced on 8 April 2020 additional funding of up to £200 million for hospices as part of a wider package of £750 million for the wider voluntary and charity sector. This funding is supporting hospices by securing capacity to relieve pressure on the National Health Service as the Government manages its response to COVID-19.

The Department is also actively taking steps to ensure that staff operating in the hospice sector have access to the proper equipment, including adequate personal protective equipment (PPE), to continue to provide palliative and end of life care during this challenging period.

To address continuity of supply concerns, central delivery points provided by hospices, including children’s hospices, to the Department will get weekly drops of PPE until they can be added to the PPE e-commerce ordering portal. The Department will continue to work with the hospice sector to ensure they have the support they need during this challenging period.

COVID-19 testing has been extended to cover prison staff, probation staff and those working in approved premises. Hundreds of staff have now been tested and Her Majesty's Prison and Probation Service is working with the Department testing teams to roll-out a COVID-19 testing plan for prison staff.

The Government is working in partnership with the health and care sector to ensure the supply of National Health Service beds matches demand during this unprecedented global emergency. For example, community health providers and social care providers have been asked to free up community hospital and intermediate care beds that could be used flexibly. These measures together could free up to 10,000 beds.

Other measures include the refitting and opening of seven Nightingale Hospitals in England in the next few weeks.

This extra capacity is on top of 33,000 additional beds freed up across NHS hospitals by postponing all non-urgent elective operations, urgently discharge all hospital in-patients who are medically fit to leave and block-buying capacity in independent hospitals.

During visits to Armenia and Azerbaijan in February, the Minister for the European Neighbourhood and Americas urged both parties to work with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to expedite the return of all prisoners of war. In her most recent conversations with the Azerbaijani and Armenian Foreign Ministers, on 14 June and 6 September respectively, the Minister for the European Neighbourhood and Americas raised the importance of the return of all prisoners of war and detainees and welcomed the most recent exchanges that have taken place. The UK continues to work with partners, including the United States in its capacity as Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, to encourage Armenia and Azerbaijan to settle all matters related to last year's conflict including the return of all prisoners of war and detainees.

The UK Government continues to urge the Governments of both Armenia and Azerbaijan to allow international organisations unrestricted access to all areas of the region. This includes pressing both sides to ensure UNESCO is able to undertake its crucial work in support of historical and cultural heritage. The Minister for the European Neighbourhood and the Americas has raised this issue with the Armenian and Azerbaijani Governments, including during her visit to the region in February. Our Embassies in Baku and Yerevan continue to raise the question of access with both Governments.

The UK Government fully supports the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group to settle all outstanding matters related to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. In her most recent conversations with the Azerbaijani and Armenian Foreign Ministers, on 14 June and 6 September respectively, Wendy Morton MP, the Minister for the European Neighbourhood and Americas, reinforced UK support for the efforts of Minsk Group Co-Chairs. Our Embassies in Baku and Yerevan continue to encourage both parties to engage with the Co-Chairs' renewed efforts. The UK Government believes the Minsk group remains the most appropriate mechanism to seek a peaceful resolution to the conflict and has no plans to consider an alternative mechanism at this time.

The UK regularly calls on Israel to end illegal settlement expansion in the West Bank and closely monitors reports of further settlement advancements. We also call bilaterally, and in international fora, for Israel to provide a clear, transparent route to construction for Palestinians in Area C.

We continue to stress to the Israeli authorities the damage that their restrictions on movement, access and trade are doing to the living standards of ordinary Palestinians.

We have made clear our concern about the ongoing humanitarian situation in Gaza, including significant damage and destruction of civilian infrastructure including homes, schools, hospitals, and clinics. The UK priority now is ensuring timely humanitarian access into and out of Gaza, including for essential health services. We are urging the Government of Israel to ensure this access is maintained.

The UK is closely monitoring the situation in Tunisia. We recognise the legitimate demands of its people for a better standard of living and honest, effective governance. We believe that the solution to Tunisia's challenges can only be achieved through the principles of democracy, transparency, respect for human rights, and free speech. Minister Cleverly spoke to Tunisian Foreign Minister Jerandi on 11 August. G7 Ambassadors in Tunis, led by the UK, issued a joint statement on 6 September setting out our joint position.

The United Kingdom strongly opposes the death penalty in all countries and in all circumstances, as a matter of principle. This is especially the case for juveniles. This is in line with the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Arab Charter on Human Rights. We continue to raise human rights concerns, including the death penalty, with the Egyptian authorities, both privately and in forums such as the UN Human Rights Council. Following recent cases the Minister of State for the Middle East and North Africa made clear to the Egyptian Government, at a senior level, our serious concern about the use of the death penalty.

We are aware of discussions between our close partners, Turkey and the EU, on the funding of border controls at Turkey's eastern border. We would expect any new border controls to comply with international law with respect to the protection of refugees.

The accounts in the report are concerning and illustrate the difficulties presented by irregular migration. As the report notes, Greece has denied using any illegal practices, while Frontex has conducted an internal investigation into the allegations, and the European Parliament has established a permanent standing committee in order to scrutinise Frontex activity in the Aegean. HMA Athens has raised this issue with Greek Migration Minister Mitarakis and we will continue to urge all parties to uphold international law and international human rights standards, and to avoid any actions that may endanger human life. More broadly, the UK is committed to engaging with European and other partners on a 'whole of route' approach to tackling the challenges of, and risks posed by, irregular migration.

The accounts in the Amnesty International report are concerning. We welcome the fact that Frontex has conducted an internal investigation into the allegations, and the European Parliament has established a permanent standing committee in order to scrutinise Frontex activity in the Aegean. The UK co-operates closely with our European partners to manage migration and strengthen our collective borders. We are committed to upholding international law and international human rights standards and to avoiding any actions that may endanger human life.

The UK closed the British Embassy in Damascus in 2012 and has no plans to re-open it. It is up to each sovereign state to make its own decisions on its representation in Syria, but we believe the Assad regime has lost its legitimacy due to its atrocities against the Syrian people and must now engage seriously with the UN political process.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), in coordination with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNCHR) and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), conducts assessments of the likely scale of migration and internal displacement due to the situation in Afghanistan. They are currently preparing revised estimates to reflect the deteriorating situation and we will continue to work with OCHA, UNHCR, IOM and other donors and neighbouring countries to respond.

The decision on whether a country is designated a Human Rights Priority Country (HRPC) is based on the human rights situation in the country; trajectory of change; and the UK's potential to work on human rights and have influence. The list of HRPCs is published in the Government's annual human rights report. As regards the list of HRPCs, we keep all countries, including Turkey, under regular review.

The UK has been consistently active and vocal in promoting human rights in Turkey through diplomatic and ministerial channels, and through support to civil society. We also use relevant multilateral institutions, such as the Council of Europe, to emphasise the importance of shared values and accountability. Respect for human rights are vital for the long-term health of Turkish democracy and will remain at the heart of our policy towards Turkey.

The UK continues to work with international partners to improve the capability of the Philippine authorities to fight online sexual exploitation of children. This includes National Crime Agency (NCA) work with the Philippines authorities to feed in potential changes in procedures, structures and legislation that will assist in the investigation and prosecution of offences.

The UK supports the introduction of legislation by countries around the world to combat online sexual exploitation of children. The Philippines' Senate has recently passed a bill on Special Protections against Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children. The bill, which now passes to the Philippines House of Representatives, expands the scope of the Anti-Child Pornography Act from 2009 and addresses the duty and legal requirements of Internet Service Providers in the Philippines.

The UK's policy is that refugee returns must be voluntary, safe and dignified. Whilst we hope that Syrian refugees will, ultimately, be able to return home, we agree with the UN judgement that conditions in Syria do not currently allow this. Understandably, the key concern of the majority of Syrian refugees when considering returning home is personal safety and safety of their families. In the meantime, the UK has spent at least £1.99 billion since 2012 to support 5.5 million refugees in the region, as well as host communities in Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan.

Since 2011, the UK has allocated over £700 million in humanitarian and development funding to Lebanon, as well as funding for Syrian refugees there. The UK has spent £1.92 billion since 2012 to specifically support the over 5.5 million Syrian refugees in the region, including those in Lebanon. Our humanitarian assistance in Lebanon will continue to promote access to education and provide those most in need with timely, flexible assistance and protection services to cover their basic survival needs and reduce gender-based violence, saving lives and reducing suffering.

The UK regularly raises the issue of demolitions and forced evictions of Palestinians from their homes with the Government of Israel. The Foreign Secretary raised ongoing evictions, demolitions and settlement activity with the Israeli Authorities during his visit to the region on 26 May. The UK is clear that in all but the most exceptional of circumstances, demolitions and evictions are contrary to International Humanitarian Law.

The UK recognises the tremendous generosity Lebanon and Jordan have shown in hosting significant numbers of refugees. Lebanon currently hosts 1.7 million refugees, the highest concentration of refugees per capita anywhere in the world. Jordan hosts approximately 667,000 registered Syrian refugees, 90,000 non-Syrian refugees registered with UNHCR, and 2.2 million Palestinian refugees.

Recognising the substantial pressures both host countries face, the UK and international partners have provided significant assistance to the Lebanese and Jordanian governments to help manage this challenge. The UK is one of the leading donors in supporting Lebanon in hosting both Syrian and Palestinian refugee, and has contributed over £704 million in bilateral development assistance to Jordan since 2011. The UK's pledge of at least £205 million to the Syrian crisis in 2021 will ensure the UK continues to support the most vulnerable in Lebanon and Jordan, allowing refugees to live in safety and with dignity until they are able to return home.

On 25th February we completed our commitment to resettle 20,000 refugees under the Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme (VPRS). We continue to welcome refugees through the global UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS), as well as through the Community Sponsorship and Mandate Resettlement Schemes.

The UK is committed to providing refugee children with access to quality education. In Lebanon, since 2011 we have provided education to over 280,000 children, and support to over 135,500 out-of-school boys and girls with nonformal education since 2016. In Jordan, the UK has supported over 130,000 Syrian refugee children access primary education. Approximately 85,000 Syrian refugee children remain without any type of learning. The Government does not hold figures for refugee children not receiving primary education in Turkey or Greece. As of March 2021, the EU Managed Facility for Refugees in Turkey (FRIT), to which the UK is a leading contributor, had allocated €400 million to the "Promoting Integration of Syrian Kids into the Turkish Education System" project that has 627,582 Syrian students enrolled at public schools and 9,288 enrolled at Temporary Education Centres. In Greece, UK support has helped deliver educational programmes for vulnerable children and we will continue to work with Greek partners to identify opportunities to provide further support.

We are deeply concerned about restrictions on freedom of religion or belief in China, including the persecution of Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, and Falun Gong practitioners. The Foreign Secretary has personally raised our serious concerns with his Chinese counterpart, State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, on a number of occasions, most recently on 27 May. We are also aware of the concerning reports that Catholic priests were arrested in Xinxiang in May, and will continue to monitor developments. We remain committed to working with our international partners to stand up for the rights of all religious minorities in China.

The Government is aware of media reports of an increase in people irregularly crossing the border from Belarus into Lithuania. We are also aware of the steps that the Lithuanian Government have taken to respond, including increasing funding to the Lithuanian State Border Guards, and expanding capacity at the border with Belarus to process those arriving across the border. The Foreign Secretary discussed the issue with Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis on 28 June, and officials are currently evaluating how best we can support the Lithuanian Government in response to these developments. We collaborate closely with the Lithuanian Government and Lithuanian State Border Guards, and stand ready to provide appropriate support. The UK remains committed to future close co-operation with the EU and our European partners on all issues including migration.

There are 13,700 refugees registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Indonesia. Whilst the refugees are spread across the archipelago, including 81 Rohingya that landed by boat in Sumatra this year, up to half are based in the Jakarta area. We are working with international partners in Indonesia, including UNHCR, International Red Cross and the International Organisation for Migration, in support of refugees. We have made official representations to the Governments of Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and other Association of Southeast Asian Nations member states on the Rohingya, including at Ministerial level. We are clear that Rohingya refugees should be granted the appropriate protection status and humanitarian assistance within these countries.

We have made it clear to Turkey that we expect the government to undertake any legal processes or actions against opposition parties, as well as human rights defenders and journalists, fairly, transparently and with full respect for the rule of law. We are aware that the government is seeking to ban the People's Democratic Party (HDP). Our Embassy meets regularly with the HDP leadership, as it does with other opposition parties, to discuss their concerns, including the arrests of HDP MPs. We will continue to engage closely with Turkey, including at Ministerial level, to insist that it fulfils its international legal obligations to secure the human rights of all people, regardless of their legitimate political affiliations, particularly in the areas of freedom of expression and assembly, press freedom and the treatment of detainees. We will hold Turkey to account using established international mechanisms, and look for opportunities to raise these issues with our international partners.

The UK Government is closely monitoring the situation on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border following an increase in tensions. Through the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and bilateral engagement in Baku and Yerevan, UK officials continue to urge the Armenian and Azerbaijani authorities to settle all outstanding matters including the peaceful negotiation of their borders.

The Government is aware of the situation regarding the influx of refugees from Belarus to Lithuania and we are monitoring the situation closely. The UK collaborates closely with the Lithuanian Government and Lithuanian Border Guards and we will continue to do so.

The UK is urging members of the UN Security Council to vote in favour of renewing UN Security Council resolution 2533 in July to maintain current crossing point, Bab-al-Hawa, as well as re-open additional border crossings.

The UK has not made representations to Turkey following recent airstrikes in northern Iraq but we continue to follow the situation closely. We reiterate the importance of dialogue and cooperation between Iraq and Turkey to combat terrorism, ensure regional security, and protect civilians. We welcome recent discussions between Iraqi and Turkish Defence Ministers regarding Ankara's military operations against the PKK in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

We have a regular dialogue with Israel, including on the treatment of Palestinian prisoners. We remain committed to working with Israel to secure improvements to prison conditions and detention practices, including the provision of essential healthcare services upon release. In instances where there have been accusations of ill-treatment, we advocate swift, transparent investigation.

We are looking into these reports. The UK and international partners will continue to call bilaterally, and in international fora, for Israel to provide a clear, transparent route to construction for Palestinians in Area C. These issues are complex. They will only be resolved via dialogue and agreement between the parties. We will continue to encourage all parties to try and find a sustainable solution through discussion.

We are following the situation closely. We reiterate the need for dialogue and cooperation between Iraq and Turkey to combat terrorism, ensure regional security, and protect civilians. We welcome recent discussions between Iraqi and Turkish Defence Ministers regarding Ankara's military operations against the PKK in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

During visits to Armenia and Azerbaijan in February the Minister for the European Neighbourhood and the Americas urged both parties to work with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to expedite the return of all prisoners of war. Through the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and bilateral engagement in Baku and Yerevan, UK officials continue to urge the Armenian and Azerbaijani authorities to prioritise this issue, alongside other unresolved issues following hostilities last year.

During visits to both Armenia and Azerbaijan in February the Minister for the European Neighbourhood and the Americas highlighted UK concern over the large amount of unexploded ordnance across the region. The UK Government is deeply concerned by the ongoing loss of civilian life along the border as a result of unexploded ordnance. We continue to urge both Governments to work together to ensure that humanitarian organisations have unimpeded access to the region.

The book 'International Organization for Migration: The New 'UN Migration Agency' in Critical Perspective' published in February 2020 is a collection of viewpoints and thoughts from a selection of academics on IOM and migration more generally. The UK government duly takes note of the publication and the various points of view expressed.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM), is the leading intergovernmental organisation in the field of migration, committed to the principle that humane and orderly migration benefits migrants and society; by supporting migrants across the world. IOM works to the principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, including upholding human rights for all.

The UK priority is ensuring timely humanitarian access into and out of Gaza; we are urging the Government of Israel to ensure this access is maintained. We have made clear our concern about the ongoing humanitarian situation in Gaza, including significant damage and destruction of civilian infrastructure including homes, schools, hospitals, and clinics. We have not made representations to the Government of Israel on the issue of reconstruction.

The United Kingdom is also providing an initial £3.2 million of UK aid to UNRWA's emergency flash appeal, which launched on 19 May 2021. This appeal will address the immediate humanitarian needs of vulnerable Palestinians living in Gaza. We understand that 47,000 displaced people are currently seeking shelter in schools run by UNRWA. We remain in close contact with UN agencies and key partners on the ground and will monitor the situation closely.

We remain concerned about the human rights situation in Eritrea, including the arrests of religious figures such as Patriarch Abune Antonios of the Eritrean Orthodox Tewadho Church who has been detained for over 15 years. The Prime Minister's Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief raised Patriarch Abune Antonios' case with the Eritrean Ambassador on 20 May, and our Ambassador in Asmara tweeted to call for the Patriarch and others detained for their faith to be released.

The UK Government takes every opportunity to voice our concern about arbitrary arrests and detentions in Eritrea on the basis of religion or belief, and have called for release of such worshippers. We have done so directly with the Government of Eritrea and publicly - through our annual reporting on human rights and at the UN Human Rights Council. The UK raised Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) in Eritrea in a statement by the UK's International Ambassador for Human Rights, Rita French, at the 46th Session of the Human Rights Council. We also encouraged Eritrea to make progress on their commitment to the Universal Periodic Review process including the promotion of FoRB. Eritrea remains a priority country under our annual human rights reporting, and we will continue to monitor the situation there. I raised human rights when I met the Eritrean Ambassador to the UK on 16 March.

The United Kingdom strongly opposes the death penalty in all countries and in all circumstances, as a matter of principle. The Saudi authorities are well aware of the UK's opposition to the use of the death penalty. We reiterated our opposition to the death penalty in Saudi Arabia in a joint statement at the UN Human Rights Council on 15 September.

We regularly raise our concerns about the use of the death penalty, including individual cases with the Saudi Arabian authorities and we will continue to do so. The Minister for the Middle East and North Africa raised the use of the death penalty with the Human Rights Commission during his visit to Saudi Arabia on 24 May 2021.

The UK shares the call made in the World Peace Foundation report for all parties to the conflict to place the survival and welfare of the affected people above political and military goals. We also share concerns about a continued lack of information about the humanitarian situation and lack of access. The UK has been consistent in calling for the protection of civilians in Ethiopia, unfettered humanitarian access, and respect for human rights. We are deeply concerned about the impact of the conflict on food security and nutrition in Tigray, including reports of people dying from hunger. To date the UK has provided £22 million of badly needed support to people in Tigray. UK-funded aid agencies in Tigray are delivering support in challenging circumstances, including food, shelter, water and healthcare. A joint humanitarian and political team from the British Embassy in Addis Ababa visited Tigray 4-5 March, 4-7 April and the week of 19 April.

We have spoken about the situation in Tigray in the five 'AOB' discussions on that subject at the UN Security Council and will do so again in the upcoming open debate on Protection of Civilians. We will continue to support discussion in the UN on this pressing matter.

The UK welcomes the announcement of a ceasefire in Israel and Gaza on 20 May. As the Prime Minister has made clear, leaders in the region must now work to find a durable solution to the Israeli Palestinian conflict that prevents terrorism, ends the cycle of violence, and delivers a sustainable and just peace based on a two state solution.

It is also important now for Israel to facilitate rapid humanitarian access in and out of Gaza. The UK will provide £3.2m of UK aid to the UN agency for Palestine refugees, UNRWA, responding to UNRWA's emergency flash appeal, launched on 19 May. The funding will help provide food, water, and emergency shelter to Palestinians affected by the recent escalation in violence in Gaza.

The UK recognises the challenges faced by Greece in dealing with the difficulties presented by irregular migration. We have not made specific representations with regard to the cases you refer, however we regularly engage Greek ministers and senior officials on these issues. The Minister for Immigration Compliance and the Courts met the Greek Minister of Migration and Asylum on 26 March to discuss respective priorities on irregular migration and asylum, and we will continue to work with Greek and international partners to identify opportunities to further support improved conditions for migrants in Greece.

The Government is closely monitoring this trial, and consistently reminds Turkey that we expect its government to undertake any legal processes or actions against members of opposition groups fairly, transparently and with full respect for the rule of law.

Whilst the British Embassy in Ankara regularly sends representatives to attend high-profile trials in Turkey, joining representatives from like-minded countries, we are not planning to do so on this occasion because of restrictions due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. We will continue to raise our human rights concerns with the Turkish government. The Minister for the European Neighbourhood and the Americas did so most recently with her Turkish counterpart on 21 April.

Far too many journalists have been killed, arrested and imprisoned over the last five years. The situation appears to have deteriorated during this time, including the number of journalists threatened, abused or attacked. This is why the former Foreign Secretary launched a global media freedom campaign in November 2018, to shine a spotlight on media freedom and increase the cost to those abusing media freedom and persecuting journalists. The Media Freedom Coalition was one initiative created under the campaign. The Coalition is a partnership of countries working together to advocate for media freedom and safety of journalists and hold to account those who harm journalists for doing their job. It continues to expand, and consists of 47 members who have pledged to improve media freedom at home and abroad. It has issued a number of statements including, this year, on cases related to Uganda, China, Belarus and Myanmar, as well as to mark World Press Freedom Day. Another initiative of the campaign was the establishment of the Global Media Defence Fund, managed by UNESCO. Following its first project round in 2020, over 40 projects, aimed at enhancing journalists' legal protection and access to specialised legal assistance, as well as supporting investigative journalism, were selected for funding. The projects are reported to be benefitting over 1100 journalists and 65 media lawyers. Three years after the launch of the campaign, media freedom and the defence of journalists remains a priority for this office. We have used our presidency of the G7 this year to promote media freedom, securing strong language in the G7 Foreign Ministers' communique committing members to champion media freedom, support the work of the Media Freedom Coalition and lead by example in undertaking measures to improve media freedom.

The UK Government opposes the illegal trapping of birds, which is a widespread issue across the whole of Cyprus. Whilst songbirds are a protected species under Cypriot law, trapping and eating song birds unfortunately remains a practice in some Cypriot communities, and substantial profits can still be made by those who organise and control this activity. The Government has conveyed the strength of UK public concern to the Government of Cyprus, including during a May 2019 visit by the then Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Rt Hon Thérèse Coffey. The UK and the Republic of Cyprus will continue to work together on the issue.

The UK has long provided support to refugees in Kenya and appreciates the hospitality that the Government of Kenya has for decades shown to refugees and asylum seekers. We are aware of their recent decision to close the Dadaab and Kakuma refugee camps and are working with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and other development partners to find solutions that are durable, safe and in line with Kenya's national and international obligations. We acknowledge, as the Roman Catholic Bishops of Kenya have, that full closure of the camps in a short timeframe would pose an significant challenge. We will continue to press for solutions that are designed collaboratively and in line with International Refugee Law.

When we have concerns about humanitarian issues and conditions in a country, we raise these directly with the government concerned. Denmark is party to both the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and the 1951 Refugee Convention and we are confident that Denmark has a robust legal rationale to demonstrate this approach and is in compliance with its obligations under both Conventions.

The UK is deeply concerned by the deteriorating security situation in the north-east of Mozambique, and the increasing attacks by groups with links to Islamic extremism. As the Minister for Africa made clear publicly on 26 and 28 March, we condemn the recent appalling attacks in Palma, Cabo Delgado and we stand with the people of Mozambique against terrorism. To date, the insurgency has claimed over 2,000 lives and displaced over 700,000 people.

We are working with the Government of Mozambique to address the root drivers of conflict and instability, including through engagement with the Government of Mozambique's regional development authority in Cabo Delgado, and by providing targeted assistance under the framework of a Defence Memorandum of Understanding. The UK also co-chairs, with Ireland, the International Community Crisis Taskforce. This brings together the Mozambican government and the international community in high-level discussion about humanitarian and other crises, including the ongoing crisis in Cabo Delgado. UK Aid has provided £20m of humanitarian and development support to people in the north-east of Mozambique, ensuring they have access to food, shelter and basic healthcare.

The Government continues to work for the preservation and strengthening of effective arms control, disarmament, and non-proliferation measures, taking into account the prevailing security environment. To that end, we will continue our engagement with civil society and academia. The Government welcomes this project and will follow it with interest.

The UK is a longstanding supporter of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). We are clear that a fair settlement for Palestinian refugees must be agreed as part of a wider negotiated peace settlement. Until that time, the UK remains firmly committed to supporting UNRWA and Palestinian refugees across Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. In Financial Year 2020/2021, the UK provided £63.6m to UNRWA, which includes £7m to the Syria Emergency Appeal and £3.8m to the OPTs Emergency Appeal. Decisions on UK aid to UNRWA in Financial Year 2021/2022 are currently being considered in the context of a temporary overall reduction in Overseas Development Assistance, as announced by the Foreign Secretary on 26 November.

We have regular discussions with Turkish counterparts, including ministers, about human rights issues, where we encourage Turkey to take greater steps to improve its human rights record. The Minister for the European Neighbourhood and the Americas raised a range of human rights issues on 21 April with her Turkish counterpart. We welcomed the publication of Turkey's human rights action plan on 2 March 2021 and urge Turkey to ensure its prompt and thorough implementation.

Through the UK's Conflict, Stability and Security Fund we have provided capacity building partnerships, and promoted human rights standards, with Turkish government institutions involved in migration management and the labour market, which includes trade unions. This work is supporting an evidence-based approach on tackling child and labour trafficking; fostering the protection of vulnerable migrants in the workplace; and promoting greater access to opportunities in formal labour sectors.

We share many of the concerns highlighted in the US House of Representatives' letter to Secretary of State Blinken, not least around freedom of expression and political debate. We are clear in our expectation that Turkey, like all countries, should live up to its human rights obligations towards all its citizens. The Minister for the European Neighbourhood and the Americas raised a range of human rights issues on 21 April with her Turkish counterpart and urged swift implementation of the Human Rights Action Plan published in March. Working with the US and other international partners, we will continue to encourage Turkey, including at Ministerial level, to act in line with the conventions of the Council of Europe and to make greater progress on wider human rights reforms.

As the Integrated Review sets out, the UK as an open economy needs to engage with China. We will continue to pursue a positive economic relationship while at the same time increasing protection of our critical national infrastructure, institutions and sensitive technology, and strengthening the resilience of our critical supply chains, so that we can engage with confidence. In November 2020, the Government introduced the National Security and Investment Bill to Parliament, which represents a significant upgrade to the UK's powers to intervene in transactions from any country that would undermine national security.

The UK has responded to China's actions in Hong Kong by creating a new immigration route for British Nationals (Overseas) and their eligible family members and dependents, suspending the extradition treaty with Hong Kong and extending the arms embargo applied to mainland China to include Hong Kong.

In respect of Xinjiang, the UK has announced measures to help ensure that no British organisations, whether government or private sector, deliberately or inadvertently, are profiting from or contributing to China's human rights violations in the region and, in March, we imposed Global Human Rights sanctions on four Chinese officials and an entity responsible for those violations, alongside the EU, US and Canada.

We are clear in our discussions with China that our longstanding policy on Taiwan has not changed: we consider the Taiwan issue one that should be settled peacefully by the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait through constructive dialogue. We have made clear our concern at any activity by China and Taiwan that risks destabilising the status quo.

The UK has a long-standing commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights internationally and defending democratic freedoms is fundamental to our foreign policy. On Myanmar, we have used our presidencies of both the G7 and the UN Security Council to secure strong statements to uphold the human and political rights of parliamentarians. The Minister for Asia formally summoned the Myanmar Ambassador twice and stressed that State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and others who had been arbitrarily detained should be released. In Turkey, we continue to make clear that we expect the government to undertake any legal processes or actions against opposition MPs fairly, transparently and with full respect for their human rights and the rule of law. In Venezuela, we are concerned at reports of the detention of opposition MPs and continue to call on all Venezuela's leaders to support the restoration of democracy. We will continue to support democracy and the work of parliamentarians worldwide.

We have welcomed President Abbas' announcement of dates for legislative and Presidential elections in the Occupied Palestinian Territories for the first time since 2006. We encourage the Palestinian leadership to work toward strong, inclusive, accountable and democratic institutions, based on respect for the rule of law and human rights. Free and fair elections are an important and necessary step. The UK will work closely with the Palestinian Authority and international partners to support this, including encouraging the Government of Israel to allow elections in East Jerusalem, in keeping with the Oslo Accords. The Minister of State for the Middle East and North Africa spoke to the Israeli Ambassador to the UK on 19 April to reiterate the importance of Palestinians living in East Jerusalem being permitted to vote in Palestinian Legislative Council elections. We also look forward to maintaining excellent relations with the new Israeli government, when formed, and working closely together.

We are concerned by the legal action taken against the People's Democratic Party (HDP) and its officials, including MPs and mayors, accused of alleged terrorist links. If those links are proved to be accurate, we urge the HDP to distance itself entirely from the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and its ongoing terrorist activity. We have made it clear to Turkey that we expect the government to undertake any legal processes or actions against opposition parties, MPs, party officials, elected mayors, human rights defenders and journalists, fairly, transparently and with full respect for the rule of law. My colleague the Minister for the European Neighbourhood and Americas raised these issues with the Turkish Ambassador on 30 March. Officials from the British Embassy in Ankara also regularly meet members of the HDP to discuss their concerns. Working with our international partners, we will continue to encourage Turkey, including at Ministerial level, to make greater progress on wider human rights reforms.

The Minister for the European Neighbourhood and the Americas, Wendy Morton MP, is aware of the allegations of "pushbacks" conducted by Frontex in the Aegean Sea and is monitoring the situation via the British Embassy in Athens. Greece has denied using any illegal practices. Minister Morton understands that Frontex has conducted an internal investigation into the allegations, and that the European Parliament has established a permanent standing committee in order to scrutinise Frontex activity in the Aegean. HMA Athens raised this issue with Greek Migration Minister Mitarakis on 10 March 2021 and we will continue to urge all parties to uphold international human rights standards in respect of the migrants and to avoid any actions that may endanger human life.

We are aware of the decisions adopted at the 164th session of the Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians of the Inter- Parliamentary Union and are considering its findings on the human rights situation in Turkey. We regularly engage bilaterally with Turkey on human rights, including at Ministerial and ambassadorial level, to discuss our concerns. We are also active participants in Council of Europe discussions on Turkey. We have encouraged Turkey to implement swiftly and fully its newly published human rights action plan as a positive step in improving the situation.

Over the last ten years, the Assad regime has consistently and deliberately undermined the pursuit of peace and caused untold suffering for Syria. The UN's 2021 Humanitarian Needs Overview has reflected a sharp increase in requirements, with over 13 million people in need of aid; 5.9 million are in need of shelter, 12.4 million are food insecure and 2.4 million children are out of school.

Delivering results in Syria, in a wide range of geographic areas and sectors, with a constantly evolving situation on the ground, is extremely complex and challenging. In regime-held areas, regime officials regularly limit or delay issuing visas to humanitarian workers inhibiting their ability to effectively deliver aid, and also restrict some operations such as the transport of medical supplies.

It is unacceptable that the Assad regime continues to deny aid access to millions of people in Syria. The UK continues to call upon all parties to the conflict to engage constructively, increase aid access, uphold International Humanitarian Law and protect civilians.

Securing aid cross-border aid access into Syria is a top priority for the UK. The UK regularly raises the issue of UN-mandated cross-border access, and we are using our position at the UN Security Council, and in bilateral discussions, to push for greater aid access into Syria and to urge renewal of Resolution 2533. Russia, backed by China, has reduced cross-border aid access into Syria, placing political support for the Assad regime above lifesaving support for the Syrian people.

The UK is clear that assistance via Damascus alone will not sufficiently meet the needs across the whole of Syria and so remains committed to the delivery of aid to those most in need in Syria, through all mechanisms. After a decade of conflict, it is essential to renew the resolution to avoid further humanitarian disaster.

We are aware of reports of the arrest of Mr Gergerlioğlu, MP for the People's Democratic Party (HDP). We have made it clear to Turkey that we expect the government to undertake any legal processes or actions against opposition parties, MPs, party officials and elected mayors, as well as human rights defenders and journalists, fairly, transparently and with full respect for the rule of law. Our Embassy meets regularly with the HDP leadership, as it does with other opposition parties, to discuss their concerns, including the arrest of HDP MPs. We will continue to engage closely with Turkey to encourage the full protection of fundamental rights of all peoples, regardless of their legitimate political affiliations, particularly in the areas of freedom of expression and assembly, press freedom and the treatment of detainees. We expect Turkey to treat detainees in accordance with International standards, including access to lawyers and medical care.

The UK has been a leading donor to the Rohingya crisis in Bangladesh, having committed £293.5 million since August 2017. This has been channelled through UN agencies and NGOs, working alongside the government of Bangladesh. UK aid has been instrumental in improving the lives of the 890,000 refugees and the vulnerable local Bangladeshi communities in Cox's Bazar district. Our funding has provided lifesaving support including food, healthcare, nutrition, education, clean water and sanitation, and targeted support for women and girls. The UK continues to lead international efforts to maintain attention on the Rohingya crisis and seek durable solutions and accountability for atrocities committed. This includes work through the UN Security Council and the international conference hosted in October 2020 alongside the US, EU and UN.

HMG are monitoring the management of the Bialowieza forest and acknowledge the statement by Poland's National State Forest on 15 March concerning Poland's implementation of the 2018 judgement of the Court of Justice of the European Union. We will continue to work with Poland, building on the successes of COP24 held in Katowice, while we look ahead to a successful COP26 in Glasgow later this year.

Maintaining and renewing elements of the UK's nuclear deterrent capability is fully consistent with our international legal obligations, including those under Article VI of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). The UK remains committed to the step-by-step approach to nuclear disarmament under the framework of the NPT, and the long-term goal of a world without nuclear weapons.

The UK is deeply concerned by the recently reported rearrests of Joanna Mamombe MP, Cecilia Chimbiri and Netsai Marova. We also understand that Ms Mamombe and Ms Chimbiri's applications for bail have been denied. When the Minister for Africa wrote to late Foreign Minister Moyo on 12 August 2020, following a telephone call with him on 8 June 2020, he raised specific human rights concerns, including the treatment of Ms Mamombe, Ms Chimbiri, and Ms Marowa. Our Ambassador in Harare reinforced these messages when she met representatives of the Government of Zimbabwe on 24 November 2020. On 5 February, the Minister for Africa tweeted urging authorities to focus on investigating the women's claims.

The UK will continue to monitor developments in the case of Ms Mamombe, Ms Chimbiri, and Ms Marova closely and continue to call on the Government of Zimbabwe to uphold the rule of law. This includes respecting the Zimbabwean Constitution which clearly prohibits enforced disappearances, cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment. We admire the bravery of civil society activists in Zimbabwe who aspire to a better future for Zimbabwe.

The UK Government is aware of recent reports of a small number of alleged cases of mistreatment of migrants upon arrival in Bulgaria. The number of irregular migrants transiting Bulgaria has reduced in recent months and, although these cases have not been raised specifically, our Embassy in Sofia regularly engages with the government of Bulgaria and international partners on the need to address irregular migration and the challenges it presents.

While the UK fully supports the right of States to control their borders, we also expect States to fulfil their international obligations and protect and promote the human rights of migrants, including by investigating reports of alleged mistreatment and by putting appropriate procedures in place to ensure that migrants are treated fairly and appropriately, in line with international standards.

Search and Rescue in the Mediterranean continues to have an important role in saving lives at sea. The UK Government remains concerned about the continued high number of migrants crossing the Mediterranean and the number of fatalities.

Since October 2015, the UK has allocated over £175 million of humanitarian assistance in response to the Mediterranean migration crisis. Any assistance assigned to Libyan search and rescue entities should be made conditional on no one being arbitrarily detained, ill-treated or subjected to human rights violations post-disembarkation.

We welcome the decision by Egypt to open the Rafah crossing. The UK will continue to urge the parties to prioritise progress towards reaching a durable solution for Gaza and to take the necessary practical steps to ensure Gaza's reconstruction and economic recovery.

The UK is committed to making progress towards a two state solution. We believe that negotiations will only succeed when they are conducted between Israelis and Palestinians, supported by the international community. The UK has regular discussions with the Governments of Egypt, Jordan, France and Germany on the Middle East Peace Process, including at Ministerial level. UK officials in Cairo, Amman, Paris and Berlin have discussed the Middle East Peace Process with their respective host governments in March 2021.

We have welcomed President Abbas' announcement of dates for legislative and Presidential elections in the Occupied Palestinian Territories for the first time since 2006. We encourage the Palestinian leadership to work toward strong, inclusive, accountable and democratic institutions, based on respect for the rule of law and human rights. Free and fair elections are an important and necessary step. The UK will work closely with the Palestinian Authority and international partners to support this. This includes encouraging the Government of Israel to allow elections in East Jerusalem. We are supportive of Hamas-Fatah reconciliation attempts, and of the Palestinian Authority returning to resume government functions in Gaza, helping to improve the dire humanitarian and economic situation and restore effective and accountable governance.

The UK is a longstanding supporter of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). We recognise UNRWA's unique mandate from the UN General Assembly (UNGA), to protect and provide protection and core services to Palestinian refugees across Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. The UK provided £51m to UNRWA in 2020. This includes £6m to the Regional Syria Emergency Appeal. Our support will help provide life-saving assistance for the 438,000 Palestinian refugees in Syria, 95% of whom need sustained humanitarian assistance

In 2020, the UK provided £51 million in funding to UNRWA to support its unique role providing protection and core services to Palestinian refugees across Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.

In response to the pandemic, UNRWA has strengthened remote learning, which includes a virtual learning environment, television broadcasts and websites for accessing links to learning materials.

This issue is being discussed with the parties at international level in the context of how to facilitate a sustainable and long-term solution to the energy crisis in Gaza.

The UK Ambassador in Tel Aviv raised the issue of vaccines with the Israeli Authorities on 24 February, encouraging the Government of Israel to continue to facilitate the transfer of vaccines to the PA when required. The British Embassy in Tel Aviv and the British Consulate-General in Jerusalem will continue to raise timely and appropriate access to COVID-19 vaccines and medical equipment.

We are following the detention of a number of juveniles including Sayed Hasan Ameen, who were arrested for arson, endangering the lives and property of others, and preparing and possessing Molotov cocktails. We understand these cases are pending legal proceedings, and are being supervised by social work specialists. We will continue to monitor and raise these cases if and when appropriate. The Government of Bahrain has been clear that access to medical care for those in detention is provided in line with the constitution of Bahrain.

We do not speculate about possible future sanctions designations. We regularly raise human rights concerns with the Turkish government at Ministerial and senior official level. We will continue to encourage Turkey to adopt reforms, such as the next phase of the current reform process aimed at strengthening the role of the judiciary, and to sustain democracy, respect the rule of law and protect fundamental freedoms, in line with its international commitments.

The UK Government welcomes the 10 November peace deal, and is closely following developments including the establishment of the joint monitoring centre. We continue to urge the Governments of Armenia and Azerbaijan to engage with the OSCE Minsk Group to settle all outstanding matters; both Russia and Turkey are members of this group.

The UK regularly raises the issue of UN-mandated crossborder access, including most recently on 25 February, at the UN Security Council. We continue to use our position at the UN Security Council and in bilateral discussions, informed by regular consultation with UN agencies, United Nations Under-SecretaryGeneral for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Mark Lowcock, human rights organisations and others, to push for greater aid access into Syria and to urge renewal of Resolution 2533.

We are appalled that Russia, backed by China, has twice sought to block cross-border aid access into Syria, placing political support for the Assad regime above lifesaving support for the Syrian people. The UK remains committed to the delivery of aid to those most in need in Syria, through all mechanisms. We strongly support the renewal of UNSCR 2533 and are urging members of the UN Security Council to vote in favour of renewing the resolution to avoid further humanitarian disaster.

During her recent visits to Armenia and Azerbaijan the Minister for the European Neighbourhood and the Americas underlined the importance of returning of all prisoners of war and urged both parties to work closely with the ICRC to expedite the returns where relevant. The Minister for the European Neighbourhood and the Americas also encouraged both sides to abide by the 10 November trilateral peace deal and settle all outstanding matters through talks under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group. The UK Government welcomes the most recent exchange of prisoners of war on 10 February.

0 per cent of Official Development Assistance (ODA) has been provided to Greece, Cyprus and Malta as they have been non-ODA eligible countries since 1995, 1997 and 2003 respectively as defined by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development's (OECD) Development Assistance Committee (DAC).

Where the UK has concerns about human rights we raise them directly with governments concerned. We have not received any request from the European Anti-Fraud Office to contribute to its investigation, nor have we made any representations.

The UK has repeatedly raised its concerns with the Libyan authorities about the treatment of migrants and continues to press for a better functioning migration system that respects human rights.

We support the UN's call for detention centres across Libya to be closed, and call on all parties to engage with the UN and the humanitarian community so that all migrants and refugees can be evacuated safely in accordance with international human rights law.

HMG has not made any such assessment. US operations are a matter for the US Government.

The UK Government is committed to tackling the root causes of fragility in the Sahel, including through supporting families affected by food insecurity with humanitarian aid (we are the 4th largest humanitarian donor in the region). Through the FCDO's charity appeal, UKAID match, we also support a project in Mali that helps women to grow trees, providing food and an income for households.

The UK Government has not made an assessment of the benefits of planting different acorn varieties for rural populations in the Sahel.

The UK fully supports the ceasefire brokered by the UN in October 2020, has consistently called for its implementation, and is closely monitoring the situation. The UK, jointly with partners, recently urged Libyan political leaders to take all necessary measures to accelerate the implementation of the ceasefire, prioritising the opening of the Coastal Road between Abu Grein and Sirte. The UK continues to press all external actors to withdraw their foreign fighters and mercenaries from Libya, as required by the ceasefire agreement and to abide by the UN arms embargo. There is no military solution to the challenges that Libya faces.

In her recent conversations with the Armenian and Azerbaijani Foreign Ministers, the Minister for the European Neighbourhood and the Americas underlined the importance of abiding by the 9 November peace agreement, and of addressing all outstanding issues under the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group. This includes working with humanitarian agencies on the return and exchange of prisoners. We will continue to urge progress on this crucial issue.

The UK Government is aware that humanitarian organisations have had difficulties in gaining access to the Nagorno Karabakh region. The challenges they have faced include ongoing questions around political status and the winter weather. The Minister for the European Neighbourhood and the Americas has continued to raise the importance of all humanitarian agencies, including the ICRC, having access to the region in her engagements with both the Armenian and Azerbaijani Foreign Ministers.

Ministers and officials maintain regular contact with the Turkish Government and frequently discuss the situation in Syria, including to welcome Turkey's continued efforts to protect civilians in Idlib from a further regime offensive. Most recently, the UK Ambassador in Ankara spoke with Turkey's Director General for Syria on 20 January, when they discussed the situation in north-east Syria, including a recent increase in activity around Ain Issa. In conversations with all actors in Syria we make clear the importance of abiding by their obligations under international law. We welcome the fact that the ceasefires in north-east and north-west Syria are broadly holding and we urge all parties to continue adherence.

We regularly discuss countering violent extremism (CVE) with National CVE Coordinators and other officials in Albania and North Macedonia, including through our embassies in the region. We have no plans to discuss repatriation of British citizens from camps in north east Syria with Albania or North Macedonia but will continue to cooperate closely with both countries on a range of security-related issues.

We consider all our export applications thoroughly against a strict risk assessment framework and keep all licences under careful and continual review as standard. The UK complies with the OSCE arms embargo relating to the NagornoKarabakh region, which is considered as part of our export licensing process, and HMG has not issued licences contrary to the arms embargo.

We regularly discuss with the Turkish Government the need to respect human rights and avoid civilian casualties during military activities within Turkey. Regarding reports of Turkish military operations causing civilian casualties in Kobane in Syria, where the three named individuals died in June 2020, we expect all sides to the Syrian conflict to respect their obligations towards civilians under international humanitarian law. We will continue to engage with Turkey on this important issue.

The UK supports the comprehensive ceasefire brokered by the UN in October 2020, and welcomes the recent commitment shown by Libyans to engage constructively in the UN-led political process. The UN has a central role to role to play in supporting implementation of the ceasefire, including the withdrawal of foreign forces and mercenaries, a key step towards a sustainable political settlement for all Libyans.

The UK is extremely concerned about increased levels of food insecurity and risk of famine in Yemen with 7 million people, including 2 million children, requiring treatment for acute malnutrition. We are playing a leading role in combating hunger in Yemen by committing £214 million this financial year (2020/21), £200m of which has already been disbursed.

Our support will provide over 600,000 medical consultations, train 1,500 healthcare workers to work safely in a COVID-19 environment and enable nearly 600 health centres to continue providing existing health services. This financial year (2020/21), UK aid to UNICEF has already helped to screen 450,000 children for malnutrition and enrolled over 25,000 children on Severe and Acute Malnutrition treatment programmes.

The UK will continue to urge the international community to step up, including by urgently disbursing humanitarian funding. As penholder at the UN Security Council we are leading efforts to encourage all parties to the conflict to engage in new peace talks led by UN Special Envoy Martin Griffiths.

The UK will deliver on its commitment to global equitable access to safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines through the COVAX Advanced Market Commitment (AMC). The UK has supported the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs) to be included in the COVAX. I most recently discussed this with the Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad al-Malki on 10th December and provided assurances that the UK will continue to coordinate closely with the Palestinian Authority (PA) so that vaccines are rolled out across the OPTs.

UK officials regularly engage in dialogue with the Government of Israel, including on issues affecting Palestinian prisoners in Israel and to discuss co-operation with the PA. We have not yet raised the issue of vaccine provision to Palestinian prisoners but will monitor the situation accordingly.

We regularly raise human rights issues with the Turkish authorities. My colleague the Minister for the European Neighbourhood and the Americas did so last month with her Turkish counterpart. With regard to this specific ruling, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe will supervise the implementation of the judgment in Demirtaş (No.2) v Turkey, a process in which the United Kingdom actively participates. We will continue to encourage Turkey, including at Ministerial level, to act in line with the conventions of the Council of Europe and to make greater progress on wider human rights reforms.

The signatories of the General Framework for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina (GFAP) are Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), Croatia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Representatives from the UK, USA, France, Germany, Russia and the European Union signed the document as witnesses. The United Kingdom remains committed to supporting BiH's security, democracy and prosperity, underpinned as necessary by constitutional reform. The international community will offer support, but it is essential that the authorities in BiH themselves make reforms based on broad consensus and for the greater good of all citizens. This path forward requires compromise and cooperation from all sides. All BiH citizens must have the right to participate equally in their country's future.

The importance of the General Framework Agreement for Peace, which brought an end to the conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) in the 1990s, cannot be overstated. However, it was not intended to be set in stone and was worded to enable local actors to make changes in the future. The United Kingdom remains committed to supporting BiH's security, democracy and prosperity, underpinned as necessary by constitutional reform. The international community will offer support, but it is essential that the authorities in BiH themselves make reforms based on broad consensus and for the greater good of all citizens. This path forward requires compromise and cooperation from all sides. All BiH citizens must have the right to participate equally in their country's future. The Foreign Secretary called on BiH's leaders to focus on a peaceful future and democratic rights for all in his statement to mark the anniversary of the Dayton Agreement on 21 November.

We remain concerned about the capacity of the Palestinian health system to cope with the increasing number of COVID-19 cases. We are aware of the temporary cessation of COVID-19 testing in Gaza on 6 December and welcome reports from the World Health Organisation that further testing kits arrived in Gaza on 7 December and testing resumed.

We have already delivered vital support to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak in the Occupied Palestinian Territories through £1.25 million in funding (World Health Organisation with £630,000 and United Nations Children's Fund with £620,000). This funding helped to provide over 20,000 testing kits, mainly in Gaza.

We have?a?long standing?and strong relationship with Greece and?are committed to supporting Greece's efforts to manage migration effectively. On 22 April, the UK? and Greece signed a bilateral migration action plan to reaffirm our commitment to cooperation and to establish a strategic migration dialogue.? The Plan?includes a UK-Greece exchange of expertise on asylum and returns processes and organised immigration crime. This also forms part of our regional and international cooperation response, as part of a 'whole of route' approach to tackling the challenges of, and risks posed by, irregular migration. For example, our co-operation with Turkey is key to effectively managing migratory flows and preventing people risking their lives while attempting to cross the Aegean. We are actively engaging to help shape the international response on migration further up the route, working through an increasingly diverse set of partners and source and transit countries.

The UK is committed to standing up for the right of every girl to access 12 years of quality education. Girls' education matters because it is one of the greatest tools for addressing discrimination against women and girls. It initiates a virtuous circle, giving women and girls a greater voice to advocate for changes in their own lives and the lives of others. Between 2015 and 2019 the UK supported 14.3 million children to gain a decent education, of which at least 5.8 million were girls.

Through its programmes, the FCDO works with whole communities, including boys and men, to change their attitudes and behaviours towards girls and women. However, gender bias and discrimination is widespread within and across education systems, from teacher recruitment and training to curriculum and material development, to gender-based violence in and around schools. FCDO staff ensure that the teaching and learning materials we fund are inclusive and reflect gender equality. Staff do this by working closely with experts to develop gender-friendly materials with strong role models, ensuring that text and visuals are independently quality assured and vetted, supporting inclusive and learner-focused teaching methods and funding student clubs that facilitate discussions around gender equality.

The UK Government, through our Embassy in Madrid, discusses a range of issues related to migration with the Spanish authorities. Our Embassy monitors closely the recent rise in migrant crossings from West Africa to the Canary Islands which, according to Spain's Ministry of the Interior, increased by 1,019% between 1 January and 15 November compared with the same period in 2019. The Government of Spain has not requested assistance in managing this increase in arrivals and the UK Government, whilst committed to working with Spain to achieve safe and properly managed migration, has no plans to intervene.

The UK Government has not made an estimate on the number of prisoners held by the governments of Armenia and Azerbaijan as a result of recent fighting. The Minister for the European Neighbourhood and the Americas recently spoke to both the Azerbaijani and Armenian Foreign Ministers where she highlighted the importance of return of prisoners of war and reinforced support for the International Committee of the Red Cross as the primary mediator through which prisoner exchanges should take place. We continue to monitor the situation carefully.

It remains a long-standing policy of the United Kingdom to oppose the death penalty in all circumstances as a matter of principle. We continue to raise human rights concerns, including the death penalty, with the Egyptian authorities, both privately and in forums such as the UN Human Rights Council. Most recently, on 18 November, our Ambassador in Cairo raised our concerns over the death penalty with the President of Egypt's National Council for Human Rights.

We continue to raise our human rights concerns with the Egyptian authorities, particularly around detention and prison conditions. Most recently, our Ambassador in Cairo raised concerns over detention conditions with the President of Egypt's National Council for Human Rights during a meeting on 18 November. We continue to urge the authorities to ensure that all detainees are treated in accordance with relevant international human rights standards.

The UK Government welcomes the ceasefire agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The UK Government is aware of reports that both sides have mistreated civilians and military prisoners of war during the conflict and afterwards. The Minister for the European Neighbourhood and the Americas has been in regular contact with the Armenian and Azerbaijani Foreign Ministers since the outbreak of hostilities in September. She has urged investigation of these reports, condemned the targeting of civilian settlements and pressed both sides to prioritise the return of prisoners of war. The UK Government continues to support the work of the ICRC in this regard.

On 30 October the Foreign Secretary announced £1 million in funding to the ICRC to support their humanitarian efforts in the region. We are working with international partners and NGOs to understand needs in the region and what further support we can provide, and will keep the situation under review.

The UK Government has not made representations to the Government of Turkey regarding the opening of Turkish airspace for flights to Armenia and Georgia.

The UK is a long-term supporter of the United Nations Relief Works Agency (UNRWA), and we recognise UNRWA's unique mandate from the UN General Assembly to protect and provide protection and core services to Palestinian refugees across the Middle East. We are providing £51 million to UNRWA in 2020/2021. Reports that UNRWA may not be able to pay the salaries of its staff in full are very worrying. To that end, the UK is working with UNRWA and other donors to improve UNRWA's financial viability. This includes broadening UNRWA's donor base, encouraging the full disbursement of pledges and support through multi-year funding.

The October 2019 agreement on ID Card travel between Albania, North Macedonia and Serbia was part of a wider initiative to promote economic cooperation between the three countries. We welcome increased regional economic cooperation in principle but believe that it should involve all six Western Balkans countries. At a Berlin Process meeting on 16 October 2020, Interior Ministers of the Western Balkans endorsed a proposal to develop an agreement to travel using identity cards among all six countries of the Western Balkans. The UK supports this inclusive regional integration and information exchange, although we have cautioned on the need to analyse and mitigate security risks to prevent Organised Crime Groups from exploiting the new arrangements.

The Government welcomes the agreement on the construction of a bypass and rehabilitation of roads in the Deçan/Decane municipality, endorsed by the Implementation and Monitoring Council on 9 November. Our Ambassador in Pristina visited the site in August, and issued a joint statement with international partners calling for adherence to the 2008 law on Special Protective Zones, and subsequent constitutional court decisions regarding the Deçan/Decane land dispute. We are pleased a solution has been found that respects the rule of law, and ensures the ongoing protection of cultural and religious heritage in Kosovo.

The UK is concerned by the recent consolidation and closure of camps for internally displaced people in Iraq. The speed of these camp closures makes it very challenging to ensure people are able to return home voluntarily, safely and in a sustainable manner. These challenges are exacerbated by the winter, COVID-19, and the economic crisis.

The UK is coordinating advocacy efforts with international partners to raise our concerns at the highest levels with the Government of Iraq and slow the rate of unplanned camp closures. Since 2014 the UK has provided £272 million in humanitarian support to millions of vulnerable Iraqis including shelter kits, upgrades to camps and household items. The UK is also the largest donor to the Iraq Humanitarian Fund which will respond to the most urgent needs including both shelter and COVID related support for displaced persons as they face harsh winter conditions.

We note the UNHCR's position set out in its September report "UNHCR position on the designations of Libya as a safe third country and as a place of disembarkation following rescue at sea". We also note the International Organization for Migration's (IOM) position on this issue, set out in recent IOM communications.

We do not comment on individual cases. Each request for consular assistance is considered on a case-by-case basis and the support we can offer is tailored to the individual circumstances.

We are concerned by the findings of the report by the Norwegian Refugee Council, 'Raided and Razed: Attacks on West Bank Education', published on 12 November. The right to education is basic, and it is essential to have a strong and thriving Palestinian education system in order to provide opportunities for the next generation. This is why the UK is committed to providing support to education workers in the West Bank, and UNRWA education in the West Bank and Gaza. The Minister of State for the Middle East and North Africa raised UK concerns about the demolition of Palestinian infrastructure, including potential demolition of schools, with the Israeli Ambassador to the UK on 29 October. Our Embassy in Tel Aviv also raised our concern about the demolition of schools with the Government of Israel on 13 October, alongside European partners. In all but the most exceptional of circumstances demolitions are contrary to International Humanitarian Law. We repeatedly call on Israel to abide by its obligations under international law and have a regular dialogue with Israel on legal issues relating to the occupation, including the treatment of Palestinian children.

The UK Government shares the concern about the findings in the report by the Nigerian National Bureau of Statistics. Although we have not discussed this specific report with the Nigerian authorities, officials at our High Commission have raised the issue of the large numbers of prisoners awaiting trial and the need for due process to be followed in a timely manner in all cases. It is important that the federal and state governments take steps to reduce the number of prisoners on remand without sentence. Our High Commission will continue to engage with the Nigerian Ministry of Justice on this subject.

The UK participated in the G20 Summit, where the Prime Minister set out his priorities of a coordinated global health response to the pandemic, a sustainable economic recovery, and ambitious action against climate change. As current G20 President, Saudi Arabia played a vital role in delivering a communique agreement on affordable and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines.

The UK strongly supports the various arms control instruments to which it is a party, as such we regularly call on all States which have not yet done so, to accede to these instruments as soon as possible. The UK takes its export control responsibilities and obligations under the Arms Trade Treaty extremely seriously. We assess all export licences in accordance with strict licensing criteria. The UK regularly raises the importance of International Humanitarian Law and of conducting thorough and conclusive investigations into alleged violations with Saudi Arabia, including at senior levels.

The UK Government regularly raises concerns about a range of human rights issues with the Government of the Philippines, including the treatment of human rights defenders, land rights defenders and the deteriorating media freedom space. We consistently call on the Government of the Philippines to ensure a safe environment for human rights defenders and the prioritisation of the passage of a Human Rights Defenders Bill.

The Minister for Asia and the Pacific raised our concerns with the Philippine Ambassador to the UK on 21 September. The UK supported the Iceland-led Resolution at the UN Human Rights Council in July 2019 which led to the June 2020 report on the human rights situation by the High Commissioner for Human Rights. We agree with the recommendations of the report and will continue to work with like-minded countries to highlight the report's concerns. The UK supports the provision of UN technical assistance to the Philippines, as set out in the UN Human Rights Council resolution adopted in October 2020.

The UK continues to closely monitor the recent agreement between the Government of Iraq (GoI) and Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) over governance sharing in Sinjar. We are committed to supporting the rights of the Yazidi community and other minority groups in Iraq. HMA Baghdad has recently discussed this matter with GoI and KRG leadership, as well as senior representatives of the Yazidi community, urging for representation of minority groups. The UK will continue to engage closely with all relevant parties in order to support the rights of the Yazidi community and other minority groups through this agreement.

The UK is at the forefront of work with international partners to improve the capability of the Philippine authorities to fight online sexual exploitation of children. The National Crime Agency (NCA) works closely with Philippine law enforcement to tackle this issue, and has supported the creation and ongoing operations of the Philippines Internet Crimes against Children Centre (PICACC).

The UK also works closely with the Philippines Department of Justice via a Technical Working Group on online sexual exploitation of children. This group brings the international community and the Philippine Government together to share best practice. The UK has not had specific consultations with the Philippines with regards to the Anti-Child Pornography Act, but supports the introduction of legislation by countries around the world to combat online sexual exploitation of children.

The UK Government is clear that there can be no military solution to the current conflict. We are deeply concerned that three humanitarian ceasefires have failed to hold. The Minister for the European Neighbourhood spoke to the Armenian and Azerbaijani Foreign Ministers on 28 October. She urged both parties to abide by the humanitarian ceasefires and condemned the continued targeting of civilian settlements and infrastructure. The UK Government continues to urge both parties to undertake substantive negotiations under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group.

Her Majesty's Government strongly supports efforts to pursue accountability for the most serious crimes committed in Syria, including the UN Commission of Inquiry and the International Impartial and Independent Mechanism. These mechanisms provide a more appropriate channel to investigate and report on allegations of violations or breaches of international law in Syria.

We are aware of the difficulties officials of the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights have faced in renewal of the visas necessary to remain in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs). The UK, alongside international partners, raised our concern with the Government of Israel on 26 October. The UK also raised this issue with the Mission of Israel to the UN in Geneva on 8 September. We call upon the Government of Israel to fully respect the fundamental rights and freedoms of human rights defenders and organisations and to allow them to freely operate in Israel and OPTs. We continue to make clear that a strong, vibrant civil society is in Israel's own interest. As a friend of Israel, we would be concerned by any developments that may undermine this commitment.

The UK Government is clear that those individuals who have fought for, or supported Daesh, whatever their nationality, should face justice and accountability through prosecution in the most appropriate jurisdiction: often in the region where the crimes took place. Officials have reiterated this position in routine discussions with the local authorities in north-east Syria, including in relation to individuals who have travelled from the UK. We are aware that some British nationals are living in displaced persons camps in Syria but due to the circumstances on the ground we are not in a position to make an accurate estimate of the number.

According to the Spanish Ministry of the Interior, 8,102 people have arrived in the Canary Islands via sea so far this year, representing a significant increase on 2019. The dangers have been highlighted before, with an estimated 140 fatalities during an attempted crossing from Senegal to the Canary Islands on 24 October.

The EU Commission published proposals for a new EU Pact on Migration and Asylum on 24 September. This will be for EU Member States to agree. We will welcome balanced and holistic European approaches that mirror the UK's commitment to a 'whole of route' approach.

Officials in Tel Aviv have raised this case with the Government of Israel. We remain concerned about Israel's extensive use of administrative detention which, according to international law, should be used only when security makes this absolutely necessary rather than as routine practice and as a preventive rather than a punitive measure. We continue to call on the Israeli authorities to comply with their obligations under international law and either charge or release detainees.

The UK remains concerned by persistent disruption to water supply from Alouk water station to Hasakeh and other parts of North East Syria. Officials have raised this with the Turkish Government, including most recently on 22nd October. They continue to reassure us on their commitment to finding a workable solution. The UK discusses the situation regularly with the UN and UN member states, including at the Humanitarian Task Force in Geneva. Inconsistent electricity provision to pump water is an additional impediment and we welcome recent attempts by UNICEF to begin installing voltage stabilisers. We will continue to monitor the situation closely.

The UK regularly tracks the situation at Al Hol and other internally displaced persons' (IDP) camps, and we are aware of the Syrian Democratic Council's (SDC) announcement on 4 October, regarding reintegrating Syrians from Al Hol camp into local communities. We understand these transfers will take place gradually, and are raising with the SDC the need to ensure returns are voluntary, informed and in line with International Humanitarian Law. The UK continues to support IDP/refugee camps in North East Syria, funding UN agencies and NGO partners to provide life-saving aid such as food, water and shelter. The UK has committed £33 million to help humanitarian agencies respond to the COVID-19 threat in Syria, including in IDP camps where cramped, challenging conditions make social distancing and cleaning measures difficult to implement. The FCDO has rigorous and robust checks to ensure aid goes to the people that need it, delivers value for money and protects against aid diversion. We also use third-party independent monitors to support our delivery partners and verify that aid is being delivered as intended.

In Iraq, there are up to 252,000 people living in IDP camps, which we continue to support with shelter, medical care and clean water. We are concerned about recent camp closures in Baghdad, and continue to raise this with the authorities and UN leadership. We are working closely with the Government of Iraq and the UN to support durable solutions for those displaced by conflict which are safe, voluntary, sustainable, and non-discriminatory.

Local decrees, such as Arrete CAB-BRS of 10 September 2020, issued by the prefecture of France's Pas-de-Calais department, are a domestic matter for French authorities. We understand that this decree intends to prevent gatherings in around twenty specific streets in Calais city centre and to allow for social distancing but that it does not amount to a total ban on the distribution of food and drink in Calais.

The UK is not providing any direct financial support to the Union Election Commission (UEC). We are very concerned at the exclusion of candidates on spurious citizenship grounds, this includes Rohingya and Muslim candidates. The right to stand as a candidate for all people in Myanmar is a key part of achieving effective democracy. Decisions made by the election commission must be transparent and clearly communicated. We are clear that the Rohingya, who have lived in Myanmar for generations, should be granted full citizenship and the associated rights. The Rohingya should not be excluded from Myanmar's elections. The Minister for Asia raised this issue with the Myanmar Minister for International Cooperation in June. We also raised this at the UN Security Council in September.

Although the UK is not a member of the OSCE Minsk Group, we continue to support the work of the Group and its Co-Chairs of France, the United States and Russia. The UK has delivered four statements at the OSCE urging a return to negotiations and for the ceasefire to be adhered to. The UK also supports the calls by the Minsk Group Co-Chairs to agree on a verification mechanism. The UK continues to support the relevant OSCE mechanisms working on this conflict, including through our secondment of qualified personnel. There has not yet been any request for international observers to be deployed to the region. Although we will continue to monitor the situation closely, the UK does not have plans to deploy any at this time.

We have not made an assessment of the number of casualties, damage to houses, schools and infrastructure outside of the information that has been provided by both parties. We continue to evaluate what support the UK provides to the International Committee of the Red Cross.

We are aware of reports concerning the detention of Sherwan Sherwani and are monitoring his case closely. We condemn acts of intimidation by security forces against journalists and media organisations, and the suppression of information including the internet. We raise this regularly with the Government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government.

British officials regularly discuss the issue of refugee crossings into the Kurdistan region of Iraq with the Government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government. We understand that at present, aid and people are still able to cross at Fishkabour (although this is of course restricted due to COVID-19 measures), but we continue to monitor the situation and keep in regular contact with the UN, NGOs and international partners on the issue.

The UK is strongly supportive of work to safeguard debt transparency and sustainability in lower-income countries. The UK conducts regular assessments of macro-stability in lower-income countries, informed particularly by the debt sustainability analyses carried out by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). In line with the classification arrived at by the IMF and World Bank in 2019, the UK currently assesses Zambia's debt to be on an unsustainable path. The Minister for Africa discussed the issue of debt with the President of Zambia and the Minister of Finance during his visit to Zambia on 8 and 9 October.

In April 2020, the G20 and Paris Club of official creditors announced a historic joint Debt Service Suspension Initiative (DSSI) for the least developed countries. The DSSI has supported 43 countries, including Zambia, which have requested suspensions, freeing up a total of US$5 billion in fiscal space to fund the countries' COVID-19 responses. Given the depth of liquidity needs in these countries, the UK supports an extension of the DSSI into 2021.We expect further debt relief to be required. This should be on a case-by-case basis in the context of an IMF programme to ensure it is tailored to need, with equitable burden sharing among all official and private creditors. To ensure this process is efficient and effective, on 25 September the Chancellor met with his G7 counterparts to discuss a future Common Framework for debt relief between the G20 and Paris Club, as well as possible extension to the DSSI. A joint statement detailing this discussion is available on the US Treasury website.

The UK is aware of media reporting that Syrian opposition fighters have been killed in Azerbaijan. We have received no specific information regarding these claims. The UK continues to urge all actors to use their influence to ensure an end to the hostilities and a return to the negotiating table.

We are aware of reports of foreign fighters being transferred from Syria to engage in armed conflict in Libya - on both sides of the conflict.

The UK is clear that external involvement in the Libyan conflict, including the use of mercenaries and foreign fighters, is undermining UN efforts to secure a lasting ceasefire and restart political dialogue. We have expressed our concern to the Turkish Government, as we have to all other external actors whose activity continues to fuel the conflict.

The Government is deeply concerned by the recent military escalation along the Line of Contact in Nagorno-Karabakh and reported shelling into civilian areas. The Minister for the European Neighbourhood and Americas raised UK concerns over civilian casualties and fatalities with both the Armenian and Azerbaijani Foreign Ministers on 28 September. On 29 September the UK alongside other OSCE Permanent Council members delivered strong statements urging de-escalation and a resumption of dialogue to reach a peaceful settlement. We will continue to engage with key partners on this issue and continue to support the OSCE Minsk Group in their aims of securing a peaceful settlement to the conflict.

The Government is aware that the Ankara Prosecutor's Office has begun new investigations into the 2014 protests, and we are monitoring developments. Officials from the British Embassy in Ankara regularly meet members of the HDP (People's Democratic Party) to discuss their concerns. We expect Turkey to undertake any legal processes against detainees, including MPs, other party officials, human rights defenders and journalists, fairly, transparently and with full respect for the rule of law.

EU training support to the Libyan Coastguard and Navy (LCGN) was provided through EU naval Operation Sophia, to which the UK made a voluntary contribution of €595,000 on 12 May 2017. No contributions were made by the UK to EU training of the LCGN after that date. LCGN training was funded out of voluntary contributions from Member States and we estimate the total amount to be approximately €3 million. The operation formally closed on 31 March 2020. It was succeeded by EU Operation IRINI, to which the UK has not contributed.

The UK remains deeply concerned by the conditions faced by migrants and refugees in Libyan detention centres. We continue to urge the Libyan authorities to pursue alternatives to detention and implement a better functioning migration system that respects human rights. On 18 September, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees estimated that more than 2400 refugees and migrants were held in these centres.

The UK has not provided any direct funding to detention centres in Libya. These centres are the responsibility of the Libyan authorities. Any UK assistance in detention centres has been limited to official centres to improve humanitarian conditions, such as improving water, sanitation and hygiene conditions and providing non-food items and emergency food distribution. No funding has been provided to their wider operation, day-to-day operations or management. This humanitarian assistance is part of our wider 'whole of-route' approach to protecting migrants and refugees who are travelling along the Central Mediterranean Route, which also includes work to crack down on people smuggling, support to assisted voluntary returns and intensive work to end the conflict in Libya.

The UK remains deeply concerned by the conditions faced by migrants and refugees in Libyan detention centres. We continue to urge the Libyan authorities to pursue alternatives to detention and implement a better functioning migration system that respects human rights. On 18 September, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees estimated that more than 2400 refugees and migrants were held in these centres.

The UK has not provided any direct funding to detention centres in Libya. These centres are the responsibility of the Libyan authorities. Any UK assistance in detention centres has been limited to official centres to improve humanitarian conditions, such as improving water, sanitation and hygiene conditions and providing non-food items and emergency food distribution. No funding has been provided to their wider operation, day-to-day operations or management. This humanitarian assistance is part of our wider 'whole of-route' approach to protecting migrants and refugees who are travelling along the Central Mediterranean Route, which also includes work to crack down on people smuggling, support to assisted voluntary returns and intensive work to end the conflict in Libya.

The UK is supportive of UNHCR's work to evacuate vulnerable migrants through the Emergency Transit Mechanisms (ETMs). The UK works closely with UNHCR to provide support to vulnerable refugees in Libya through the FCDO Safety, Support and Solutions Phase II (SSSII) Programme and through the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa (EUTF). UK officials are regularly in contact with UNHCR on delivery of both programmes.

Through our contribution to the EUTF, the UK supports UNHCR indirectly to conduct life-saving evacuations of targeted groups of extremely vulnerable people who have been subject to serious violations of their human rights.

The UK continues to engage with EU members states in support of a 'whole of route' approach to reduce irregular migration and maintains a dialogue on a range of issues, including upstream intervention to reduce push factors, protecting vulnerable migrants on the move including women and children, and supporting those who want to return home. Amongst EU member states in the region, most recently, the Minister for Europe and the Americas and the Maltese Foreign Minister discussed migration on 27 July. The UK continues to champion the ethos of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security (WPS), through our National Action Plan (NAP) on WPS (2018-2022). Ensuring that women's and girls' needs are more effectively met by humanitarian actors and promoting the meaningful participation and leadership of women in our humanitarian response is a strategic outcome in our NAP.

We remain concerned about the ongoing water and electricity shortages in Hasakeh province, north-east Syria, and Iraq, and have raised the humanitarian issue of water and hydro-electric supplies with all relevant parties in the region.

We are aware of reports concerning the detention of Zara Mohammadi and are monitoring her case closely. Iran's Kurdish population face significant and ongoing discrimination and harassment. A substantial proportion of Iran's political prisoners are Kurdish. Iran's human rights record remains of serious and longstanding concern to the UK and we regularly raise human rights with the Iranians at all levels.

We have raised our concerns about these cases with the Chinese authorities in Hong Kong. It is essential that due process is followed. The UK remains fully committed to upholding Hong Kong's high degree of autonomy and rights and freedoms, including freedom of speech and assembly, which are guaranteed under the Joint Declaration.

The FCDO is aware of reports that irregular migrants rescued in Malta's Search and Rescue Zone have been kept aboard vessels outside Malta's territorial waters. The Government of Malta has said that keeping irregular migrants aboard vessels at sea has been a precaution to prevent the spread of Covid-19. The Minister for the European Neighbourhood and the Americas raised the importance of protecting the rights of irregular migrants with Malta's Foreign Minister during the UK-Malta migration dialogue on 27 July.

We are in close touch with the Greek Government on migration issues and the UK Government remains committed to supporting Greece's efforts to manage migration effectively. Greece has rejected allegations of conducting pushback operations against migrant vessels seeking to reach its territory. We urge all those involved to?uphold?international?human rights standards in respect?of migrants and?to avoid any actions that may endanger human life.

The UK is concerned by reports of violence between ethnic groups in Ethiopia, reports of arrests and abuses by security services. The Minister for Africa visited Ethiopia from 27 - 29 July and was able to discuss these issues with the President, Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and the President of Oromia Region. He pushed for full and transparent investigations on the violence and that those detained are afforded due process and their cases heard promptly. The Minister for Africa also expressed the need for more peaceful dialogue between different ethnic groups in Ethiopia and for space to be given for political debate.

While in Addis Ababa, the Minister for Africa called on Commissioners at the African Union. They discussed a wide range of issues, including peace and security matters.

The UK supports the efforts of the Government of Ethiopia to strengthen accountability and has been encouraged by the opening of the political space - in particular the release of thousands of political prisoners and the reform of legislation which constrained civil and political rights. We support civil society organisations in Ethiopia so that they can play an increasing role in monitoring human rights. The UK is also working closely with international partners including the African Union and the UN to promote a peaceful and stable Ethiopia [and has contributed over £15 million to UNDP support for the National Elections Board of Ethiopia]. The UK is watching carefully developments and reactions to the elections held in the Tigray region on 9 September.

The UK Government remains deeply concerned by the rising number of COVID-19 cases Gaza.

We have provided over £3.5million to the?World Health Organisation (WHO), UNICEF?and the World Food Programme (WFP) to purchase and co-ordinate the delivery of medical equipment, treat critical care patients, train frontline public health personnel, scale up laboratory testing capacity and support vulnerable households.?The British Consulate General also recently supported the delivery of 15 respirators to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. Nine more respirators will soon be shipped for hospitals in Gaza.

In his recent visit to the region, the Foreign Secretary encouraged both Israel and the Palestinians to resume cooperation, including with regards to COVID-19.

We are aware of the joint statement from faith leaders about Xinjiang. The evidence on the range and extent of human rights violations in Xinjiang is well-established, including evidence from the Chinese authorities' own publicly-available government documents and satellite imagery. The UN has made clear recommendations to China, including to release those arbitrarily detained in camps. We have repeatedly called on China to urgently implement those recommendations and to allow unfettered access to the High Commissioner for Human Rights and UN experts.

We are aware that curfews have been put in place across Diyarbakir province as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, whereas those in Bitlis province are security-related. We follow the security situation?in?Turkey closely, especially in the south-east. We regularly emphasise to the Turkish Government the need to respect human rights, and to support the rule of law in any security operations. We will continue to engage the Turkish Government on these issues and be clear in our expectation that Turkey live up to its human rights obligations, which is essential to the long-term health of Turkish democracy.

The UK is committed to the long-term goal of a world without nuclear weapons, in line with our obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). The Government firmly believes that the best way to achieve a world without nuclear weapons is through gradual multilateral disarmament negotiated using a step-by-step approach under the NPT. The UK will not sign or ratify the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) as we do not believe that this treaty will bring us closer to a world without such weapons. The TPNW fails to address the security obstacles that must first be overcome to achieve lasting global nuclear disarmament. It will not improve the international security environment or increase trust and transparency, and risks undermining the NPT.

The UK Government remains deeply concerned by the situation in Gaza. Our recent £840,000 funding contribution has enabled the World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF to purchase and co-ordinate the delivery of medical equipment, treat critical care patients, train frontline public health personnel and scale up laboratory testing capacity. The Foreign Secretary also recently announced a further £2.7m of funding to UN agencies to provide food assistance, medical supplies and personal protection for the most vulnerable Palestinians. We welcome the recent ceasefire between Israel and Hamas and continue to monitor the situation closely.

The UK welcomed Saudi Arabia's commitment in 2016 that it would no longer use BL-755 cluster munitions, which were exported from the UK, with the last delivery being in 1989. We have no evidence that this assurance has been breached and have not seen evidence of any recent use of cluster munitions in Yemen since 2016. We continue to monitor the situation closely. We regularly emphasise to Saudi Arabia the importance of conducting thorough and transparent investigations into alleged International Humanitarian Law violations. UN Special Envoy Martin Griffiths is continuing to seek the parties agreement to a permanent ceasefire and a resumption of the UN-led political process. We fully support these efforts and urge the parties to engage constructively with the Special Envoy.

The UK is committed to promoting and defending the human rights of all individuals including indigenous peoples. Brazil has a robust and independent justice system that tackles cases such as this one. We will continue to monitor the situation closely and to raise critical issues such as this in our dialogue with the Government.

We have no specific plans to raise Macao with the Government of China, but will continue to raise a range of human rights issues with the Chinese authorities, including freedom of religion and belief, media freedom and freedom of speech more broadly. On 8 June and 28 July the Foreign Secretary set out our concerns about Hong Kong and Xinjiang to State Councillor/Minister for Foreign Affairs, Wang Yi.

We are bound by strict confidentiality rules under the Data Protection Act. We cannot pass on any information about Anna Campbell without her families consent.

Tackling climate change is a priority issue for the UK, which is why we bid to host COP 26 in partnership with Italy. We have committed to doubling the UK's International Climate Finance funding to at least £11.6 billion between 2021/22 and 2025/26. To ensure ambitious climate action across the world, the UK has around 180 diplomats engaged globally on climate issues, and the Climate and Energy Attaché Network expanded by 50 local staff in FY19/20 to help deliver COP26. The FCO has also recently appointed four Regional Ambassadors to support global engagement.

The UK takes a holistic, coordinated approach to preventing violent conflict bilaterally and in international fora. As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, the UK takes its responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security and the prevention of violent conflict seriously and is active in preventive diplomacy, peacebuilding, and peacekeeping. In addition to ongoing defence, diplomatic and development engagement in key fragile and conflict affected areas, we are monitoring the increased risks as a result of Covid-19.

The Prime Minister hosted the Global Vaccine Summit on 4 June, raising $8.8 billion to support Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance's work to immunise a further 300 million children and save up to 8 million lives from vaccine preventable diseases by 2025. In June 2019 the UK pledged up to £1.4 billion to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria for 2020-22 to contribute to the distribution of 92 million mosquito nets, treat over 2 million people suffering from TB and provide life-saving anti-retroviral therapy for more than 3.3 million people with HIV. In 2019, the UK announced a £400m commitment to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative to continue efforts towards eradicating the disease. The UK Government will continue to work with all our international partners in global efforts against communicable diseases.

Dialogue is an essential part of efforts to prevent violent conflict. We continue to prioritise preventive diplomacy and mediation through the UN and push for greater collaboration on peacebuilding amongst international organisations. The evidence is also clear that women's meaningful participation in conflict prevention through to conflict resolution is key to securing sustainable peace. In the 20th anniversary year of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, we are prioritising promoting women's meaningful inclusion in peace processes; and increasing support and protection for women resolving conflict, countering violent extremism and building peace at the grassroots level.

A stable Middle East and North Africa is in every nation's interests. The UK engages regularly, at all levels, with the countries of the Middle East and North Africa and a wide range of external experts; this includes on regional issues. We are willing to consider any efforts to promote dialogue.

The UK has no plans to discuss the creation of new specialist agencies at the next Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). We are focused on strengthening and delivering through the existing institutions, organisations and networks of the Commonwealth. Those include the three inter-governmental organisations (the Commonwealth Secretariat, the Commonwealth Foundation and the Commonwealth of Learning) and their many programmes; several intergovernmental fora of ministers and senior officials; and over 80 Commonwealth-accredited organisations. We look forward to the postponed CHOGM being held in Kigali next year. The UK will continue as Commonwealth Chair-in-Office until then.

We remain deeply concerned by the situation in Libya and we welcome all efforts which support the UN-led peace process. We have been clear that we support an inclusive political settlement for Libya. We welcome the engagement of the Government of National Accord and the Libyan National Army in the UN-led 5+5 military talks. It is essential that both sides engage fully with this process. The UK is actively engaged in diplomatic efforts to end the conflict and we continue to work closely with international partners towards peace in Libya. We continue to call on all parties to de-escalate, commit to a lasting ceasefire and return to UN-led political talks which is the only means of achieving the peace and stability that the Libyan people crave.

The UK is playing an active role in international diplomatic efforts to promote a ceasefire, humanitarian access and a return to a UN-led process in Libya. As 'penholder' on Libya at the UN Security Council, we tabled UN Security Council 2510 which demands an end to foreign military interference in Libya. Most recently, at the 8 July UN Security Council meeting, the Minister of State for the Middle East and North Africa reiterated that external backers must stop sending arms to Libya, adhere to the Berlin conference commitments made in January, and support the parties to achieve a ceasefire and reach an inclusive political solution. The UK has also continued to urge all Libyan parties and the key international players to engage fully with the UN-led political process, including the 5+5 military dialogue convened in Geneva.

It is for Lebanon to decide on its foreign and security policy. We continue to urge the Government of Lebanon to fully implement its policy of disassociation from regional conflicts, and abide by the provisions of all relevant UN Security Council Resolutions, including 1559 and 1701. The Minister for Middle East and North Africa stressed this point again to key Lebanese politicians during his virtual visit to Lebanon on 23 July.

Turkey is a key NATO ally - one of the largest contributors of military personnel - and sits on the frontline of some of the most difficult and serious challenges we face. We will continue to work closely with Turkey within NATO on challenges to peace and security.

The UK does not support Turkish military activity in Libya, which risks aggravating the conflict and worsening regional tensions. We have expressed our concerns to the Turkish Government, as we have with other external actors whose activity continues to fuel the conflict. All parties to the Libyan conflict must de-escalate, commit to a ceasefire and return to UN-led political dialogue. The Foreign Secretary delivered this message to Turkish Foreign Minister Çavusoglu during his visit to London on 8 July.

The Foreign Secretary also discussed Syria with the Foreign Minister; Ministers and officials regularly discuss the situation in northern Syria with the Government of Turkey. The UK made clear our opposition to the unilateral Turkish intervention in north-east Syria in October 2019. We welcome the ceasefire currently in place in the north-east and also acknowledge the important role Turkey has played in recent months to secure a ceasefire in Idlib.

Regarding Turkish military actions in northern Iraq, the British Ambassador in Ankara has spoken to the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including on reports of civilian casualties. We continue to urge dialogue and cooperation between Iraq and Turkey to combat terrorism, ensure regional security and protect civilians.

Although we have not made specific representations on behalf of Mr Yildirim, we regularly raise our human rights concerns with the Turkish authorities at the highest level, particularly around detentions, freedom of expression and association. We continue to urge the authorities to ensure that all detainees are treated in accordance with relevant international human rights standards, such as access to legal representation and medical care. We will continue to engage the Turkish Government on these important issues. We are clear in our expectation that Turkey should live up to its human rights obligations towards all its citizens.

The UK is deeply concerned by the persistent disruption to water supply from Alouk water station to northern Syria and has raised the humanitarian issue of Alouk with all parties in the region. When officials raised with the Government of Turkey on 23 July, including the impact on northern Syria and the current operational situation of the station, they were assured the Government of Turkey was also looking for a solution to these concerns.

The UK is closely following the situation in northern Iraq. Our Ambassador in Ankara has spoken to the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including on reports of civilian casualties. We continue to urge dialogue and cooperation between Iraq and Turkey to combat terrorism, ensure regional security and protect civilians.

We regularly raise our human rights concerns with the Turkish authorities at the highest level, particularly around detentions, freedom of expression and association. Although we have not made specific representations on behalf of Mr Yildirim, we continue to urge the authorities to ensure that all detainees, (including former parliamentarians,) are treated in accordance with relevant international human rights standards, such as access to legal representation and medical care. We will continue to engage the Turkish Government on these important issues. We are clear in our expectation that Turkey, like all countries, should live up to its human rights obligations towards all its citizens.

Whilst we have not raised this specific issue with the Government of Israel, we regularly make clear our concerns about the restrictions on movement imposed by the Israeli authorities on Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza. In East Jerusalem, the UK Government supports Palestinians to uphold their residency rights through the provision of legal aid services delivered through our legal aid programme.

Whilst we have not made representations on this particular issue, our Embassy in Tel Aviv and Consulate-General in Jerusalem do raise issues of religious freedom with the Israeli Government and Palestinian Authority. The Minister of State for the Middle East and North Africa also met with representatives of the Holy Land Coordination Group, Bishop Declan Lang and Bishop Christopher Chessun, on 22 June to discuss the situation in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and their work with the Christian community there. The UK recognises that the holy sites of Jerusalem hold particular significance for many groups around the globe, especially the three Abrahamic faiths of Christianity, Islam and Judaism. We are committed to working with all parties to maintain calm, avoid provocation and uphold the Status Quo in order to ensure the safety and security of the holy sites and all who worship and visit there.

The UK is committed to defending freedom of religion or belief, and promoting respect between communities of different religions and those of no religion. The UK has supported the work of the Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage in the northern part of Cyprus. This committee was created under the auspices of the United Nations and works to promote and protect the cultural heritage of the island of Cyprus. This includes preservation of religious sites in the north of Cyprus.

We are committed to supporting the rights of the Yazidi community, like other minority groups, in Iraq and assisting them to reunite their families and overcome the appalling suffering they faced from Daesh. We continue to engage with the Government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government on this issue.

We regularly raise our human rights concerns with the Turkish authorities at the highest level, particularly around detentions, freedom of expression and association. We continue to urge the authorities to ensure that all detainees, including former parliamentarians, are treated in accordance with relevant international human rights standards such as access to legal representation and medical care. We will continue to engage the Turkish Government on these important issues. We are clear in our expectation that Turkey, like all countries, should live up to its human rights obligations towards all its citizens.

Ministers and officials regularly discuss the situation in Syria with the Government of Turkey. In those discussions we make clear the importance of all parties to the Syrian conflict abiding by their obligations under international law. We have not raised the specific report of fires in Afrin.

We will not discuss possible responses to hypothetical situations. The Foreign Secretary made clear our 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, during a call with the Israeli Foreign Minister on 2 June. We also reiterated our concerns at the UN Security Council remote meeting on the Middle East Peace Process on 20 May. 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.

We remain concerned about the human rights situation in Eritrea, including the arrests of religious figures such as Patriarch Abune Antonios who has been detained for over 12 years. On 25 July 2019, we issued a tweet specifically calling attention to his apparent excommunication and his ongoing detention. We also raised his case in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's 2018 Annual Human Rights Report. There has been no response from the Government of Eritrea.

The UK Government, along with partners in the international community, have taken every opportunity to voice our concern about arbitrary arrests and detentions in Eritrea, and have called for their release. On 26 February, the UK's International Ambassador for Human Rights, Rita French, delivered a statement during the 43rd Session of the Human Rights Council expressing concern at continuing human rights abuses. Although welcoming Eritrean acceptance of Universal Periodic Review recommendations and offering UK assistance in support of their implementation, she said that the UK would continue to press for the release of arbitrarily detained individuals, and call for respect for freedom of religion or belief, especially for worshippers of unregistered religions.

Our Ambassador in Asmara raised arbitrary detentions of members of the Christian community with the Eritrean Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 20 May 2019 and with the President's senior adviser on 14 August 2019. During visits to Eritrea, the FCO's Head of East Africa Department, in November 2019, and the Home Office International Director, in February, both raised human rights issues with senior members of the Eritrean government. Eritrea remains a priority country for the FCO under our annual human rights reporting, and we will continue to monitor the situation there.

We are aware of reports concerning the detention of Saad Al-Jabri's brother and two of his children. We remain concerned over the detention of a number of individuals in Saudi Arabia. We continue to raise our concerns about individual cases and are monitoring this case closely.

The holy sites of East Jerusalem and the West Bank hold particular significance for many groups around the globe, especially the three Abrahamic faiths of Christianity, Islam and Judaism. In our meetings with the Israeli authorities we regularly raise the need to respect the status quo of the holy sites in East Jerusalem and the West Bank. We continue to urge the Israeli and Palestinian leadership to avoid actions that make it more difficult to achieve a negotiated solution to the conflict.

We are aware of this case and are following developments as the legal process is still ongoing. It is important that economic and fiscal agreements between Israel and the Palestinian Authority to continue to be fully implemented.

The Turkish constitution provides for freedom of conscience and religion, regardless of an individual's citizenship. We regularly discuss with Turkey issues concerning freedom of religion and belief and encourage Turkey to live up to its international obligations. We will continue to engage the Turkish Government at all levels on these issues and to urge respect for Freedom of Religion or Belief, which are essential to the long-term health of Turkish democracy. Defending persecuted Christians, and persecuted individuals of all faiths or beliefs, remains a long-standing priority for the British Government.

We have raised concerns with the Turkish Government over reports of human rights violations by Turkish backed forces in Syria, and have made clear that any attempt at demographic change would be unacceptable. We are aware of the reports relating in Tal Abyad and Ras al-Ayn but are not in a position to assess their validity. We consistently reiterate the importance of all parties to the Syrian conflict abiding by their obligations under international law.

We have regular discussions with the Turkish Government, including with the Turkish Ambassador to the UK, about the situation in Turkey including on human and constitutional rights. The amendments under law 7242 include provisions that are aimed both at lowering the prison population generally and, in response to COVID-19, a temporary release provision for convicts that are serving or have the right to serve time in a minimum security institution and those under supervised release. We encourage Turkey to ensure that these provisions are met.

The UK is aware of recent reports of the removal of ethnic-Albanians in southern Serbia from civil registries. Verifying these reports is complicated by high levels of migration and lack of agreed population statistics, but our Embassy in Belgrade is monitoring closely. Our Ambassador, with like-minded partners, has discussed with the Serbian Government the importance of fundamental rights and freedoms in the context of the forthcoming elections. We will continue to pursue this issue in the course of discussions with relevant national and local authorities in Serbia, as part of our ongoing work to promote and protect human and minority rights.

The UK supports the UN Secretary-General's call for a global ceasefire in armed conflicts. We are deeply concerned about the impact that Covid-19 will have on vulnerable countries, particularly those tackling extreme poverty. We continue to work within the UN Security Council to promote initiatives which will build on the global ceasefire and marshal support for UN efforts to take forward peace processes and mitigate risks of conflict escalation. To give a specific example, the UK and Germany are leading on negotiations in the Council to establish a new UN mission in Sudan which, within its support for ongoing political transition, will also have a mandate to support the peace process and implementation of any future peace agreement.

The UK is leading with partners and allies to support an effective and co-ordinated global health response led by the World Health Organisation, reinforce the resilience of vulnerable countries, pursue a vaccine and support the global economy. The UK is working together with international partners to achieve these objectives, including with the G7, G20, the UN and other multilateral institutions, in order to ensure a stronger global effort.

We speak regularly to Turkey about our concerns relating to the risks posed by COVID-19 in Turkey. Ministers and our Ambassador to Turkey continue to engage the Turkish Government on Covid risks and future work to tackle the disease.

We support the call made by the UN Secretary-General in his message of 22 April that human rights must be at the front and centre of the COVID-19 response and recovery. We continue to be clear in our expectation that Turkey, like all countries, should live up to its human rights obligations towards all its citizens. We support all efforts by the UN to minimise long-term damage to global economies, societies, politics and freedoms.

The UK encourages the Government of Iraq (GOI) and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) to work together to resolve all issues in line with the Iraq Constitution. Following the appointment of new Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi, we will continue to encourage strong GOI-KRG cooperation, including on issues relating to federal budget payments to the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

We are aware of reports of renewed violence in Ras al-Ain, Syria, including on 22 April. Implementation of the ceasefire agreements in north-east Syria is the responsibility of the parties to those agreements but we have made clear our expectation that all sides abide by the agreed ceasefire and by their obligations under international humanitarian law.

We assess that the rise in food prices in Syria over the past year is primarily a result of the deteriorating economic situation in neighbouring Lebanon, whose economy is intrinsically linked to Syria's; the corresponding loss in the value of the Syrian pound; damage to agricultural areas and productivity due to war and fires in summer 2019; and latterly border closures related to COVID-19. We do not assess international sanctions to be a major factor: EU sanctions are carefully targeted on specific sectors and individuals, in order to minimise their impact on ordinary Syrians, and do not apply to the food sector. More generally, the ongoing conflict combined with mismanagement and corruption by the Assad regime explain most of the problems of the Syrian economy.

We continue to work closely with international partners towards peace in Yemen, Libya, Sudan and South Sudan, amongst other countries in conflict.

We fully support the efforts of the UN Secretary-General and the UN Special Envoy's call for all parties to engage in urgent political talks and de-escalate the conflict in Yemen. Now that Saudi Arabia have extended their unilateral ceasefire it is more important than ever that all parties seize this opportunity for progress in Yemen. A permanent ceasefire and co-operation with the UN-led political process is the best defence we have against a potentially devastating outbreak of COVID-19.

We are also deeply concerned by the continuing fighting in Libya. All the signs are that, despite calls for a humanitarian truce, hostilities are continuing on all sides. UK leadership helped secure UN Security Council Resolution 2510, which demands full compliance with the UN arms embargo and an end to foreign military interference in Libya. We continue to urge all parties to agree a ceasefire and return to UN-led political talks, which is the only means of achieving the peace and stability that most Libyans crave.

We welcome recent progress made in both Sudan and South Sudan towards resolving their long-running conflicts. Through our membership of the Troika, we have engaged their governments and international partners to support their respective peace processes. At the UN Security Council on 28 April, the UK urged both governments to continue to focus on building sustainable peace. In South Sudan, conflict between the parties to the September 2018 Peace Agreement has reduced. In February this year, the formation of the Transitional Government of National Unity marked a significant step forward in implementing the deal, bringing opposition leaders into the government. Although implementation of the Peace Agreement has slowed since the COVID-19 outbreak, we continue to urge all sides to ensure momentum is maintained. The Minister for Africa reiterated this point with 1st Vice President Machar on 29 April.

On Sudan, the UK supports Prime Minister Hamdok's commitment to secure a sustainable peace agreement to end conflicts in the county. We welcome initial progress in peace negotiations and agreement of a cessation of hostilities. We continued to urge all sides to engage constructively and swiftly to reach a comprehensive and inclusive peace agreement; at the UN Security Council on 24 April we urged all Sudanese stakeholders to remain fully committed in the efforts to achieve lasting peace.

We understand around 12,000 people are resident in Mukhmur refugee camp in northern Iraq. We closely monitor reports of Turkish airstrikes in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, which Turkey has said were targeting members of the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). We share concerns about restrictions imposed by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) on the movement of camp residents. Our Consulate General in Erbil discussed these concerns with the KRG authorities in April.

Ministers and officials regularly discuss the situation in Syria with the Government of Turkey. In those discussions we and our international partners have made clear that any attempt at demographic change in Afrin or other areas under Turkish control would be unacceptable. We have not raised the specific report of fences being erected in Afrin.

We support the UN call for an immediate, lasting, and nationwide ceasefire in Syria to enable complete focus on countering COVID-19. The Minister for the Middle East and North Africa discussed this with Geir Pedersen, UN Special Envoy for Syria, on 1 April and we have expressed our support for this initiative at the UN Security Council and in bilateral discussions with some of the countries involved in the Syrian conflict. However, we have not discussed this proposal with the Assad regime since we have had no diplomatic relations with them since 2012.

The UK Government is aware of reports of the detention and mistreatment of migrants in Greece and remain in close contact with the Greek Government. We recognise that the Greek authorities are under considerable pressure and we remain committed to supporting Greece's efforts to manage migration effectively. The Minister for Immigration at the Home Office, and Greek Alternate Minister for Migration Mr George Koumoutsakos, signed the UK-Greece bilateral action plan on 22 April to this end. While the UK fully supports the right of States to control their borders, we also expect States to fulfil their international obligations and protect and promote the human rights of migrants. This includes with regard to the principle of non-refoulement. As part of the EU-Turkey Deal of 2016 Turkey is considered a safe country to which to return migrants who have entered Greece illegally.

This is a matter for the Turkish Parliament. We will continue to follow closely developments on this. As a modern democracy, we expect Turkey to undertake any subsequent legal processes transparently and to fully respect the rule of law. We consistently encourage the Turkish government to uphold the rule of law, to respect fundamental freedoms and to adhere to its international obligations.

The UK has serious concerns about the continued reports of ill-treatment of Palestinian minors in Israeli military detention. We remain committed to working with Israel to secure improvements to the practices surrounding children in detention in the country. We welcomed progress made with recent Israeli policy amendments. We continue to fund projects providing legal aid to minors and capacity building to local lawyers. Specifically, we advocate for the Israeli authorities to inform more consistently detainees of their legal rights. We continue to make representations to the Israeli authorities on this issue. Officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv did so most recently on 16 December 2019.

While we have not made representations on the arrests of the Palestinian Authority (PA) Governor of East Jerusalem, the British Consul General in Jerusalem, alongside a number of other representatives, met the PA Minister for Jerusalem Affairs by videoconference on 7 April. They expressed concern at the 3 April raid by Israeli police on his home, his detention and questioning about his work to prevent the spread of Covid-19 in East Jerusalem. We remain concerned about Israel's extensive use of administrative detention which, according to international law, should be used only when security makes this absolutely necessary rather than as routine practice and as a preventive rather than a punitive measure. We continue to call on the Israeli authorities to comply with their obligations under international law and either charge or release detainees.

We are deeply concerned about the impact of a COVID-19 outbreak in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs). The British Embassy in Tel Aviv and the British Consulate-General in Jerusalem are in regular contact with the Israeli and Palestinian authorities respectively. Both report good cooperation in response to COVID-19 though we continue to call on both parties to avoid any provocative action which might undermine the cooperation that is so critical. UN agencies, the Palestinian Authority and the Israeli Government are working together to ensure that essential medical supplies and staff reach the OPTs. The UK's $1 million funding contribution will enable the World Health Organisation and UNICEF to purchase and co-ordinate the delivery of medical equipment, treat critical care patients, train frontline public health personnel and scale up laboratory testing capacity.

Department for International Development officials raised the need to protect water supply in Syria, including the Alok facility, with the Government of Turkey during Operation Peace Spring in October 2019. After some disruption to the water supply recently, we understand that the facility has now been re-opened. The British Government continues to support UN and INGO partners to help those in need in north east Syria.

We welcome that India's Upper House of Parliament will debate the recent violence in Delhi on 12 March, and await details of next steps the Government of India will take. We will continue to raise our concerns about the impact of the Citizenship Amendment Act with the Government of India where we have them.

We welcome that India's Upper House of Parliament will debate the recent violence in Delhi on 12 March, and await details of next steps the Government of India will take. We will continue to raise our concerns about the impact of the Citizenship Amendment Act with the Government of India where we have them.

We are aware of reports that migrants are being encouraged to leave Turkey and then denied entry to Greece at the land border with Turkey. The British Government remains committed to supporting Greece and Turkey's efforts to manage migration effectively and is working both bilaterally and with our international partners to this end. The Prime Minister discussed the matter with the Turkish President on 3 March, as did the Foreign Secretary on the same day with the Turkish Foreign Minister, and our Ambassador in Athens spoke with the Greek Foreign Minister, also on 3 March. We continue to urge dialogue to resolve the situation.

The UK opposes the requirement that religious affiliation should be stated on identity cards or other official documents. In Myanmar for example, the UK has supported the recommendations of the Rakhine Advisory Commission's to reform the 1982 Citizenship Law, and has urged the Myanmar Government to fully implement them. This would ensure that citizenship, and ID cards, are not linked to ethnic or religious status. Defending and promoting Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) is a longstanding human rights priority for the British Government. We actively promote the importance of FoRB and tackling discrimination on the basis of religious identity through our diplomatic activity both bilterally, and through multilateral fora such as the UN.

The British High Commission in New Delhi and our network of Deputy High Commissions across India are following reports on the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens, as well as the Government of India's response. We raise our concerns with the Government of India where we have them. Most recently, I discussed the CAA with India's Ministry of External Affairs on 25 February. The British High Commission in New Delhi also raised our concerns about the Act, and the police response to protests, with the State Government of Uttar Pradesh on 7 February.

The UK has long regarded protest as a key part of democratic society. Democratic governments must have the power to enforce law and order when a protest crosses the line into illegality; yet we encourage all states to ensure their domestic laws are enforced in line with international standards. Any allegation of human rights abuses is deeply concerning and must be investigated thoroughly, promptly, and transparently.

While we have not made an assessment of this article, the impacts of climate change are already being felt across the Middle East, including in the marine environment, and will become much worse over time. That is why climate change and the implementation of the Paris Agreement is such a high priority for this Government. We have raised concerns over access to water in the Occupied Palestinian Territories with the Israeli authorities, including stressing the urgent need for Israel to take immediate and practical measures to improve the current situation and ensure fair distribution of water in the West Bank and Gaza. These resources are limited and therefore require the effective co-operation from all parties to manage them in such a manner that ensures there will be enough for all. The UK is more than tripling our spending on economic development programming - providing £58 million between 2018 and 2023. This includes helping to improve water and energy supply, particularly in Gaza.

A stable Middle East is in every nation's interests. The UK engages regularly, at all levels, with the countries of the Gulf and other partners, including Oman, Pakistan and a wide range of external experts; this includes on regional issues. We are willing to consider any efforts to promote dialogue.

Egypt is not a member state of the Council of Europe and the decisions of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers generally focus on the Council of Europe membership. Nevertheless, the organisation plays a prominent role in promoting the humane treatment of offenders and decent prison conditions. The treatment of prisoners, both convicted and untried, in Egypt is an important concern of the UK. We regularly urge the Egyptian authorities to ensure that all detainees are treated in accordance with international human rights standards. During Egypt's Universal Periodic Review in the United Nations Human Rights Council in November 2019, we called upon the Egyptian government to ensure access to medical care and family visits in prisons, and to release all those detained for exercising the right to freedom of expression. The Foreign Secretary recently raised human rights issues with his Egyptian counterpart at the UK-Africa Investment Summit.

In 2018 the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) held $555.3 million for global responses. The UK contribution to the 2018 CERF was US$114.3million, or £89 million. Information is published through the UN-managed Financial Tracking Service. The UK's £75 million migration programme is still in operation, running from 2018 to 2021. Details of our allocations to partners and spend to date, including those operating in Libya, are available on Development Tracker. All funds have been committed to our partners and will be spent by 2021.

We are aware of Israeli Defence Minister Naftali Bennett's announcement on 15 January. We would be concerned by any measures taken that would damage the Palestinian presence and development in Area C. We are encouraging both sides to maintain calm and avoid taking actions which make peace more difficult to achieve.

?Our Ambassador to Cairo raised concerns over the cases of Dr Essam El Haddad and his son Gehad El Haddad with the Egyptian Assistant Foreign Minister for Human Rights in July 2019. He responded that he would convey these to the relevant authorities.

For the most recent two-year period for which data is available (1 October 2017 – 30 September 2019), eight Single Individual Export Licences were issued for Syria of which none were provided to commercial end-users. All the licences were for humanitarian purposes. No licences were granted to the Syrian regime or armed opposition groups.

In addition, one Open Individual Export Licence was issued in this period, covering goods for humanitarian end use. Information about licences granted between 1 October 2019 – 31 December 2019 is due to be published on GOV.UK on 14 April 2020. The British Government does not grant 'exemptions' for export licences.

?The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) has reported that between 2004 and 2018, 137 Conflict Related Sexual Violence (CRSV) cases were completed in BiH Courts. This amounts to around a quarter of all completed war crime cases in BiH. There are an additional 47 open CRSV cases (2018).

As of September 2016, across the region, including BiH, the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) had charged 78 individuals with crimes of sexual violence as defined under Article 7(1) of the ICTY Statute.

As part of our extensive support under the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative (PSVI) in Bosnia and Herzegovina, our Embassy in Sarajevo has provided public support for organisations helping children born out of wartime sexual violence, in particular, one non-governmental organisation, "Forgotten Children of War" (FCoW). In 2014 the United Kingdom also provided financial support to Medica Zenica to help establish the first free telephone service to inform and counsel both survivors of conflict related sexual violence and children born out of wartime sexual violence. The British Government works closely with other organisations, such as the International Organization for Migration, including providing funding, which provides help for children born of wartime sexual violence.

We continue to support FCoW and Medica Zenica politically, and look forward to welcoming their representatives to the PSVI Conference later this year.

The UK remains deeply concerned by the conditions faced by migrants and refugees in Libyan detention centres. We continue to urge the Libyan authorities to pursue alternatives to detention and implement a better functioning migration system that respects human rights. The UK supports the UN's call for detention centres across Libya to be closed, and for the migrants and refugees within them to be evacuated to safety.

We have repeatedly called for urgent humanitarian access for the UN and international humanitarian actors, and for all parties to adhere to International Humanitarian Law. The UK provided £1 million to the 2019 UN Flash Appeal, and was the first country to respond to the appeal. In April 2019, the UN released $2 million from the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to provide life-saving assistance to civilians caught up in the escalating fighting in Libya, including vulnerable migrants and refugees. The UK was the biggest donor to the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) in 2018, providing £ 89 million. As part of our current £75 million migration programme along the Central Mediterranean Route, we have allocated up to £5 million to humanitarian assistance and protection for migrants and refugees in Libya, including targeted healthcare provision.

These efforts form part of the UK's comprehensive, 'whole-of-route' approach to protecting migrants and refugees who are travelling along the Central Mediterranean Route. This includes humanitarian assistance and protection for migrants and refugees, cracking down on people smuggling, supporting assisted voluntary returns and working intensively to end the conflict in Libya. To this end, the Prime Minister attended the Berlin Conference on 19 January, where attendees agreed to support the current ceasefire and UN-led political talks, and pledged to respect the UN arms embargo. The UK is clear that the human rights situation in Libya can only be improved under the stability of a united and representative government, facilitated by the UN-led political process.

We continue to challenge Russia's malign activity and abuse of the international rules-based system and remain at the forefront of those opposing that abuse.

In response to the attack in Salisbury, together with our allies, we coordinated the largest ever collective expulsion of Russian intelligence officers, fundamentally degrading Russian intelligence capability for years to come. We also challenge Russia's actions in Ukraine, in Syria, the Western Balkans and in cyber space. The United Kingdom is committed to playing a leading role in continuing sanctions against Russia. Sanctions are one of a range of measures we have taken, in concert with others, to defend our security and enhance our capabilities against Russia's malign activity.

​We regularly raise our human rights concerns with the Egyptian authorities, particularly around detentions and prison conditions. We continue to urge the authorities to ensure that all detainees are treated in accordance with relevant international human rights standards. For example, during Egypt's Universal Periodic Review in November 2019, we called upon the Egyptian Government ensure access to medical care and family visits in prisons and to release all those detained for exercising the right to freedom of expression. Our Ambassador in Cairo last raised the specific cases of Essam El Haddad and Gehad El Haddad at senior level in July 2019.

​We keep our Syria sanctions under regular review and actively seek to minimise their impact on ordinary Syrians, engaging regularly with non-governmental organisations to understand the practical impact of the sanctions on the population. Exemptions and licences already apply to the sanctions regime in order to minimise any detrimental effects on ordinary Syrians. The sanctions are aimed at ending the violent repression of the civilian population in Syria by the Assad regime and pressing the regime to engage seriously with the political process.

​We are troubled by reports of assaults on Palestinian farmers, the vandalism of olive trees, and the stealing of produce. The UK condemns any incidence of violence by settlers against Palestinians. Officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv raised the increase in settler violence with the Israeli authorities on 17 December 2019. Under international law, Israel, as the occupying power, has an obligation to take all measures in its power to protect the Palestinian population from acts of violence. We continue to stress the importance of the Israeli security forces providing appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population. We welcome the efforts of Israeli authorities to address settler violence, and urge them to thoroughly investigate every instance and bring those responsible to justice.

​The UK remains concerned by incidents on Haram Al-Sharif / Temple Mount, including altercations inside the al-Aqsa Mosque. We have stressed the importance of the Israeli security forces providing appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population. In our meetings with the Israeli authorities we regularly raise the need to respect the status quo of the holy sites in Jerusalem and the West Bank. Officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv raised this issue with the Israeli authorities on 16 October 2019.

​We are deeply concerned by the continued demolition of Palestinian property by the Israeli authorities. Demolitions and evictions of Palestinians from their homes cause unnecessary suffering to ordinary Palestinians; call into question Israel’s commitment to a viable two-state solution; and, in all but the most exceptional of cases, are contrary to International Humanitarian Law. We have repeatedly made clear to the Israeli authorities our serious concern at the increase in demolitions of Palestinian properties in Area C of the West Bank and in East Jerusalem, most recently on 17 December 2019. The UK and international partners will continue to call bilaterally, and in international fora, for Israel to abandon demolition plans entirely, and instead provide a transparent route to construction for Palestinians in Area C. The British Government supports Bedouin communities and Palestinians facing demolition or eviction in Area C of the West Bank through our legal aid programme, which helps residents challenge decisions in the Israeli legal system. The UK has also allocated £1.1 million to support essential infrastructure for vulnerable Palestinians in Area C.

​We have repeatedly raised with the Government of Israel our concerns about Israel's decision to withhold tax revenues to the Palestinian Authority (PA), most recently on 17 December 2019. It is important Israel carries out the regular monthly transfer of tax revenues it collects on behalf of the PA in line with its international obligations. We expect economic and fiscal agreements between Israel and the PA to continue to be fully implemented.

​We are very concerned about the granting of further rights and privileges to Israelis living in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. We recognise that Palestinians face severe difficulty in securing building permissions for homes and infrastructure in East Jerusalem and Area C. Practically, this leaves Palestinians with little option but to build without permission, placing their homes at risk of demolition on the grounds they do not have a permit. We continue to urge the Government of Israel to develop improved mechanisms for zoning, planning and permitting in Area C for the benefit of the Palestinian population, including by facilitating local Palestinian participation in such processes. Officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv did so most recently on 10 December 2019.

Her Majesty's Government supports a wide-range of Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) funded programmes benefitting young adults. For example, in Turkey we have helped train young politicians and civil society representatives in democratic participation. In Tunisia and Egypt, we have helped young people build skills to access jobs. In Jordan we have supported implementation of the Government’s Youth Strategy. In Afghanistan we have supported economic development and job creation. More information can be found on the gov.uk website. We do not comment on future Ministerial visits for security reasons but Ministers raise these issues with their international partners on a regular basis.

It remains a long-standing policy of the United Kingdom to oppose the death penalty in all circumstances as a matter of principle. We have regularly made our position clear to the Egyptian Government.

We have particular concerns in Egypt regarding Article 122 of the Child Law in Egypt and cases involving the death penalty and juveniles. Our Embassy in Cairo has raised our concerns with the Egyptian authorities and asked them to take action to release political detainees who remain imprisoned and to review mass judicial decisions.

I raised our concerns in my interim Autumn Statement on Human Rights Priority Countries on 22nd October 2019. Our ambassador in Cairo repeated these concerns in a meeting with the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 23 October 2019.

​The UK remains concerned about reports of arbitrary arrest in the Philippines. We have not had discussions with the Philippine authorities on these specific cases, however, the Government continues to call for the promotion and protection of freedom of speech and the British Embassy in Manila continues to follow developments closely.

Freedom of speech, and wider human rights issues, in the Philippines, were raised by senior Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials with the Philippines Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Enrique Manalo, during the UK - Philippine High Level Talks in London in November 2019.

The British Government has made numerous representations to the United States Government over a number of years about indefinite detention at Guantanamo Bay, most recently in September 2019. The United Kingdom's long-standing position remains that the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay should close. We continue to engage with the US Government on this issue, as we do on a range of national security issues.

As part of our frequent engagement with Israel with respect to its obligations as an occupying power under the Fourth Geneva Convention, officials in our Embassy in Tel Aviv have raised with the Israeli authorities both the issue of closed military zones being declared by the Israel Defence Force, and their implementation of specific laws and regulations, including ones dating from the mandate period, in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Along with EU partners, we have encouraged the Palestinian leadership to work toward strong, inclusive, accountable and democratic institutions, based on respect for the rule of law and human rights.

We welcome work towards genuine and democratic national elections for all Palestinians. We consider this to be crucial in view of the establishment of a viable and sovereign Palestinian State. To this end, we call on all Palestinian factions to seek common ground and to work together to pursue a positive path towards new elections.

​We remain concerned by the appalling conditions faced by migrants in detention centres, particularly in Libya. We continue to urge the Libyan authorities to pursue alternatives to detention and implement a better functioning migration system that respects human rights.

The EU does not directly fund the Libyan coastguard. The training support to the Libyan Coastguard and Navy (LCGN), which is provided through the EU naval Operation Sophia to which the UK currently contributes common funding, aims to increase Libyans' ability to secure their own maritime borders and to manage search and rescue activities properly in a human rights compliant way. We expect all vessels to operate in accordance with international maritime law, including the exercise of restraint in the use of force, and adherence to established human rights norms. All Libyan trainees are screened to ensure that we are not training anyone previously found to have been involved in human rights violations. The EU training package (which includes International Humanitarian Law and human rights components) aims to equip the Libyan Coastguard with the skills required to manage search and rescue activities properly, in a human rights compliant manner. As part of Her Majesty's Government's human rights policy, we keep this training programme under continual review.

The UK, through bilateral and EU programming, is protecting and supporting migrants along the Central Mediterranean Route, including in Niger. This includes provision of humanitarian assistance and information on risks along the route, as well as facilitating Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration and refugee resettlement. These return and resettlement activities have led to thousands being moved from Libya to safe countries.

​The United Kingdom welcomes the commitments made at the Normandy Summit on 9 December. These commitments, which include comprehensive implementation of the ceasefire and prisoner exchange, are key to securing a diplomatic solution to the conflict in eastern Ukraine. We fully support France and Germany in their efforts towards securing the implementation by all parties of the Minsk Agreements. In this regard, we applaud President Zelenskyy’s clear commitment and determined actions to end the conflict and repeat our call on Russia to fulfil its obligations.

​We are aware that Turkey and Libya signed a Memorandum of Understanding in late November on the "delimitation of maritime jurisdictional areas in the Mediterranean". It has been our consistent position that maritime boundary disputes should be resolved in accordance with international law as reflected in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

We have introduced a series of reforms to the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) since 2017 to improve the identification and support of potential victims of modern slavery.

To achieve quicker and more certain decision-making a new Single Competent Authority (SCA) was launched in April 2019 to handle all NRM cases and provide high quality, timely decisions for victims. Independent Multi-Agency Assurance Panels were also set up to review all negative conclusive grounds decisions on cases referred directly to the SCA, adding an additional level of scrutiny to such cases.

A new digital referral system was also launched in 2019 to support the NRM process, making it easier for those on the front line to refer victims into support by providing a single point for referrals across the UK.

In July 2020, the Home Office produced an e-learning module to help First Responders identify potential victims of modern slavery and make referrals into the NRM when appropriate to do so. We are committed to working with First Responder Organisations to ensure they have the right training and tools to identify potential victims.

Building on the successes of this work, we are now taking a fresh look at the system to ensure it delivers on its objectives through the NRM Transformation Programme. This Programme will introduce a series of changes to ensure victims have their cases settled promptly, receive support tailored to their recovery needs from the outset, and are empowered to move on with their lives. We also intend to streamline the decision-making process through operational improvements so that victims are identified at the earliest stage and receive the right kind of support at the right time, ensuring decisions taken are robust, effective and meaningful.

Additionally, we are seeking to test an alternative decision-making model for children, to empower local authorities with responsibility for children’s social care to make decisions about whether children are victims of modern slavery in conjunction with local safeguarding partners.

Section 40(2) of the British Nationality Act 1981 (BNA) allows the Secretary of State to deprive any person of British citizenship, should they deem it conducive to the public good to do so.

In every decision taken under section 40(2), the Secretary of State was satisfied that the individual was a dual national at the point of deprivation and so would not be not left stateless by the decision. This is in accordance with UK’s commitments under the 1961 UN Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness.

Where a person has acted in a manner which is seriously prejudicial to the vital interests of the UK, section 40(4A) of the BNA provides that deprivation can proceed even where it would make a person stateless. To date this power has not been used.

Separate provisions exist where individuals have employed fraud or false representations, these decisions are made under s40(3) of the British Nationality Act 1981.

We are fixing a broken asylum system and creating a new one which will be fairer and firmer and compassionate towards those who need our help.

There are a number of factors that contribute to the length of time to process asylum claims but we are determined to clear the backlog, speed up decisions and prevent people becoming stuck in the system for long periods of time.

We are working to streamline cases and have already made significant progress in prioritising cases with acute vulnerability, those in receipt of the greatest level of support including, Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children, and those that require a reconsideration.

Asylum Operations has developed a recovery plan focused on returning interviews and decisions back to pre-COVID-19 levels as soon as possible. We are also seeking to secure temporary resources to assist from within the Home Office and other government departments, along with other potential options.

The Home Office publishes wide-ranging Asylum Instructions and Country Policy Information Notes which provide guidance on how asylum and human rights claims should be handled. All Decision-Making staff undergo comprehensive training and their work is regularly quality-assured to ensure that all decisions comply with International Law.

The number of unaccompanied children who make asylum claims is published in the quarterly immigration statistics. The latest statistics can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/asylum-and-resettlement-datasets#asylum-applications-decisions-and-resettlement

Protecting vulnerable children is a key priority for the Government and the Home Office takes its responsibility for the welfare of children very seriously. Section 55 of the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009 requires the Secretary of State to make arrangements for ensuring that immigration, asylum and nationality functions are discharged having regard to the need to safeguard and promote the welfare of children who are in the UK.

All Home Office staff with responsibility for interviewing and making decisions on asylum claims from children will have received specific training as a precursor to considering claims from children.

In line with our published guidance on handling asylum claims from children, once a child is encountered, the relevant local authority children’s services will be contacted and informed of the arrival and a referral made. Any modern slavery or urgent welfare concerns must be dealt with as a matter of priority.

Thereafter Home Office staff have an ongoing obligation to escalate any welfare concerns they have to the local authority children’s services throughout the course of the asylum process. In 2019, the UK received more asylum applications from unaccompanied children than any other country in Europe.

UKVI do not publicise visa services outside of GOV.UK, although it may raise awareness of specific routes via stakeholders and partners. Those who are granted asylum and humanitarian protection are informed of the Family Reunion visa.

All information on visa routes to the UK, including Family Reunion, are available on GOV.UK. Customers are able to check what visa type they may be eligible for and access guidance on applying.

Many of the wide-ranging COVID-19 measures the Government has put in place have been made available to migrants with no recourse to public funds (NRPF).

The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and the Self-employed Income Support Scheme, which have been extended into Spring 2021, are not classed as public funds so can be accessed by those with NRPF.  Statutory sick pay and some other contribution-based benefits, such as contributory employment support allowance, are also not classed as public funds and are available to all who are eligible and unable to work during this difficult time, including those with NRPF status.

The Test and Trace Support Payment Scheme in England provides a £500 payment to people on low incomes who cannot work from home and have been told to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace.  Support is also available for those who are not in receipt of one of the seven means-tested benefits that are part of the eligibility criteria for the main scheme, but who will still face hardship if they have to self-isolate, in the form of a £500 discretionary payment, paid by local authorities.  This payment is available to those with NRPF, provided they meet the criteria set by the local authority for discretionary payments in their area.  Further information on this scheme can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/test-and-trace-support-payment-scheme-claiming-financial-support/claiming-financial-support-under-the-test-and-trace-support-payment-scheme.

Local authorities may also provide basic safety net support, regardless of immigration status, if it is established that there is a genuine care need that does not arise solely from destitution, for example, where there are community care needs, migrants with serious health problems or family cases where the wellbeing of a child is in question.  The Government has provided an unprecedented package of support to councils to help their communities through this pandemic.

We have also temporarily extended the eligibility criteria for free school meals in England to support some families with NRPF, in recognition of the difficulties they may be facing during these unique times.

Migrants with leave under the Family and Human Rights routes can apply to have their NRPF condition lifted to enable them to access public funds.  They do this by making a ‘change of conditions’ application if they are destitute or at risk of destitution, if the welfare of their child is at risk due to their low income, or where there are other exceptional financial circumstances.

Further guidance and support for migrants affected by COVID-19 can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-get-support-if-youre-a-migrant-living-in-the-uk.

Migrants may also be able to seek help from their embassy.

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We have an established process whereby all foreign national offenders sentenced to imprisonment are referred to Immigration Enforcement for deportation consideration, and a statutory duty under the UK Borders Act 2007 to deport any offender serving a custodial term of 12 months or more. Those falling outside that category may be considered liable to deportation under the Immigration Act 1971.

The new Immigration Rule which makes provision for the refusal or cancellation of permission to stay in the UK on the basis of rough sleeping, will be used sparingly and only where individuals have refused support offers such as accommodation and are engaged in persistent anti-social behaviour.

A person is expected to leave the UK if their leave is cancelled or refused. If they do not choose to leave voluntarily the Home Office may enforce their removal. They will not be subject to deportation action which is reserved for foreign national offenders with serious and persistent criminality as well as for reasons of national security.

The new rule will not be used until guidance for decision-makers has been published.

The Home Office and the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government are working together to encourage local authorities and approved charities to resolve the immigration status of eligible rough sleepers and unlock access to any benefits and entitlements that rough sleepers may be eligible for.

We do not comment on individual cases.

Figures for conducive deprivation orders, which are made under Section 40(2) of the 1981 British Nationality Act, have been published as part of the HM Government Transparency Report: Disruptive and Investigatory Powers. Four reports have been published to date in 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2020.

Figures are provided on an annual basis and a breakdown for other time periods or for deprivations linked to specific locations is not available.

Deprivation of citizenship will only be used when it is necessary and proportionate and is a serious step that is not taken lightly. Criminal charges or proceedings are not a pre-requisite for deprivation.

When seeking to deprive a person of their British citizenship on the basis that to do so is ‘conducive to the public good’, the law requires that this action only proceeds if the individual concerned would not be left stateless.

Requests for consular assistance made by individuals abroad, are considered on a case by case basis.

Those who remain in the conflict zone include some of the most dangerous, choosing to stay to fight, or otherwise support Daesh. These individuals often pose a greater threat to the UK than individuals who returned earlier in the conflict.

It is important that we do not make judgements about the national security risk someone poses based on the gender or age. Women can pose as significant risk to our national security as returning male fighters.

We only ever return foreign national offenders who we and, where applicable, the courts are satisfied do not need our protection and have no legal basis to remain in the UK. No action would be taken to deport an individual while there are outstanding legal barriers that would prevent their removal from the UK and until all outstanding representations have been considered.

Mr Brown is no longer serving a custodial sentence and has been released on Immigration Bail to be managed in the community.

It would be inappropriate to comment further on his case while legal proceedings are ongoing.

Due to coronavirus (COVID-19) related restrictions and pressures, both overseas and in the UK, it is not currently possible to undertake any refugee resettlement activity. We continue to evaluate how to respond given these restrictions and pressures, but we expect to resume refugee resettlement activity, including Community Sponsorship, when safe to do so.

Safe and legal routes are a core part of our proposed reforms to the asylum system to ensure it is both firm and fair. As made clear in the answer on 21 October (HL Deb, col 1598), as an integral part of that work, the Government will conduct a review of safe and legal routes to the UK for asylum seekers, refugees and their families.

We are continuing to support Community Sponsor groups via Reset, our grant funded support organisation. This support includes virtual drop in sessions, online resources, newsletters and more tailored advice and support as required.

Glasgow provides a safe haven and welcome to Asylum Seekers and we are very grateful for the support the city provides.

We are committed to ensuring that the services provided to the people we support are of the required quality. The Home Office has commissioned an evaluation of the accommodation and support services offered to asylum seekers in Glasgow during COVID-19 – seeking feedback from MPs and the voluntary sector.

Meanwhile the Home Office continues to work with Glasgow City Council (GCC) LA and the Scottish Government via the Glasgow Partnership Board and the Regional Delivery and Procurement Group regular (currently bi weekly meetings) to explore all accommodation procurement options available and ensure appropriate support is provided.

However, the Home Office does not directly commission health services. These are provided through the Asylum Health Bridging Team, part of the Glasgow City Council Health and Social Care Partnership.

It should also be noted that the reduction of contingency accommodation in Glasgow is dependent upon both LA sign off for accommodation procurement requests and the progressing those cases that are in the LAs remit including working with Home Office to process cases that have had their asylum application concluded.

Numbers of those liable to removal can be found online (and attached) in our published statistics in table ASY_03 at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-protection-data-august-2020 and tables Pre_MRP_01 and Post_MRP_01 at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-enforcement-data-august-2020

The notification of liability to removal, including changes brought in by the Immigration Act 2014; single power of removal; appeal rights; administrative reviews; and curtailment. More detail can be found at https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/ uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/606982/GI-Non-EEA-admin-removal-v3.pdf

We only ever return those who we and, where applicable, the courts are satisfied do not need our protection and have no legal basis to remain in the UK. No action would be taken to deport an individual while there are outstanding legal barriers that would prevent their removal from the UK and until all outstanding representations have been considered.

It would be inappropriate to comment further while legal proceedings are ongoing.

The UK has a long and proud history of providing protection to those who need it, in accordance with our international obligations. Tens of thousands of people have rebuilt their lives in the UK and we will continue to provide safe and legal routes for the vulnerable to do so in the future.

Meanwhile, we have seen unprecedented numbers of journeys to the UK by small boat in 2020, which are both dangerous and facilitated by criminals, and so we are determined to render these journeys unviable.

The Department has been developing plans to reform our illegal migration and asylum policies to ensure we are able to provide protection to those who need it whilst preventing abuse of the system and the criminality associated with it.

As part of this, we have explored likeminded states’ responses to similar situations in order to consider the various options that exist for deterring people from undertaking these dangerous journeys, exploring a range of options, including those that have been employed by other countries in similar situations. No decisions have been made by Ministers and we continue to work to find the right approach for the UK.

Enforcing the UK’s immigration laws is critical to a functioning immigration system and effectively implementing the Government’s policies.

As the public would expect, we continually review all of the different methods we use to prevent illegal migration, ensure compliance with the Government’s policies and enforce the UK’s immigration laws, to ensure that they are effective and deliver value for money.

Many of the challenges we currently face in seeking to delivering an effective and efficient enforcement capability, in addition to logistical constraints relating to COVID 19, are due to the rigid nature of the Dublin Regulations and last-minute litigation challenges and will be addressed by the Government’s plans to deliver reform to the entire system within the Sovereign Borders Bill.

The Government provides a safe and legal route to bring families together through its refugee family reunion policy. This allows a partner and children under 18 of those granted protection in the UK to join them here, if they formed part of the family unit before the sponsor fled their country. Under this policy, over 29,000 family reunion visas have been issued in the last 5 years.

The Government is familiar with the calls for an expansion of eligible family members for the purposes of refugee family reunion. However, amending the policy without careful thought could significantly increase the numbers who could qualify to come here, not just from conflict regions but any country from which someone is granted protection. This would mean extended family being able to come here who themselves do not need protection – which risks reducing our capacity to assist the most vulnerable refugees.

We also believe that if children were allowed to sponsor parents, this would risk creating incentives for more children to be encouraged, or even forced, to leave their family and risk hazardous journeys to the UK. This plays into the hands of criminal gangs who exploit vulnerable people and goes against our safeguarding responsibilities.

This Government puts the rights of the British public before those of criminals, and we are clear that foreign criminals should be deported from the UK wherever it is legal and practical to do so.

Foreign national offenders (FNOs) who abuse our hospitality should be in no doubt of our determination to deport them and since 2010 we have removed over 55,000.

In the period April 2019 to March 2020, we removed over 2,000 FNOs direct from prison under the Early Removal Scheme (ERS) many of whom were identified as FNOs who wanted to leave the UK. Those who wish to return home voluntarily are now fast tracked through the system to ensure a speedy removal.

We make every effort to ensure that an FNO’s deportation coincides, as far as possible, with their release from prison however the deportation of FNOs is complex. We are working with the Ministry of Justice on options to maximise the opportunities for early removal of FNOs under ERS.

All FNOs are referred to the Home Office by Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service within ten days of being sentenced and five days when they have received a short prison sentence, so that deportation action can be considered and progressed. If an FNO meets the criteria for deportation, a notification of liability to deportation is served and deportation proceedings commence. The Home Office is now serving FNOs with notices of liability to deportation earlier in their sentence. This allows time to progress the case and remove barriers so that FNOs can be removed more quickly.

Asylum seeker right to work is a complex issue. A review of the policy is ongoing, and we are considering the evidence put forward on the issue. Details of the review will be announced in due course.

To promote World Day Against Trafficking in Persons on 30 July the Government used social media to raise awareness of the global scale of modern slavery and human trafficking and UK missions abroad hosted events to mark the day.

The Government is committed to tackling the heinous crime of modern slavery and bringing those individuals responsible to justice. This is a key part of the Government’s overall strategy to tackle serious and organised crime.

In May 2020 at the Prime Minister’s Virtual Summit on Hidden Harms, the Government reiterated the absolute priority that we place on preventing and protecting those at risk from hidden harms, including modern slavery.

This Government is committed to the principle of family reunion and to supporting vulnerable children. The UK will continue to be bound by the Dublin Regulation provisions during the transition period, allowing us to continue to transfer family reunion cases to the UK throughout 2020, and we will continue to process all family reunion requests that have been submitted but not completed under Dublin before the end of the transition period.

The UK has presented a genuine and sincere offer to the EU on a future reciprocal arrangement for the family reunion of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children together with a draft legal text.

Protecting vulnerable children remains a key priority for the Government. In 2019 alone, the UK received more asylum applications from unaccompanied children than any country in the EU and accounted for approximately 20% of all reported asylum claims from unaccompanied children in the UK and the 27 EU Member States.

In 2016, the UK committed to a one-off relocation of 480 unaccompanied children from France, Greece and Italy to the UK under section 67 of the Immigration Act 2016.?On the 21st May we announced that 478 children had transferred under the scheme. The UK welcomes the pledges made by other countries to support Greece and stand ready to offer advice and guidance to those developing their own schemes.

The UK provides a safe and legal route to bring families of refugees together through its refugee family reunion policy. This route will not be affected when we leave the EU. In the year ending March 2020, over 7,400 Refugee Family Reunion visas were issued to partners and children of those previously granted asylum or humanitarian protection in the UK.

Additionally, Appendix FM to the Immigration Rules provides for family members wishing to enter or remain in the UK on the basis of their relationship with a family member who is a British citizen or settled in the UK, and those who are post-flight family of a person granted protection in the UK.

This Government is committed to the principle of family reunion and to supporting vulnerable children. The UK will continue to be bound by the Dublin Regulation provisions during the transition period, allowing us to continue to transfer family reunion cases to the UK throughout 2020, and we will continue to process all family reunion requests that have been submitted but not completed under Dublin before the end of the transition period.

The UK has presented a genuine and sincere offer to the EU on a future reciprocal arrangement for the family reunion of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children together with a draft legal text.

Protecting vulnerable children remains a key priority for the Government. In 2019 alone, the UK received more asylum applications from unaccompanied children than any country in the EU and accounted for approximately 20% of all reported asylum claims from unaccompanied children in the UK and the 27 EU Member States.

In 2016, the UK committed to a one-off relocation of 480 unaccompanied children from France, Greece and Italy to the UK under section 67 of the Immigration Act 2016.?On the 21st May we announced that 478 children had transferred under the scheme. The UK welcomes the pledges made by other countries to support Greece and stand ready to offer advice and guidance to those developing their own schemes.

The UK provides a safe and legal route to bring families of refugees together through its refugee family reunion policy. This route will not be affected when we leave the EU. In the year ending March 2020, over 7,400 Refugee Family Reunion visas were issued to partners and children of those previously granted asylum or humanitarian protection in the UK.

Additionally, Appendix FM to the Immigration Rules provides for family members wishing to enter or remain in the UK on the basis of their relationship with a family member who is a British citizen or settled in the UK, and those who are post-flight family of a person granted protection in the UK.

This Government is committed to the principle of family reunion and to supporting vulnerable children. The UK will continue to be bound by the Dublin Regulation provisions during the transition period, allowing us to continue to transfer family reunion cases to the UK throughout 2020, and we will continue to process all family reunion requests that have been submitted but not completed under Dublin before the end of the transition period.

The UK has presented a genuine and sincere offer to the EU on a future reciprocal arrangement for the family reunion of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children together with a draft legal text.

Protecting vulnerable children remains a key priority for the Government. In 2019 alone, the UK received more asylum applications from unaccompanied children than any country in the EU and accounted for approximately 20% of all reported asylum claims from unaccompanied children in the UK and the 27 EU Member States.

In 2016, the UK committed to a one-off relocation of 480 unaccompanied children from France, Greece and Italy to the UK under section 67 of the Immigration Act 2016.?On the 21st May we announced that 478 children had transferred under the scheme. The UK welcomes the pledges made by other countries to support Greece and stand ready to offer advice and guidance to those developing their own schemes.

The UK provides a safe and legal route to bring families of refugees together through its refugee family reunion policy. This route will not be affected when we leave the EU. In the year ending March 2020, over 7,400 Refugee Family Reunion visas were issued to partners and children of those previously granted asylum or humanitarian protection in the UK.

Additionally, Appendix FM to the Immigration Rules provides for family members wishing to enter or remain in the UK on the basis of their relationship with a family member who is a British citizen or settled in the UK, and those who are post-flight family of a person granted protection in the UK.

This Government takes its responsibility for the welfare of migrant children very seriously and has stringent safeguards in place.

Local authorities are responsible for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all unaccompanied migrant children in their area. Unaccompanied migrant children looked after by local authorities are entitled to the same services as any other looked after child. Under these arrangements, they are assessed with regard to their individual needs and provided with access to education, accommodation and health services. They will be assigned a social worker; an independent reviewing officer responsible for overseeing their care arrangements; an independent advocate responsible for accurately representing the child’s wishes and feelings; and, in many cases, they will also benefit from support from a foster carer.

In addition, unaccompanied asylum-seeking children can access legal advice from qualified legal representatives and, in England, independent advice and assistance on the asylum process and in their interactions with government agencies, is available from the Refugee Council’s Children’s Advice Project.

We are confident that these comprehensive arrangements ensure unaccompanied children are provided with the support and advice that they need. Consequently, the Government has no plans at present to introduce a system of independent legal guardianship for all unaccompanied migrant children in England and Wales.vv

The Government is committed to cut crime and ensure swift, fair and effective justice so that everyone enjoys the fundamental security that comes from living in safer streets and communities.

The Government is investing in prevention to ensure that every opportunity is taken to stop these unnecessary crimes from happening. This includes our manifesto commitment to launch a new Safer Streets Fund, which will support areas in England and Wales that are worst affected by acquisitive crime to invest in well evidenced crime prevention measures.

Further information on the Government’s evidence-based approach to crime prevention can be found in the published Modern Crime Prevention Strategy: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/509831/6.1770_Modern_Crime_Prevention_Strategy_final_WEB_version.pdf, which is constantly held under review. At present, there are no plans to publish a further Green Paper or White Paper on this area.

The strategic review is being led by the chief executives of the Sponsor Body and Delivery Authority, Sarah Johnson and David Goldstone, with support from infrastructure and programme management experts drawn from both organisations. The chairs of the Sponsor Body and Delivery Authority, Liz Peace and Mike Brown, will also provide input.

As the review progresses input and challenge will also be sought from a challenge group including representatives from both Houses and externally.

The review is expected to conclude in the autumn and its findings will be considered by the Sponsor Body Board and the Commissions of both Houses in the first instance.

The UK-Greece Action Plan sets the strategic direction for future cooperation between our two governments on irregular migration. We will be working closely with the Greek Government to progress all actions under the Plan over the coming months.

The Home Office remains committed to delivering a fair and humane asylum system that is sensitive to the needs of all asylum applicants, so that sufficient information can be obtained to facilitate fair and sustainable decisions on asylum claims.

The Home Office takes the wellbeing of asylum seekers extremely seriously and has already put in place a range of measures to support asylum applicants affected by the covid-19 outbreak.? In line with the Home Office’s commitment to protect the health and wellbeing of its staff and applicants as a top priority, Asylum Operations made the decision to cease face to face substantive asylum interviews with effect from Thursday 19th March 2020.

However,?it is crucial to our applicants that we restart processing their applications for protection as soon as it is safe to do so.? The Home Office has successfully used video technology to support remote interviewing for more than 2 years and has appropriate operating procedures that are designed to ensure participants are able to give the best account of their circumstances.

To keep people safe but allow the Home Office to gather the additional information needed to make a decision on their claim for protection, Asylum Operations have secured additional mobile digital and video interviewing kit that enables more applicants to be interviewed remotely. We remain committed to restarting substantive asylum interviews as soon we can establish a process that allows the participants - applicants, representatives, interpreters and interviewers - to do so safely.

The Home Office remains committed to delivering a fair and humane asylum system that is sensitive to the needs of the claimants, so that sufficient information can be obtained to facilitate fair and sustainable decisions on asylum claims. We ensure that asylum seekers are given every opportunity to disclose information relevant to their claim before a decision is taken, even where that information may be sensitive or difficult to disclose.

The report published by Freedom from Torture acknowledges that there have been signs of progress within the Home Office. Improvements have been made to policy instructions to emphasise the importance of caseworker conduct during asylum interviews, in line with an earlier recommendation made by Freedom from Torture. The report also acknowledges the increase in asylum grant rates at initial decision stage, which is indicative of our efforts to improve asylum decision making.

Following the publication of the Freedom from Torture report entitled ‘Proving Torture’, a collaborative response to improving training for asylum caseworkers was initiated to develop a training package which directly addressed concerns raised in the report. This resulted in the training course ‘Assessing Evidence: Medical Legal Reports’, which has been rolled out to asylum caseworkers, senior caseworkers and technical specialists since December 2018. The training is now mandatory for any caseworker dealing with asylum claims where Medico-legal reports have been submitted.

We will continue to look at the themes raised in the report as part of our ongoing commitment to improve decision quality and the customer experience.

The Government already provides a safe and legal route to bring refugee families together through its family reunion policy. This allows a partner and children under 18 of those granted protection in the UK to join them here, if they formed part of the family unit before the sponsor fled their country.

Refugees can also sponsor adult dependent relatives living overseas to join them where, due to age, illness or disability, that person requires long-term personal care that can only be provided by relatives in the UK. There are separate provisions in the Rules to allow extended family to sponsor children to come here where there are serious and compelling circumstances.

Further, there is discretion to grant visas outside the Immigration Rules, which caters for extended family members in exceptional circumstances – including young adult sons or daughters who are dependent on family here and living in dangerous situations.

It is the Government’s view that if children were allowed to sponsor family, this would risk creating incentives for more children to be encouraged, or even forced, to leave their family and risk hazardous journeys to the UK. This plays into the hands of criminal gangs who exploit vulnerable people and goes against our safeguarding responsibilities.

The UK maintains an ongoing dialogue with UNHRC and has a strong and constructive relationship across a range of asylum and resettlement issues.

In 2016 Parliament agreed a one-off commitment to relocate 480 unaccompanied children from Europe to the UK under Section 67 of the Immigration Act 2016 (‘the Dubs amendment’). 478 children from Greece, Italy and France have now successfully transferred to the UK under this scheme and we remain committed to completing the final two transfers as soon as it is safe to do so.

Under the Dublin III Regulation, the UK will also continue to transfer children from Greece if they have family in the UK until the end of the transition period. The UK remains fully committed to meeting our obligations under the Dublin Regulation. Despite covid-19 restrictions, the UK is ready to accept transfers under Dublin whenever Member States are in a position to make those arrangements. Following close collaboration with the Greek Government, 50 asylum seekers arrived in the UK from Greece on 11 May in order to unite with family members who were already lawfully present in the UK.

Protecting vulnerable children is a key priority for the Government. In 2019, the UK received more asylum applications from unaccompanied children than any country in the EU and accounted for approximately 20% of all reported UASC claims made in the UK and the 27 EU Member States.

The UK has a long and proud history of providing protection to those who need it and we will continue to uphold our obligations under the Refugee Convention during this time. Therefore, whilst ensuring that the Home Office is adhering to Public Health England’s advice in relation to the Covid-19 outbreak, decisions are continuing to be served on asylum claims on a case by case basis where there is sufficient evidence for us to make an accurate and well-informed decision in-line with published policy.

Even if an application is refused, measures we have implemented already guarantee that an individual can remain safely accommodated and be able to follow public health guidance, whilst maintaining access to financial support and healthcare until the end of June, and this will be kept under review.

As a result of this, there are no plans to provide temporary leave to remain to all asylum applicants or those with insecure status.

The UK-Greece Action Plan signed on 22 April 2020 has been published here:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-greece-migration-action-plan

This takes forward co-operation with Greece on tackling irregular migration in the Eastern Mediterranean and joint action to improve overall management of migration. It covers joint work on organised immigration crime; sharing of expertise on asylum processes and migrant returns; renewed deployment of a Border Force cutter to the Aegean to carry our search and rescue and save lives; facilitation of family reunification of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children where it is in their best interests as quickly as possible; and establishment of a strategic migration dialogue.

The UK Government continues to engage with Greece regarding the conditions on the islands where appropriate and necessary. At present the Greek Ministry of Migration and Asylum has enacted emergency measures to contain potential coronavirus outbreaks, including the provision of additional medical facilities and staff to the islands through the EU’s Emergency Support Instrument. We also understand that those most vulnerable to COVID-19 - the elderly and those with underlying medical conditions – have been moved to safer accommodation on the islands and the mainland. These measures have so far been effective and there are currently no reported cases of COVID-19 in the camps on the Greek islands.

The Home Office has put in place a range of measures to support those in the asylum system who are affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. We are monitoring the situation closely and making adjustments to our processes and procedures where necessary and appropriate.

We will continue to provide accommodation and financial support to those who would otherwise be destitute.

The Home Office works closely with local authorities and third sector partners in order to identify suitable placements for unaccompanied children for transfer to the UK from Europe under our existing obligations. The Home Office also has regular engagement with a range of third sector partners.

The Government remains fully committed to relocating the specified number of 480 unaccompanied children to the UK under section 67 of the Immigration Act 2016 (the Dubs Amendment) as soon as possible. We will publish a full data set on the transfers once we have fulfilled this commitment.

Over 220 children were transferred to the UK under section 67 when the Calais camp was cleared in late 2016. Since then we have been making further progress with Greece and the other participating states, to transfer more eligible children to move closer to achieving this commitment

The Home Office works closely with local authorities and third sector partners in order to identify suitable placements for unaccompanied children for transfer to the UK from Europe under our existing obligations.

The Government remains fully committed to relocating the specified number of 480 unaccompanied children to the UK under section 67 of the Immigration Act 2016 (the Dubs Amendment) as soon as possible. We will publish a full data set on the transfers once we have fulfilled this commitment.

Over 220 children were transferred to the UK under section 67 when the Calais camp was cleared in late 2016. Since then we have been making further progress with Greece and the other participating states, to transfer more eligible children to move closer to achieving this commitment

The Home Office works closely with local authorities and third sector partners in order to identify suitable placements for unaccompanied children for transfer to the UK from Europe under our existing obligations.

The Government remains fully committed to relocating the specified number of 480 unaccompanied children to the UK under section 67 of the Immigration Act 2016 (the Dubs Amendment) as soon as possible. We will publish a full data set on the transfers once we have fulfilled this commitment.

Over 220 children were transferred to the UK under section 67 when the Calais camp was cleared in late 2016. Since then we have been making further progress with Greece and the other participating states, to transfer more eligible children to move closer to achieving this commitment

The Home Office works closely with local authorities and third sector partners in order to identify suitable placements for unaccompanied children for transfer to the UK from Europe under our existing obligations.

The Government remains fully committed to relocating the specified number of 480 unaccompanied children to the UK under section 67 of the Immigration Act 2016 (the Dubs Amendment) as soon as possible. We will publish a full data set on the transfers once we have fulfilled this commitment.

Over 220 children were transferred to the UK under section 67 when the Calais camp was cleared in late 2016. Since then we have been making further progress with Greece and the other participating states, to transfer more eligible children to move closer to achieving this commitment

The Home Office publishes data on people in detention in the ‘Immigration Statistics Quarterly Release’. Data on the number of people in detention on the last day of each quarter are published in table Det_D02. Data on people leaving detention every quarter by reason for leaving (including whether they were returned from the UK) are published in Det_D03 of the Detailed Detention datasets.

Information on how to use the dataset can be found in the ‘Notes’ page of the workbook. The latest data relates to the year ending December 2019. Additionally, the Home Office publishes a high-level overview of the data in the 'summary tables'. The ‘contents’ sheet contains an overview of all available data on detention.

Information on future Home Office statistical release dates can be found in the ‘Research and statistics calendar’. Q1 2020 figures will be released on 21^st May 2020.

The term 'deportations' refers to a legally-defined subset of returns which are enforced either following a criminal conviction or when it is judged that a person’s removal from the UK is conducive to the public good. Information on those deported is not separately available and therefore the ‘returned from the UK’ category in the leaving detention by reason figures, refer to all enforced returns and voluntary departures.

Information on the number of asylum claims lodged by unaccompanied children in each quarter, and the number of children resettled in the UK (not broken down by unaccompanied / accompanied) is available in the Home Office’s published immigration statistics - https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/848254/asylum-applications-datasets-sep-2019.xlsx.

These statistics include the nationality of asylum claimants but not the country from which they arrived, which would only be available at disproportionate cost. In addition, the exact location of where each child is first encountered is not recorded centrally. Irrespective of where unaccompanied children first present, a local authority will assess whether they need to be provided with support under the Children Act 1989.

The Home Office also publishes information on the number of asylum claimants transferred to the UK from EU Member States under the Dublin Regulation - https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/781310/asylum5-dec-2018-tables.ods

The Home Office publishes data on asylum appeals determined in the ‘Immigration Statistics Quarterly Release’. https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/immigration-statistics-quarterly-release

Data on the number of asylum appeals lodged and determined (allowed or dismissed) are published in tables Asy_D06 and Asy_D07 of the ‘asylum appeals lodged and determined datasets’.

Information on how to use the dataset can be found in the ‘Notes’ page of the workbook. The latest data relates to the year ending September 2019. Additionally, the Home Office publishes a high-level overview of the data in the ‘summary tables’. The ‘contents’ sheet contains an overview of all available data on asylum and resettlement.

Information on future Home Office statistical release dates can be found in the ‘Research and statistics calendar’https://www.gov.uk/search/research-and-statistics?keywords=immigration&content_store_document_type=upcoming_statistics&organisations%5B%5D=home-office&order=relevance

A summary of the data on appeals, taken from the summary tables, can be found in Annex A.

The UK has a strong bilateral relationship with Greece and continues to offer support and exchange expertise on effective migration management to alleviate the pressures on the islands. As part of this, the Home Office continues to provide interpreters to support the essential work of the Greek Reception and Identification Service alongside taking steps to strengthen joint efforts to tackle organised immigration crime.

Border Force also continues to deploy a Cutter in the Aegean to support vital search and rescue operations; since May 2015 Border Force Cutters deployed to the Aegean have rescued over 16,600 migrants attempting the dangerous journey to reach the islands.

The UK is strongly committed to supporting refugees, including through humanitarian assistance abroad and refugee resettlement to the UK. Nearly 23,000 refugees have been resettled under our schemes since the expansion of our efforts in September 2015.

The UK actively works to support other states, including non-EU member states, to participate in refugee resettlement through multilateral fora and by directly sharing technical expertise.

For instance, the UK chaired last year’s Annual Tripartite Consultations on Resettlement where UNHCR’s 3-year strategy to increase resettlement and complementary pathways was launched; a key tool in encouraging more countries to increase the quantity and quality of resettlement. The UK also supports both EU and Non-EU states in developing community sponsorship schemes, including through co-chairing the community sponsorship ‘States Network’ launched at the Global Refugee Forum in December.