Asked by: Lord Patten (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of their ability to redeploy frozen Russian foreign exchange reserves held in the UK for (1) humanitarian, and (2) reconstruction purposes, in eastern Europe including Ukraine.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
On the enactment of an asset freeze, the funds and economic resources are frozen immediately by the person in possession or control of them. The release of frozen assets may be accomplished legally with a licence from the Treasury's Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation. The UK along with our allies will continue to put more pressure on Putin's regime until he withdraws his troops and ends this unjust war. Nothing and no one is off the table.
Asked by: Lord Patten (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the ability of UK-based humanitarian NGOs to operate in Eritrea.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
No UK-based humanitarian organisations are operating in Eritrea due to the restrictions imposed by the Eritrean Government in the early 2000s. These restrictions apply to all international NGOs.
The UK has committed £500,000 of targeted humanitarian assistance through UNICEF in 2021/22, mainly to treat and prevent acute malnutrition of children and women, and mitigate the risk of communicable diseases.
Asked by: Lord Patten (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the current relations between the UK and Eritrea.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
The UK and Eritrea have diplomatic relations. We use that to pursue areas of agreement and disagreement. We see human rights, development, regional issues and Ukraine on very different terms, which we make very clear.
Asked by: Lord Patten (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made, if any, of Russia's plans to set up a naval base on the Eritrean Red Sea coast.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
Russia has long sought to pursue interests on the Red Sea. We continually monitor developments in the region.
Asked by: Lord Patten (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the freedom of democratic (1) expression, and (2) practice, in Tunisia.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK has closely monitored the political situation in Tunisia since the changes brought in by President Kais Saied on 25 July 2021, and we will continue to do so. Tunisia faces many economic and political challenges that can only be effectively addressed through democratic engagement, transparency, the protection of human rights, and free speech. The UK has expressed its views regarding the political situation, bilaterally and through statements on behalf of G7 Ambassadors. The most recent joint statement was on 8 February, conveying concerns about the decision to dissolve Tunisia's Supreme Judicial Council: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/supreme-judicial-court-in-tunisia-ambassadors-joint-statement-8-february-2022
We engage regularly with Government leaders in the country, most recently on 1 March when the British Ambassador to Tunisia called on Prime Minister Najla Bouden.
Asked by: Lord Patten (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the state of relations between the UK and Tunisia.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is committed to our close bilateral relationship with Tunisia. UK engagement with the Tunisian Government covers a wide range of issues, as reflected under the framework of the bilateral Association Agreement, which came into effect on 1 January 2021. We share ambitions to build on our close bilateral partnership, whether related to economic ties, trade partnership, education, taking action on climate change or tackling the threats we each face from terrorism. Her Majesty's Government, including the British Council, is in regular dialogue with the Government of Tunisia.
Asked by: Lord Patten (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the role, if any, of Tunisia in resisting terrorism along the North African Mediterranean littoral.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
A stable, democratic and prosperous Tunisia is a keystone to resisting terrorism along the North African Mediterranean littoral. The Tunisian authorities have made a great deal of progress, supported by international partners including the UK, in countering the threat from terrorism since the Sousse and Bardot attacks of 2015. But the threat remains, as set out in the UK's travel advice for Tunisia, and members of the Tunisian public and security forces have continued to pay a heavy price, losing lives and livelihoods to terrorism. It is vital that we continue to work together to address the shared challenges of terrorism and extremism, and to support progress towards an open, equitable and just Tunisia which delivers the public services and economic opportunities Tunisians want and deserve.
Asked by: Lord Patten (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the welfare of Mikita Yemialyianau, who is currently imprisoned in Belarus.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are aware of the case of Mikita Yemialyianau. There are over 1000 political prisoners in Belarus. We remain deeply troubled about the intolerable prison conditions in which detainees are held in Belarus. We urge the authorities to release political prisoners, immediately and unconditionally, and have raised this both bilaterally and multilaterally. The UK has imposed over 100 sanctions in response to the fraudulent elections, human rights violations, and repression of civil society and democratic opposition in Belarus. This repression takes place amidst Belarus' unacceptable support of Russia's illegal and unprovoked attack against Ukraine, which the UK strongly condemns and is taking action against.
Asked by: Lord Patten (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to recall the UK Ambassador from Moscow.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We do not currently have plans to recall the UK Ambassador from Moscow.
Asked by: Lord Patten (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the current threats, if any, to the Christian presence in Israel and the Palestinian territories.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is committed to defending freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all, and promoting respect between different religious and non-religious communities. The UK condemns all attacks on the right to freedom of religion or belief. Israel is a thriving democracy, and has made clear its commitment to freedom of religion. We encourage the Israeli Government to do all it can to uphold the values of equality for all enshrined in its laws. The UK regularly engages with Christian leaders in Israel and OPTs and we will continue to monitor the situation closely.