Asked by: Lord Tebbit (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the total cost to the UK of aid given in connection with the recent hurricanes and storms in the Caribbean and South-Western United States.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
The UK has provided £92 million of funding in response to the damage inflicted by Hurricanes Irma and Maria, and is matching public donations to the British Red Cross Appeal up to £3 million. On 27 November the Prime Minister announced a further £70 million package of recovery and reconstruction support for the affected Overseas Territories. This will be delivered over the next three years and will be supplemented by up to £300 million of loan guarantees.
£72 million of the immediate response and early recovery funding has been allocated to the UK Overseas Territories. This is being managed through the cross-Whitehall Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF) and is being delivered by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Department for International Development (DFID), the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Justice, Home Office and the Department of Health. In addition £20 million of official development assistance has also been allocated from the DFID budget for the response to the impact in Barbuda and Dominica.
The £70 million long term recovery and reconstruction package will also be governed by the CSSF.
Asked by: Lord Tebbit (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government upon which departmental budget the costs of UK aid given to persons and institutions damaged in the recent hurricanes and storms in the Caribbean and South-Western United States has been allocated.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
The UK has provided £92 million of funding in response to the damage inflicted by Hurricanes Irma and Maria, and is matching public donations to the British Red Cross Appeal up to £3 million. On 27 November the Prime Minister announced a further £70 million package of recovery and reconstruction support for the affected Overseas Territories. This will be delivered over the next three years and will be supplemented by up to £300 million of loan guarantees.
£72 million of the immediate response and early recovery funding has been allocated to the UK Overseas Territories. This is being managed through the cross-Whitehall Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF) and is being delivered by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Department for International Development (DFID), the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Justice, Home Office and the Department of Health. In addition £20 million of official development assistance has also been allocated from the DFID budget for the response to the impact in Barbuda and Dominica.
The £70 million long term recovery and reconstruction package will also be governed by the CSSF.
Asked by: Lord Tebbit (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Vere of Norbiton on 20 October (HL1876), how many UK citizens are currently being held without charge in other EU Member States.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Consular Directorate's case management system records British nationals detained overseas, where cases have been reported to us. British national detainees are divided into two categories – those who have been sentenced and those who are yet to be sentenced. It does not have a breakdown of the latter and we cannot provide numbers of those who are yet to be charged.
Asked by: Lord Tebbit (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they (1) have taken, and (2) intend to take, to support UK victims of IRA attacks that used Gaddafi-supplied Semtex and weapons.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
The Foreign Secretary raised the issue of compensation for the victims of Qadhafi-sponsored IRA terrorism during his meeting with Prime Minister Serraj in Tripoli on 4 May 2017 and again on his most recent visit in August. He emphasised again the importance the UK places on this issue and encouraged the Libyan authorities to engage with UK victims' groups and their representatives. Prime Minister Serraj expressed sympathy with those who had suffered from the previous regime, but it was also clear from his discussion with the Foreign Secretary that the Libyan Government continues to face numerous challenges and that progress on the issue of compensation is likely to remain slow. We continue to make clear to the Libyan authorities that this is a priority issue for the UK. We will continue to raise the subject of legacy at every opportunity.
Asked by: Lord Tebbit (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anelay of St Johns on 11 May (HL7961), what is the basis from which the "renegotiation deal" did not extend the ability of the Court of Justice of the European Union to rule on compliance with fundamental rights.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The central element of the UK deal is an International Law Decision. It includes a provision which reaffirms that the Charter of Fundamental Rights does not extend the ability of the Court of Justice of the European Union or domestic courts to rule on compliance with fundamental rights. As the Government has made clear, the International Law Decision is legally binding.
Asked by: Lord Tebbit (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the obligations upon member states of the EU include any duty to observe the requirements of the European Convention on Human Rights.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The EU is not itself a party to the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). Any agreement for the EU to accede would need to be agreed unanimously by all EU Member States (including the UK) and all other contracting parties to the ECHR.
Our renegotiation deal reaffirmed that the Charter of Fundamental Rights does not extend the ability of the Court of Justice of the European Union or domestic courts to rule on compliance with fundamental rights.
Asked by: Lord Tebbit (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government which minister or ministers have direct responsibility for the affairs of the British overseas territory of Anguilla.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The British Government has a broad responsibility for the security and good governance of all British Overseas Territories, including Anguilla. The 2012 White Paper set out the principle that all UK Government departments have responsibility for supporting the Territories in their areas of expertise and competence. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office takes a coordinating role, led by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Rochford and Southend East (James Duddridge) and the Minister of State at the Department for International Development, my right hon. Friend the Member for New Forest West (Desmond Swayne).
Anguilla has its own Constitution (1982) under which it has a democratically elected government which is responsible for most domestic matters. The Governor retains special responsibility for external affairs, defence, internal security and the appointment, discipline and removal of public servants.
Asked by: Lord Tebbit (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of whether and how the government of President Assad in Syria threatens the national interest of the UK.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
As the Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), has said, Assad has been one of Daesh’s most effective recruiting sergeants. His regime’s brutal suppression of the Syrian people, including through the use of chemical weapons, has created the chaos and instability in which Daesh has been able to thrive. Defeating Daesh will require action on a number of fronts including, ultimately, a political transition to a new Syrian government which is able to protect the Syrian people and with whom the international community can partner against Daesh.
Asked by: Lord Tebbit (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anelay of St Johns on 5 February (HL4559), whether they consider it to be in the interests of the United Kingdom to remain in the European Union in its existing form of membership.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The UK’s membership of the European Union brings many benefits to the UK, including jobs and investment, free access to the largest common market in the world and a strong collective voice to negotiate free trade agreements. EU Membership also gives the UK greater international influence on global threats such as climate change and Ebola. The Government’s position remains clear: the EU must reform to become more competitive, democratically accountable and fair for those inside and outside the Eurozone. The need for reform is widely recognised among EU Member States and the Government has already shown that it is possible, through our success in cutting the EU budget, reforming the Common Fisheries Policy, reducing the burden of EU regulation on business and ending the UK’s bailout obligations.
Asked by: Lord Tebbit (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they consider that it is in the interest of the United Kingdom to remain a member of the European Union.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
Membership of the EU brings the UK many benefits, including jobs and investment and a strong collective negotiating voice to negotiate free trade agreements. But the British Government is clear that the EU must reform to make it more competitive, democratically accountable and fair for those inside and outside the Eurozone.