Asked by: Lord West of Spithead (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the situation between Venezuela and Guyana.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is concerned by the recent steps taken by Venezuela with respect to the Essequibo region of Guyana. We consider the unilateral actions of Venezuela unjustified and have said they should cease. The UK is clear that the border was settled in 1899 through international arbitration.
The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Americas, Caribbean and Overseas Territories) visited Guyana on 18 December to show UK support for its territorial integrity.
Asked by: Lord West of Spithead (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the numbers of semiconductors from manufacturers such as Intel, Advanced Micro Devices, Texas Instruments and others still reaching Russia despite the bans imposed after its invasion of Ukraine, and of the routes they have taken there.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government has prohibited the export from the UK to Russia of goods and technology, including semiconductors, that are critical to Russia's military-industrial complex.
The Government recognises that Russia is circumventing sanctions measures, including smuggling goods through back channels to restock supplies. We are working with partners, including the US and EU, to tackle routes that Russia is potentially using to circumvent our sanctions.
On 20 April the Government laid further legislation containing a new package of trade measures, including export prohibitions on items Russia has been found using on the battlefield to date.
Asked by: Lord West of Spithead (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government at what level discussions by the Partners in the Blue Pacific in Washington on 23 June were held; and whether the EU were present at that meeting as observers.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
The governments of Australia, Japan, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States dispatched high-level officials to Washington, D.C. on June 23 and 24 for consultations with the Pacific Heads of Mission and other partners, including France. The European Union were present as observers. The meeting followed consultations with Pacific Island Countries, and the Pacific Islands Forum. The Partners of the Blue Pacific (PBP) was launched at the meeting as an inclusive, informal mechanism to support Pacific priorities more effectively and efficiently. The countries will continue to work together in partnership as plans for the PBP develop.
Asked by: Lord West of Spithead (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how they plan to use their membership of the Partners in the Blue Pacific (PBP) to support UK priorities; and what the reaction of the government of China has been to the formation of the PBP.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
The Partners in the Blue Pacific (PBP) is a new initiative between Australia, Japan, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States and our Pacific partners. It builds on our longstanding commitment to the region to help better coordinate our approach and support the Pacific Island Countries line with the Pacific Islands Forum's upcoming 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent. This will ensure our support is properly informed by what Pacific Islands Countries themselves need, and that our governments have stronger and regular engagement on Pacific issues and priorities.
Many countries have expressed interest in the PBP since its launch, including China.