Asked by: Lord West of Spithead (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the National Maritime Intelligence Centre is providing comprehensive surface coverage of the Exclusive Economic Zones of dependent territories to ensure wildlife and resource protection; and how those zones are policed, in particular around Tristan da Cunha, Ascension Island and St Helena.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The National Maritime Information Centre assist with work to investigate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated fishing around the British Indian Ocean Territory and Pitcairn. Overseas Territories are policed in a variety of ways as marine management is a devolved responsibility. In St Helena, Ascension and Tristan de Cunha a variety of surveillance and enforcement measures are deployed, including satellite monitoring, vessel tracking, short term patrols and observer coverage of fishing vessels. Potential enhancements to surveillance and enforcement requirements for the UK’s 14 Overseas Territories are being considered as part of the Government’s commitment to create a Blue Belt around these territories.Asked by: Lord West of Spithead (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the efficacy of Russian co-ordination of its armed action against the rebels and Daesh in Syria.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
Russian actions have complicated the situation in Syria. Over 85 per cent of Russian strikes have been carried out in areas where the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) is not present. Several hundred civilians, including members of the moderate opposition, are reported to have been killed in Russian strikes. This makes clear that Russia’s priority is not defeating ISIL, but supporting Assad.
Asked by: Lord West of Spithead (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what policies they have in place (1) for the protection of the Exclusive Economic Zones around the United Kingdom's worldwide dependencies, and (2) to ensure maximum economic advantage for the United Kingdom and its dependencies from those waters and seabed.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The British Government is committed to protecting the marine environment of the Overseas Territories. As part of this work we plan to work with the Overseas Territories to create “blue belts” to help manage their dynamic and important ecosystems in a way which effectively balances environmental protection and economic potential. This will help the UK to meet its international obligations under the Convention on Biological Diversity, which aims to protect ten per cent of marine waters globally. In support of this goal the UK has, in addition, declared a full no take Marine Protected Area around the British Indian Ocean Territory and a sustainable use Marine Protected Area in South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.
The Overseas Territories are responsible for managing their terrestrial and marine environments, including their economic potential. The UK is responsible in international law for compliance with international obligations.
Asked by: Lord West of Spithead (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have considered funding BBC Monitoring from the Conflict Pool or with new money available from the Intelligence Agencies.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The British Government has published a British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Charter Review consultation paper, seeking views on all aspects of the BBC, including its funding. A copy of this document has been deposited in the Libraries of both Houses. The consultation has not reached the point where the specifics of funding for BBC Monitoring have been proposed.
Asked by: Lord West of Spithead (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of recent talks, what assessment they have made of whether Iran's aspirations to produce a nuclear weapon have ceased.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
In the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, finalised on 14 July, Iran agreed that it will never seek, develop or acquire any nuclear weapons, and agreed to a far reaching set of measures to ensure that it will not be able to do so, including verifiable limits to its stockpiles of fissile material, numbers of centrifuges, nuclear research and development, and a re-design of its heavy water reactor at Arak. Having reached this important agreement, our focus and that of our E3+3 partners will now be on swift and full implementation to ensure that Iran abides by this and other commitments, and that a nuclear weapon remains beyond Iran's reach.
Asked by: Lord West of Spithead (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether a probe dropped by a Spanish survey vessel acting illegally in British Gibraltar Territorial Waters hit a Royal Navy patrol vessel on 3 July; and if so, what action they plan to take, in the light of reports that there were 173 incursions by Spanish vessels into British Gibraltar Territorial Waters in June.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
I can confirm that during an unlawful incursion by a Spanish State survey vessel into British Gibraltar Territorial Waters (BGTW) on 3 July, the vessel’s probe struck a Royal Navy vessel as it deployed. The British Government protested immediately to the Spanish government at a senior level, making clear that it was unacceptable. It was fortunate that no-one was hurt and no serious damage was done. As I made clear in my answer to HL1104, there have been 55 unlawful incursions from 1 June to 8 July. We protested these through 5 diplomatic notes.Asked by: Lord West of Spithead (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations have been made to the government of Spain since 1 June regarding infringements of British Gibraltar Territorial Waters.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
From 1 June to 8 July, the British Government has sent five diplomatic protests by Note Verbale to the Government of Spain concerning 55 unlawful incursions by Spanish State vessels into British Gibraltar Territorial Waters. On 3 July, the Government protested at a senior level in Madrid following the unlawful incursion by a Spanish survey vessel, which struck a Royal Navy vessel with its probe. This incursion was also protested by Note Verbale.
Asked by: Lord West of Spithead (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth on 23 February (HL4962), what is the procedure if the Committee for the Royal Naval Division memorial has no funds to refurbish the memorial.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The Memorial Committee has recently commissioned a condition survey and a Report of its findings, together with estimates of costs for any suggested remedial works. Once the Report is available, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Memorial Committee will jointly discuss appropriate funding and timelines for the essential maintenance of the monument.
Asked by: Lord West of Spithead (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth on 23 February (HL4962), what maintenance has been done on the Royal Naval Division memorial; and how many water leaks there are in the monument.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The Memorial Committee has recently commissioned a condition survey and a Report of its findings, together with estimates of costs for any suggested remedial works. Once the Report is available, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Memorial Committee will jointly discuss appropriate funding and timelines for the essential maintenance of the monument.
Asked by: Lord West of Spithead (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has assumed responsibility for the maintenance of the Royal Naval Division memorial from the original charity.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
In 2002, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), as the current occupant of the Old Admiralty Building, agreed to assume the costs for general cleaning of the Royal Naval Division Memorial and the costs of the water supply to the memorial’s fountain. The costs of any maintenance, other than cleaning, remain the responsibility of the Committee for the Royal Naval Division Memorial. In November 2013, the Committee informed the FCO that it intended to commission a condition survey of the memorial and had raised funds for any repair work. The survey commenced on 17 February 2015.