Asked by: Baroness Curran (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of recent settler violence in the West Bank.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Settler violence is unacceptable, and settlements are illegal under international law. The Foreign Secretary has been clear with Israeli ministers that they must clamp down on settler violence and end settler expansion and has previously met with Palestinian communities in the West Bank to hear how they are affected. On 15 October, the Foreign Secretary announced sanctions targeting three illegal settler outposts and four organisations that have supported and sponsored violence against communities in the West Bank. These measures will help bring accountability to those who have supported and perpetrated such heinous abuses of human rights. As the Foreign Secretary said in Parliament on 1 April, we continue to keep these issues under review but the culture of impunity for those engaged in violence is intolerable.
Asked by: Baroness Curran (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, following the announcement to reduce Official Development Assistance and ahead of the Third Global Disability Summit, what steps they are taking to protect disability inclusion in giving development aid both now and in the future.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK remains committed to investing internationally to build a safer world. As the Prime Minister has made clear we must increase our security and defence spending now. We remain committed to spending 0.7 per cent of Gross National Income on Official Development Assistance (ODA) when the fiscal circumstances allow.
At 16 per cent of the global population, people with disabilities are among the world's most vulnerable, including in times of crisis, climate and humanitarian emergencies. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is committed to mainstreaming a disability inclusion and rights approach across our work and we will also drive stronger international coordination to advance global disability inclusion progress. We will set out our spending plans following the completion of the Spending Review and departmental resource allocation processes. Equality impact assessments, which consider impacts on disability inclusion, are an essential part of how we make decisions, including on ODA allocations.
Asked by: Baroness Curran (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to mark the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade on 25 March.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The slave trade was abhorrent. We recognise its horrific impacts, and the ongoing strength of feeling. The UK marked the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade on 25 March with other United Nations member states in the General Assembly in the usual manner.
Asked by: Baroness Curran (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have met recently with representatives of Caribbean governments; and whether the legacy of slavery and its impact on the Caribbean was discussed.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We fully recognise the horrific impacts and the understandable strength of feeling on the transatlantic slave trade across communities in the UK and the Commonwealth family. Ministers have had no discussions with Caribbean counterparts focused on the legacy of slavery since July 2024, and none are planned. If interlocutors raise reparatory justice, we make clear our position that we do not pay reparations. We are focused on working with Caribbean partners to tackle the most pressing challenges of today including security, growth, climate change and building partnerships for the future.
Asked by: Baroness Curran (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 11 November 2014 to Question 214210, what the cost to his Department was of providing support to the Scottish Minister for Environment and Climate Change on his visit to Chile in October 2014.
Answered by David Lidington
The Scottish Minister for Environment and Climate Change visited Chile in October 2014. Foreign and Commonwealth Office assistance for this visit largely consisted of support from the British Embassy in Santiago provided from within existing resources. Specific additional costs amounted to £398 for transport.Asked by: Baroness Curran (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 11 November 2014 to Question 214210, what the cost to his Department was of providing support to the Scottish Minister for External Affairs and International Development on his visits to (a) Geneva in November 2014, (b) Brussels in July 2014, (c) Brussels in June 2014, (d) Vancouver and San Francisco in April 2014, (e) Vienna in February 2014, (f) UAE and Qatar in November 2013, (g) Pakistan in October 2013, (h) India, Delhi and Mumbai in October 2013, (i) Geneva in September 2013, (j) Latvia in July 2013, (k) China and Hong Kong in June 2013 and (l) Hanover in May 2013.
Answered by David Lidington
I refer to my previous answers (213577, 214210) on this matter. The UK’s global diplomatic network - employing over 14,000 people in 267 Embassies, High Commissions, Consulates and other offices in 154 countries and 12 Overseas Territories around the world – works to achieve the international policy objectives that benefit the whole of the UK, including promoting Scottish companies and products, its culture, and Scotland as a destination for investment, tourism and study. However, the information requested is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Baroness Curran (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 11 November 2014 to Question 214210, what the cost to his Department was of providing support to the Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs on his visits to (a) Dublin in October 2014, (b) Brussels in October 2014, (c) Italy in October 2014, (d) Ireland in May 2014, (e) Poland in May 2014, (f) Paris in April 2014, (g) Helsinki in March 2013, (h) Paris in December 2013, (i) Denmark and Sweden in December 2014, (j) Brussels in November 2013, (k) Rome in October 2013, (l) Philadelphia in July 2013, (m) Venice in May 2013, (n) Dublin in May 2013 and (o) Berlin in April 2013.
Answered by David Lidington
I refer to my previous answers (213577, 214210) on this matter. The UK’s global diplomatic network - employing over 14,000 people in 267 Embassies, High Commissions, Consulates and other offices in 154 countries and 12 Overseas Territories around the world – works to achieve the international policy objectives that benefit the whole of the UK, including promoting Scottish companies and products, its culture, and Scotland as a destination for investment, tourism and study. However, the information requested is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Baroness Curran (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 10 November 2014 to Question 213577, when the cultural programme in Berlin for the Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs took place; what engagements were part of that programme; what the cost to his Department was of providing support to the Cabinet Secretary on this programme; and if he will place in the Library correspondence relating to this programme.
Answered by David Lidington
Fiona Hyslop, Scottish Government Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs visited Berlin on 16-17 April 2013. Scottish Development International (SDI) Dusseldorf arranged and attended parts of the programme, with local support from British Embassy Berlin. The UK Government costs were met from within existing resources. Ms Hyslop met German State Minister Cornelia Pieper and the Europe Director General in the Germany Foreign Ministry. She hosted a lunch for Bundestag members from three parties. Ms Hyslop met Berlin based Glaswegian artist Douglas Gordon and visited an exhibition of his work as well as visiting the Neues Museum. The Embassy Residence hosted a trade focused dinner for Ms Hyslop. SDI sourced salmon, beef and whisky from Scottish suppliers for guests from the food and drink sector. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not hold any correspondence on this visit.Asked by: Baroness Curran (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 10 November 2014 to Question 213577, which Scottish ministers made the visits in (a) 2013 and (b) 2014; and what the destination of each visit was.
Answered by David Lidington
Details of these visits are the responsibility of the Scottish Government. However, The Foreign and Commonwealth Office holds the information attached.
Asked by: Baroness Curran (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which overseas trips by Scottish Government Ministers have been supported by his Department or British embassies and consulates in each year since 2010; what the purpose of these trips was; and what support was offered.
Answered by David Lidington
UK Embassies provide considerable support for Scottish Government Ministers when they are overseas. In 2013, UK Embassies supported more than 40 overseas visits by Scottish Government Ministers and in 2014 (up to October 2014), a further 14. The nature of the visits varies widely, as do the destinations, from supporting the First Minister of Scotland’s visit to Washington for Tartan Week, a full cultural programme in Berlin for the Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs, to the Minister for External Affairs and International Development’s trade engagements in the Gulf. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not hold central records from before this period.