Asked by: Abena Oppong-Asare (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what support the Government is providing to help (a) Black and Asian and (b) other British nationals to leave Ukraine.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The British Embassy office in Kyiv has temporarily relocated to Lviv. In-person consular services in Lviv are extremely limited and may be further affected by Russian military action. FCDO Rapid Deployment Teams have been deployed to neighbouring countries to support British nationals in need of consular assistance and the UK is committed to the principle of non-discrimination on any grounds, including on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity or race. A full range of assistance is available in these countries.
British nationals still in Ukraine should register their presence with the FCDO and follow FCDO Travel Advice. Any British nationals who require consular assistance in Ukraine should call our 24 hour helpline: +44 (0) 1908 516666 or +380 44 490 3660.
Asked by: Abena Oppong-Asare (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with her international counterparts on supporting foreign nationals to leave Ukraine, including individuals from (a) India, (b) Nigeria, and (c) Ghana.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
We are in regular dialogue with our international partners and stand ready to provide humanitarian assistance as needed. As of 2 March, over 1 million people are reported by the UN to have left Ukraine [link https://data2.unhcr.org/en/situations/ukraine]. These numbers will continue to rise while Russia continues this reprehensible and needless attack. The UK government has pledged £220 million of aid, which includes £120 million of humanitarian assistance. Our humanitarian support will help partners stand up their response to the deteriorating humanitarian situation. We have also deployed UK humanitarian experts to support Ukraine's neighbours, who are receiving and supporting the increasing flow of refugees fleeing Ukraine.
Asked by: Abena Oppong-Asare (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what support the Government is providing to UK nationals who remain in Afghanistan.
Answered by Nigel Adams
Between 15 and 29 August, the UK evacuated over 8,000 British nationals from Afghanistan. Additionally, on 9-10 September, we evacuated a further 34 British nationals via Doha. Work continues to explore all possible avenues to ensure that any British nationals who remain in Afghanistan are able to leave safely if they wish to do so. To enable this, we have asked all British nationals in Afghanistan to register their presence with us and we are working to verify all those who have submitted their details. We have been clear that the Taliban must allow safe passage for those who want to leave.
Asked by: Abena Oppong-Asare (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of the UK resuming in-country consular support in Afghanistan.
Answered by Nigel Adams
Our focus is on the immediate priorities of ensuring safe passage for anyone remaining in Afghanistan who is eligible to come to the UK and wishes to leave, supporting the thousands of new arrivals in the UK, and continuing to provide assistance to the Afghan people. Our Embassy to Afghanistan has temporarily relocated to Qatar, until it can be re-established in Afghanistan, to lead our diplomatic, security and humanitarian engagement remotely. The situation on the ground remains fluid and we will continue to review this posture. Our High Commission in Pakistan and Embassies in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Qatar, reinforced by Rapid Deployment Teams, are also providing consular support.
Asked by: Abena Oppong-Asare (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the arrest of Nnamdi Kanu by the Nigerian authorities.
Answered by James Duddridge
We are seeking clarification from the Nigerian Government about the circumstances of the arrest and detention of Nnamdi Kanu. The UK has requested consular access to Mr Kanu from the Nigerian Government, and we stand ready to provide consular assistance.
Asked by: Abena Oppong-Asare (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his international counterparts on the situation in East Jerusalem.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The ongoing violence across Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories is deeply concerning and must stop. We call on all sides to reduce tensions, restore calm and avoid provocation. The Prime Minister has called for an urgent de-escalation of tensions. The Foreign Secretary delivered a message of de-escalation in his calls to Israeli Foreign Minister Ashkenazi on 16 May, and with Palestinian Prime Minister Shtayyeh on 12 May. We have also engaged the UN Security Council, calling for measures to reduce further violence.
As the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary have made clear, this cycle of violence must stop, and every effort must be made to avoid loss of life. We urge all sides to refrain from any kind of provocation so that calm is restored as quickly as possible. The UK will continue to support that goal.
Asked by: Abena Oppong-Asare (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what (a) financial, (b) logistical and (c) medical support the Government is providing to assist the Indian Government’s covid-19 response.
Answered by Nigel Adams
We stand side by side with India as a friend and partner in the fight against Covid-19, and send our solidarity and condolences to the Indian people at this difficult time. Since 2015, the UK has not provided financial assistance to the Indian Government, and until recently, the Indian Government's official position has been to neither seek nor accept official international assistance from foreign governments for humanitarian assistance. Instead, the UK has put together a package focusing on India's most urgent needs, including oxygen concentrators, ventilators, and oxygen generating units. The first shipment was delivered on 27 April. On 2 May, the Prime Minister announced that the UK would send a further 1,000 ventilators to support India's response, these arrived in Delhi on 9 May, bringing the total package of equipment to 495 oxygen concentrators, 1,200 ventilators and three oxygen generating units. Given the importance of effective coordination of the large quantities of assistance arriving in India, the UK is channelling its support through the Indian Government and Indian Red Cross, to ensure the transfer of medical equipment is as efficient as possible and reaches those who need it.
There is also extensive scientific and medical collaboration underway. Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty and Chief Scientific Adviser Sir Patrick Vallance have spoken to their Indian counterparts to provide advice, insight and expertise to the Indian healthcare system as it deals with the surge in Covid-19 cases. NHS England and NHS Improvement are establishing a clinic advisory group, led by Chief People Officer Prerana Issar, to support India's Covid-19 response.
Asked by: Abena Oppong-Asare (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Israeli counterpart on the situation in East Jerusalem; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The ongoing violence across Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories is deeply concerning and must stop. We call on all sides to reduce tensions, restore calm and avoid provocation. The Prime Minister has called for an urgent de-escalation of tensions. The Foreign Secretary delivered a message of de-escalation in his calls to Israeli Foreign Minister Ashkenazi on 16 May, and with Palestinian Prime Minister Shtayyeh on 12 May. We have also engaged the UN Security Council, calling for measures to reduce further violence.
As the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary have made clear, this cycle of violence must stop, and every effort must be made to avoid loss of life. We urge all sides to refrain from any kind of provocation so that calm is restored as quickly as possible. The UK will continue to support that goal.
Asked by: Abena Oppong-Asare (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what (a) financial, (b) logistical and (c) military support the Government is providing to St. Vincent and the Grenadines in response to the recent volcanic eruptions in that nation.
Answered by Nigel Adams
We are monitoring the situation in St Vincent and the Grenadines closely and our thoughts are with those affected by the eruptions. Infrastructure and agriculture have been badly hit and ash fall is significant and causing problems with the movement of people, as well as impacting electricity and water supplies.
We will continue to work with CDEMA and other appropriate agencies to provide further support.
Asked by: Abena Oppong-Asare (Labour - Erith and Thamesmead)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what his Department's policy is on the concerns raised about the infringement of human rights on farmers protesting in India.
Answered by Nigel Adams
I am conscious of the level of concern from communities in the UK towards the farmers' protests in India. The right to gather lawfully and demonstrate a point of view is common to all democracies. Governments also have the power to enforce law and order if a protest crosses the line into illegality. The Foreign Secretary discussed the protests with External Affairs Minister Dr Jaishankar on his visit to India in December, while making it clear that this is an internal matter for the Indian authorities.