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Written Question
Passports: Educational Visits
Friday 19th May 2023

Asked by: Alyn Smith (Scottish National Party - Stirling)

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 the Secretary of State for the Home Department on the potential merits of introducing collective passports for educational groups visiting the UK.

Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

The Foreign Secretary regularly speaks to his counterparts on a range of issues.

The UK is a signatory to the 1961 Council of Europe treaty which provides for collective passports for young people. Continued acceptance of these passports from those who have ratified the treaty is current practice. The UK has not left the Council of Europe.

Whilst it remains current policy to continue to accept collective passports issued by signatories to the treaty, as part of our Points Based Immigration System, it is our intention to move to a position where everyone obtains an individual permission from the Home Office in advance of travel and so in the future we are likely to require individual documents.

It should be noted several EU countries have declared they will no longer accept a collective passport issued by the UK under this treaty.


Written Question
Overseas Students: Visas
Thursday 18th May 2023

Asked by: Alyn Smith (Scottish National Party - Stirling)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for (a) Education and (b) the Home Department on reducing (i) barriers and (ii) costs of obtaining visas for EU students studying at UK universities.

Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

International students make a significant economic and cultural contribution to the UK's higher education sector. They enrich the university experience for all students, including those from the UK themselves. They bring greater diversity to university and college campuses adding an international dimension. For both international and domestic students, this cultural exchange helps build life-long friendships, future networks, and important business, political and diplomatic bridges.

We fully anticipate the UK continuing to be an attractive destination for EU students and for students from across the globe.

The Foreign Secretary speaks to his counterparts on a range of collective issues.


Written Question
EU Countries: Overseas students
Thursday 18th May 2023

Asked by: Alyn Smith (Scottish National Party - Stirling)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with the (a) Home Secretary and (b) Secretary of State for Education on improving access to UK universities for students from EU countries.

Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

International students make a significant economic and cultural contribution to the UK's higher education sector. They enrich the university experience for all students, including those from the UK themselves. They bring greater diversity to university and college campuses adding an international dimension. For both international and domestic students, this cultural exchange helps build life-long friendships, future networks, and important business, political and diplomatic bridges.

We fully anticipate the UK continuing to be an attractive destination for EU students and for students from across the globe.

The Foreign Secretary speaks to his counterparts on a range of collective issues.


Written Question
EU Countries: Electricity Interconnectors
Thursday 18th May 2023

Asked by: Alyn Smith (Scottish National Party - Stirling)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has held discussions with the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero on the installation of additional interconnectors to EU countries, including in the North Sea.

Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Foreign Secretary and Minister for Europe work closely on energy issues with colleagues in the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. At present, three interconnector projects to Denmark, Ireland and Germany are in construction. A further two interconnector projects to France hold regulatory approval in Great Britain. On 24 April 2023, the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero attended the North Seas Summit in Ostend where the UK signed a declaration for the coordinated development of the North Seas with neighbouring North Seas countries.


Written Question
European Economic and Social Committee
Tuesday 16th May 2023

Asked by: Alyn Smith (Scottish National Party - Stirling)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether it is his Department’s policy to work towards gaining Observer Status on the European Economic and Social Committee.

Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

It is not the Department's policy to gain observer status on the European Economic and Social Committee.


Written Question
UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement
Tuesday 16th May 2023

Asked by: Alyn Smith (Scottish National Party - Stirling)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has taken steps to consult the devolved Administrations on the negotiating objectives for the upcoming review of the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement in 2026.

Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

The UK Government is committed to maximising the potential of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement for the benefit of UK citizens, businesses and civil society.

The government regularly consults the Devolved Administrations on implementing the Trade and Cooperation Agreement.


Written Question
Seas and Oceans: Environment Protection
Friday 12th May 2023

Asked by: Alyn Smith (Scottish National Party - Stirling)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of negotiating a universal declaration of ocean rights.

Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) provides the overarching legal framework for the governance of the ocean. Numerous other agreements at a global and regional level add greater detail. These cover issues including shipping and safety, fishing, and environmental protection. The draft text of an international legally binding instrument under UNCLOS on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction - the BBNJ Agreement - was agreed at the UN in March. This is a landmark agreement for biodiversity and will mean much greater protection for over 60 per cent of the global ocean. It is unclear what added value a universal declaration of ocean rights would achieve.


Written Question
Pakistan: Elections
Monday 24th April 2023

Asked by: Alyn Smith (Scottish National Party - Stirling)

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 counterparts in Pakistan on the operation of free, fair and safe elections in that country.

Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

We have frequent contact with the Government on Pakistan on a wide range of issues. We respect Pakistan's democratic system and do not interfere in its internal political affairs. We will continue to engage regularly with the Government of Pakistan to advance our shared priorities and interests, including on human rights, freedom of expression and upholding democratic norms.


Written Question
China-Britain Business Council: Confucius Institutes
Friday 3rd February 2023

Asked by: Alyn Smith (Scottish National Party - Stirling)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made for the implications of its policies of the Chinese-British Business Council’s work with Confucius Institutes and their potential links with the United Front Work Department and the Propaganda Department of the Chinese Communist Party.

Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK Government is committed to supporting UK businesses and academia to engage with China in a way that reflects the UK's values and takes account of national security concerns. The UK is a world-leading destination for international students and we have robust procedures in place to protect against any undue foreign influence.


Written Question
China-Britain Business Council
Friday 3rd February 2023

Asked by: Alyn Smith (Scottish National Party - Stirling)

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 for the implication of its policies of the Chinese-British Business Council and its ties to the United Front Work Department and the Propaganda Department of the Chinese Communist Party.

Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK Government is committed to supporting UK businesses and academia to engage with China in a way that reflects the UK's values and takes account of national security concerns. The UK is a world-leading destination for international students and we have robust procedures in place to protect against any undue foreign influence.