Asked by: Ben Bradshaw (Labour - Exeter)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions she has had with counterparts in democracies on the suitability of the candidates standing for election to the presidency of Interpol.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
The Government strongly supports INTERPOL’s efforts to ensure systems are in place that protect individuals’ human rights in line with Article 3 of INTERPOL's Constitution which strictly forbids any intervention or activities of a political, military, religious or racial character.
The Home Office continues to work with INTERPOL and the National Crime Agency (NCA), which acts as the UK’s National Central Bureau (NCB) for INTERPOL, to monitor the effectiveness of existing safeguards. We encourage INTERPOL to uphold international human rights obligations and we won’t hesitate to recommend further reforms to INTERPOL as necessary.
During the G7 Interior and Security Ministers’ meeting in London on 7-9 September we also secured commitments from international partners to strengthen our collective efforts to deter the misuse of INTERPOL systems and support organisational reform and governance at INTERPOL.
Proportionate due diligence is undertaken into individuals seeking election to the role of INTERPOL President. In the run up to the elections at the General Assembly, officials from the Home Office, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the National Crime Agency are in regular contact with international counterparts. The decision on who to support will be based on a thorough assessment of the merits of each candidate.
Asked by: Ben Bradshaw (Labour - Exeter)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what due diligence is in place to enable Ministers to assess the suitability of the candidates for the post of President of Interpol.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
The INTERPOL General Secretariat (IPSG) regularly updates member countries with the list of candidates nominated for the Presidency. The decision on who to support will be based on a thorough assessment of the merits of each candidate.
Asked by: Ben Bradshaw (Labour - Exeter)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations she has received on the process and candidates for the selection of the next President of Interpol.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
The INTERPOL General Secretariat (IPSG) regularly updates member countries with the list of candidates nominated for the Presidency. The decision on who to support will be based on a thorough assessment of the merits of each candidate.
Asked by: Ben Bradshaw (Labour - Exeter)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many of her Department's ministers have been exempted from quarantine in a hotel after returning to the UK from a covid-19 red list country to which they have travelled for the purposes of conducting official business.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
Details of Ministers’ overseas travel are published quarterly on GOV.UK, and all travel is arranged in line with official regulations.
Ministers are able to claim an exemption from travel restrictions under the ‘Crown Servants or government contractors exemption’. The full text of this exemption can be found under the Government guidance Coronavirus (COVID-19): jobs that qualify for travel exemptions, available on GOV.UK.
Asked by: Ben Bradshaw (Labour - Exeter)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if the Government will intervene where insurers refuse or query claims in relation to the recent disposal of a World War II bomb in Exeter.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
In cases such as this, the expectation is for costs to be met by private insurance. Communication channels for the public were set up through both the County and City Councils, and members of the public impacted by this incident were urged to go through those channels.
The Home Office does not routinely provide briefing when such instances occur. We would expect the local Council to keep residents and businesses updated.
The HO does not consider it is liable for any damage caused.
It is not for the Home Office to intervene in disputes between insurers and their clients, therefore it would not be appropriate for us to comment.
Asked by: Ben Bradshaw (Labour - Exeter)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Government plans to provide a briefing on the recent disposal of a World War II bomb in Exeter and distribute that briefing to the residents, businesses and insurance companies affected.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
In cases such as this, the expectation is for costs to be met by private insurance. Communication channels for the public were set up through both the County and City Councils, and members of the public impacted by this incident were urged to go through those channels.
The Home Office does not routinely provide briefing when such instances occur. We would expect the local Council to keep residents and businesses updated.
The HO does not consider it is liable for any damage caused.
It is not for the Home Office to intervene in disputes between insurers and their clients, therefore it would not be appropriate for us to comment.
Asked by: Ben Bradshaw (Labour - Exeter)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Government has made an assessment of the potential merits of establishing a fund to reimburse and compensate people affected by damage caused by the recent detonation of a World War II bomb in Exeter.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
In cases such as this, the expectation is for costs to be met by private insurance. Communication channels for the public were set up through both the County and City Councils, and members of the public impacted by this incident were urged to go through those channels.
The Home Office does not routinely provide briefing when such instances occur. We would expect the local Council to keep residents and businesses updated.
The HO does not consider it is liable for any damage caused.
It is not for the Home Office to intervene in disputes between insurers and their clients, therefore it would not be appropriate for us to comment.
Asked by: Ben Bradshaw (Labour - Exeter)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate her Department has made of the liability for the damage caused by the recent detonation of a World War II bomb in Exeter.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
In cases such as this, the expectation is for costs to be met by private insurance. Communication channels for the public were set up through both the County and City Councils, and members of the public impacted by this incident were urged to go through those channels.
The Home Office does not routinely provide briefing when such instances occur. We would expect the local Council to keep residents and businesses updated.
The HO does not consider it is liable for any damage caused.
It is not for the Home Office to intervene in disputes between insurers and their clients, therefore it would not be appropriate for us to comment.
Asked by: Ben Bradshaw (Labour - Exeter)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she or her Department plans to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Exeter of 5 March 2021 to the Secretary of State for Defence on the disposal of a World War II bomb in Exeter, which was copied to her and referred to her Department by the Ministry of Defence for further response.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
We are aware and have answered a number of parliamentary questions on the render safe operation carried out in Exeter in February. Regarding questions articulated in Rt Hon Bradshaw’s letter of the 5 March, we will write a fuller reply shortly.
Asked by: Ben Bradshaw (Labour - Exeter)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what investigations are being made of the financial activities of Mukhtar Ablyazov in the UK.
Answered by James Brokenshire
The Home Office does not confirm or comment on individual operational matters.