Asked by: Bob Stewart (Conservative - Beckenham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether any agreement on the future relationship between the UK and the EU will include Gibraltar.
Answered by Wendy Morton - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK continues to negotiate for the whole UK family, which includes Gibraltar. We remain fully committed to finding a solution that supports Gibraltar, its people and its economy.
The UK and the Government of Gibraltar have held a number of constructive discussions with Spain on this issue. It is clearly in all parties' interests to find a solution, to ensure ongoing well-being and prosperity in the region.
Asked by: Bob Stewart (Conservative - Beckenham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help resolve the political situation in Cameroon.
Answered by James Duddridge
The UK Government remains deeply concerned about the situation in the North-West and South-West (Anglophone) regions of Cameroon. As the UK highlighted at a United Nations Security Council briefing on Central Africa, on 12 June, high levels of violence are having tragic consequences on civilians. On 19 May I spoke to the Prime Minister of Cameroon and discussed the need for a peaceful solution to the conflict.
The British High Commissioner to Cameroon regularly engages in discussions with the Government of Cameroon, on a range of issues, including the situation in the North-West and South-West regions. The UK welcomes the UN Secretary-General's call on armed actors to refrain from attacks against civilians in Cameroon. We continue to call for restraint, an end to the violence and unhindered humanitarian access to the affected population.
Further, inclusive dialogue remains vital to ensure a just, peaceful and durable resolution to the crisis, which meets the reasonable demands of the moderate majority. The UK has shared experiences on conflict resolution with the Government of Cameroon and we will continue to work with international partners to support the restoration of peace in the North-West and South-West regions of Cameroon.
Asked by: Bob Stewart (Conservative - Beckenham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
What diplomatic support his Department provides to the English-speaking community in Cameroon.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin - Shadow Minister (Business and Trade)
I remain deeply concerned about the deteriorating situation in the Anglophone regions of Cameroon, which continue to suffer from high levels of violence and human rights abuses perpetrated by both security forces and armed separatists. I have pressed Cameroonian Ministers to take concrete steps and to work to rebuild confidence and trust between all parties.
Asked by: Bob Stewart (Conservative - Beckenham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the UK policy on Yemen is in the (a) short, (b) medium and (c) long-term.
Answered by Alistair Burt
We urgently need to alleviate the humanitarian crisis affecting the people of Yemen. In 2017/18, we are committing £155 million in aid to Yemen, prioritising life-saving interventions including food and nutrition support to 1.7 million people and clean water and sanitation for an expected 1.2 million people.
Beyond that, restarting peace talks is our top priority. The Yemeni parties must engage constructively and in good faith to overcome obstacles and find a political solution to end the conflict. We have played a leading role in diplomatic efforts, including bringing together key regional and international actors to drive forward progress towards a peaceful solution. The UK continues to support the work of UN Special Envoy, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed. We are providing over £1 million to the UN Special Envoy's office to bolster the UN's capacity to facilitate the peace process.
In the longer term, the UK supports the development of a stable and prosperous Yemen which poses no threats to the region or internationally. Key to this will be long-term support for both reconstruction and an enduring political settlement.
Asked by: Bob Stewart (Conservative - Beckenham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, through what means his Department communicates with and receives communications from Christian communities in Syria; and how he assesses the quality of information received otherwise by his Department on the situation of such communities in that country.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
Foreign and Commonwealth Office representatives meet Church leaders and Non-Governmental Organisations representing Christian communities in Syria on a regular basis in London, through our Embassy to the Holy See and at our Syria Offices in Beirut and Istanbul. We also receive regular correspondence from groups highlighting the situation of Christians in Syria. These sources provide us with valuable insights into the situation facing Christians in Syria and the region. We recognise the contribution that recognised religious leaders can make on the Syria political track. They and other leading members of civil society will need a strong voice in the debate on Syria’s future.
Asked by: Bob Stewart (Conservative - Beckenham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received on the practice of Palestinian youths being tried by military courts and sentenced to prison for minor offences.
Answered by Hugh Robertson
The Government is concerned over the dual court system that is employed in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, under which all Palestinians, except those living in East Jerusalem, are subject to trial in military courts irrespective of the charges against them while Israeli youths are tried in civil courts. We also have serious concerns about the treatment of Palestinian children under the Israeli military court system, which we raise regularly with the Israeli authorities. More details can be found at: http://www.hrdreport.fco.gov.uk/israel-and-occupied-palestinian-territories/