Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department plans to take steps to support the Caribbean Community's Ten Point Plan for Reparatory Justice.
Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK greatly values our strong and longstanding relationship with the Caribbean and CARICOM. We most recently showed our solidarity through support to the regional response to Hurricane Beryl. The Minister for Latin America and the Caribbean, Baroness Chapman of Darlington, looks forward to deep engagement with the leaders and peoples of these countries and to full and frank discussions with them on all issues of concern. Our government will prioritise supporting the resilience and prosperity of vulnerable islands. We are making a real difference to the lives of people today - including in the Caribbean - where we are investing in infrastructure, security, and prosperity, and helping build resilience to natural disasters and climate change.
Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will publish legal advice obtained under the previous Government on its decision to challenge the International Criminal Court's jurisdiction on Israeli military action in Gaza.
Answered by Hamish Falconer
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the joint statement by international NGOs on humanitarian law in Gaza, published by Amnesty International on 15 May 2024.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
We continue to call for International Humanitarian Law to be respected and civilians to be protected.
We have one of the most robust arms export systems in the world, enshrined in law through the Export Control Act, and implemented through our Strategic Export Licensing Criteria. The Foreign Secretary has reviewed the most recent advice about the situation in Gaza and Israel, and his latest assessment leaves our position on export licences unchanged. We will keep the position under review.
Hamas, along with the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), are already sanctioned by the UK in their entirety and are subject to an asset freeze and arms embargo. The UK, working closely with the US and other allies, has imposed several new rounds of coordinated sanctions against Hamas since 7 October, to disrupt the terrorist group's financial networks and cut off their access to funding.
Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, pursuant to the Answer of 28 February 2024 to Question 15307 on Shell: Nigeria, if he will publish the (a) dates (b) attendee lists, (c) minutes and (d) any other relevant details of his Department's meetings with Shell on action to address the risks of pollution from oil production in the Niger Delta.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The UK continues to encourage a coordinated effort between the Nigerian Government, oil and gas companies, and communities to bring an end to all forms of oil contamination in Nigeria. In the most recent meeting, which took place in January, the British High Commissioner met representatives from Shell where he discussed the future of environmental clean-up in the Niger Delta. We do not routinely publish details of meetings with external stakeholders.
Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, with reference to the policy paper entitled UK National Action Plan on implementing the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights: progress update, published in May 2020, whether he has had recent discussions with Shell on (a) tackling legacy oil pollution in the Niger Delta and (b) its adherence to the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights in Nigeria.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The UK Government has consistently supported the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) and is clear that we expect UK businesses to comply with all applicable laws; identify and prevent human rights risks; and behave in line with the UNGPs. The UK Government regularly discusses with Shell the importance of action to address the risks of pollution from oil production in the Niger Delta. We continue to support initiatives to reduce the environmental impact of oil and gas production in Nigeria, including encouraging the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project to meet the needs of the communities affected by pollution.
Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what assessment his Department has made of the level of humanitarian need in (a) Nagorno-Karabakh and (b) Armenia since September 2023.
Answered by Leo Docherty
The UK remains concerned for the welfare of those in Nagorno-Karabakh affected by limited access to supplies following September's military action in the region. We welcome Azerbaijan's decision to grant UN access into Nagorno-Karabakh and encourage them to continue supporting international efforts to address humanitarian need. We also welcome Armenian and international assistance provided to the 100,000 or more people displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh into Armenia. The UK is providing £1 million to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to provide life-saving medication, healthcare and other essential support. We are liaising with the UN, ICRC and others to further assess humanitarian need in the region.
Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with officials in his Department on the potential merits of the Government formally recognising the 1915 massacre of Armenian people by the Ottomon Empire as a genocide.
Answered by Leo Docherty
The events of 1915-1916 were a tragic episode in the history of the Armenian people and must never be forgotten. The UK Government condemned the massacres at the time and our position has not changed. Any judgement as to whether genocide has occurred is a matter for a competent national or international court, rather than for governments or non-judicial bodies. We will, as ever, encourage the governments of Armenia and Turkey to look to the future and build stronger relations between their countries.
Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department approved then Minister of State for Europe and Americas Sir Alan Duncan's attendance at the Sultan's Privy Council in Oman on (a) 7-8 January 2017, (b) 6-7 January 2018 and (c) 5-6 January 2019.
Answered by James Cleverly - Shadow Home Secretary
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) did not approve Sir Alan Duncan's attendance. These visits were carried out in a private capacity.
Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the draft World Health Assembly 74 resolution entitled Strengthening Local Production of Medicines and Other Health Technologies to Improve Access, what the Government's policy is on supporting an increase in covid-19 vaccine manufacturing capacity in developing countries; and what assessment the Government has made of the potential contribution that an increase in covid-19 vaccine manufacturing capacity in developing countries might make to tackling the covid-19 pandemic.
Answered by Wendy Morton
The UK is supportive of the World Health Assembly 74 Resolution on Strengthening Local Production of Medicines and Other Health Technologies to Improve Access. We are engaging in ongoing negotiations with 194 other member states to reach consensus, and it is not appropriate to comment on UK positions during this time.
The UK is supporting efforts to increase vaccine manufacturing capacity. We have facilitated engagement by industry and the research community to discuss the evolving WHO proposals for the COVID-19 Technology Access Pool (C-TAP). During our G7 presidency, we will continue this work with stakeholders and the WHO as it establishes the governance structures and refines the operating model for C-TAP. The UK is also providing technical assistance to catalyse private sector and development finance investment to in manufacturing capacity, particularly in Africa. We are working with the key international partners involved in vaccine manufacture and procurement. These include the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), Gavi the Vaccine Alliance, the WHO and UNICEF for production of COVID-19 vaccines for the current pandemic.
Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, for what reason the Government is recommending the deletion of text relating to generic competition in operative paragraph 2(8) of the draft World Health Assembly 74 resolution entitled Strengthening Local Production of Medicines and Other Health Technologies to Improve Access.
Answered by Wendy Morton
The UK is supportive of the World Health Assembly 74 Resolution on Strengthening Local Production of Medicines and Other Health Technologies to Improve Access. We are engaging in ongoing negotiations with 194 other member states to reach consensus, and it is not appropriate to comment on UK positions during this time.
The UK is supporting efforts to increase vaccine manufacturing capacity. We have facilitated engagement by industry and the research community to discuss the evolving WHO proposals for the COVID-19 Technology Access Pool (C-TAP). During our G7 presidency, we will continue this work with stakeholders and the WHO as it establishes the governance structures and refines the operating model for C-TAP. The UK is also providing technical assistance to catalyse private sector and development finance investment to in manufacturing capacity, particularly in Africa. We are working with the key international partners involved in vaccine manufacture and procurement. These include the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), Gavi the Vaccine Alliance, the WHO and UNICEF for production of COVID-19 vaccines for the current pandemic.