Asked by: Daniel Kawczynski (Conservative - Shrewsbury and Atcham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, if he will publish (a) historic documents and (b) maps held by his Department that demonstrate that Abu Musa, Greater Tunb and Lesser Tunb fell under UK protection as part of the Trucial States up to 1971.
Answered by David Rutley
We are not conducting freedom of navigation operations around these islands. However, we keep operations in the Gulf under constant review. The UK supports the United Arab Emirates' call to reach a peaceful solution to the dispute over the three islands - Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa - through bilateral negotiations or the International Court of Justice, in accordance with the rules of international law including the UN Charter.
The UK is dedicated to defending freedom of navigation in the Gulf, which is crucial for the global trading system and world economy, with the deployment of HMS DIAMOND in support of our current footprint in the region. We are proud to be partnering with other members of the international community to uphold the rules based approach.
Asked by: Daniel Kawczynski (Conservative - Shrewsbury and Atcham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, whether he has made an assessment of the legality of Iran’s military occupation of Abu Musa, Greater Tunb and Lesser Tunb; and if he will raise that matter with his Gulf Cooperation Council partners.
Answered by David Rutley
We are not conducting freedom of navigation operations around these islands. However, we keep operations in the Gulf under constant review. The UK supports the United Arab Emirates' call to reach a peaceful solution to the dispute over the three islands - Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa - through bilateral negotiations or the International Court of Justice, in accordance with the rules of international law including the UN Charter.
The UK is dedicated to defending freedom of navigation in the Gulf, which is crucial for the global trading system and world economy, with the deployment of HMS DIAMOND in support of our current footprint in the region. We are proud to be partnering with other members of the international community to uphold the rules based approach.
Asked by: Daniel Kawczynski (Conservative - Shrewsbury and Atcham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, if he will make it his policy to assume responsibility for mediating Iran’s withdrawal from Abu Musa, Greater Tunb and Lesser Tunb.
Answered by David Rutley
We are not conducting freedom of navigation operations around these islands. However, we keep operations in the Gulf under constant review. The UK supports the United Arab Emirates' call to reach a peaceful solution to the dispute over the three islands - Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa - through bilateral negotiations or the International Court of Justice, in accordance with the rules of international law including the UN Charter.
The UK is dedicated to defending freedom of navigation in the Gulf, which is crucial for the global trading system and world economy, with the deployment of HMS DIAMOND in support of our current footprint in the region. We are proud to be partnering with other members of the international community to uphold the rules based approach.
Asked by: Daniel Kawczynski (Conservative - Shrewsbury and Atcham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, if he will make it his policy to recognise Emirati sovereignty of Abu Musa, Greater Tunb, and Lesser Tunb.
Answered by David Rutley
We are not conducting freedom of navigation operations around these islands. However, we keep operations in the Gulf under constant review. The UK supports the United Arab Emirates' call to reach a peaceful solution to the dispute over the three islands - Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa - through bilateral negotiations or the International Court of Justice, in accordance with the rules of international law including the UN Charter.
The UK is dedicated to defending freedom of navigation in the Gulf, which is crucial for the global trading system and world economy, with the deployment of HMS DIAMOND in support of our current footprint in the region. We are proud to be partnering with other members of the international community to uphold the rules based approach.
Asked by: Daniel Kawczynski (Conservative - Shrewsbury and Atcham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, what assessment his Department has made of the implications for its policies of levels of corruption in Libya’s (a) oil industry and (b) national oil bodies.
Answered by David Rutley
The National Oil Corporation (NOC) is an important institution in Libya with a vital role to play. It is however vulnerable to malign state actors seeking to benefit from Libya's political instability and capture of Libyan wealth by a small number of well-placed individuals through corrupt practices such as fuel smuggling, which can contribute to regional instability. The UK is therefore supportive of any efforts to investigate corruption and impropriety in the NOC and advocates greater transparency on revenue expenditure. The UK is clear that it will investigate any relevant allegations of corruption falling under the Bribery Act 2010. Overall, the UK believes the only means of addressing these issues sustainably is through a political settlement under UN auspices, which it continues to support, including by encouraging all parties to engage meaningfully.
Asked by: Daniel Kawczynski (Conservative - Shrewsbury and Atcham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of increases in the number of fuel smuggling routes from Libya on regional stability.
Answered by David Rutley
The National Oil Corporation (NOC) is an important institution in Libya with a vital role to play. It is however vulnerable to malign state actors seeking to benefit from Libya's political instability and capture of Libyan wealth by a small number of well-placed individuals through corrupt practices such as fuel smuggling, which can contribute to regional instability. The UK is therefore supportive of any efforts to investigate corruption and impropriety in the NOC and advocates greater transparency on revenue expenditure. The UK is clear that it will investigate any relevant allegations of corruption falling under the Bribery Act 2010. Overall, the UK believes the only means of addressing these issues sustainably is through a political settlement under UN auspices, which it continues to support, including by encouraging all parties to engage meaningfully.
Asked by: Daniel Kawczynski (Conservative - Shrewsbury and Atcham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, what steps he is taking to discourage multinational energy companies from engaging in corrupt practices in the oil industry in Libya.
Answered by David Rutley
The National Oil Corporation (NOC) is an important institution in Libya with a vital role to play. It is however vulnerable to malign state actors seeking to benefit from Libya's political instability and capture of Libyan wealth by a small number of well-placed individuals through corrupt practices such as fuel smuggling, which can contribute to regional instability. The UK is therefore supportive of any efforts to investigate corruption and impropriety in the NOC and advocates greater transparency on revenue expenditure. The UK is clear that it will investigate any relevant allegations of corruption falling under the Bribery Act 2010. Overall, the UK believes the only means of addressing these issues sustainably is through a political settlement under UN auspices, which it continues to support, including by encouraging all parties to engage meaningfully.
Asked by: Daniel Kawczynski (Conservative - Shrewsbury and Atcham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, what steps he is taking to help counter the influence of unfriendly foreign actors on Libya’s oil industry.
Answered by David Rutley
The National Oil Corporation (NOC) is an important institution in Libya with a vital role to play. It is however vulnerable to malign state actors seeking to benefit from Libya's political instability and capture of Libyan wealth by a small number of well-placed individuals through corrupt practices such as fuel smuggling, which can contribute to regional instability. The UK is therefore supportive of any efforts to investigate corruption and impropriety in the NOC and advocates greater transparency on revenue expenditure. The UK is clear that it will investigate any relevant allegations of corruption falling under the Bribery Act 2010. Overall, the UK believes the only means of addressing these issues sustainably is through a political settlement under UN auspices, which it continues to support, including by encouraging all parties to engage meaningfully.
Asked by: Daniel Kawczynski (Conservative - Shrewsbury and Atcham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to help prevent the Irish government from returning illegal migrants across the border to Northern Ireland.
Answered by Tom Pursglove
We have no legal obligation to accept the return of asylum seekers from Ireland.
Asked by: Daniel Kawczynski (Conservative - Shrewsbury and Atcham)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether her Department plans to make a recommendation to the Prime Minister to appoint a new Trade Envoy for the Caribbean.
Answered by Greg Hands
There are no plans at present to appoint a Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to the Caribbean.