Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what recent progress he has made on securing the release of imprisoned pro-democracy activist Alaa Abd el-Fattah.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Ministers and officials continue to raise Mr Alaa Abd El-Fattah's case at the highest levels with the Egyptian government and have been consistently clear in our calls for his release, while continuing to press the need for urgent consular access. The Foreign Secretary and Minister of State for the Middle East, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon raised his case with President Sisi and Egyptian Foreign Minister Shoukry on 21 December 2023. The Prime Minister also recently raised Mr El-Fattah's case with President Sisi on 1 December 2023.
Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help promote talks between Azerbaijan and Armenia on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The UK Government is clear that only substantive talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan can finally end the long-running conflict in the region. The former Foreign Secretary spoke with Armenian Foreign Minister Mirzoyan on 10 October and Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Bayramov on 17 October to outline our position. The UK's statement to the Organization for Security and Co-Operation in Europe (OSCE) on 9 November urged both sides to make progress on a lasting settlement in the interests of the region, and to resolve remaining issues peacefully through dialogue.
Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help promote talks between Azerbaijan and Armenia on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking in response to the humanitarian situation in Elgeneina, West Darfur in Sudan.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The UK strongly condemns the deliberate attacks and human rights abuses against civilians in West Darfur, Sudan. We are pursuing all diplomatic avenues, including through the UN Security Council and Human Rights Council and cooperation with counterparts from Africa, the Quad (KSA, UAE, UK, US) and European countries to end the violence, secure safe humanitarian access, and hold those responsible accountable. We welcome the International Criminal Court Prosecutor's decision to commence investigations into the surging violence and offences that are being committed in Darfur. We are providing £21.7 million in humanitarian aid for people in need in Sudan, and a further £5 million to help meet the urgent needs of refugees and returnees in South Sudan and Chad. UK funded support will be delivered through the UN and other trusted partners and will provide assistance such as safe drinking water, food, medical care and shelter to people in need, as well as supporting Gender Based Violence protection services.
Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, with reference to the Windsor Framework, published on 27 February 2023, CP 806, whether products sold into cash and carry settings will be eligible for the green lane.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
Yes. The green lane is open to all UK businesses moving goods that are not destined for the EU or subject to commercial processing criteria.
For goods that cannot access the green lane, for example if businesses cannot be certain of the end destination of their goods, traders will have access to a new comprehensive tariff reimbursement scheme when they can show that those goods did not ultimately enter the EU. This will supplement the existing customs duty waiver scheme available to all businesses.
Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his Department's development priorities of the pause on non-essential Official Development Assistance spending.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
During the pause, in view of the tight financial constraints we face,the FCDO prioritised work where failure to do so would have resulted in immediate threat to life and wellbeing.
Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the timeframe is for the publication of his Department's annual accounts.
Answered by Nigel Adams
The FCDO's annual report and accounts are planned to be published in September, subject to the National Audit Office's (NAO) audit process. Departmental accounts are usually published before the summer recess. However, because of the extra complexity of producing accounts for a new, merged department, the FCDO agreed with HM Treasury and the NAO that a longer timeframe would be needed this year.
Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether an impact assessment was carried out prior to the decision to reduce the Official Development Assistance budget (a) in general and (b) on UK research and development.
Answered by Nigel Adams
The UK is facing the worst economic contraction in over 300 years, and a budget deficit of close to £400 billion. Given the impact of this global pandemic on the economy and, as a result, the public finances, the UK has moved to spend 0.5% of GNI as Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) in 2021.
To ensure coherence and maximum value for money from ODA spending, the Foreign Secretary ran a cross-government process after the 2020 Spending Review to allocate ODA against the government's priorities this year. During the following ODA allocation process for FCDO budgets in 2021/22, officials considered risks and impacts to inform advice to Ministers.
Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to ensure co-operation from the Qatari authorities in the inquest into the killing of Cambridge resident Rafaelle Tsakanika in a hit-and-run incident in Doha in 2019, including the sharing of their full file of evidence with the Coroner.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
We have contacted HM Coroner to find out what documentation they require from the Qatari authorities for the inquest into Ms Tsakanika's death. Once we know HM Coroner's requirements we will submit a request to the Qatari Authorities for this documentation via normal diplomatic channels and will follow up as appropriate.
Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to protect British citizens in Qatar involved in cases of dangerous driving.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
Our consular staff endeavour to give appropriate and tailored support to British nationals overseas, and their families in the UK, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. What we can and cannot do is set out in our Supporting British Nationals Abroad: A guide (www.gov.uk/government/publications/support-for-british-nationals-abroad-a-guide). We highlight the specific risks on local road safety to those travelling overseas through our Travel Advice which is regularly reviewed and updated, including that for Qatar. Our advice for Qatar currently advises of poor road discipline, high speeds, warns that minor accidents are common and that there is a very high fatality rate for road accidents.
We work in partnership with UK charity Brake, who provide emotional and practical support to families bereaved through road traffic accidents overseas. Officials in Qatar are in regular contact with the Qatari authorities and raise consular issues as appropriate, including those related to road traffic safety.