Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
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 ensure that the UN implements the recommendations of the Final Report of the Independent Review of Mechanisms and Procedures to Ensure Adherence by UNRWA to the Humanitarian Principle of Neutrality, published on 20 April 2024.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The government is confident that United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) is taking action to ensure it meets the highest standards of neutrality and is strengthening its procedures. £1 million of the £21 million of UK funding announced in July is earmarked to support UNRWA to implement the management reforms recommended by the Colonna review. Together with other donors, we will continue to monitor UNRWA's progress on implementation of its action plan. The FCDO will also continue to conduct our own annual assessment of UK funding to UNRWA.
Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, with reference to the oral contribution of the Second Church Estates Commissioner on 11 January 2023, Official Report, column 443, whether his Department has sought information on the (a) whereabouts and (b) wellbeing of staff from the Anglican al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza who were taken by the Israeli Defence Force.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
It is the longstanding policy of successive UK Governments that we do not comment on individual cases. However, we are concerned over reports about Israeli detention practices. The Government is clear that administrative detention should be used only where it is justified in accordance with international law. Those under detention should either be charged or released. The UK is committed to working with Israel to secure improvements in its detention practices and repeatedly calls on Israel to abide by its obligations under international law. The safety of humanitarian personnel and healthcare workers in Gaza is critical to enable aid to reach those who need it most.
Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will publish audit reports of the Palestinian Recovery and Development Programme.
Answered by David Rutley
Following Official Development Assistance (ODA) prioritisation exercises undertaken in March 2021, the UK no longer provides direct financial aid to the Palestinian Authority. All UK support to the Palestinian Authority is provided through technical advice, procured through commercial suppliers. The audits in question for the Palestinian Recovery and Development Programme relate to UK funding provided through the World Bank to the Palestinian Authority. Therefore, the UK is not the sole owner of the audit reports and is unable to release them unilaterally.
Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has taken steps to press the UN Security Council to (a) review and (b) report on how the UN could better respond to violations of freedom of religion or belief (i) during conflicts and (ii) in non-conflict situations since the Bishop of Truro’s 2019 Independent Review for the UK Foreign Secretary of Foreign and Commonwealth Office Support for Persecuted Christians.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The Bishop of Truro's review provided recommendations for a Government response to support members of all faiths, beliefs, and those of no religious belief. We have taken forward the 22 recommendations in a way that makes a real change for everyone persecuted because of their religion or belief.
We continue to work with UN and other multilateral fora to promote Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) for all. FoRB was a key strand of our successful campaign to be re-elected to the United Nations Human Rights Council for the term January 2021 to December 2023. In March 2021, Lord Ahmad hosted a meeting at the UN Security Council to raise awareness of persecution of religious minorities in conflict zones such as Libya, Yemen, Syria, and Iraq. On 14 June 2023, the UN Security Council adopted unanimously a UK-UAE co-penned resolution on Tolerance and International Peace and Security, including wording on FoRB.
Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the UK has (a) initiated and (b) supported any UN Human Rights Council resolutions to combat intolerance relating to religion or belief since the Bishop of Truro’s 2019 Independent Review for the UK Foreign Secretary of Foreign and Commonwealth Office Support for Persecuted Christians.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The Bishop of Truro's review provided recommendations for a Government response to support members of all faiths, beliefs, and those of no religious belief. We have taken forward the 22 recommendations in a way that makes a real change for everyone persecuted because of their religion or belief.
We continue to work with UN and other multilateral fora to promote Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) for all. FoRB was a key strand of our successful campaign to be re-elected to the United Nations Human Rights Council for the term January 2021 to December 2023. In March 2021, Lord Ahmad hosted a meeting at the UN Security Council to raise awareness of persecution of religious minorities in conflict zones such as Libya, Yemen, Syria, and Iraq. On 14 June 2023, the UN Security Council adopted unanimously a UK-UAE co-penned resolution on Tolerance and International Peace and Security, including wording on FoRB.
Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he has taken through the UN General Assembly to help implement the recommendations on freedom of religion or belief in the Bishop of Truro’s 2019 Independent Review for the Foreign Secretary of Foreign and Commonwealth Office Support for Persecuted Christians.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The Bishop of Truro's review provided recommendations for a Government response to support members of all faiths, beliefs, and those of no religious belief. We have taken forward the 22 recommendations in a way that makes a real change for everyone persecuted because of their religion or belief.
We continue to work with UN and other multilateral fora to promote Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) for all. FoRB was a key strand of our successful campaign to be re-elected to the United Nations Human Rights Council for the term January 2021 to December 2023. In March 2021, Lord Ahmad hosted a meeting at the UN Security Council to raise awareness of persecution of religious minorities in conflict zones such as Libya, Yemen, Syria, and Iraq. On 14 June 2023, the UN Security Council adopted unanimously a UK-UAE co-penned resolution on Tolerance and International Peace and Security, including wording on FoRB.
Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he has taken through the UN Human Rights Council to help implement the recommendations on freedom of religion or belief in the Bishop of Truro’s 2019 Independent Review for the UK Foreign Secretary of Foreign and Commonwealth Office Support for Persecuted Christians.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The Bishop of Truro's review provided recommendations for a Government response to support members of all faiths, beliefs, and those of no religious belief. We have taken forward the 22 recommendations in a way that makes a real change for everyone persecuted because of their religion or belief.
We continue to work with UN and other multilateral fora to promote Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) for all. FoRB was a key strand of our successful campaign to be re-elected to the United Nations Human Rights Council for the term January 2021 to December 2023. In March 2021, Lord Ahmad hosted a meeting at the UN Security Council to raise awareness of persecution of religious minorities in conflict zones such as Libya, Yemen, Syria, and Iraq. On 14 June 2023, the UN Security Council adopted unanimously a UK-UAE co-penned resolution on Tolerance and International Peace and Security, including wording on FoRB.
Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions (a) she and (b) her Department has had with their Spanish counterparts regarding the circumstances surrounding the death of Tobias Evald White-Sansom in Mallorca on 31 July 2022.
Answered by Leo Docherty
FCDO Officials in Spain have met with representatives from the Guardia Civil to inform them of our interest in the case. They are also in touch with the lawyer of Mr White-Sansom's family and the relevant Spanish authorities and will continue to liaise with them. An investigation by the Spanish authorities is currently underway. The FCDO will continue to offer support to Mr White-Sansom's family at this difficult time.
Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps she is taking to help support democracies in Eastern Europe.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
We strongly support the democracies of Eastern and Central Europe. Democracy and freedom are at the heart of the Foreign Secretary's vision for a Network of Liberty, using partnerships in technology, trade and security to promote democratic values. NATO is the cornerstone of Euro-Atlantic security. Closer cooperation is vital if we are to effectively counter interference by malign actors.
Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make it his policy to support resistance to the Taliban in the Panjshir Valley.
Answered by Nigel Adams
We are watching the developments on the ground very carefully, but it is fair to say that the Taliban are in control of the vast majority of Afghanistan and we have to adjust to the new reality we see on the ground.