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Written Question
Iran: Detainees
Tuesday 30th November 2021

Asked by: Diane Abbott (Independent - Hackney North and Stoke Newington)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent representations she has made to the government of Iran on (a) Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, (b) Anoosheh Ashoori and (c) the other British nationals detained in Iran.

Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

The Foreign Secretary most recently discussed the cases of British dual nationals with the Iranian Foreign Minister on 8 November. The Minister for the Middle East and North Africa raised these cases with the Deputy Foreign Minister on 11 November. Our Ambassador in Tehran regularly raises their cases.


Written Question
South Africa: Poverty
Wednesday 9th March 2016

Asked by: Diane Abbott (Independent - Hackney North and Stoke Newington)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of his Department's expenditure on the Bloodhound Supersonic Car project in South Africa on reducing poverty in that country.

Answered by James Duddridge

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has incurred no expenditure on the development of the Bloodhound Supersonic Car.


Written Question
Yemen: Human Rights
Friday 29th January 2016

Asked by: Diane Abbott (Independent - Hackney North and Stoke Newington)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 19 January 2016 to Question 22275, what assessment his Department made of the risk that items might be used in the commission of a serious violation of international humanitarian law as defined in the Export Control Act 2002 and the EU Common position when making the decision to grant licences for the sale of arms to Saudi Arabia.

Answered by Tobias Ellwood

The UK Government takes its arms export responsibilities very seriously and operates one of the most robust arms export control regimes in the world. All export licence applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria, taking account of all relevant factors at the time of the application including International Humanitarian Law. The Government is satisfied that extant licences for Saudi Arabia are compliant with the UK’s export licensing criteria.


Written Question
Burma: Sexual Offences
Monday 8th June 2015

Asked by: Diane Abbott (Independent - Hackney North and Stoke Newington)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions his Department has had with the government of Burma regarding implementation of the Declaration on Preventing Sexual Violence in the last six months; and at what levels these discussions took place.

Answered by Lord Swire

The then-Minister of State for the Home Office, Lynne Featherstone, visited Burma in January, in her role as UK Champion for Tackling Violence Against Women. She raised this issue with senior members of the Burmese government, including Ministers of the President’s Office, U Soe Thane and U Aung Min, and also with Deputy Foreign Minister U Thant Kyaw.

In our efforts to promote UNSCR 1325 (on Women, Peace and Security) in Burma, in addition to high-level lobbying, the UK has encouraged women’s full participation in the peace process, supported the drafting of forthcoming legislation on violence against women, and funded work to increase women’s participation in the electoral process. We have supported access to justice for the survivors of sexual violence. As one of the largest humanitarian donors to Kachin and Rakhine states, we have funded the coordination of activities to prevent violence against women.


Written Question
Burma
Monday 9th February 2015

Asked by: Diane Abbott (Independent - Hackney North and Stoke Newington)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what offers were made to the government of Burma of expert help with the investigation of the rape and murder of two ethnic Kachin teachers on 20 January 2015.

Answered by Lord Swire

We have raised our concerns about the incident with the Burmese government, and have urged a rapid investigation to bring the perpetrators to justice. We will be closely monitoring the outcome of this investigation.


Written Question
Iran
Tuesday 18th November 2014

Asked by: Diane Abbott (Independent - Hackney North and Stoke Newington)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the contribution of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on 6 November 2014, Official Report, column 1034, on re-opening the British embassy in Tehran, what recent progress he has made on consular and embassy arrangements in Iran.

Answered by Tobias Ellwood

As I set out in the House on 6 November 2014, the Government remains committed to reopening the British Embassy in Tehran once we have resolved the outstanding steps required to bring the Embassy back to a functional level and concluded arrangements for re-establishing a visa service in Tehran. We are in ongoing discussion with the Iranian government to identify solutions on both issues.


Written Question
Nigeria
Tuesday 18th November 2014

Asked by: Diane Abbott (Independent - Hackney North and Stoke Newington)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the Nigerian government on reports of homophobic vigilantism in Kebbi State.

Answered by James Duddridge

We are concerned by the recent reports of homophobic vigilantism in Kebbi State, Nigeria. Our High Commission in Abuja is seeking further information from contacts on the ground. The UK opposes any form of discrimination or persecution on the grounds of sexual orientation and any form of legislation that criminalises people on the basis of their sexuality.
Written Question
Uganda
Monday 17th November 2014

Asked by: Diane Abbott (Independent - Hackney North and Stoke Newington)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has held with his Ugandan counterpart on renewed attempts by lawmakers to fast track anti-LGBT legislation through the Ugandan parliament; and if he will make a statement.

Answered by James Duddridge

We welcomed the decision of the Ugandan Constitutional Court in August to annul the Anti-Homosexuality Act and we oppose attempts to reintroduce it. We will continue to raise our concerns with all levels of the Ugandan Government, including with the President, about any legislation that could lead to persecution and discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.


Written Question
Burma
Monday 13th October 2014

Asked by: Diane Abbott (Independent - Hackney North and Stoke Newington)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has met representatives of the Women's League of Burma to discuss rape and sexual violence in that country.

Answered by Lord Swire

The Women’s League of Burma (WLB) was one of several civil society and religious organisations invited by the Government to attend the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in June. I met representatives of many of these organisations at a roundtable during the Summit to hear their views and concerns first-hand, but unfortunately no WLB representatives were able to attend. They were, however, able to meet officials from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and attend much of the Global Summit. Officials in London and Rangoon remain in contact with the WLB, along with other non-governmental organisations working to address the issue of sexual violence in Burma.


Written Question
Sri Lanka
Monday 21st July 2014

Asked by: Diane Abbott (Independent - Hackney North and Stoke Newington)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has made to his Sri Lankan counterpart on their cooperation with the investigation by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights into alleged abuses in that country.

Answered by Lord Swire

We continue to urge the Sri Lankan government to fully co-operate with the UN Human Rights Council resolution of March 2014 and the international investigation into allegations of violations and abuses of international law on both sides of Sri Lanka’s military conflict it established. In his Written Ministerial Statement of 31 March, the then Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), stated that ‘we encourage the Sri Lankan government to fully co-operate with the resolution, and to work alongside the international community for the benefit of its people’. Our High Commissioner to Sri Lanka has raised this point directly with members of the Sri Lankan government, and in public statements.