Asked by: Heidi Allen (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
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 Ministry of Defence on the £400 million which is reported to be due to Iran following arrangements made between the UK and Iran in the 1970s for the purchase of Chieftain tanks; and what recent discussions he has had with his Iranian counterpart on that matter.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
This is a long-standing case and relates to contracts signed over 40 years ago with the pre-revolution Iranian regime. The case is subject to a legal process, and the most recent hearing concluded on 22 May. We await the court's judgement, which will be a step forward in this complex and long-standing case. As Ministers have said in Parliament, it would be inappropriate to comment in detail while litigation continues.
Asked by: Heidi Allen (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
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 Israeli counterpart on the demolitions in Khan Al Ahmar.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
The UK is gravely concerned by Israeli proposals to relocate the Bedouin population from the E1 area, which the United Nations have said could constitute forcible transfer. These plans could have a devastating impact on the communities concerned and will likely open the way for further settlement expansion – endangering the viability of the two-state solution.
We have been clear about our concerns with the Israeli authorities and we regularly raise this thorough our Embassy in Tel Aviv. On 3 November, I met Abu Khamis, leader of the Khan al Ahmar Bedouin community, and an official from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, to discuss the situation of the Bedouin living in the E1 Zone of the West Bank.
Asked by: Heidi Allen (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received on the case of the Syrian journalist, Zaina Erhaim.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
My officials have been in contact with the UK Border Force about this case. We are aware that the passport presented by Zaina Erhaim has been retained by UK Border Force officials. The passport was listed on an international database as lost or stolen. In such circumstances the Border Force will confiscate the document. Since the passport is listed as lost or stolen, it is no longer valid for travel to the UK or elsewhere and as such the Border Force is not able to return the passport to Ms Erhaim. The passport is therefore being retained by the British authorities.