Asked by: Henry Smith (Conservative - Crawley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what diplomatic steps his Department is taking to help tackle illegal migration.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
We [FCDO] are engaging with international partners on a 'whole of route' approach to addressing irregular migration. This includes a multi-year operational plan with France to stop small boats, developing partnerships to tackle organised immigration crime, improving returns processes and working with partner countries through international fora to address the root causes of irregular migration, such as conflict and climate change.
Asked by: Henry Smith (Conservative - Crawley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, pursuant to the Answer of 28 November 2023 to Question 2552 on Guyana: Venezuela, what recent discussions he has held with his counterparts in Guyana on the border dispute with Venezuela.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
On 30 November, the Foreign Secretary discussed Venezuela's steps with respect to the region of Essequibo in Guyana with President Ali of Guyana.
We believe the unilateral actions of Venezuela are unjustified and should cease.
The UK is clear that the border was settled in 1899 through international arbitration.
Asked by: Henry Smith (Conservative - Crawley)
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 fly the Commonwealth flag alongside the Union Flag at British (a) high commissions, (b) embassies and (c) missions.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) flies the Commonwealth flag on its UK estate for the week starting the second Monday in March to celebrate Commonwealth Day, and our Posts in Commonwealth countries can do the same where the Post has sufficient flagpoles to do so. It is not our practice to fly, on a permanent basis, the flags of organisations of which the UK is a member. FCDO flag policy is reviewed on an annual basis.
Asked by: Henry Smith (Conservative - Crawley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will take steps to permanently fly the Commonwealth flag on his Department's building on Whitehall.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) flies the Commonwealth flag on its UK estate for the week starting the second Monday in March to celebrate Commonwealth Day, and our Posts in Commonwealth countries can do the same where the Post has sufficient flagpoles to do so. It is not our practice to fly, on a permanent basis, the flags of organisations of which the UK is a member. FCDO flag policy is reviewed on an annual basis.
Asked by: Henry Smith (Conservative - Crawley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with the International Finance Corporation on preventing funding for livestock projects with (a) low standards of animal welfare and (b) routine prophylactic use of antimicrobials; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
Sustainable investments in livestock are key to preventing malnutrition and reducing poverty. As a shareholder and partner to the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the UK works closely with the IFC to ensure that it complies with rigorous and internationally recognised standards. The IFC's assessments of its projects is aligned with EU requirements and standards, including on animal health protocols and the use of antibiotics in animal production. The IFC does not invest in clients that fail to achieve industry standard certification for animal welfare within 36 months. The UK will continue to monitor the implementation of these standards and engage with IFC Management on its approach to livestock production.
Asked by: Henry Smith (Conservative - Crawley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his counterparts in India on changes to domestic legislation effecting Asian elephants habitats and other biodiversity.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government is working closely with India to strengthen collaboration on nature, including through our Forests Partnership which is focused on forest and biodiversity conservation. A joint working group between UK and Indian officials took place in July, and through this partnership officials continue to engage with Government of India interlocutors on a range of issues related to biodiversity, including the impacts of changes to any legislation. The Secretary of State for Defra also recently attended the G20 Climate and Environment Ministerial Meeting in India, where discussion on biodiversity and nature featured prominently.
Asked by: Henry Smith (Conservative - Crawley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when he plans that the UK will ratify the UN High Seas Treaty; and what steps he is taking to encourage global partners to do so.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Draft text for an international legally binding instrument under the United Nations Convention on the Law of Sea on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction - the BBNJ Agreement - was agreed on 5 March. It will be adopted by the Intergovernmental Conference at a further meeting, later this year. This is a landmark agreement for biodiversity and will mean much greater protection for over 60% of the global ocean.
The UK will work to ratify the Agreement as soon as possible, and work with global partners to ensure it is implemented quickly and effectively.
Asked by: Henry Smith (Conservative - Crawley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department is taking steps to agree a global high seas treaty that includes a legally-binding mechanism for the designation of marine protected areas on the high seas before the fifth session of the UN Intergovernmental Conference on Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Negotiations in the Intergovernmental Conference to negotiate a new Implementing Agreement under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ) resumed at the UN on 20 February. The UK strongly supports the conclusion of an ambitious agreement at these negotiations and is working hard with international partners to achieve that outcome, which will include a mechanism for establishing Marine Protected Areas in the high seas. Negotiations conclude on 3 March.
Asked by: Henry Smith (Conservative - Crawley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of reports that Iran is preparing to supply Russia with short-range ballistic missiles to be used against Ukraine.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK condemns Iranian support for the Russian military campaign in Ukraine and has made this clear to Iran. Iran's supply of drones violates UN Security Council Resolution 2231 and the supply of ballistic missiles to Russia would represent a significant escalation. We support Ukraine's request for a UN investigation into the Iranian transfers and have repeatedly raised the issue of transfers at the UN, most recently on 19 December alongside both France and Germany. The UK also adopted new sanctions in October and December alongside the EU against Iranian individuals and entities involved in these transfers.
Asked by: Henry Smith (Conservative - Crawley)
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 role of intensive farming in the climate emergency; and what steps the Government will take to transition to sustainable and humane food systems.
Answered by Vicky Ford
At COP26, the UK announced the £65 million Just Rural Transition Support Programme to support developing countries design and implement approaches that help farmers build resilience and drive investment into more sustainable methods of agriculture. This builds on £9 million of current UK Government support to the Just Rural Transition which is helping countries to take initial steps to implement sustainable land use policies and practices. This is also a priority domestically. Following our exit from the European Union, England has begun a programme of ambitious agriculture reform. This new policy will, over a gradual transition period, phase out the area-based EU style subsidies and instead introduce a package of voluntary grants and continuous payments which reward farmers for environmental outcomes, increase productivity and support investment in technology.
It is clear that global food and agriculture systems are central drivers of climate change, contributing up to 33% of global Greenhouse Gas Emissions and are the leading driver of biodiversity loss. Through the COP26 campaign on Accelerating Transition to Sustainable Agriculture, the UK COP Presidency raised visibility and mobilised action for transformation in agriculture, land use and food systems, essential to ensure sustainable food production for a growing population whilst building resilience for farmers and a just transition to reduce emissions and reversing harmful impacts on biodiversity.