Asked by: Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative - Chingford and Woodford Green)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department plans to take in the case of Ryan Cornelius that differ from those taken by the previous administration.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government continues to raise Mr Ryan Cornelius' detention and welfare privately with the UAE authorities at appropriate opportunities. We continue to support his family's clemency applications, including through ministerial letters and I have raised their case with my Ministerial counterpart. The newly appointed Special Envoy for Complex Consular Detentions will review a small number of the most complex and intractable detention cases to determine where his engagement may add value and what different steps can be taken. The Envoy for Complex Consular Detentions has been briefed on the case. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office will continue to provide consular assistance to Mr Cornelius and his family and remain in close contact regarding any developments.
Asked by: Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative - Chingford and Woodford Green)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the Prime Minister plans to raise the detention of Ryan Cornelius directly with the Foreign Minister of the United Arab Emirates.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government continues to raise Mr Ryan Cornelius' detention and welfare privately with the UAE authorities at appropriate opportunities. We continue to support his family's clemency applications, including through ministerial letters and I have raised their case with my Ministerial counterpart. The newly appointed Special Envoy for Complex Consular Detentions will review a small number of the most complex and intractable detention cases to determine where his engagement may add value and what different steps can be taken. The Envoy for Complex Consular Detentions has been briefed on the case. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office will continue to provide consular assistance to Mr Cornelius and his family and remain in close contact regarding any developments.
Asked by: Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative - Chingford and Woodford Green)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will publicly call on the Government of the United Arab Emirates to release Ryan Cornelius immediately.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government continues to raise Mr Ryan Cornelius' detention and welfare privately with the UAE authorities at appropriate opportunities. We continue to support his family's clemency applications, including through ministerial letters and I have raised their case with my Ministerial counterpart. The newly appointed Special Envoy for Complex Consular Detentions will review a small number of the most complex and intractable detention cases to determine where his engagement may add value and what different steps can be taken. The Envoy for Complex Consular Detentions has been briefed on the case. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office will continue to provide consular assistance to Mr Cornelius and his family and remain in close contact regarding any developments.
Asked by: Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative - Chingford and Woodford Green)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if the Special Envoy for Complex Detention Cases will demand the release of Ryan Cornelius.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government continues to raise Mr Ryan Cornelius' detention and welfare privately with the UAE authorities at appropriate opportunities. We continue to support his family's clemency applications, including through ministerial letters and I have raised their case with my Ministerial counterpart. The newly appointed Special Envoy for Complex Consular Detentions will review a small number of the most complex and intractable detention cases to determine where his engagement may add value and what different steps can be taken. The Envoy for Complex Consular Detentions has been briefed on the case. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office will continue to provide consular assistance to Mr Cornelius and his family and remain in close contact regarding any developments.
Asked by: Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative - Chingford and Woodford Green)
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 adequacy of treatment of Buddhists and other religious minorities in North Korea; what assessment he has made of the level of restrictions on Buddhist worship and religious practice in that country; and what steps he is taking to help uphold freedom of religion and belief in North Korea.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK remains deeply concerned by reports of ongoing, widespread and systematic human rights violations in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), including severe restrictions on freedom of religion or belief. Reports indicate that individuals practicing religion can face surveillance, imprisonment or other serious penalties.
Promoting and protecting freedom of religion or belief for all is a UK priority. We regularly raise concerns about the lack of freedom of religion or belief with DPRK officials and in multilateral fora, including the UN Human Rights Council and the UN General Assembly. We continue to call on the DPRK to address its appalling human rights record and to comply with its international human rights obligations.
Asked by: Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative - Chingford and Woodford Green)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has raised concerns with his German counterpart on the comments of the leader of the Alternative für Deutschland about a resumption of gas supplies to Germany from Russia.
Answered by Uma Kumaran - Assistant Whip
The Government continues to work closely with the Government of Germany and other partners to strengthen European energy security and maintain pressure on Russia. The Foreign Secretary has not raised the reported comments by the leader of the Alternative fur Deutschland with his German counterpart or discussed Russian gas supplies with the Deputy Chairman of the Christian Democratic Union. The Foreign Secretary and his German counterpart regularly discuss Russia's war against Ukraine, including support for Ukraine, European security, and the need to maintain pressure on Russia.
The Government supports efforts to strengthen European energy security and reduce dependence on Russian energy. The Government will continue to work with European partners to reduce the revenues available to Russia to fund its war against Ukraine.
Asked by: Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative - Chingford and Woodford Green)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether it is the Government's policy that the Nord Stream pipelines should remain closed and not used for the supply of Russian gas.
Answered by Uma Kumaran - Assistant Whip
The Government continues to work closely with the Government of Germany and other partners to strengthen European energy security and maintain pressure on Russia. The Foreign Secretary has not raised the reported comments by the leader of the Alternative fur Deutschland with his German counterpart or discussed Russian gas supplies with the Deputy Chairman of the Christian Democratic Union. The Foreign Secretary and his German counterpart regularly discuss Russia's war against Ukraine, including support for Ukraine, European security, and the need to maintain pressure on Russia.
The Government supports efforts to strengthen European energy security and reduce dependence on Russian energy. The Government will continue to work with European partners to reduce the revenues available to Russia to fund its war against Ukraine.
Asked by: Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative - Chingford and Woodford Green)
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 Deputy Chairman of the Christian Democratic Union on Russian gas supplies to Germany.
Answered by Uma Kumaran - Assistant Whip
The Government continues to work closely with the Government of Germany and other partners to strengthen European energy security and maintain pressure on Russia. The Foreign Secretary has not raised the reported comments by the leader of the Alternative fur Deutschland with his German counterpart or discussed Russian gas supplies with the Deputy Chairman of the Christian Democratic Union. The Foreign Secretary and his German counterpart regularly discuss Russia's war against Ukraine, including support for Ukraine, European security, and the need to maintain pressure on Russia.
The Government supports efforts to strengthen European energy security and reduce dependence on Russian energy. The Government will continue to work with European partners to reduce the revenues available to Russia to fund its war against Ukraine.
Asked by: Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative - Chingford and Woodford Green)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what plans she has to discuss the Ethnic Unity and Progress Law with her Chinese counterpart.
Answered by Seema Malhotra
This is a concerning development in China. We note the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights' concern that this law may entrench restrictions on the rights and freedoms of ethnic minorities in a country where the environment for freedom of religion or belief is already restrictive.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has discussed this law with Chinese officials, stressing the importance that the law does not harm the rights of members of minority groups and that it is not applied extraterritorially. We will never tolerate attempts by foreign governments to coerce, intimidate, harass, or harm their critics overseas, and anyone caught assisting a foreign state to undermine our security will be brought to justice.
Asked by: Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative - Chingford and Woodford Green)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what information her Department holds on the involvement of the United Front in the purchase of independent schools by Chinese investors since 2014.
Answered by Olivia Bailey
Any information the department holds on schools is accessible via the Get information about schools website here: https://get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/.