Asked by: Ian Lavery (Labour - Wansbeck)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will urgently increase funding for (a) child protection and (b) mental health and psychosocial support as part of her Department's humanitarian and development assistance to Gaza.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
I [Minister Milling] met with UNRWA staff during my visit to the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs) on 23 June where I heard first-hand about the vital work the agency undertakes to provide core services to Palestinian refugees. In 2021, the UK provided £2 million to UNICEF to help them provide child-sensitive grants to vulnerable households in Gaza reaching 4,311 boys and girls. This support enabled families to meet the essential needs of their children, with the majority of the support spent on food, education, and healthcare. Through our annual support to UNRWA, the UK supports their Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) interventions, especially for children, which included summer school activities targeting 98,595 children (52,236 girls and 46,359 boys) in Gaza in 2021.
Asked by: Ian Lavery (Labour - Wansbeck)
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 implications for his policies of reports by human rights organisations in Colombia of arbitrary arrests during national strike protests which started in that country on 28 April 2021.
Answered by Wendy Morton
The UK Government remains concerned about reports of human rights violations in Colombia. The fundamental human right to peaceful assembly and association must be guaranteed. Colombia is a UK 'Human Rights Priority Country,' and we have raised our concerns with the relevant state actors in Colombia since protests began. Most recently, I spoke with acting Foreign Minister Adriana Mejía on 14 May to express our concerns, and welcome Colombia's commitment to transparent investigations into allegations of abuse.
We look to the Colombian authorities to investigate fully any excessive use of force, and take appropriate action against those responsible. Security services must be held accountable for their actions, with all complaints thoroughly investigated. We will continue to work closely with the UN Verification Mission, and the UN Office of the High Representative for Human Rights in Colombia, as well as the wider international community, in support of their efforts to reduce tensions and promote dialogue.
Asked by: Ian Lavery (Labour - Wansbeck)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make representations to his Colombian counterpart on urgently implementing agreements signed by the Colombian Government with communities in Buenaventura as recommended by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on 19 March 2021.
Answered by Wendy Morton
The UK Government remains concerned about reports of violence and insecurity in Colombia, including in Buenaventura. Embassy teams have visited Buenaventura twice this year to meet with key local stakeholders to discuss peace and security challenges. In April, the Embassy attended and supported the launch of the Buenaventura Search Pact, signed by the Unit for the Search for Disappeared People, the Special Jurisdiction for Peace, the Truth Commission, and the representative of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. The Pact is an initiative to support families of people that have disappeared and put in place measures to address forced disappearances, structural violence and insecurity in Buenaventura.
This support is part of the UK's efforts to help implement the 2016 Peace Accords and improve security, human rights, and justice in Colombia. In addition, UK ministers and senior officials regularly raise human rights issues with their Colombian counterparts. Most recently, the UK's Ambassador for Human Rights, Rita French, raised our concerns around levels of violence, on a virtual visit to Colombia in February. We will continue to raise our concerns with the relevant state actors in Colombia.
Asked by: Ian Lavery (Labour - Wansbeck)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has been made of the implications for his policies of calls by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Colombia for urgent action in response to high levels of violence and insecurity in the Colombian region of Buenaventura.
Answered by Wendy Morton
The UK Government remains concerned about reports of violence and insecurity in Colombia, including in Buenaventura. Embassy teams have visited Buenaventura twice this year to meet with key local stakeholders to discuss peace and security challenges. In April, the Embassy attended and supported the launch of the Buenaventura Search Pact, signed by the Unit for the Search for Disappeared People, the Special Jurisdiction for Peace, the Truth Commission, and the representative of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. The Pact is an initiative to support families of people that have disappeared and put in place measures to address forced disappearances, structural violence and insecurity in Buenaventura.
This support is part of the UK's efforts to help implement the 2016 Peace Accords and improve security, human rights, and justice in Colombia. In addition, UK ministers and senior officials regularly raise human rights issues with their Colombian counterparts. Most recently, the UK's Ambassador for Human Rights, Rita French, raised our concerns around levels of violence, on a virtual visit to Colombia in February. We will continue to raise our concerns with the relevant state actors in Colombia.
Asked by: Ian Lavery (Labour - Wansbeck)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
What diplomatic steps the Government is taking to help provide protection and support for LGBT+ communities in eastern Europe.
Answered by Wendy Morton
The UK plays an active role in Eastern Europe and across the world in support of LGBT+ rights. We became co-chair of the Equal Rights Coalition (ERC) in June last year, in partnership with Argentina. The ERC is a group of 42 like-minded States that share best practice and promote LGBT equality globally. Our plan is to deliver an ERC Strategy and Action Plan to re-energise the ERC. In addition to this, our embassies across the region proudly fly the rainbow flag for International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOBIT).
Asked by: Ian Lavery (Labour - Wansbeck)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the population was of St Helena in each of the last 10 years; and what assessment he has made of trends in the level of that population over that period.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
The Saint Helena Government's Statistics Office has confirmed that the resident population of St Helena in June each year was:
2010 - 3966
2011 - 3982
2012 - 4050
2013 - 4220
2014 - 4349
2015 - 4458
2016 - 4542
2017 - 4345
2018 - 4554
2019 - 4346
The population increased during the construction of St Helena Airport (particularly between 2013 and 2016) but there was a slight fall in number before the airport opened for commercial flights in October 2017. In 2018 the resident population increased and subsequently fell in 2019 to around the same level as it was in 2014.
Asked by: Ian Lavery (Labour - Wansbeck)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to his Colombian counterpart on the murder of Emilsen Manyoma on 17 January 2017; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Alan Duncan
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer that I gave on 30 January 2017 to Written Question 61212.
Asked by: Ian Lavery (Labour - Wansbeck)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many meetings Ministers and officials of his Department have had with Ministers and officials of the (a) Ministry of Defence, (b) Foreign and Commonwealth Office and (c) Department for International Development to discuss negotiations on the new scheme for BBC monitoring services and the closure of Caversham Park.
Answered by Alan Duncan
Cabinet Office officials have held five meetings with Ministry of Defence officials, one meeting with a Foreign and Commonwealth Office Minister and five meetings with Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials, related to negotiations of the 2017 BBC Monitoring Agreement.
Cabinet Office officials have not held meetings with the Department for International Development as DfID is not one of the six 'key customers' for the HMG BBC Monitoring service.
Asked by: Ian Lavery (Labour - Wansbeck)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what risk assessments government departments have carried out of the proposed restructuring of BBC monitoring services and the closure of Caversham Park; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Alan Duncan
Risk assessments on the restructuring and closure of Caversham Park are matters for the BBC. HMG has ensured that products and services will continue to be provided to HMG by BBCM, during and after the restructuring, through the negotiation of the new BBC Monitoring Agreement.
Asked by: Ian Lavery (Labour - Wansbeck)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether any former officials of his Department have taken employment with Rio Tinto plc in the last five years.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
The FCO does not hold details of employment taken up by former officials unless they have been subject to the business appointment rules. Records kept under the business appointment rules covering the last 3 years (2012 – 2014) show that no former members of staff have left the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) to join Rio Tinto plc.