Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policies of the findings of the report by Amnesty International entitled Deadly Cargo: Exposing the Supply Chain that Fuels War Crimes in Myanmar, published on 3 November 2022, on the supply of aviation fuel to Myanmar.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We welcome Amnesty International's important report on the supply of aviation fuel to Myanmar. It clearly sets out the risks associated with the provision of aviation fuel to Myanmar, which is used to facilitate military airstrikes against the civilian population.
On 28 February 2022, the UK updated its Overseas Business Risk Guidance to make it clear that UK businesses should conduct thorough supply chain due diligence to ensure that commodities such as aviation fuel do not reach the Myanmar military. The UK is also using targeted sanctions and lobbying against those who provide weapons and parts to the Myanmar Air Force.
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of reserving posts in the Diplomatic Service and his Department to UK nationals on the (a) efficacy of and (b) recruitment of expertise for UK Official Development Assistance programmes.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Civil Service Nationality Rules (CSNR) set out who is eligible to be employed in the Civil Service. Under the CSNRs, all posts in the Diplomatic Service were reserved for British nationals only. When the FCDO was formed, the Foreign Secretary decided that a reserved model best meets with the FCDO's security and representational requirements.
FCDO continues to review workforce policies to ensure that it has access to the skills and experience to deliver its objectives.
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
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 allocate £170 million to the UN Education Cannot Wait fund over the next three years.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The UK Government is proud to be a co-founding member and leading donor to Education Cannot Wait (ECW). We are working through options for our future commitment to ECW. The Government remains committed to transparency and will provide an update to Parliament on spending plans in due course.
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help support the Afghan relatives of British citizens who are under threat in that country.
Answered by Vicky Ford
Since the end of Op PITTING, the UK has supported over 4,600 individuals to leave Afghanistan, including British Nationals and their families and other eligible Afghans. We continue to work to ensure that the families of British nationals with entry clearance and those eligible for resettlement through the Afghanistan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) and Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS), are able to come to the UK. The UK is providing £286 million of humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan in 2022/23 and, together with our international allies, we are working to hold the Taliban to their commitments on human rights and safe passage for those wishing to leave the country. We continue to advise against travel to Afghanistan and cannot provide consular services in person in country as our Embassy is closed but have consular teams available in neighbouring countries.
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what support her Department is providing to British nationals in Afghanistan in need of urgent medical treatment.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
Since 28 August 2021 the British Embassy in Kabul has suspended in-country operations. FCDO Travel Advice for Afghanistan states that only very limited medical facilities are available in Afghanistan and makes clear that consular assistance can only be provided remotely and is extremely limited. British nationals in Afghanistan can continue to access 24 hour consular assistance by phone. We can provide in-person consular assistance in neighbouring countries.
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to engage with the Rohingya community as part of the UK’s relations with the Government of Myanmar.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The UK is committed to ensuring that the voices of Rohingya people are at the heart of our policy making. We have worked to keep the Rohingya crisis on the international agenda, at both the UN Security Council and the UN Human Rights Council.
The UK funded Rohingya refugees to attend the International Court of Justice in December 2019 to provide testimony of their experiences. Rohingya leaders have met regularly with FCDO Ministers over the last few years, both in person and virtually. The Minister responsible for South Asia, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, visited the refugee camps in Cox's Bazar in late 2021, where he spent the day meeting Rohingya refugees and listening to their experiences. My officials have a strong relationship with the Rohingya community based in Bradford, last visiting in October 2019, shortly before the pandemic.
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to ensure the safe return of British nationals with health concerns who remain stranded abroad during the covid-19 pandemic.
Answered by Nigel Adams
Helping British travellers who need and want to return to the UK is one of the Government's highest priorities. Since the outbreak in Wuhan, we estimate that over 1.3 million people have returned to the UK via commercial routes - the majority supported by our work to keep vital routes open. We have brought home over 38,000 people on 186 special charter flights organised by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, from 57 countries and territories. Our first priority was to bring back those who are vulnerable, who clearly face the greatest risk. We sought to ensure that space was made available on flight for acutely vulnerable British nationals of who we were aware, and - where possible - prioritised passengers by vulnerability.
We believe the vast majority of British travellers seeking to return to the UK - who don't have commercial options - have now done so. Through our embassies, and a dedicated central team, we continue to support British nationals who need consular support and are working to ensure commercial routes are maintained. We are monitoring risks globally and continue to review how best to provide assistance where necessary. Our travel advice and social media pages are also regularly updated to ensure that those wishing to return are aware of further developments.
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what estimate his Department has made of the number of British nationals who remain stranded abroad as a result of covid-19 travel restrictions and flight cancellations.
Answered by Nigel Adams
Helping British travellers who need and want to return to the UK is one of the Government's highest priorities. Since the outbreak in Wuhan, we estimate that over 1.3 million people have returned to the UK via commercial routes - the majority supported by our work to keep vital routes open. We have brought home over 38,000 people on 186 special charter flights organised by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, from 57 countries and territories. Our first priority was to bring back those who are vulnerable, who clearly face the greatest risk. We sought to ensure that space was made available on flight for acutely vulnerable British nationals of who we were aware, and - where possible - prioritised passengers by vulnerability.
We believe the vast majority of British travellers seeking to return to the UK - who don't have commercial options - have now done so. Through our embassies, and a dedicated central team, we continue to support British nationals who need consular support and are working to ensure commercial routes are maintained. We are monitoring risks globally and continue to review how best to provide assistance where necessary. Our travel advice and social media pages are also regularly updated to ensure that those wishing to return are aware of further developments.
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many UK nationals have been detained in India under Coronavirus laws in that country.
Answered by Nigel Adams
We are aware that British Nationals have been detained across India for breaching coronavirus lockdown laws. One has since returned to the UK and we are in contact with all of the others. We have raised individual medical and welfare concerns with the Indian authorities. Following the conclusion of their legal cases, we will assist with their return to the UK.
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what consular contact his Department has provided to UK nationals in India detained under Coronavirus laws in that country.
Answered by Nigel Adams
We are aware that British Nationals have been detained across India for breaching coronavirus lockdown laws. One has since returned to the UK and we are in contact with all of the others. We have raised individual medical and welfare concerns with the Indian authorities. Following the conclusion of their legal cases, we will assist with their return to the UK.