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Written Question
Libya: Freezing of Assets
Tuesday 20th February 2018

Asked by: Jim Fitzpatrick (Labour - Poplar and Limehouse)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has held with his counterparts in the EU on tensuring the security and retention of frozen Libyan assets.

Answered by Alistair Burt

As a member of the United Nations Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1970 (2011) concerning Libya, we regularly discuss the implementation of the UN Libya sanctions regime, including with EU members of the Committee. We have regular discussions on the EU autonomous regime with EU member states in the relevant working groups and the listings are reviewed on a regular basis. We have also done so in routine working group meetings with EU partners concerning the implementation of the EU Regulations and restrictive measures on Libya. By its Resolution 2362 of 29 June 2017, the UN Security Council reaffirmed its intention to ensure that assets frozen by the UN in 2011 shall at a later stage be made available to and for the benefit of the Libyan people.


Written Question
Bangladesh: British Council
Thursday 8th September 2016

Asked by: Jim Fitzpatrick (Labour - Poplar and Limehouse)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions took place between (a) his Department and the British Council and (b) the UK High Commission in Dhaka and the British Council in Bangladesh before the decision was taken to close that Council's centres in that country; and what timetable is in place for reopening those centres.

Answered by Alok Sharma - COP26 President (Cabinet Office)

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office and UK High Commission in Dhaka have maintained close contact with the British Council before and since the closure, following the 1 July terrorist attack at Holey Bakery. The Council has completed its security review and is taking the necessary steps to ensure the safety and security of its staff and buildings before reopening.


Written Question
Tourism: Elephants
Tuesday 10th November 2015

Asked by: Jim Fitzpatrick (Labour - Poplar and Limehouse)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will take steps to ensure that UK citizens travelling to India, Thailand and other elephant-range states are made aware of the illegal practice of capturing and breaking the spirit of baby elephants for use in the tourist industry.

Answered by Lord Swire

The United Kingdom is committed to conserving Asian elephants and recognises the growing threats to their populations, particularly from poaching and cross-border, illegal trade in live animals to feed the demand by the tourist and entertainment industries. We have been working internationally through the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in discussion with elephant range states, such as India and Thailand, to increase protection for Asian elephants. In 2014, we secured agreement in 2014 for elephant range states to put in place measures to prevent illegal trade in live elephants.

Although it is not for the Government to make British citizens aware of this practice, we will continue to work together with the Indian authorities, as well as non-governmental organisations, on protecting elephants.


Written Question
India: Elephants
Tuesday 10th November 2015

Asked by: Jim Fitzpatrick (Labour - Poplar and Limehouse)

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 Indian counterpart on the illegal use of bull-hooks on Asian elephants in the tourism and logging industries.

Answered by Lord Swire

I refer the honourable Member to the answer I gave on 29 October 2015 (PQs 12817, 13418, 13419) which can be located at:

www.parliament.uk/writtenanswers/


Written Question
Bangladesh
Thursday 22nd January 2015

Asked by: Jim Fitzpatrick (Labour - Poplar and Limehouse)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the political situation in Bangladesh.

Answered by Lord Swire

The Government is deeply concerned about the escalating violence and disruption in Bangladesh, which affects the daily lives of its citizens. All political parties must urge restraint, an end to violence and respect for the rule of law. We have called on Bangladesh’s political parties to work together through dialogue to find a long-term solution that breaks the cycle of violence and disruption.

The British High Commissioner to Bangladesh, along with other EU Ambassadors, met Bangladesh Foreign Minister Mahmood Ali on 14 January to express collective concerns at the ongoing violence in Bangladesh, in particular the shooting of former Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Reaz Rahman and an attack on a bus in Rangpur which killed four people, including a child. They asked that the Bangladesh government investigate these crimes promptly and in accordance with the law. Our High Commissioner echoed these concerns in his statement on 14 January. I also raised these issues with the Bangladesh Minster for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs in our meeting on Tuesday 20 January.


Written Question
Conflict Pool
Tuesday 21st October 2014

Asked by: Jim Fitzpatrick (Labour - Poplar and Limehouse)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the budget for the Conflict Pool was in each of the last four years.

Answered by Lord Swire

Details of Conflict Pool allocations for the past four years were laid before Parliament annually in a Written Ministerial Statement. Links to the Statements for the relevant Financial Years are as follows
2011/12
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm110405/wmstext/110405m0001.htm

2012/13
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201213/cmhansrd/cm121119/wmstext/121119m0001.htm

2013/14
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm130613/wmstext/130613m0001.htm

2014/15
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm140624/wmstext/140624m0001.htm


Written Question
Conflict Pool
Tuesday 21st October 2014

Asked by: Jim Fitzpatrick (Labour - Poplar and Limehouse)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make it his policy for the Cabinet Office to publish annual reports and accounts for spending in the Conflict Pool.

Answered by Lord Swire

The Conflict Pool will cease to operate in its current form in March 2015. The Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF) will begin operating in April 2015, bringing together a number of new and current Government resources, including the former Conflict Pool. The Government will ensure full reporting to Parliament on the CSSF. Details of this will be confirmed in due course.


Written Question
Conflict Pool
Tuesday 21st October 2014

Asked by: Jim Fitzpatrick (Labour - Poplar and Limehouse)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when his Department plans to publish the latest review of the Conflict Pool.

Answered by Lord Swire

I refer the Member for Poplar and Limehouse to the reply which my Rt Hon Friend, the Member for New Forest West (Desmond Swayne MP), Minister of State, Department for International Development, gave the Member for Wirral South on 16 October (UIN 210197).


Written Question

Question Link

Tuesday 13th May 2014

Asked by: Jim Fitzpatrick (Labour - Poplar and Limehouse)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect on the UK's relationship with Bangladesh of the activities in the UK of Tareque Rahman, Vice Chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party.

Answered by Hugh Robertson

The UK enjoys a broad and wide ranging relationship with Bangladesh which is built on engagement with the government of Bangladesh and Bangladesh political parties, business and cultural exchanges between our people. We work on a range of bilateral and global issues that include Bangladesh's recent endorsement of the Declaration of Commitment to End Sexual Violence in Conflict. We are not aware of any activities by Mr Rahman that have had an impact on our bilateral relationship.