Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much his Department spent on staff training related to diversity and inclusion in 2022.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The FCDO has a Staff Networks Partnership Agreement to ensure our policies and operations are informed by employee insights including equality, diversity and inclusion, alongside quantitative and qualitative HR data managed by HR Directorate. UK Directorates, Overseas Posts and Staff Networks are responsible for organising training programmes according to evidenced training needs, which must be in line with the Civil Service guidance and value. In 2022 the FCDO spent £25,412.96 on centrally organised staff training related to diversity and inclusion.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what documents relating to negotiations at EU level over reducing costs of draft EU legislation where held at the UK Representation to the EU from 2010 until the UK's departure from the EU.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The FCDO does not collate centrally and specifically documentation relating to negotiations at EU level over reducing costs of draft EU legislation. The information requested could only be provided at disproportionate cost. However, His Majesty's Government at the time was a supporter of EU better regulation initiatives, an objective of which was the reduction of unnecessary regulatory costs arising from EU legislation.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many British citizens have been taken hostage by terrorist organisations in each of the last 10 years.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The FCDO does not share information on individual hostage cases. The safety of British nationals overseas is a priority for the Government.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to secure religious freedom for Arab Christians in (a) Israel and (b) the West Bank.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
Freedom of Religion or Belief is a human rights priority for the UK Government. Our Embassy in Tel Aviv and Consulate General in Jerusalem raise issues of religious freedom with the Israeli Government and Palestinian Authority. The UK recognises that Jerusalem holds particular significance for many groups, especially the three Abrahamic faiths.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to (a) support and (b) promote the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
We are committed to the objective of an independent, sovereign and prosperous Palestinian state, living side by side with a safe and secure Israel. That is why we put such emphasis on strengthening Palestinian institutions and fostering sustainable economic growth. Economic progress can never be a substitute for a political settlement, but it is vital in the interim that Palestinians see tangible improvements in their daily lives. The UK will recognise a Palestinian state at a time when it best serves the objective of peace. Bilateral recognition in itself cannot end the occupation. Without a negotiated settlement the occupation and the problems that come with it will continue. We consistently call for an immediate end to all actions that undermine the viability of the two-state solution and are encouraging both sides to maintain calm and avoid taking actions which make peace more difficult to achieve.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to help protect Palestinian Christians from aggression.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
Every Palestinian and Israeli has the right to live in peace and security. Our Embassy in Tel Aviv and Consulate-General in Jerusalem raise issues of religious freedom with the Israeli and Palestinian Governments. I also met with representatives of the Holy Land Coordination Group, Bishop Declan Lang and Bishop Christopher Chessun, on 22 June to discuss the situation in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and their work with the Christian community there.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to help ensure that Israel enables Christians from all nations to (a) visit and (b) have access to Holy sites in Jerusalem.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The holy sites of Jerusalem hold particular significance for many groups around the globe, especially the three Abrahamic faiths of Christianity, Islam and Judaism. The UK is committed to working with all parties to maintain calm, avoid provocation and uphold the Status Quo in order to ensure the safety and security of the holy sites and all who worship and visit there, including Christians from all nations. We continue to urge the Israeli and Palestinian leadership to avoid actions that make it more difficult to achieve a negotiated solution to the conflict.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
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 validity of information from the Chinese Government on the initial outbreak of covid-19.
Answered by Nigel Adams
As Parliament rose earlier than planned and the first day for answer of this PQ was after the Easter recess, due to the pace of developments during the COVID-19 crisis, I submitted a response by email on 7 April, with the following response. The Table Office have agreed this approach.
We have been in regular contact with the Chinese authorities at all levels since the onset of the Covid-19 outbreak, including on 23 March when the Prime Minister spoke to President Xi Jinping. We have continued to underline the importance of full and open data sharing to advance our understanding of the virus and the global response. We have raised this through our Ambassador in Beijing and in meetings with the Chinese Embassy in London.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure that all NHS trained staff who wish to return from overseas to assist with the covid-19 outbreak in the UK are supported to do so.
Answered by Nigel Adams
As Parliament rose earlier than planned and the first day for answer of this PQ was after the Easter recess, due to the pace of developments during the COVID-19 crisis, I submitted a response by email on 9 April, with the following response. The Table Office have agreed this approach.
The Foreign Secretary announced on 30 March an important new partnership between the Government and airlines to fly home more stranded British travelers, where commercial routes do not exist. The Government will provide up to £75 million financial support to enable special charter flights to priority countries, operated by airlines including Virgin, Easyjet, Jet 2 and Titan. This service has already begun, with flights earlier this week from Ghana and Tunisia.
Our consular team is working around the clock to provide support, advice and information. We are aware that there are key workers, including NHS trained staff, who are stuck abroad; this highlights the imperative of getting people back.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of whether information was suppressed by the Chinese Government after the initial outbreak of covid-19 in Wuhan Province.
Answered by Nigel Adams
As Parliament rose earlier than planned and the first day for answer of this PQ was after the Easter recess, due to the pace of developments during the COVID-19 crisis, I submitted a response by email on 7 April, with the following response. The Table Office have agreed this approach.
We have been in regular contact with the Chinese authorities at all levels since the onset of the Covid-19 outbreak, including on 23 March when the Prime Minister spoke to President Xi Jinping. We have continued to underline the importance of full and open data sharing to advance our understanding of the virus and the global response. We have raised this through our Ambassador in Beijing and in meetings with the Chinese Embassy in London.