Asked by: John Hemming (Liberal Democrat - Birmingham, Yardley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 5 December 2014 to Question 216865, what estimate he has made of the cost of obtaining the information requested; and on what basis that estimate was arrived at.
Answered by David Lidington
The guide to Parliamentary work (available on the Cabinet Office website at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guide-to-parliamentary-work and already in the Library of the House) sets out that Government departments can refuse to answer a question where the cost of responding to that question would be above the disproportionate cost threshold, which is currently set at £850. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office calculated that collating a response to the hon. Member’s question would exceed this threshold.
Asked by: John Hemming (Liberal Democrat - Birmingham, Yardley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports or assessments have been commissioned by the UK Government on child protection proceedings in the British Overseas Territories between 2000 and 2005; when each such report or assessment was commissioned; which jurisdiction was the subject of each such report or assessment; and which external agency undertook the assessment or produced the report in each such case.
Answered by James Duddridge
The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost as we do not hold this information centrally. However, you will know from answers to your previous questions on this subject the importance the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) attaches to protecting children from harm, and the more recent projects and ongoing work.Asked by: John Hemming (Liberal Democrat - Birmingham, Yardley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports or assessments have been commissioned on child protection proceedings in the Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies since 1994; when each such report or assessment was commissioned; which jurisdiction was the subject of each such report or assessment; and what external agency was used in each case.
Answered by James Duddridge
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has supported the Overseas Territories (OTs) in developing capacity to manage and improve child safeguarding since 2005, through the joint commissioning of a number of reports and assessments:
• On 21 July 2014 the former FCO Minister for Overseas Territories, the Hon Member for Boston and Skegness (Mark Simmonds) announced to Parliament that the FCO would be establishing an independent Inquiry into child abuse allegations on St Helena. On 20 November 2014, the Foreign Secretary announced to Parliament that Sasha Wass QC will be leading the inquiry.
• In March 2014: Northumbria Police investigation into observations of child safeguarding provisions and the effectiveness and efficiency of the St Helena Police force.
• A review of Policing in St Helena was undertaken by Simon Martin, Southern Ocean Law Enforcement Adviser 4-6 March 2013.
• In September 2013 the Lucy Faithfull foundation carried out a St Helena Child Safeguarding Review 2013. An executive summary was published at the time.
• In November 2012 Sussex Constabulary investigated complaints about police officers in an Ascension Island investigation.
• A primary investigation into the allegations raised in an anonymous letter received by the FCO on 7 November 2012 led by Lewis Evans, Immigration Executive Officer on Ascension and St Helena.
• There were three Pitcairn Child Safeguarding Reviews in 2009, 2011 and 2013, conducted by the Lucy Faithfull Foundation and independent Social Work experts from New Zealand.
• A Child Safety Review in the Falkland Islands by the Lucy Faithful Foundation in June 2013 with a report published in August 2013.
• The Lucy Faithful Foundation produced a preliminary report in 2014 on Montserrat.
• There have been the following DFID initiatives since 2005: The Safeguarding Children in the Overseas Territories (SCOT) programme (2009-2013), followed on from a Child Protection Programme (CPP, 2005-2008).
• In September 2014 a dedicated Child Safeguarding and Domestic Violence Policy Officer position was created within the Overseas Territories Directorate of the FCO to encourage compliance with best practice and support the Territories in establishing and improving existing measures that promote welfare and protect children from harm.
As self governing jurisdictions the Crown Dependencies have their own systems in place and responsibility for child safeguarding, as such there has been no reason for HMG to commission any reports.
You have asked for details of reports or assessments commissioned into child protection since 1994. The information requested is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: John Hemming (Liberal Democrat - Birmingham, Yardley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the Answer of 17 March 2014 to Question 191665, if his Department will respond in writing to the final report of the UN Special Rapporteur on Counter-Terrorism dated 28 February 2014 by the Human Rights Council expert meeting on 22 September 2014 concerning the use of armed drones.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
We have no plans to respond in writing to the report by the UN Special Rapporteur on Counter-Terrorism dated 28 February 2014. However, the United Kingdom was represented at the UN Human Rights Council expert meeting on 22 September, where we once again set out our position on the legality of Remotely Piloted Air Systems.
Asked by: John Hemming (Liberal Democrat - Birmingham, Yardley)
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 that the opening of the airport on St Helena does not lead to the development of child sex tourism in that territory.
Answered by Mark Simmonds
Safeguarding children in St Helena is a critical priority for the St Helena Government and the UK. Whilst Territory Governments have the principal responsibility for ensure the safeguarding of children in the Overseas Territories, the UK provides practical assistance and support. DFID and the FCO have been supporting child safeguarding initiatives in the OT’s for the last nine years, most recently through the Safeguarding Children in the Overseas Territories (SCOT) programme (2013-2016), which followed on from an earlier SCOT programme (2009-2013) and a regional Child Protection Programme (CPP, 2005-2008). This new programme will focus on gaining a deeper understanding of the problem including how to detect, prevent and address child abuse.
Following recent further allegations relating to child abuse in St Helena, the then Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs agreed to establish an independent panel of experts to investigate these specific allegations and related matters. In response to these allegations the island’s Executive Council said: “We have taken great steps on St Helena to protect our children and vulnerable people against abuse of any kind. We know that there are concerns, as there are in any community, but solid progress has been made in improving our safeguarding capabilities. We know there is still more to do, and we will continue to strive for further improvements
Asked by: John Hemming (Liberal Democrat - Birmingham, Yardley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what information the Governor of St Helena has received about allegations of child abuse and police corruption in that territory since May 2010; when that information was received; and what steps the Governor took in response to that information.
Answered by Mark Simmonds
The Governor and the elected government of St Helena take very seriously any allegations of child abuse and police corruption. All allegations are investigated and where evidence is available those responsible are dealt with according to the law. There have been numerous successful prosecutions over the period in question with substantial sentences awarded to those convicted of an offence.
Asked by: John Hemming (Liberal Democrat - Birmingham, Yardley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what information his Department has received about allegations of child abuse and police corruption on St Helena since May 2010; when that information was received; and what steps his Department took in response to that information.
Answered by Mark Simmonds
Safeguarding children in St Helena is a critical priority for the St Helena Government and the UK. There have been a number of allegations in recent years about child safety and police corruption. In response there have been several investigations and reviews into St Helena – including from independent police forces and from child safety NGO. These have resulted in detailed action plans from the St Helena Government and police service to improve their ability to protect children.
Last week, we received further allegations of a conspiracy to cover up child abuse on St Helena from former employees of the St Helena Government. We take such allegations extremely seriously. In response, the then Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs agreed to establish an independent panel of experts to investigate these specific allegations and related matters. We hope to be able to announce further details shortly.
Asked by: John Hemming (Liberal Democrat - Birmingham, Yardley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department has taken to tackle offences of child abuse on St Helena.
Answered by Mark Simmonds
Territory Governments have the principal responsibility for ensure the safeguarding of children in the Overseas Territories, for which the UK provides practical assistance and support. DFID and the FCO have been supporting child safeguarding initiatives in the OT’s for the last nine years, most recently through the Safeguarding Children in the Overseas Territories (SCOT) programme (2013-2016), which followed on from an earlier SCOT programme (2009-2013) and a regional Child Protection Programme (CPP, 2005-2008). Although tangible progress was made in earlier programmes to raise awareness and build capacity, the new programme will focus on gaining a deeper understanding of the problem including how to detect, prevent and address child abuse.
In St Helena, the SCOT programme has helped encourage revised and updated legislation to protect children, established professional protocols and procedures for those involved in child services, improved the provision of training for St Helena officials, and helped to promote local ownership of the safeguarding agenda. Support has been provided to St Helena through a Lucy Faithfull Foundation review (2013) and technical expertise to take forward a robust child safeguarding action plan arising from review recommendations.
The FCO and DFID have been working closely with the UK police who have investigated reports into child sex abuse of St Helena and continue to do so.