Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have drawn the attention of the United Nations and the European Union to reports that Belgium and Italy have released frozen Libyan assets without the permission of the UN Security Council.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are aware of these reports and regularly discuss Libya sanctions measures and their implementation with our EU partners and UN Security Council members, as part of our support for UN-led efforts to bring greater stability to the country.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of Italy about reports that €1.2 billion frozen Libyan assets were recently transferred to Libya.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are aware of these reports and regularly discuss Libya sanctions measures and their implementation with our EU partners and UN Security Council members, as part of our support for UN-led efforts to bring greater stability to the country.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of Belgium about the disposal of frozen Libyan assets held in that country.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We regularly discuss Libya sanctions measures and their implementation with our EU partners, as part of our support for UN-led efforts to bring greater stability to the country.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of Belgium to ascertain whether any of the interest accrued on frozen Libyan assets held in Belgium has been sent back to individuals or state institutions in Libya.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We regularly discuss Libya sanctions measures and their implementation with our EU partners, as part of our support for UN-led efforts to bring greater stability to the country.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that representatives of the Republic of Libya have been lobbying permanent members of the UN Security Council to seek a release of frozen Libyan assets; and whether they have contacted permanent members of the UN Security Council to ensure that no funds are unfrozen until an agreement between the UK and Libya has been reached to compensate UK citizens who suffered as a result of Gaddafi supplying Semtex to the IRA.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Libyan assets in the UK were frozen under UN Security Council Resolution 1973 at the request of the Libyan authorities in 2011. These assets can only be unfrozen by gaining the agreement of all members of the UN Security Council. No request has been made to the Security Council, and Her Majesty's Government has not contacted permanent members of the Security Council regarding this matter.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have had discussions with any other government about using the interest accrued on frozen Libyan assets for humanitarian or other purposes.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
No discussions have taken place with any other government about using the interest accrued on frozen Libyan assets for humanitarian or other purposes.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any agreement has been reached between the UK and the government of Libya providing for Libyan investment in the UK instead of direct compensation being paid to victims of Libyan-supplied Semtex.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
There has been no investment agreement between the UK and Libya in lieu of direct compensation for victims.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have formally requested compensation for (1) the UK, and (2) individuals, from the government of Libya arising from the supply of Semtex to the IRA; and if so, when such a request was submitted.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We want to see a just solution for all of the victims of IRA terrorism. We continue to press the Libyan authorities to engage constructively with victims and their representatives in their campaign for compensation, and to make clear the UK regards this issue as unresolved and that the Libyan Government has a responsibility to deal with the country's past. In August, the Secretary of State for International Development raised this with Libyan Prime Minister Serraj. In April, the Minister of State for the Middle East and North Africa discussed it with Prime Minister Serraj and the Ministers of the Interior, Justice and Foreign Affairs. He also discussed it with the Libyan Minister for Planning on 22 November. Our Ambassador to Libya frequently raises compensation at the highest levels of the Libyan Government. The violence and instability in Libya represent significant obstacles to the resolution of legacy issues.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have received any information from the government of Libya regarding the settlement of claims made by victims of Semtex supplied to the IRA from Libya.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We want to see a just solution for all of the victims of IRA terrorism. We continue to press the Libyan authorities to engage constructively with victims and their representatives in their campaign for compensation, and to make clear the UK regards this issue as unresolved and that the Libyan Government has a responsibility to deal with the country's past. In August, the Secretary of State for International Development raised this with Libyan Prime Minister Serraj. In April, the Minister of State for the Middle East and North Africa discussed it with Prime Minister Serraj and the Ministers of the Interior, Justice and Foreign Affairs. He also discussed it with the Libyan Minister for Planning on 22 November. Our Ambassador to Libya frequently raises compensation at the highest levels of the Libyan Government. The violence and instability in Libya represent significant obstacles to the resolution of legacy issues.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to seek compensation from the government of Libya for the victims of Irish Republican Army terrorism; if so, what progress they have made in seeking such compensation; and if not, why not.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We want to see a just solution for all of the victims of Irish Republican Army (IRA) terrorism. The British Government continues to press the Libyan authorities to engage constructively with victims and their representatives on their campaign for compensation: most recently, the Minister for the Middle East and North Africa, Alistair Burt, raised this with Prime Minister Serraj and the Ministers of Interior, Justice and Foreign Affairs in April. The Secretary of State for International Development also raised this with Prime Minister Serraj in August. However, the current violence and political instability in Libya has effectively stalled discussions with the authorities on the resolution of legacy issues. We are now working with other Government Departments to explore what more we can do to support victims of Qadhafi-sponsored IRA terrorism.