Asked by: Lord Wallace of Saltaire (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what consular support they offer to UK dual nationals resident in other states of which they also hold citizenship.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Where a dual British national is living or travelling in the country of their other nationality, we would not normally provide consular support or get involved in dealings between them and the authorities of that country. We may make an exception if we consider that the individual is vulnerable because of their specific circumstances, and there are special humanitarian or human rights reasons. The policy is set out here [https://www.gov.uk/guidance/who-the-fcdo-can-support-abroad%23dual-nationals].
Asked by: Lord Wallace of Saltaire (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to publish a full list of the passengers on board British Airways Flight 149, which departed London on 1 August 1990.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
All of the records which the FCDO identified in its holdings relating to events surrounding the landing of Flight BA149 in Kuwait in August 1990 were released by The National Archives on 23 November subject to any legal exemptions. Further information about the FCDO's record release programme is available at www.gov.uk/archive-records
Asked by: Lord Wallace of Saltaire (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether (1) companies, or (2) persons, subject to UK sanctions are also banned from initiating actions in UK courts.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The measures that may be imposed within the UK's independent sanctions framework include financial sanctions, immigration sanctions (travel bans), trade sanctions, and aircraft and shipping sanctions. Persons or entities designated under the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018 are not banned from initiating action in UK courts. Designated persons may seek an administrative review of their designation as set out in Chapter 2 of Part 1 of the Act and apply for judicial reviews of decisions in accordance with Chapter 4 of Part 1 of the Act. Guidance on how to challenge UK sanctions is on GOV.UK.
Asked by: Lord Wallace of Saltaire (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what contribution each of the Overseas Territories makes to the UK Exchequer in return for the UK Government (1) ensuring their security, and (2) representing their interests abroad.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. The Minister will write directly to the Member with a response shortly.Asked by: Lord Wallace of Saltaire (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the total number of UK citizens resident outside the UK; and whether they are confident in the accuracy of that estimate.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We do not register British nationals abroad, and do not therefore have numbers of British nationals in each country.
Asked by: Lord Wallace of Saltaire (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are confident that the supply of weapons by Gulf states to Libyan forces loyal to Khalifa Haftar do not include transfers from supplies originally sourced from the UK.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
All licence applications are assessed against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria, which includes Criterion One concerning the United Kingdom's international obligations to enforce certain arms embargoes, and Criterion Seven concerning the risk of equipment's diversion to an undesirable end-user or end-use. The Government can and does respond flexibly to changing or fluid international situations and is able suspend or revoke licences as necessary when circumstances require.
Asked by: Lord Wallace of Saltaire (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to mark the centenary of the independence of the Baltic states, and in particular the role played by the Royal Navy in protecting Estonia and its neighbours from the Soviet Navy.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
Preparations are underway for the centenary celebrations in the Baltic States. The Royal Navy played a significant role in the war for independence in Estonia and Latvia and we hope the Senior Service will be able to feature in the 2018 and 2019 celebrations. The British Army and Royal Air Force will also be involved in marking these celebrations. The UK Government will be represented at centenary events in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.Asked by: Lord Wallace of Saltaire (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how often between 1 January 2010 and 1 January 2016 requests for diplomatic status or immunity were refused, and on what grounds.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
A small number of requests for diplomatic status or immunity from members of the public have been received by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and subsequently refused. However, statistics and details are not recorded centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. It is incumbent on the sending State to inform the FCO of the appointment of staff, including diplomats, to any of its missions in the UK. The FCO is not required to give explicit consent to such appointments, except in the case of heads of mission and military, naval and air attaches.
Asked by: Lord Wallace of Saltaire (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what procedures are followed when a citizen of a foreign state claims diplomatic immunity as the representative of a third state.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
Article 8(3) of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations 1961 permits third country diplomats to be appointed to a diplomatic mission with the consent of the receiving State. Such appointments are rare, but the UK does accept them. If a third country national resident in the UK claimed to be a diplomat, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) would first check that the person’s name was on its database of foreign diplomats and their families. As necessary, the FCO would also confirm with the relevant diplomatic mission that the individual was a member of the mission’s staff.Asked by: Lord Wallace of Saltaire (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many claims of diplomatic immunity were advanced in UK courts, or other legal procedures, between 1 January 2010 and 1 January 2016; how many of those were successful; and of which states those successful and unsuccessful claimants were citizens.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
A number of claims of diplomatic immunity have been advanced through the UK courts. However, statistics and details are not recorded centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.