Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, with reference to the Answer of 10 July 2023 to Question 192710 on British International Investment: DP World, what the cost to the public purse was of payments made to (a) P&O Ferries and (b) DP World through (i) British International Investment and (ii) other spending by his Department in the period between 17 March 2022 and February 2024.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
British International Investment's (BII) partnership with DP World is supporting the modernising and expansion of three ports in Dakar, Sokhna and Berbera, which aims to increase access to vital goods for 35 million people and add $51 billion to total trade by 2035. Since the answer of 10 July 2023 to Question 192710, no further disbursements have been made by BII. BII has no relationship with P&O Ferries, its investment partnership is solely in certain ports with DP World in Africa. There has been no other payments / funding directly from the FCDO to P&O or DP World in the period between 17 March 2022 and February 2024.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much British International Investment paid DP World between (a) October 2021 and March 2022 and (b) March 2022 and July 2023.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
Ports are vital to the long-term prosperity of the African continent, yet Africa accounts for just 4 per cent of global containerised shipping volumes. British International Investment's (BII) partnership is supporting the modernising and expansion of three ports in Dakar, Sokhna and Berbera, helping to improve access to vital goods for 35 million people. By 2035, an estimated $51 billion in additional trade is forecast to pass through the ports, equivalent to 3 per cent of Senegal's and Egypt's GDP and 6 per cent of Somaliland's GDP.
In 2021, BII committed approximately $320 million to the joint venture. BII has so far disbursed $290 million, all of which has been disbursed between March 2022 to end of June 2023.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has received any representations on the recent protests in Beita.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
According to UN OCHA (United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs), since the beginning of May, seven Palestinians, including two children, have been killed around Beita as a result of live fire from Israeli Security Forces. On 5 August the British Consul General and Heads of Mission and representatives from a number of likeminded countries visited Beita.
In instances where there have been accusations of excessive use of force, we urge the Government of Israel to conduct swift and transparent investigations. We also continue to stress the importance of the Israeli security forces providing appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population, in particular the need to protect children, and urge restraint in the use of live fire.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has received any representations on the reported use of internationally prohibited ammunition by the Israeli Defence Force in Beita.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
According to UN OCHA (United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs), since the beginning of May, seven Palestinians, including two children, have been killed around Beita as a result of live fire from Israeli Security Forces. On 5 August the British Consul General and Heads of Mission and representatives from a number of likeminded countries visited Beita.
In instances where there have been accusations of excessive use of force, we urge the Government of Israel to conduct swift and transparent investigations. We also continue to stress the importance of the Israeli security forces providing appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population, in particular the need to protect children, and urge restraint in the use of live fire.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has (a) spoken to or (b) met with William Shawcross to discuss the contents of his report on Libyan-sponsored IRA terror.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The Foreign Secretary has taken a close interest in the issue of compensation for UK victims of Qadhafi-sponsored IRA terrorism. As ministerial lead on this issue, the Minister for the Middle East and North Africa James Cleverly, and senior FCDO officials, kept Mr Shawcross abreast of work on a Government response to his report.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the findings of the Shawcross Report; and what discussions he has had with William Shawcross on the contents of that report.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The Government response to the Shawcross report on UK victims of Qadhafi-sponsored IRA terrorism is set out in the 23 March Written Ministerial Statement (WMS). Since Mr Shawcross was the Foreign Secretary's Special Representative on UK victims of Qadhafi-sponsored IRA terrorism, the FCDO has led the Government's relationship with him.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the Shawcross Report contained estimates of the levels of redress that victims of Libyan-sponsored IRA terror would be entitled to.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
As noted in the Government's Written Ministerial Statement published on 23 March, Mr Shawcross considered issues including the difficulties of defining UK victims of Qadhafi-sponsored IRA terrorism given the extensive nature of Libyan support for the IRA, and the range of proposals for providing compensation for the victims.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent representations he has made to the Libyan Government on the levels of redress for victims of Libyan-sponsored IRA terror.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The Government has repeatedly urged the Libyan authorities, including at the highest levels of the Libyan government, to engage with UK victims and their representatives, and to address their claims for compensation. However, there are clear practical difficulties in obtaining compensation from Libya for Qadhafi-sponsored IRA terrorism. The conflict, political instability and economic instability that have prevailed in Libya for most of the last ten years since the fall of the Qadhafi regime present particular challenges. The UK will continue to press the Libyan authorities to address the Libyan State's historic responsibility for the Qadhafi regime's support for the IRA.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assurances he has received that Israel will allow future covid-19 vaccines into the Gaza strip.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
We welcome the steps that the parties have taken so far to coordinate responses to the COVID-19, including the arrival of the first shipment of vaccines from the Palestinian Authority into Gaza on 17 February, with the approval of Israel. We encourage further cooperation and dialogue in this regard. The UK Ambassador in Tel Aviv raised the issue of vaccines with the Israeli Authorities on 24 February, encouraging the Government of Israel to continue to facilitate the transfer of vaccines to the Palestinian Authority when required. The British Embassy in Tel Aviv and the British Consulate-General in Jerusalem are in regular contact with the Israeli and Palestinian authorities respectively, and will continue to raise timely and appropriate access to COVID-19 vaccines.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to support (a) Issa Amro and (b) other human rights defenders that have been convicted and imprisoned by an Israeli military court.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
Officials from our Consulate-General in Jerusalem attended Mr Amro's court hearing on 6 January. We continue to urge the Israeli Government to fully respect the fundamental rights and freedoms of human rights defenders and organisations. We have also raised concerns with the Palestinian Authority about the narrowing of space for civil society to operate in the West Bank.