Asked by: Mike Penning (Conservative - Hemel Hempstead)
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 bring an end to the war in Yemen through (a) its membership of the UN Security Council and (b) other diplomatic channels.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
We fully support the UN-led peace process in Yemen and urge the parties to engage constructively with the new UN Special Envoy Hans Grundberg. UK Ministers and officials engage with their international and regional counterparts on Yemen regularly and use the monthly briefings to the UNSC to encourage efforts towards a political solution, deliver further economic support and bring an end to the humanitarian suffering. On 22 July I met UN Resident Humanitarian Coordinator David Gressly to discuss the humanitarian situation in Yemen, and on 17 August, I offered the UK's continued support to the new UN Special Envoy in a call. On 22 September the Minister for Asia delivered a speech at the Yemen humanitarian side event at the UN General Assembly to urge parties to the conflict to come to the negotiating table and to call on all states to release humanitarian funding commitments promptly.
Asked by: Mike Penning (Conservative - Hemel Hempstead)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 27 May 2021 to Question 3815, what discussions he has had with the Bangladeshi Government on the sustainability of life on Bhasan Char.
Answered by Nigel Adams
The British High Commissioner to Bangladesh participated in a visit to Bhasan Char on 3 April, along with heads of a number of diplomatic missions. They also met with the Government of Bangladesh this month to discuss the situation there following recent UN visits. Concerns over the risks of cyclones and the monsoon have been raised, and we note the investments made by the Government of Bangladesh in cyclone shelters and reinforcing embankments. Further conversations are needed between the Government of Bangladesh and the UN on a protection framework for the refugees on the island.
Asked by: Mike Penning (Conservative - Hemel Hempstead)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 27 May 2021 to Question 3815, what discussions he has had with the Bangladeshi Government on the evacuation procedures for the Rohingya refugees on Bhasan Char during the approaching monsoon season in that region.
Answered by Nigel Adams
The British High Commissioner to Bangladesh participated in a visit to Bhasan Char on 3 April, along with heads of a number of diplomatic missions. They also met with the Government of Bangladesh this month to discuss the situation there following recent UN visits. Concerns over the risks of cyclones and the monsoon have been raised, and we note the investments made by the Government of Bangladesh in cyclone shelters and reinforcing embankments. Further conversations are needed between the Government of Bangladesh and the UN on a protection framework for the refugees on the island.
Asked by: Mike Penning (Conservative - Hemel Hempstead)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether UK official development assistance has been allocated to supporting the provision of health care to the Rohingya community that has been relocated to the silt island Bhasan Char; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Nigel Adams
The UK Government is not funding operations on Bhasan Char.
We remain clear that the refugees need to relocate voluntarily, be safe on Bhasan Char, and have access to education and healthcare, including Covid-19 vaccinations as these become available. We welcome the UN's first appraisal visit to evaluate the safety and sustainability of life on Bhasan Char but recognise that further conversations are needed between the Government of Bangladesh and the UN to discuss protection and technical issues in detail.
Asked by: Mike Penning (Conservative - Hemel Hempstead)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his officials have visited Rohingya refugees on the Bhasan Char silt island in the Bay of Bengal; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Nigel Adams
The British High Commissioner to Bangladesh participated in a visit to Bhasan Char on 3 April, along with heads of a number of diplomatic missions based in Dhaka. They were briefed by officials from the Government of Bangladesh and were given a tour of the island which included seeing the residential accommodation and multi-purpose centres built for the Rohingya refugees. We remain clear that the refugees need to relocate voluntarily, be safe on Bhasan Char, and have access to education and healthcare, including Covid-19 vaccinations as these become available. We welcome the UN's first appraisal visit to evaluate the safety and sustainability of life on Bhasan Char but recognise that further conversations are needed between the Government of Bangladesh and the UN to discuss protection and technical issues in detail. The UK government is not funding operations on Bhasan Char.
Asked by: Mike Penning (Conservative - Hemel Hempstead)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the effect of the fire at the Rohingya refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar.
Answered by Nigel Adams
The UK Government is very concerned by the impact on Rohingya refugees of the large fire that took place on 22 March in the Kutapalong refugee camp. A UN-led joint needs assessment found that 48,300 people were directly affected, with over 10,000 households left without shelter. At least 11 refugees are thought to have died, with over 500 injured. The fire damaged distribution, nutrition and learning centres, water and sanitation infrastructure, and medical facilities. UK Aid provided food, water, sanitation, shelter, and support for medical and camp management teams who coordinated the response. UK Aid brought in an additional 10,000 tarpaulins for the rehabilitation of shelters and is supporting the rebuilding of healthcare facilities.
Asked by: Mike Penning (Conservative - Hemel Hempstead)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what estimate he has made of the Rohingya population remaining in Rakhine province, Myanmar; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Nigel Adams
The UK estimates there are around 600,000 Rohingya remaining in Rakhine State (126,000 of whom have been confined to camps since 2012): they face an increasingly dire situation. There have been fewer clashes in Rakhine since November 2020, but the conflict dynamics in Rakhine remain potentially volatile. The coup has made humanitarian operations difficult and contributed to food shortfalls. This comes on top of the challenges brought by COVID and conflict over the last year. We are in close contact with networks on the ground in Rakhine to monitor risks of atrocities, human rights violations and deterioration in the humanitarian and health situation in camps and villages.
We continue to regularly raise the challenges facing the Rohingya on the international stage, most recently in the UN Security Council Presidential Statement agreed on 10 March.
Asked by: Mike Penning (Conservative - Hemel Hempstead)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the (a) social and (b) environmental effect on the (i) Democratic Republic of Congo and (ii) other similar countries of increasing demand for (A) cobalt, (B) lithium and (C) other elements in battery manufacture.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
The UK is at the forefront of international efforts to address the problems associated with mining and conflict minerals. This includes through the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme for diamonds; the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights around mines; Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Due Diligence Guidance for the responsible sourcing of minerals; and the Modern Slavery Act.
Both the UK and The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are members of the Extractives International Transparency Initiative (EITI). The EITI is the global standard for the good governance of oil, gas and minerals, which sets out what information on extractives should be publicly available. The DRC is making progress with timely disclosure of this information.
Increased demand for minerals, including cobalt and lithium, has seen many people in the DRC take to working as artisanal miners to earn a living, often illegally. Working conditions are frequently unsafe and exploitative. Reports of widespread child labour are of particular concern. The mining industry is better regulated in Zambia and companies accused of abuses have faced legal action. The UK is funding projects on the prevention of child labour in artisanal mines and on remediation work for victims of slavery in the extractive sector.
Pollution caused by mining activity has led to environmental degradation and resource depletion across Africa. Illegally mined minerals are frequently smuggled out of the DRC to neighbouring countries such as Rwanda and Burundi. Environmental accountability is difficult to enforce upon these illegal operations.
Asked by: Mike Penning (Conservative - Hemel Hempstead)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the role of terrorist organisations in the recent Israeli-Palestinian boarder conflict; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Alistair Burt
Hamas have stated that 50 of those killed during protests in Gaza were their operatives, and Hamas leaders have also called for violence against Israelis. While we support the fundamental right of Palestinians to peaceful protest, there have been multiple attempts to place Improvised Explosive Devices at the Gaza border, and it is clear that extremist elements have been exploiting these protests for their own ends. Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad have also claimed responsibility for the recent rocket attacks from Gaza towards Israel. Israel has the right to protect itself against all militant groups.
Asked by: Mike Penning (Conservative - Hemel Hempstead)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what support the Government is providing to the Dutch government investigation into Flight MH17 and the origin of the missiles that brought down that flight.
Answered by Alan Duncan
The UK has offered its full support to the work of the Joint Investigation Team to investigate the downing of Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17. We will continue to cooperate with the Netherlands and Australia in their efforts to deliver justice for the victims of this tragedy, and are fully supportive of their request for Russia to accept state responsibility for its role in the crash.