Asked by: Monica Harding (Liberal Democrat - Esher and Walton)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions he has had with menstrual product manufacturers on the adequacy of levels of glyphosate in menstrual products.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
My officials engage regularly with a number of industry bodies, including the Absorbent Hygiene Products Manufacturers Association who represent the UK disposable nappy, adult continence care and period product industries.
Subject to Royal Assent of the Product Regulation and Metrology Bill, the Government will consult on a range of issues, including the safety of period products, to ensure that any changes to the regulatory framework are robust and consistent. As part of this, we are considering further research and testing in this area to complement the consultation, as well as engaging with other interested Government Departments in reviewing any evidence and agreeing a way forward following consultation.
Asked by: Monica Harding (Liberal Democrat - Esher and Walton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what progress he has made on developing the children and armed conflict strategy.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The latest UN Secretary General's report on Children and Armed Conflict is shocking. It shows that children are being harmed and denied lifesaving aid on an unprecedented scale.
As the UK made clear in our statement at the UN Security Council Open Debate on Children and Armed Conflict on 25 June, the UK calls on all parties to armed conflict to immediately end and prevent grave violations against children and for perpetrators to be held to account. The UK also remains committed to promoting and defending the UN's Children and Armed Conflict mandate.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is currently reviewing our approach to children in conflict.
Asked by: Monica Harding (Liberal Democrat - Esher and Walton)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent discussions he has had with NATO counterparts on Russian sanctions.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
Sanctions are primarily an FCDO lead, but I can say that the UK and other NATO allies do all we can to shut down the funding for Putin’s illegal war in Ukraine.
The UK has led action against Russia sanctioning over 2,500 Russian targets including over 280 shadow fleet vessels, and allied sanctions have deprived Russia of over $450 billion worth of funds for its war.
Asked by: Monica Harding (Liberal Democrat - Esher and Walton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps he has taken to help reduce the (a) import and (b) processing of illicitly mined Sudanese gold by third countries.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The trade of illicit gold funds conflict, undermines the rule of law, and perpetuates human rights abuses. The UK Government engages with the gold industry as well as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development to support responsible sourcing and rigorous due diligence standards to enhance resilience to illicit gold and identify malign actors in the supply chain. Since the outbreak of the Sudan conflict, the UK has frozen the assets of nine commercial entities linked to the Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces. Two of these sanctions target gold mining companies linked to the warring parties. In 2023, the UK also sanctioned three Russian-linked gold mining entities operating in Sudan. These sanctions were designed to disrupt the financial networks fuelling the war, press the parties to engage in a sustained and meaningful peace process, allow humanitarian access and to commit to a permanent cessation of hostilities. Although we do not speculate on future designations, our sanctions policy is continually under review. Furthermore, in our international engagement, we emphasise with all countries the need to refrain from actions that prolong the crisis, including those that may financially benefit the warring parties.
Asked by: Monica Harding (Liberal Democrat - Esher and Walton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will take diplomatic steps through the UN to help reduce the role of the illicit international gold trade in financing Sudan's civil war.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The trade of illicit gold funds conflict, undermines the rule of law, and perpetuates human rights abuses. The UK Government engages with the gold industry as well as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development to support responsible sourcing and rigorous due diligence standards to enhance resilience to illicit gold and identify malign actors in the supply chain. Since the outbreak of the Sudan conflict, the UK has frozen the assets of nine commercial entities linked to the Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces. Two of these sanctions target gold mining companies linked to the warring parties. In 2023, the UK also sanctioned three Russian-linked gold mining entities operating in Sudan. These sanctions were designed to disrupt the financial networks fuelling the war, press the parties to engage in a sustained and meaningful peace process, allow humanitarian access and to commit to a permanent cessation of hostilities. Although we do not speculate on future designations, our sanctions policy is continually under review. Furthermore, in our international engagement, we emphasise with all countries the need to refrain from actions that prolong the crisis, including those that may financially benefit the warring parties.
Asked by: Monica Harding (Liberal Democrat - Esher and Walton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with his United Arab Emirates counterparts on the import of illicit gold from Sudan.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The trade of illicit gold funds conflict, undermines the rule of law, and perpetuates human rights abuses. The UK Government engages with the gold industry as well as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development to support responsible sourcing and rigorous due diligence standards to enhance resilience to illicit gold and identify malign actors in the supply chain. Since the outbreak of the Sudan conflict, the UK has frozen the assets of nine commercial entities linked to the Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces. Two of these sanctions target gold mining companies linked to the warring parties. In 2023, the UK also sanctioned three Russian-linked gold mining entities operating in Sudan. These sanctions were designed to disrupt the financial networks fuelling the war, press the parties to engage in a sustained and meaningful peace process, allow humanitarian access and to commit to a permanent cessation of hostilities. Although we do not speculate on future designations, our sanctions policy is continually under review. Furthermore, in our international engagement, we emphasise with all countries the need to refrain from actions that prolong the crisis, including those that may financially benefit the warring parties.