Asked by: Simon Danczuk (Independent - Rochdale)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many and what proportion of his Department's staff are working on the European renegotiation strategy.
Answered by David Lidington
The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), is leading the renegotiation, but the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), the Chancellor of the Exchequer, my right hon. Friend the Member for Tatton (Mr Osborne) and I play an important role. Departments including the Foreign and Commonwealth Office are staffing this appropriately.
Since he took office in 2014, the Foreign Secretary has visited nearly all EU capitals and held meetings with MEPs, Commissioners, Foreign Ministers and a wide range of opinion formers across the EU.
Asked by: Simon Danczuk (Independent - Rochdale)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to de-escalate the situation in Gaza.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) has spoken to Israeli and Palestinian counterparts as well as key international partners about the present crisis in Gaza on numerous occasions in recent weeks, urging an end to violence, a durable ceasefire and successful negotiations in Cairo which lead to a sustainable solution to the current crisis, tackling its underlying causes. He has visited Ramallah, Jerusalem and Cairo for talks and attended the Foreign Affairs Council on 15 August. He most recently spoke to the Egyptian Foreign Minister about the ceasefire talks on 20 August.
Asked by: Simon Danczuk (Independent - Rochdale)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent talks Ministers in his Department have had with (a) Israeli and (b) Palestinian leaders on the current situation in Gaza.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron) spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu on 20 July.
The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) spoke with Palestinian President Abbas on 19 July and Israeli Foreign Minister Liebermann on 18 July.
Asked by: Simon Danczuk (Independent - Rochdale)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Bangladeshi counterpart on allegations of human rights abuses in that country since January 2014.
Answered by Hugh Robertson
We take human rights very seriously and follow the situation in Bangladesh closely, raising concerns where there are credible allegations. We welcome the Bangladesh government's assurances that they are committed to protecting human rights and recognise the positive progress that has been made across a range of social development indicators.
However, allegations of extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances and human rights abuses are deeply concerning. We regularly raise our human rights concerns with the Bangladesh government. The Senior Minister of State, my noble Friend the right hon. Baroness Warsi last raised reports of extrajudicial killings and disappearances with the Bangladesh High Commissioner on 13 May. During Bangladesh's 2nd Universal Periodic Review (UPR) at the Human Rights Council last year we also recommended that the Government of Bangladesh thoroughly and impartially investigate and, if credible evidence emerges, prosecute all allegations of human rights violations.
Asked by: Simon Danczuk (Independent - Rochdale)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the operation and impartiality of the ongoing International Crimes Tribunal of Bangladesh.
Answered by Hugh Robertson
We are clear that the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) must improve the way it operates. We have concerns that the ICT process does not adequately meet international fair trials standards. This is a message that we give consistently, both publicly and privately. We have also made clear that we are opposed to the death penalty in all circumstances in all countries.
During Bangladesh's 2nd Universal Periodic Review (UPR) at the Human Rights Council on 29 April 2013, the UK urged the government of Bangladesh to ensure that the International Crimes Tribunal meet international legal standards.
Asked by: Simon Danczuk (Independent - Rochdale)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his international counterparts on the International Crimes Tribunal of Bangladesh.
Answered by Hugh Robertson
We are clear that the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) must operate in a manner that meets international fair trials standards. This is a message that we give consistently, both publicly and privately, for example at Bangladesh's 2nd Universal Periodic Review at the Human Rights Council on 29 April 2013.
The Senior Minister of State, my noble Friend the Right Hon. Baroness Warsi raised this at length with Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during her last visit to Dhaka in December 2013, and also made clear our absolute opposition to the use of the death penalty in all circumstances in all countries.