Asked by: Simon Fell (Conservative - Barrow and Furness)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of reports that Russia is to receive Iranian made drones for its invasion of Ukraine.
Answered by Graham Stuart
Reports that Russia is buying drones from Iran illustrates that UK efforts with allies to isolate Moscow internationally and cripple its military are having an impact. Russia is struggling to source some vital military parts. We saw overwhelming opposition to Russia's behaviour at both the G7 and NATO Summits in May and the G20 Foreign Ministers' meeting in July. The UK is committed to working with allies to isolate Russia further, including through the use of sanctions. The reports also highlight Iran's continuing threat to international security and stability. We will continue to hold Iran to account for its destabilising activities.
Asked by: Simon Fell (Conservative - Barrow and Furness)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps she is taking to help increase British soft power overseas.
Answered by Amanda Milling
The FCDO funds projects and programmes that promote UK influence overseas, including the British Council, BBC World Service and our Chevening, Commonwealth and Marshall Scholarships.
Our diplomatic leadership is another important component of how others perceive the UK, as we have seen through our hosting of the G7 and COP26 and our support for a globally accessible Covid-19 vaccine.
Asked by: Simon Fell (Conservative - Barrow and Furness)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies on Iran's nuclear activity of the statement by the IAEA’s Director General that all countries that have enriched uranium to 60 per-cent fissile purity have gone on to produce nuclear weapons.
Answered by James Cleverly - Shadow Home Secretary
Iran has been in non-compliance with its Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA) commitments since 2019. This includes producing Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU) at 60%, which is unprecedented for a state without a nuclear weapons programme. Iran's increasing 60% stockpile is bringing Iran significantly closer to having fissile material which could be used for nuclear weapons.
We call upon Iran to halt all activities in violation of the JCPoA without delay and take the opportunity in front of them in the JCPoA Vienna negotiations to restore the nuclear deal. If a deal is not swiftly concluded, and Iran continues its nuclear escalation, Iran will be responsible for missing the opportunity to restore the JCPoA and for bringing about the collapse of the deal. Iran's nuclear escalation means we have weeks, not months, to restore the deal before the JCPoA's core non-proliferation benefits are lost and the deal collapses. In the event of the JCPoA collapsing, we would carefully consider all options in partnership with our allies.
Asked by: Simon Fell (Conservative - Barrow and Furness)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he is making to his Indian counterpart on the arrest and imprisonment of Fr Stan Swamy.
Answered by Nigel Adams
FCDO officials raised Father Stan Swamy's case with the Indian High Commission on 12 November. On 9 October, British High Commission officials in New Delhi highlighted to the Ministry of Home Affairs the impact of recent amendments to Indian security legislation on activists and human rights campaigners in India.
Where we have concerns, we raise them directly with the Government of India, including at ministerial level.