Asked by: Stephen Farry (Alliance - North Down)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, in the context of Spain’s change in vaccination status requirements for incoming travellers of 1 December 2021, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that those aged 12 to 15 years, who are not yet eligible for full vaccination in the UK, are not discriminated against when trying to travel with family members to Spain.
Answered by Wendy Morton
The Spanish government requires that, subject to a few exemptions, everyone aged 12 years and over must be fully vaccinated (with two doses) to be able to visit Spain. In the UK, 12 to 17 year olds are now routinely offered a second dose. Those under 12 years old do not need to demonstrate their vaccination status. Spanish border measures are the prerogative of the Spanish government.
Asked by: Stephen Farry (Alliance - North Down)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to support diplomatic efforts to end the conflict in Ethiopia.
Answered by Vicky Ford
We are extremely concerned by the ongoing conflict in Ethiopia. We continue to engage with all parties to the conflict and have regular discussions with them. We are fully supportive of the efforts of the African Union (AU) High Representative for the Horn of African Region, Olusegun Obasanjo, to find a path to meaningful negotiations. I spoke with him on 4 November to discuss the situation and make clear our strong support, and also spoke with AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Bankole, on 8 November. We also supported efforts by US Secretary of State Blinken to resolve the conflict in Ethiopia on his visit to Kenya on 17 November and his call for an unconditional ceasefire in Ethiopia.
I also spoke with State Minister Redwan on 18 November, stressing the need for all parties to the conflict to engage in meaningful talks, lift the blockade on aid, and urged him to end the mobilisation of civilians and ethnically targeted arrests. I have continued to emphasise the need for a ceasefire and a humanitarian corridor through recent calls with my international counterparts, including those from Kenya, Ethiopia, the UN A3, and the African Union.
The Foreign Secretary spoke to Ethiopian Deputy Prime Minister Demeke Mekonnen on 5 November, where she also made clear there is no military solution and that negotiations are needed to avoid bloodshed and deliver lasting peace. We have made these points repeatedly to the Ethiopian Government and the Tigrayan authorities.
Asked by: Stephen Farry (Alliance - North Down)
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 regional impact of the conflict in Ethiopia.
Answered by Vicky Ford
We are extremely concerned by the ongoing conflict in Ethiopia and the impact it has on the region.. We have already seen over 80,000 refugees cross into eastern Sudan. We have consistently called on all warring parties to end hostilities and seek a political dialogue and peaceful solution. We are fully supportive of the African Union (AU)'s mediation efforts. I spoke with AU Special Envoy Obasanjo on 4 November, with AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security Bankole on 8 November, and with President Kenyatta of Kenya on 1 November.
Asked by: Stephen Farry (Alliance - North Down)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many covid-19 vaccines the UK Government has distributed to other countries, by country of receipt.
Answered by Wendy Morton
To date, the UK has delivered 16.1 million doses to recipients, either bilaterally or through COVAX. A breakdown of the figures has been included in our response to the Foreign Affairs Committee (FAC), which will be published shortly. A further 5.8 million vaccine doses are with COVAX and in the process of being allocated and delivered, with additional 9 million will be delivered to COVAX in the coming weeks direct from Astra Zeneca.
Asked by: Stephen Farry (Alliance - North Down)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department has developed contingency plans to increase humanitarian assistance to Ethiopia.
Answered by Vicky Ford
The humanitarian context in Tigray is catastrophic. In September, our Special Envoy for famine prevention and humanitarian affairs, Nick Dyer, visited Tigray and saw the devastating consequences of this conflict and the de facto blockade imposed by the Ethiopian Government since late June. I have called on all parties in Ethiopia to urgently agree a ceasefire and to allow humanitarian aid through.
The humanitarian crisis now extends beyond Tigray impacting millions of people in Afar and Amhara following attacks by the Tigray Defence Force (TDF). All parties must allow humanitarian supplies and commercial goods to reach all areas of need. An escalation of violence has grave implications for vulnerable populations across Ethiopia impacting at least 20 million people reliant on humanitarian aid and the 31 million people assessed as living below the poverty line. The UK has committed £76 million to the crises response- making the UK the second largest donor globally. This includes £6.1 million in funding to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and the Danish Refugee Council to address urgent needs arising from the Tigray crisis in Sudan.
FCDO officials speak regularly with representatives from the UN and other humanitarian agencies on contingency planning for an increase in needs inside Ethiopia as well as for further displacement of refugees into neighbouring states. Our priority is to ensure that all Ethiopians in need receive life-saving aid and that humanitarian access to areas affected by insecurity is maintained.
Asked by: Stephen Farry (Alliance - North Down)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what humanitarian assistance the UK Government is providing to Ethiopia.
Answered by Vicky Ford
The humanitarian context in Tigray is catastrophic. In September, our Special Envoy for famine prevention and humanitarian affairs, Nick Dyer, visited Tigray and saw the devastating consequences of this conflict and the de facto blockade imposed by the Ethiopian Government since late June. I have called on all parties in Ethiopia to urgently agree a ceasefire and to allow humanitarian aid through.
The humanitarian crisis now extends beyond Tigray impacting millions of people in Afar and Amhara following attacks by the Tigray Defence Force (TDF). All parties must allow humanitarian supplies and commercial goods to reach all areas of need. An escalation of violence has grave implications for vulnerable populations across Ethiopia impacting at least 20 million people reliant on humanitarian aid and the 31 million people assessed as living below the poverty line. The UK has committed £76 million to the crises response- making the UK the second largest donor globally. This includes £6.1 million in funding to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and the Danish Refugee Council to address urgent needs arising from the Tigray crisis in Sudan.
FCDO officials speak regularly with representatives from the UN and other humanitarian agencies on contingency planning for an increase in needs inside Ethiopia as well as for further displacement of refugees into neighbouring states. Our priority is to ensure that all Ethiopians in need receive life-saving aid and that humanitarian access to areas affected by insecurity is maintained.
Asked by: Stephen Farry (Alliance - North Down)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the Government's commitment to implementing the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, what steps the Government is taking to support a UN Binding Treaty on Business and Human Rights.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
I refer the Honourable Member to the answer of 25 October to question 58571.
Asked by: Stephen Farry (Alliance - North Down)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development, with reference to the Government's commitment to implementing the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, what steps the Government is taking to support a UN Binding Treaty on Business and Human Rights.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The UK Government has consistently supported the United Nations Guiding Principles (UNGPs) on business and human rights, which are widely regarded as the authoritative international framework to steer practical action by Governments and businesses worldwide on this important and pressing agenda. Implementation of the UNGPs will support access to justice and remedy for victims of business-related human rights abuses, wherever these occur, and encourage businesses to voluntarily adopt 'due diligence' approaches to respecting human rights.
We have engaged with the UN Working Group looking at proposals for a new international treaty on business and human rights since 2015, through to the sixth session last October. The UK will continue to engage with the proposal at the upcoming seventh session, which will take place 25-29 October 2021.
The Government is clear that it expects all UK businesses to respect human rights throughout their operations, in line with the UNGPs. In response to the Guidelines, the UK was the first State to produce a National Action Plan (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/522805/Good_Business_Implementing_the_UN_Guiding_Principles_on_Business_and_Human_Rights_updated_May_2016.pdf). A progress report on the implementation of the National Action Plan was published in May 2020. We continue to develop our approach in line with the Modern Slavery Act 2015.
Asked by: Stephen Farry (Alliance - North Down)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he is made to his Pakistani counterpart on ensuring that Afghan refugees who entered Pakistan from Afghanistan without the proper paperwork are able to legally leave Pakistan.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The former Foreign Secretary has met with Prime Minister Imran Khan and Foreign Minister Qureshi and discussed working together to support the people of Afghanistan and to ensure safe passage out of the country.
Asked by: Stephen Farry (Alliance - North Down)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will publish a breakdown by category of Afghans evacuated by the UK from Kabul since 15 August 2021 under the special cases provision.
Answered by James Duddridge
As of 28 August, 8589 Afghans who worked for us have been evacuated and are being resettled under the ARAP scheme, taking the total to over 10,500 since the scheme was extended on 1 April. Between 15 and 29 August, the UK also evacuated around 500 special cases of particularly vulnerable Afghans, including Chevening scholars, journalists, human rights defenders, campaigners for women's rights, judges and many others.