Asked by: Stephen Gethins (Scottish National Party - North East Fife)
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 effectiveness of UK-trained oversight bodies in Bahrain in investigating allegations of the torture of prisoners while in custody.
Answered by Alistair Burt
We believe that the oversight bodies in Bahrain, including the Ministry of Interior Ombudsman, are structured so that they are able to operate independently from the organisations that they oversee. While these bodies still have more to do, they have already demonstrated their abilities including through the prosecution of more than 70 police officers accused of human rights abuses.
Asked by: Stephen Gethins (Scottish National Party - North East Fife)
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 human rights situation in Bahrain after the recent verdict against Nabeel Rajab and the hunger strike of Ali AlHajee and Naji Fateel while in Bahraini prison.
Answered by Alistair Burt
We regularly publish our assessments of the Human Rights situation in Bahrain in our annual Human Rights Report, last published in July 2018. The United Kingdom has a close relationship with Bahrain which allows us to have open and frank conversations. Where we have concerns we raise them at an appropriately senior level, including through the UK-Bahrain Joint Working Group which I co-chair with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bahrain. We have raised the cases of Mr Rajab, Mr AlHajee and Mr Fateel at a senior level with the Government of Bahrain.
Asked by: Stephen Gethins (Scottish National Party - North East Fife)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what diplomatic steps his Department is taking to ensure the protection of the Kurdish population in (a) Syria and (b) Northern Iraq.
Answered by Alistair Burt
The UK is a leading member of the Global Coalition against Daesh which has worked with partner forces in both Iraq and Syria to fight against Daesh and protect the local population, including Kurdish communities, in the areas concerned. We have consistently called for protection of minorities, including Kurds, in both Iraq and Syria. In Iraq, that has included through our engagement with the Government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG); I held productive discussions with the President-elect, Prime Minister-elect and Minister of Interior and Peshmerga Affairs of the KRG during my visit to Erbil on 25 January. With respect to Syria, this has included through resolutions at the UN Human Rights Council and support for a UN-facilitated political process as well as our diplomatic engagement with allies and regional partners.
Asked by: Stephen Gethins (Scottish National Party - North East Fife)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of climate change on UK diplomatic relations with states that have (a) a maritime border with and (b) territorial claims to Antarctica.
Answered by Alan Duncan
All countries with a territorial claim to Antarctica (Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New Zealand and Norway) are signatories of the Paris climate change agreement. We have also worked positively with them within the Antarctic Treaty System to ensure issues relating to climate change impacts are addressed. Working collaboratively with these countries, and other signatories to the Antarctic Treaty, to understand how climate change is affecting Antarctica and migrating its effects on the continent has a positive effect on UK diplomatic relations with those nations.
Asked by: Stephen Gethins (Scottish National Party - North East Fife)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent diplomatic steps his Department has taken to protect (a) asylum seekers and refugees in the UK and (b) their families in their country of origin from reprisals by the Government of that country.
Answered by Mark Field
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is not responsible for protecting asylum seekers and refugees in the UK. This work is led by the Home Office. The UK does not have a duty of care to protect the families of those asylum seekers and refugees, where they live abroad. We engage regularly with a broad range of countries on human rights issues.
Asked by: Stephen Gethins (Scottish National Party - North East Fife)
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 Turkish counterpart on the ongoing conflict in Syria.
Answered by Alan Duncan
I have had a number of recent conversations with my Turkish counterparts over the conflict in Syria, as have my ministerial colleagues and the Prime Minister. While we recognise Turkey's security interests, we are concerned about the humanitarian impact of a potential Turkish military operation, as well as the impact on the campaign against Daesh.
Our priority is to end the conflict in Syria through a negotiated political settlement: we believe only an inclusive, non-sectarian government can unite the country and protect the rights of all Syrians.
Asked by: Stephen Gethins (Scottish National Party - North East Fife)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of climate change on the UK's diplomatic relations with African countries.
Answered by Mark Field
The effects of Climate Change are already being felt across Asia and Africa, affecting those least responsible most severely. These effects will worsen over time and are for some already existential. To tackle this challenge, the UK is already engaging with countries and regions across both continents, including at a sub-national level, taking into account wide variations in economic development, emissions trajectory and climate change vulnerability. There is no doubt, however, that more must be done to deepen our mutual understanding and our practical and diplomatic cooperation with both regions to succeed. This is why the government, including through the £5.8bn of International Climate Finance, and relevant Prosperity Fund programmes, as well as many UK businesses and non-government bodies, is working with countries in Asia and Africa to increase their reliance to climate change, reduce emissions, and transition to a sustainable low carbon economy.
Asked by: Stephen Gethins (Scottish National Party - North East Fife)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of climate change on the UK's diplomatic relations with states in Asia.
Answered by Mark Field
The effects of Climate Change are already being felt across Asia and Africa, affecting those least responsible most severely. These effects will worsen over time and are for some already existential. To tackle this challenge, the UK is already engaging with countries and regions across both continents, including at a sub-national level, taking into account wide variations in economic development, emissions trajectory and climate change vulnerability. There is no doubt, however, that more must be done to deepen our mutual understanding and our practical and diplomatic cooperation with both regions to succeed. This is why the government, including through the £5.8bn of International Climate Finance, and relevant Prosperity Fund programmes, as well as many UK businesses and non-government bodies, is working with countries in Asia and Africa to increase their reliance to climate change, reduce emissions, and transition to a sustainable low carbon economy.
Asked by: Stephen Gethins (Scottish National Party - North East Fife)
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 effectiveness of spending by his Department's Integrated Activity Fund in Bahrain.
Answered by Alistair Burt
All spend from the Integrated Activity Fund in Bahrain is kept under regular review both in-country and by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London.
Asked by: Stephen Gethins (Scottish National Party - North East Fife)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has made to Saudi counterparts on the humanitarian situation in Yemen and access for humanitarian supplies from the port of Hodeidah.
Answered by Alistair Burt
We continue to urge all parties, including the Saudi authorities, to get behind the UN-backed peace process – this is the only way to achieve lasting peace, security and stability in Yemen. The UK and Saudi Arabia will continue to strengthen the UN Verification and Inspection Mechanism to ensure that all Yemeni ports can remain fully open to commercial and humanitarian supplies.