Asked by: Stewart Malcolm McDonald (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made an assessment with Cabinet colleagues of how the UK's contribution to the reconstruction of Ukraine will be financed if there is a shortfall in the amount expected to be raised by Russian sanctions.
Answered by Leo Docherty
The UK is helping Ukraine secure support for its recovery and reconstruction needs. The Ukraine Recovery Conference on 21-22 June raised more than $60 billion in new support, including a further $3 billion in UK guarantees to World Bank lending and up to £240 million of UK bilateral assistance. We are working with partners to ensure that Russia pays for the consequences of its illegal war. We have sanctioned over 1,600 individuals and entities, freezing over £18 billion of assets in the UK. On 19 June we introduced legislation enabling sanctions on Russia to be maintained until Moscow pays compensation to Ukraine.
Asked by: Stewart Malcolm McDonald (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to protect LGBTQ rights internationally.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell
LGBT+ rights are human rights. Through our network of over 280 missions, we engage diplomatically and deliver programmes to further our key priorities of tackling violence, reforming laws, championing inclusion and supporting LGBT+ people during crises and conflict. For example, in The Commonwealth, since 2018 we have provided over £13.5 million to build the capacity of grassroots LGBT+ organisation and human rights defenders.
Asked by: Stewart Malcolm McDonald (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make representations to his Ugandan counterpart on the anti-LGBTQ+ bill that would make homosexual acts punishable by death in that country.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell
I [Minister Mitchell] have expressed the UK's deep disappointment with the decision of the Parliament of Uganda on 21 March 2023 to pass the Anti-Homosexuality Bill. The UK is alarmed by the increasing criminalization of LGBT+ people in Uganda. This Bill threatens minority rights and risks persecution and discrimination of all people across Uganda. Amendments to the Bill, including introduction of the death penalty for 'aggravated homosexuality', are very worrying. The UK Government is firmly opposed to the death penalty in all circumstances and in every country.
Asked by: Stewart Malcolm McDonald (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Government is committed to publishing a China strategy
Answered by Leo Docherty
Our approach to China is coordinated across Government. The FCDO is at the heart of the cross-Whitehall strategic approach to China, in line with the Integrated Review. It remains the case that we do not publish National Security strategies on China or other issues.
We continue to implement a comprehensive and coordinated approach to China in support of UK national interests, engaging our like-minded international partners as we do so.
Asked by: Stewart Malcolm McDonald (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if his Government is committed to the Integrated Review refresh by the end of the year.
Answered by Leo Docherty
The UK Government will make a decision on the Integrated Review refresh in due course.
Asked by: Stewart Malcolm McDonald (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the implications for the effectiveness of the Government's policies on sanctions against Russia of the potential use of proceeds accruing to the National Bank Trust from the sale of properties in the UK.
Answered by James Cleverly - Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government
We assess that the National Bank Trust is owned by the Central Bank of Russia (CBR). The CBR is subject to a ban on the provision of financial services for the purposes of foreign exchange and asset management.
Asked by: Stewart Malcolm McDonald (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the Government has considered imposing sanctions on National Bank Trust.
Answered by Vicky Ford
We assess that the National Bank Trust is owned by the Central Bank of Russia (CBR). The CBR is subject to a ban on the provision of financial services for the purposes of foreign exchange and asset management. Over 3 million Russian companies, including National Bank Trust, are barred from raising money in the UK's capital markets. While we do not speculate on future sanctions, nothing and no one is off the table and we will continue to ratchet up the pressure on Putin and his regime.