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Written Question
Israel: Travel Information
Monday 25th March 2024

Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, if he will make it his policy to change the travel advisory guidance on Israel so that areas not directly affected by the Gaza conflict are no longer classified as essential travel only.

Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)

Travel advice is constantly under review and regularly updated. How the FCDO determines travel advice can be found at the dedicated gov.uk site:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/about-foreign-commonwealth-development-office-travel-advice#how-we-compile-travel-advice

Specific advice for travelling to Israel and Occupied Palestinian Territories can be found at the dedicated Gov.uk site: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/israel


Written Question
Sri Lanka: Power Stations
Tuesday 19th March 2024

Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, if he will make representations to his Sri Lankan counterpart on water pollution around the Channakan power plant in the north of Sri Lanka.

Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We are aware of the challenges Sri Lanka faces around water management and quality, particularly by communities in the Northern Province. The British High Commission Colombo regularly meets a range of stakeholders in the Northern Province to hear their experiences and issues. A number of public bodies in Sri Lanka, including the National Water Supply and Drainage Board, have conducted tests into the water quality, after concerns were raised by local communities. The UK Government supports the International Water Management Institute, an international water management research organisation, to provide solutions to increasing water scarcity in Puttalam and Kilinochchi.


Written Question
Hamas: Sexual Offences
Tuesday 28th November 2023

Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what discussions he has had in international fora on (a) rape and (b) sexual violence perpetrated by Hamas terrorists.

Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We are aware of the shocking reports of sexual violence perpetrated by Hamas on 7 October. It is vital that reports of sexual violence are investigated independently, rigorously and sensitively to avoid re-traumatisation, that perpetrators are held to account and that survivors receive holistic support.  We continue to engage regularly with partners, including the United Nations, to urge that all reports of sexual violence in conflict are investigated, that survivors have access to specialized services and justice, and that parties abide by applicable international humanitarian and human rights law.


Written Question
Hamas: Gender Based Violence
Tuesday 28th November 2023

Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, if he will raise in the United Nations, the issue of gender-based violence by Hamas terrorists.

Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We are aware of the shocking reports of sexual violence perpetrated by Hamas on 7 October. It is vital that reports of sexual violence are investigated independently, rigorously and sensitively to avoid re-traumatisation, that perpetrators are held to account and that survivors receive holistic support.  We continue to engage regularly with partners, including the United Nations, to urge that all reports of sexual violence in conflict are investigated, that survivors have access to specialized services and justice, and that parties abide by applicable international humanitarian and human rights law.


Written Question
India: Diplomatic Relations
Tuesday 24th October 2023

Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)

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 strengthen diplomatic ties with India.

Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

India is a hugely important partner for the UK. This year we have strengthened our long-standing diplomatic ties and Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, including through visits by the Prime Minister, Foreign Secretary, and other ministers, supporting India’s G20 Presidency and advancing bilateral priorities. These include our Free Trade Agreement negotiations and stronger defence, security and technology partnerships.


Written Question
Energy Supply: International Cooperation
Monday 16th October 2023

Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his Department's policies of the signing of a trilateral energy agreement between (a) Greece, (b) Cyprus and (c) Israel; and whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of this agreement on regional energy security.

Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

The UK Government is committed to working alongside our partners to protect Europe's energy security. We welcome regional agreements, including this trilateral agreement, which support this aim.


Written Question
Israel: Foreign Relations
Tuesday 13th June 2023

Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps he is taking to strengthen the relationship between the UK and Israel.

Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

On 21 March, Foreign Minister Cohen and the Foreign Secretary signed the 2030 bilateral roadmap, which sets out how we will strengthen our cooperation over the coming years. We are delighted that negotiations to upgrade our trade agreement, launched last year, with two rounds of negotiations now completed.


Written Question
EU Law: Northern Ireland
Friday 24th March 2023

Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many new EU laws and decisions have been applied in Northern Ireland since the start of the operation of the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

We have been notified of around 250 amended or replaced EU goods regulations and directives under Article 13(3) since the old Protocol came into effect, for which there was no choice but to apply them automatically. Under the Windsor Framework, as EU goods rules are amended or replaced in the future, we have the powerful new democratic safeguard provided by the Stormont Brake. This ends the automatic presumption of dynamic alignment on goods and addresses the democratic deficit, giving the Stormont institutions a powerful role in the decision on whether significant new goods rules impacting on everyday life in Northern Ireland should be applied.


Written Question
Freeports: Northern Ireland
Friday 24th March 2023

Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the Windsor Framework will allow freeports to be set up in Northern Ireland.

Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

We are committed to extending the benefits of our Freeports programme across the UK and to working with stakeholders from sectors and places across Northern Ireland on how best to do so. Of course we need to see a restored Northern Ireland Executive before those discussions can be progressed further, similar to our engagements with Scottish and Welsh governments on proposals there.


Written Question
Windsor Framework
Thursday 9th March 2023

Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, in which circumstances the Windsor Framework permits the EU to revoke green lane procedures.

Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

The new arrangements in this agreement set out concrete legal changes to remove red tape and checks for internal UK trade, as well as legally binding, permanent solutions to a wide range of practical problems raised by citizens, businesses and politicians in Northern Ireland.

To secure the smooth flow of internal UK trade, we have inserted new text into Article 6(2) of the Protocol to lock in a commitment by both sides to establish and maintain specific arrangements for internal UK trade - which is subject to arbitration, rather than the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice.