Council of Europe - All Types

Written Question

Turkey: Council of Europe

Monday 3rd July 2023

Asked by: John Howell (Conservative - Henley)

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 policies of the debate on Observation of the parliamentary and presidential elections in Turkiye at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on 19 June 2023.

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

We have noted the findings of the independent election observation missions in the recent Turkish Presidential and Parliamentary elections, including by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) in their report and debate on 19 June 2023 and by the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). We note from their conclusions that the elections offered voters a choice between genuine political alternatives and voter participation remained high, but there remains more work to do to ensure media freedom and fair judicial treatment of political opponents in Turkey. In our regular interaction with Turkey, we consistently encourage Turkey to uphold the rule of law, protect freedom of expression and assembly and to live up to its international obligations as a founding member state of the Council of Europe. The UK, along with all other Council of Europe member States, will respond to the report and debate through the Committee of Ministers.

Written Question

Tibet: Buddhism

Wednesday 14th February 2024

Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what steps his Department has taken to address the persecution of Buddhists in Tibet.

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

The UK Government consistently raises human rights issues with the Chinese authorities. The Foreign Secretary did so during his introductory call with China's Foreign Minister on 5 December 2023. We also regularly raise Tibet in multilateral fora, urging China to reverse its ongoing, serious, and systematic human rights violations. On 23 January at China's Universal Periodic Review at the UN Human Rights Council, the UK again called on China to cease human rights violations in Tibet. The British government works with international organisations and networks to promote and protect the freedom of religion or belief for all where it is threatened, including through the UN, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, the Council of Europe, and the International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance.

Written Question

Slovenia: Council of Europe

Monday 3rd July 2023

Asked by: John Howell (Conservative - Henley)

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 policies of the address made by the President of Slovenia at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on 21 June 2023.

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

We welcome President Nataša Pirc Musar's speech in Strasbourg to mark 30 years of Slovenia's membership in the Council of Europe (CoE) and thank her for highlighting the devastating consequences of Russia's unprovoked and illegal invasion of Ukraine.

We agree with President Pirc Musar's remarks that the Council of Europe must remain a global standard-bearer in addressing new and evolving human rights challenges, including on the environment and AI. The Prime Minister and Lord Ahmad were pleased to attend the Council of Europe Summit in Reykjavik alongside nearly forty other European leaders, including President Pirc Musar. Against the backdrop of Putin's heinous war against Ukraine, we stand united our European partners to defend our common values and support freedom, democracy and the rule of law across the continent.

We share the President Pirc Musar's focus on the need to de-escalate current tensions between Serbia and Kosovo and the importance of avoiding any further inflammatory actions or rhetoric and for a return to the EU-facilitated Dialogue.

Written Question

Georgia: Politics and Government

Tuesday 21st May 2024

Asked by: Stephen Doughty (Labour (Co-op) - Cardiff South and Penarth)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, what recent assessment he has made of the (a) security and (b) political situation in (i) Abkhazia and (ii) South Ossetia.

Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)

We closely monitor the political and security situation in the breakaway regions of Georgia. In statements at the UN, Council of Europe and Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the UK has repeatedly condemned Russia's illegal presence and 'borderisation' tactics, as well as the Russification of the regions, including through the proposed Russian naval base at Ochamchire and through economic means. The UK fully supports Georgia's territorial integrity and sovereignty, including the breakaway territories of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, in the face of continued hybrid aggression from Russia.

Written Question

Migration: EU Countries

Tuesday 6th February 2024

Asked by: Earl of Sandwich (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what new opportunities they are considering for discussing migration in Europe, in particular (1) through the European Union or its institutions, (2) with European Union members, or (3) the Council of Europe.

Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Government is committed to working with international partners on migration. We must intensify efforts to stop migrant smuggling across Europe, over Europe’s external borders, and in source and transit countries. This requires a collective European voice on the global stage, including in multilateral fora.

Migration is a focus of all our bilateral and multilateral engagement with our European partners. The UK is clear that reducing illegal migration requires a coordinated approach across Europe. For example, the Prime Minister and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni chaired a small-group meeting on migration and organised immigration crime at the European Political Community Summit in Granada in October 2023, agreeing an eight-point plan to address growing levels of illegal migration to mainland Europe. We will continue to build on this work throughout 2024.

Commons Chamber
Council of Europe - Thu 08 Jun 2023
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office

Deposited Papers
Home Office

Dec. 01 2008

Source Page: Table showing visas issued gratis by the Home Office for the years 2003 to 2007, broken down by (a) reason and (b) country of origin of applicant. 174 p.
Document: DEP2008-2955.xls (Excel)

Found: issued gratis by the Home Office for the years 2003 to 2007, broken down by (a) reason and (b) country of

Select Committee

Government response to the Committee's sports safety report

Government Response Dec. 01 2023

Committee: International Agreements Committee

Found: : Council of Europe Convention on Sports Event Safety and Security 2023’ .

Written Question

China: Religious Freedom

Thursday 23rd May 2024

Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham, Edgbaston)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, what recent steps his Department has taken to help protect freedom of religious belief for (a) Christians and (b) other religious minorities in China.

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

The UK Government continues to monitor the persecution of religious groups in China, including Christians. The freedom to practice, change or share one's faith or belief without discrimination is a human right that all people should enjoy.

The space for religious freedom in China continues to deteriorate, for Christians and other religious minorities. For example, recent new Measures on the Administration of Religious Activity Venues legislation includes widespread restrictions on religious practice such as requirements for priests to conduct sermons promoting core socialist values and Xi Jinping Thought.

The British government works with international organisations and networks to promote and protect freedom of religion or belief for all where it is threatened. This includes work through the UN, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, the Council of Europe, and the International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance.

Departmental Publication (Guidance and Regulation)
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office

Jan. 17 2024

Source Page: UK/EU/EAEC: Decision No 1/2023 of the Specialised Committee on Participation in Union Programmes of 4 December 2023 adopting Protocols I and II and amending Annex 47 to the Trade and Cooperation Agreement [TS No.5/2024]
Document: UK/EU/EAEC: Decision No 1/2023 of the Specialised Committee on Participation in Union Programmes of 4 December 2023 adopting Protocols I and II and amending Annex 47 to the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (PDF)

Found: UK/EU/EAEC: Decision No 1/2023 of the Specialised Committee on Participation in Union Programmes of 4

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