Asked by: Matt Hancock (Independent - West Suffolk)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether she has made an assessment of the effectiveness of recent global action on reducing levels of methane emissions.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government is committed to the Global Methane Pledge, collectively to reduce global methane emissions by at least 30% by 2030.
COP28 mobilised action, with countries including Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan joining the Pledge. We also welcomed new regulatory initiatives, companies committing to the Oil and Gas Decarbonisation Charter, and the Methane Finance Sprint mobilising funding. The UK committed £2 million to help developing countries address energy-related methane emissions.
The International Energy Agency has recently reported that methane emissions from fossil fuels are set to decline once recent announcements are implemented.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what diplomatic steps he is taking to prevent businesses from evading sanctions by exporting goods to Russia via third countries.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Working closely with G7 partners, we have stepped up our engagement with third countries to support them to tackle circumvention of UK sanctions. We have sent joint delegations to UAE, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Georgia, and Armenia, to highlight risks and offer technical support to government and business.
The UK Government supports businesses domestically to tackle sanctions evasion, including by publishing guidance for exporters and by publishing the "Common High Priority Items List" of goods critical to Russia's military. HMG is also standing up the Office of Trade Sanctions Implementation, which will boost the enforcement and implementation of UK trade sanctions.
Correspondence Oct. 18 2023
Committee: Foreign Affairs Committee (Department: Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office)Found: of the UK-Kazakhstan Strategic Dialogue.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, if he will hold discussions with international partners on strengthening multilateral approaches to prevent the circumvention of sanctions against Russia through third countries.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK coordinates closely with the EU, US, G7 and other international partners to tackle circumvention via multilateral fora and strategic consultations. Senior officials attend the Sanctions Coordinators Forum in Brussels, most recently in February 2024 focusing on strengthening enforcement of Russia sanctions. With the EU, US and Japan we have agreed a list of 50 Common High Priority items; battlefield-critical components we are targeting through joint diplomatic engagement with third countries. With the US and EU we have jointly engaged with the UAE, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Georgia, Armenia, Turkey, Kyrgyzstan, and Serbia, to highlight circumvention risks and offer technical support.
Feb. 14 2024
Source Page: Letter dated 08/02/2024 from The Earl of Minto to Lord Collins of Highbury regarding issues raised in a debate on Ukraine: seizure of Russian state assets to fund Ukraine's reconstruction and the issue of sanctions circumvention. 2p.Found: Turkey has issued a decree prohibiting the export, in certain circumstances, of these items to Russia; Kazakhstan
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester, Gorton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to his oral contribution of 3 February 2022 on Kazakhstan: Anti-corruption Sanctions, Official Report, column 574, whether he plans to impose sanctions on Bergey Ryskaliyev.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Illicit finance and corruption undermine our interests and values. The UK is fully committed to working with the Government of Kazakhstan to take actions needed to tackle corruption. We provided training last year to build the capacity and resilience of Kazakh financial institutions and we receive continued cooperation from the government on this issue.
The UK Government does not comment on possible future sanction designations. To do so could reduce the impact of the designations.
Mentions:
1: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (CON - Life peer) Particularly notable recently is that Armenia, Turkey and Kazakhstan have taken action on the issue of - Speech Link
2: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (CON - Life peer) Let us be very clear that, while Kazakhstan has a strong reliance on Russia, it is looking at its domestic - Speech Link
Oct. 01 2023
Source Page: Minister for the Armed Forces meets defence leaders and military chiefs in Central Asia and MongoliaFound: The Minister for the Armed Forces James Heappey visited Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Mongolia this week
Jan. 29 2024
Source Page: Joint Nature Conservation Committee Interim Chair appointment extendedFound: sits judicially on a part-time basis as a Justice of the Astana International Finance Centre Court in Kazakhstan
Jan. 29 2024
Source Page: Joint Nature Conservation Committee Interim Chair appointment extendedFound: sits judicially on a part-time basis as a Justice of the Astana International Finance Centre Court in Kazakhstan