Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the marine science community about the future of the UK’s involvement in Horizon Europe.
Answered by Viscount Camrose - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government continues to be ready to work constructively with the EU on a range of issues including UK association to Horizon Europe.
The Department has socialised plans on alternatives to Horizon with the marine science sector in June and December 2022 roundtables during their development. We will continue to put the interests of businesses and researchers across the UK, including in the marine science community, first so they can take forward ground-breaking research and drive forward innovation with their international partners.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to build international relationships in research, innovation and development to advance UK knowledge and ensure UK skills are recognised in the global research and innovation community.
Answered by George Freeman
The Government aims to place research and innovation at the heart of international bilateral and multilateral relationships, to accelerate the UK’s global science and technology superpower ambitions and underpin the UK’s position as a global force for good. A key enabler will be the delivery of the new DSIT International Science Partnerships Fund (ISPF) with key partner countries which was announced in December 2022 with an initial budget of £119 million.
The Government continues to be ready to work constructively with the EU on a range of issues including UK association to Horizon Europe.
Asked by: Jessica Morden (Labour - Newport East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with his Chinese counterpart on reports of the repression of the country's Christian community through surveillance, censorship and disinformation.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The environment for freedom of religion or belief across China is restrictive, including the persecution of Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Falun Gong practitioners and others on the grounds of their religion or belief.
We regularly raise the human rights situation in China directly with the Chinese authorities at the highest levels. Most recently, the Foreign Secretary did so in a meeting with his Chinese counterpart on 20 September.
We also work within the UN, OSCE, Council of Europe, International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance and other international organisations and networks to promote and protect freedom of religion or belief for all where it is threatened.
Asked by: Stephen Doughty (Labour (Co-op) - Cardiff South and Penarth)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with his Georgian counterpart on the implications of the visit of the Speaker of the Russian State Duma to Abkhazia on 1 December 2022 and the subsequent signing of a cooperation agreement.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
Although the Foreign Secretary has not discussed this issue with his Georgian counterpart, it is the longstanding policy of the UK and the vast majority of the international community that Abkhazia is Georgian territory, as we have repeatedly made clear in statements at the UN, OSCE and Council of Europe. The signing of the cooperation agreement is a further attempt to undermine Georgia's sovereignty over the territory of Abkhazia. The UK's strong support for Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and close cooperation on defence and security, makes us one of Georgia's most valued partners in countering Russian hybrid threats.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his international counterparts on tackling anti-Muslim hatred.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
We remain deeply concerned by violations and abuses of freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) in many parts of the world, including intolerance and hate speech. The UK is committed to working with our international partners to protect the right to FoRB for all through adherence to FoRB-focussed resolutions which enjoy consensus agreement, including those led by the EU and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, as well as multilateral engagement through the UN, Council of Europe and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). In July this year we hosted an international Ministerial conference on FoRB, bringing together over 800 faith and belief leaders and human rights actors, and 100 government delegations to agree action to promote and protect FoRB. Ministers and officials regularly raise specific cases of concern with those we believe are not meeting their obligations, and in March this year we led development of an International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance statement ( https://www.state.gov/irfba-statement-on-the-ahmadiyya-muslim-community/ ) calling out persecution of Ahmadi Muslims.
Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to work with the international community and the Azerbaijani and Armenian Governments to bring about a sustainable peace settlement which addresses the underlying causes of the conflict between those nations.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The UK Government continues to engage with the Governments of Armenia and Azerbaijan, and with international partners, to support negotiations to secure a sustainable and peaceful settlement to the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The UK Government has been clear that the outstanding matters between the parties, including those that are drivers of conflict, can only be settled by peaceful negotiation. I [Minister for Europe] reinforced this position with the Armenian and Azerbaijani Foreign Ministers on 15 and 17 September respectively. UK officials in Baku, Yerevan and across our network of diplomatic missions also continue to encourage progress towards a negotiated settlement.
Asked by: Lyn Brown (Labour - West Ham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions her Department has had with the authorities in Uganda on protecting LGBTQ people from inhuman or degrading treatment in that country.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
We make regular representations to the Government of Uganda on LGBT+ issues through our High Commission in Kampala. We also work on these issues in Uganda through international organisations, including the UN, Council of Europe, Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe and the Commonwealth, to address discriminatory laws and end discrimination against LGBT+ people. Our approach to protecting LGBT+ rights in Uganda is shaped through our regular consultation with civil society organisations and is cognisant of the risk of negative repercussions of discriminatory practises for the LGBT+ community in Uganda.
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 she has made of the implications for her policies of the debate which took place at the Council of Europe on 23 June 2022 entitled Consequences of the blockade of the Black Sea.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The UK Government is working with the international community to hold Russia to account over its blockade of the Black Sea. The UK strongly supports UN efforts to unlock the export of Ukrainian grain and find practical ways to open up commercial shipping routes. We are also working with the EU to increase the volume of grain exported by rail. We will continue to fund humanitarian aid and economic support for those that need it most, protecting them from the fallout of Russian aggression. We recognise the work of the Council of Europe and in particular Parliamentary Assembly to the Council of Europe, and note that recommendations will go to the Committee of Ministers in due course.
Asked by: Andrew Gwynne (Labour - Denton and Reddish)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to set out how the UK plans to combat the threat posed by Iranian disinformation in the UK and internationally.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The UK Government takes the issue of disinformation very seriously and is working with partners to combat false and misleading narratives. We have long been clear about our concerns over Iran's continued destabilising activity. This includes information operations against our allies in the Middle East, Europe and North America. As the Foreign Secretary has made clear, the UK is committed to working with the international community to ensure Iran abides by international laws and norms and is held to account for its destabilising activity.
Asked by: Emily Thornberry (Labour - Islington South and Finsbury)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, which international organisations are in receipt of privileges in the UK within the terms of the International Organisations Act 1968 as of 12 May 2022.
Answered by Vicky Ford
The following International Organisations are in receipt of privileges and immunities in the UK as of 12 May 2022 within the terms of the International Organisations Act and other relevant legislation:
African Development Bank | European Investment Bank | International Development Association | North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) |
African Development Fund | European Medicines Evaluation Agency | International Education Scientific Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) | North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Naval Communications Agency |
Asian Development Bank | European NGSS Agency | International Finance Corporation | Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development |
Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank | European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) | International Fund for Agricultural Development | Organisation Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR) |
Bank for International Settlements (BIS) | European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation (Eurocontrol) | International Grains Organisation (formerly International Wheat Council) | Organisation Prohibition of Chemical Weapons |
Caribbean Development Bank | European Parliament | International Labour Organisation | Oslo and Paris Commissions (OSPAR) |
Common Fund for Commodities | European Patent Organisation | International Lead and Zinc Study Group | Preparatory Commission for Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organisation |
Commonwealth Agricultural Bureaux International (CABI) | European Space Agency | International Maritime Organisation | Square Kilometre Array Organisation (SKAO) |
Commonwealth Foundation | European Southern Observatory | International Mobile Satellite Organisation (IMSO) | United Nations |
Commonwealth Secretariat | European Telecommunications Satellite Organisation | International Monetary Fund (IMF) | United Nations Development Programme |
Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation | European Union | International Oil Pollution Compensation Fund | United Nations Environment Programme |
Council of Europe | Food and Agricultural Organisation (of the UN) | International Oil Pollution Compensation Fund 1992 | United Nations Information Centre |
Customs Cooperation Council | Hong Kong Export Trade Office | International Organisation for Migration | United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees |
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development | Independent International Commission on Decommissioning | International Rubber Study Group | United Nations World Food Programme |
European Atomic Energy Community | Inter-American Development Bank | International Seabed Authority | Unified Patents Court |
European Banking Authority | International Atomic Energy Agency | International Sugar Organisation | Universal Postal Union |
European Bioinformatics Institute (also known as European Molecular Biology Laboratory) | International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (World Bank) | International Telecommunications Satellite Organisation (ITSO) | World Health Organisation |
European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting | International Civil Aviation Organisation | International Telecommunications Union | World Intellectual Property Organisation |
European Coal and Steel Community | International Cocoa Organisation | International Tribunal Law of the Sea | World Meteorological Organisation |
European Commission of Human Rights | International Coffee Organisation | International Whaling Commission (IWC) | World Trade Organisation |
European Committee for Prevention of Torture | International Court of Justice (UN) | North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC) | |
European Community | International Criminal Court | North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organisation (NASCO) |