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Written Question
Cuba: Development Aid
Monday 19th June 2023

Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policies on the level of Official Development Assistance provided to Cuba and of Cuban nationals undertaking military training in Russia to fight with the Russian military in Ukraine.

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

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office does not currently provide any bilateral ODA funding to Cuba. We will continue to monitor reports that Cuban nationals living in Russia may have joined the Russian army in exchange for Russian citizenship and be fighting in Ukraine. Russia's assault on Ukraine is an unprovoked, premeditated and barbaric attack against a sovereign democratic state. The UK and countries all around the world remain united in condemning Russia's egregious violation of international law and the UN Charter.


Written Question
Cuba: Russia
Monday 19th June 2023

Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will hold discussions with his Cuban counterpart on the implications for his policies of Cuban citizens joining the Russian army to fight in the war in Ukraine.

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

We have and will continue to raise Russia's unprovoked attack on Ukraine with the Cuban government and will continue to monitor reports that Cuban nationals living in Russia may have joined the Russian army in exchange for Russian citizenship and be fighting in Ukraine. Russia's assault on Ukraine is a premeditated and barbaric attack against a sovereign democratic state. The UK and countries all around the world remain united in condemning Russia's egregious violation of international law and the UN Charter.


Written Question
Cuba: Food
Wednesday 17th May 2023

Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the Government has provided assistance to the Republic of Cuba to tackle food shortages.

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

Our Ambassador to Havana and officials in London regularly engage with the Cuban authorities on how the UK and Cuba can work together to support each other. We have not received a request for assistance from the Cuban Government for aid.


Written Question
Cuba: Elections
Tuesday 25th April 2023

Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)

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 outcome of the 2023 Cuban Parliamentary Elections.

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

The outcome of the 2023 Cuban Parliamentary Elections, and the re-election of President Diaz-Canal, have no implications on UK policy towards Cuba. The UK has a longstanding policy of engagement with Cuba; we collaborate positively in areas of mutual interest and talk frankly on matters where we are not in agreement.


Written Question
Cuba: NATO and Ukraine
Friday 24th March 2023

Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North 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 Cuban counterpart on the (a) causes of the war in Ukraine and (b) NATO policies.

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

British Embassy officials met Cuban Government officials on 21 February to discuss Russia's invasion of Ukraine prior to the United Nations General Assembly's emergency special session on Ukraine on 23 February. The resolution was adopted with 141 votes in favour, 7 against, and 32 abstentions, including Cuba. There have been no discussions with Cuba on NATO policies.


Written Question
Cuba: Sanctions
Wednesday 15th February 2023

Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)

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 comments made by Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian expressing Iran's definite support for Cuba and condemning sanctions and foreign interference against Havana.

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

UK policy towards Cuba is not affected by comments made by Iran's Foreign Minister. The UK has a longstanding policy of engagement with Cuba. Our relationship allows us to collaborate positively in areas of mutual interest and to talk frankly on matters where our views and interests differ. We have consistently voted in the UN to oppose the US embargo on Cuba. We continue to draw attention to human rights violations in Iran and Cuba.


Written Question
Cuba: Politics and Government
Thursday 2nd February 2023

Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, which Government (a) agencies and (b) other bodies were (i) operating in Cuba and (b) otherwise working with the Cuban government as of 23 January 2023.

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

As of 23 January 2023, the UK is represented in Cuba by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office through our Embassy in Havana. UK Visas and Immigration (the division of the Home Office responsible for the United Kingdom's visa system) also operates from the Embassy. The British Council (the UK's international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities) has been working in Cuba since 1998 and celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2023.


Written Question
Cuba: Russia
Thursday 26th January 2023

Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)

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 reports that experts from Russia's Stolypin Institute for the Economy of Growth and Cuban Government experts are planning to create a Centre for Economic Transformation together.

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

We have noted the announcement that Russian and Cuban experts are planning to set up a Centre for Economic Transformation. The British Embassy in Havana often holds meetings with the Cuban Government in which development requirements of the Cuban economy are talked about, including the need and place for private small- and medium-sized businesses in a sustainable economy.


Written Question
Cuba: USA
Wednesday 11th January 2023

Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)

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 trends in the level of migration of people from Cuba to the US in 2022.

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

We are aware that increasing numbers of Cuban nationals are migrating from Cuba to countries in the region, including to the US. The UK opposes the US embargo against Cuba, which continues to damage Cuba's economy. We consistently vote in support of the annual United Nations General Assembly Resolution calling for an end to the embargo.

Many Cuban migrants travel through Mexico to reach the US. Our Embassy in Mexico City monitors the cross-border migration situation closely. British Embassy officials visit migration shelters on Mexico's southern and northern borders and remain in close contact with Mexican authorities.


Written Question
Cuba: Political Prisoners
Tuesday 10th January 2023

Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)

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 counterpart in Cuba on reports of the incarceration of political prisoners.

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

Many protestors, including minors, remain detained in Cuba following protests in July 2021. The UK Government has raised the ongoing detentions directly with the Cuban Government, both in London and Havana. Most recently our Ambassador did so last month. We are clear that all Cubans should have the right to protest peacefully, and that detention must not be used as a tool to restrict freedom of expression and assembly. The UK was one of the first countries to call for the Cuban people to be allowed to express their views freely and peacefully following the Cuban Government's response to the July 2021 protests.