Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 4 May 2020 to Question 40585 on Cuba: Coronavirus, if he will make representations to his counterpart in the US administration on the (a) blockade and (b) restrictions of covid-19 medical resources and humanitarian assistance to Cuba.
Answered by Wendy Morton
The UK Government does not support the US embargo against Cuba. We consider the extraterritorial impacts of the embargo, including those on UK companies, to be contrary to international law, and we are not persuaded that these sanctions encourage potential reforms and economic progress.
We are in regular contact with our US partners, who are aware of our opposition to the embargo. We communicate this both privately, and through our public statements. The United Kingdom unfailingly votes in favour of the annual United Nations General Assembly resolution calling for an end to the economic, commercial, and financial embargo. We have been working actively with the Cuban Government and other organisations on ideas to reform the business environment, and provide direct support to UK companies wishing to do legitimate business with Cuba.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the Cuban authorities supporting British nationals stranded on the cruise ship MS Braemer, what assistance the Government is providing to Cuba to help that country tackle the covid-19 pandemic.
Answered by Wendy Morton
We are grateful to the Cuban authorities for having led an exceptional operation to bring back to the UK 684 British citizens and people of other nationalities who were on board the Braemer cruise ship. The UK Government is working with its Cuban counterparts, both bilaterally and via multilateral fora, to deliver a robust global response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Our Ambassador to Havana continues to engage in conversations with the Cuban authorities about how to deepen and broaden our bilateral relationship, and what we can do to help our countries weather this crisis.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect of US sanctions on (a) Venezuela and (b) Cuba on the ability of those countries to respond effectively to the covid-19 pandemic; and what steps the Government is taking to ensure essential medical supplies can reach those nations.
Answered by Wendy Morton
The UK remains deeply concerned about the continuing deterioration in the humanitarian situation in Venezuela and its long-term economic crisis. Venezuela's economy has shrunk 65% since 2013, and not as a result of economic sanctions imposed from 2017, but caused primarily by political and economic mismanagement and the gross misuse of power by the illegitimate Maduro regime and its predecessor. The collapse of the country's health system is one example of what has gone wrong, at such high cost to the Venezuelan people, and long predates the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. Through DFID, HMG has to date committed £44.5 million to support the humanitarian crisis, including ongoing work being delivered by key partners, such as the UN, to support the Covid-19 response and alleviate the humanitarian consequences of the crisis in Venezuela, including through the provision of medical supplies.
The UK Government does not support the US sanctions regime against Cuba. Our Ambassador to Havana regularly discusses with the Cuban authorities how we can develop our bilateral relationship, including how we might work together to deliver a robust global response to the Covid-19 pandemic. We were most appreciative of the Cuban authorities' support with the repatriation of passengers from the cruise ship Braemar in March after passengers on the ship were stricken by the Covid-19 virus.