Asked by: Stewart Hosie (Scottish National Party - Dundee East)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many official trade representations abroad did ministers from his Department make in (a) 2018-19, (b) 2019–20 and (c) 2021–2022; and in which countries those representations took place.
Answered by Alister Jack - Secretary of State for Scotland
The Secretary of State for Scotland visited Uruguay and Chile on an official trade representation in September 2018.
Across the financial years 2018-19, 2019–20 and 2021–2022, Ministers from the Scotland Office visited Iceland, the United States of America, New Zealand, India, Finland and Norway to promote trade with Scotland.
Further details on the purpose and details of these visits are available in the Ministerial transparency returns, which are published on:
Asked by: Lord Roberts of Llandudno (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the decisions by the governments of Canada, Finland and Sweden to broaden their definition of refugee to include people affected by climate change; and what plans they have, if any, to amend their definition similarly.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The UK has a proud record of providing protection for people who need it, in accordance with our international obligations under the Refugee Convention and the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). Every asylum claim is carefully considered on its individual merits by assessing all the evidence provided by the claimant against a background of country information from a wide range of credible sources.
Refugee status is granted when someone has a well-founded fear of persecution under the Refugee Convention for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion. They must show that they cannot seek protection from the authorities in their country and cannot reasonably move to another part of their country to avoid persecution.
Climate change is not covered in the Refugee Convention as grounds for a well-founded fear of persecution and we do not have any plans to broaden this definition. We recognise however, that climate change will increasingly become a significant factor in driving migration. Evidence shows that climate extremes and environmental degradation are often amplifiers of other principal migration drivers. For those who do not have a well-founded fear of persecution for a convention reason, we consider whether they are at risk of serious harm and are in need of protection on humanitarian grounds. This ensures that we do not remove anyone who faces persecution or serious harm on return to their country of origin. If protection is not required, we consider if there are any family or private life reasons, medical reasons, or other exceptional circumstances that would warrant a grant of leave.
Decisions to migrate can have several causes and we regularly engage with our international partners in other countries on this important issue. We recognise the importance of providing people with options for sustainable livelihoods that do not compel them to migrate. As climate change increases its impact on migration it is imperative that efforts are redoubled to limit warming and to help vulnerable people to adapt to change. Climate change is a reality that requires greater and more coordinated adaptation and mitigation planning.
Asked by: Damien Moore (Conservative - Southport)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to help ensure Sweden and Finland are able to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation expeditiously.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The UK Government has engaged regularly with NATO Allies to advance the NATO accession process for Sweden and Finland. Once the Accession Protocols were signed, the Prime Minister expedited our ratification, recognising the importance of bringing both countries quickly into NATO. We are encouraging all Allies to also ratify swiftly. Rapid integration into NATO will make both countries safer, the Alliance stronger, and the Euro-Atlantic area more secure.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he is having with (a) Cabinet colleagues and (b) international counterparts on the potential expansion of NATO and how the UK can contribute to this.
Answered by James Heappey
The UK Government regularly engages with allies and international partners on NATO’s open door policy. This policy supports the right of any European state that shares the values of our alliance and are willing and able to assume the responsibilities and obligations of membership to join NATO. Finland and Sweden have now started this process and we hope to see them join the alliance at the soonest opportunity.
NATO’s expansion has been pivotal in spreading democracy, free speech and the rule of law across Europe. Each nation has the right to choose it’s own security arrangements. Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine has fundamentally changed European security and it is understandable that faced with this threat, countries may review their security arrangements, including considering applying to join the alliance and to benefit from it’s collective security guarantees. The alliance continues to work with aspirant countries to prepare them for eventual membership.
Asked by: Robert Buckland (Conservative - South Swindon)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what role the UK is playing in facilitating the applications of Sweden and Finland to NATO.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The UK Government has supported Finnish and Swedish applications for NATO membership and engaged regularly with both countries and NATO Allies to discuss the accession process. The Prime Minister spoke to President Erdogan of Turkey on 20 May and 21 June to emphasise that Finland and Sweden would be valuable additions to the Alliance. The UK welcomes the agreement between Turkey, Finland and Sweden, announced on 28 June, which paves the way for Finland and Sweden to join NATO. The UK also welcomes the formal invitation to both countries to join the Alliance, issued on 29 June. Their swift integration into NATO will make both countries safer, the Alliance stronger, and the Euro-Atlantic area more secure.
Asked by: Mark Hendrick (Labour (Co-op) - Preston)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with her counterparts in (a) Finland and (b) Sweden on those countries' applications for NATO membership.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The UK Government engages regularly with Finland and Sweden and has welcomed their applications for NATO membership. The UK will continue to work with all parties in support of this.
The Prime Minister has underlined the UK's support for the rapid accession of both countries, who will add to the collective security of the Alliance. The UK has deepened our defence and security relationship with both countries through mutual security declarations signed on 11 May.
Asked by: John Healey (Labour - Wentworth and Dearne)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has had discussions with his Turkish counterpart on the applications of (a) Finland and (b) Sweden to join NATO.
Answered by James Heappey
The UK is clear that having Sweden and Finland in the Alliance will increase our shared security. Our solidarity declarations signed with Sweden and Finland earlier this month by the Prime Minister demonstrate our steadfast and unequivocal commitment to both countries during their NATO membership process and beyond. At this time more than any, it is key we reinforce the unity of the Alliance. The UK hopes accession talks reach a rapid conclusion, to integrate Sweden and Finland into the Alliance quickly, and we hope that Sweden and Finland will attend next month's Madrid Summit as NATO Invitees.
The UK values its close alliance with Turkey as an integral part of NATO, we are clear that the strength of NATO as a whole is best served by facilitating the accession of Sweden and Finland as soon as possible, while addressing Turkey's valid security concerns. The UK is clear that Turkey has a right to defend itself against terrorism and we regularly discuss these matters and other matters of NATO importance with Turkey. We continue to discuss the Finnish and Swedish applications with NATO Allies, including Turkey. The Secretary of State for Defence has engaged directly with his Turkish opposite number and plans to meet him for further discussions in the near future.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many dogs were imported under the Balai Directive in each month of (a) 2020, (b) 2021 and (c) 2022 as of 6 June 2022; and from which countries those dogs originated.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
Since we left the EU, the EU import data for 2021 and 2022 was collated from the Animal and Plant Health Agency’s Post Import Management System (PIMS) and accounts for all imports into Great Britain that have been entered using IPAFFS (Import of products, animals, food and feed system).
For 2020, the data was extracted from TRACES NT through the data warehouse facility.
The information that we have provided is a true reflection of the information that we have access to. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of this data, as we can only rely on the information that has been input into IPAFFS and TRACES by traders.
From 14 April 2022 Great Britain temporarily suspended the commercial import of dogs, cats and ferrets if they originated from or have been dispatched from Belarus, Poland, Romania or Ukraine, until 9 July 2022.
Please find data below.
2020 Numbers of Dogs imported under Balai Directive | ||||||
Country of Origin | Jan | Feb | Mar | April | May | June |
Austria |
|
|
|
|
| 3 |
Belgium |
|
|
|
| 1 | 1 |
Bulgaria | 32 | 9 | 20 |
|
| 39 |
Croatia | 13 | 17 | 2 |
| 9 | 32 |
Cyprus | 286 | 271 | 185 | 61 | 229 | 348 |
Czechia | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| 19 | 13 |
Denmark |
|
|
|
|
| 1 |
England |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Estonia |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Finland |
| 1 | 1 |
|
|
|
France | 1 |
| 7 | 17 |
| 4 |
Germany | 6 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 20 |
Greece | 22 | 44 | 22 |
| 26 | 42 |
Hungary | 259 | 241 | 138 | 113 | 318 | 435 |
Iceland |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Italy |
| 1 |
| 1 | 4 | 19 |
Latvia |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Lithuania | 1 | 1 |
|
|
| 1 |
Luxembourg |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Malta |
|
| 1 |
|
|
|
Netherlands |
|
| 5 |
| 1 | 1 |
Northern Ireland |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Norway |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poland | 108 | 102 | 106 | 80 | 187 | 279 |
Portugal | 3 | 9 | 1 |
|
| 20 |
Republic of Ireland | 694 | 658 | 467 | 99 | 309 | 480 |
Romania | 1944 | 1705 | 870 | 529 | 2585 | 2814 |
Scotland |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Slovakia |
| 3 | 3 |
|
| 2 |
Slovenia |
|
|
|
| 2 | 1 |
Spain | 440 | 324 | 155 | 32 | 491 | 646 |
Sweden |
|
|
|
| 3 | 1 |
Switzerland |
|
|
|
| 1 |
|
Wales |
|
|
|
|
|
|
UK |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Isle of Man |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(blank) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Grand Total | 3810 | 3391 | 1987 | 934 | 4190 | 5202 |
2020 Numbers of Dogs imported under Balai Directive | ||||||
Country of Origin | July | Aug | Sept | Oct | Nov | Dec |
Austria | 1 | 2 |
|
| 1 | 1 |
Belgium |
|
|
| 2 | 3 | 6 |
Bulgaria | 20 |
| 20 | 1 | 41 | 40 |
Croatia | 3 | 14 | 18 | 8 | 6 | 31 |
Cyprus | 575 | 266 | 595 | 492 | 414 | 524 |
Czechia | 14 | 14 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 39 |
Denmark |
|
|
|
| 1 |
|
England |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Estonia | 5 |
|
| 7 | 2 | 7 |
Finland |
| 1 |
| 2 | 2 |
|
France | 1 |
| 1 | 1 |
| 1 |
Germany | 17 |
| 2 | 19 | 11 | 18 |
Greece | 61 | 154 | 52 | 65 | 46 | 29 |
Hungary | 542 | 395 | 588 | 649 | 717 | 670 |
Iceland |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Italy | 17 | 19 | 41 | 54 | 42 | 45 |
Latvia | 1 |
|
|
| 2 | 2 |
Lithuania | 2 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 42 | 40 |
Luxembourg |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Malta |
| 1 |
|
| 2 | 1 |
Netherlands | 6 | 9 |
| 4 | 12 |
|
Northern Ireland |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Norway |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poland | 349 | 314 | 514 | 527 | 678 | 700 |
Portugal | 44 | 45 | 63 | 50 | 74 | 34 |
Republic of Ireland | 461 | 449 | 640 | 572 | 508 | 477 |
Romania | 3427 | 3166 | 3454 | 3854 | 3587 | 4590 |
Scotland |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Slovakia | 11 | 14 | 15 | 24 | 17 | 17 |
Slovenia |
| 1 |
|
| 1 |
|
Spain | 752 | 407 | 810 | 682 | 716 | 1020 |
Sweden |
|
|
| 1 | 9 | 1 |
Switzerland |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Wales |
|
|
|
|
|
|
UK |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Isle of Man |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(blank) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Grand Total | 6309 | 5272 | 6826 | 7031 | 6944 | 8293 |
2021 Numbers of Dogs imported under Balai Directive | ||||||
Country of Origin | Jan | Feb | Mar | April | May | June |
Austria |
|
| 14 |
| 4 |
|
Belgium | 19 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 5 |
Bulgaria | 35 | 65 | 113 | 74 | 116 | 131 |
Croatia |
| 27 | 125 | 118 | 207 | 196 |
Cyprus | 143 | 485 | 323 | 384 | 205 | 415 |
Czechia |
| 14 | 14 | 19 | 17 | 20 |
Denmark |
|
| 12 |
| 1 | 184 |
England | 1 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 7 |
|
Estonia |
|
|
| 16 | 5 |
|
Finland |
| 1 | 2 | 1 |
|
|
France | 6 | 58 | 40 | 48 | 17 | 111 |
Germany |
| 2 | 4 | 4 | 11 | 17 |
Greece | 13 | 31 | 24 | 116 | 164 | 79 |
Hungary | 35 | 234 | 865 | 621 | 582 | 358 |
Iceland |
|
| 1 |
|
|
|
Italy | 4 | 29 | 35 | 26 | 9 | 33 |
Latvia |
| 36 | 25 | 66 | 61 | 45 |
Lithuania | 28 | 35 | 75 | 62 | 32 | 28 |
Luxembourg |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Malta |
|
|
|
|
| 1 |
Netherlands | 9 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 3 |
Northern Ireland |
| 2 |
|
|
|
|
Norway |
|
|
| 1 |
|
|
Poland | 131 | 318 | 564 | 587 | 688 | 566 |
Portugal | 1 | 34 | 69 | 59 | 43 | 78 |
Republic of Ireland | 96 | 529 | 717 | 560 | 654 | 640 |
Romania | 558 | 3609 | 4220 | 4788 | 3696 | 3199 |
Scotland |
|
|
|
|
| 1 |
Slovakia | 5 | 32 | 39 | 27 | 17 | 22 |
Slovenia |
|
| 1 | 3 |
| 1 |
Spain | 117 | 269 | 637 | 702 | 573 | 590 |
Sweden |
| 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Switzerland |
|
| 1 | 2 | 1 |
|
Wales |
|
| 1 |
|
|
|
UK |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Isle of Man |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(blank) |
|
|
| 1 |
|
|
Grand Total | 1201 | 5832 | 7937 | 8305 | 7125 | 6724 |
2021 Numbers of Dogs imported under Balai Directive | ||||||
Country of Origin | July | Aug | Sept | Oct | Nov | Dec |
Austria |
| 2 | 1 |
| 1 |
|
Belgium | 7 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 2 |
|
Bulgaria | 96 | 44 | 157 | 110 | 86 | 66 |
Croatia | 282 | 223 | 132 | 254 | 246 | 193 |
Cyprus | 297 | 396 | 345 | 325 | 165 | 275 |
Czechia | 22 | 18 | 25 | 22 | 20 | 30 |
Denmark |
| 58 | 210 | 43 | 94 | 117 |
England | 20 | 3 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 1 |
Estonia |
| 1 | 1 |
|
|
|
Finland |
| 1 |
| 1 | 1 | 1 |
France | 38 | 26 | 16 | 12 | 32 | 7 |
Germany | 7 | 9 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
Greece | 110 | 98 | 124 | 110 | 88 | 60 |
Hungary | 322 | 223 | 402 | 302 | 277 | 296 |
Iceland |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Italy | 35 | 29 | 35 | 17 | 36 | 8 |
Latvia | 43 | 28 | 57 | 55 | 69 | 27 |
Lithuania | 81 | 71 | 82 | 77 | 55 | 52 |
Luxembourg |
|
|
|
|
| 2 |
Malta |
|
|
|
|
| 2 |
Netherlands | 4 | 34 | 23 | 28 | 16 | 18 |
Northern Ireland |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Norway |
| 1 |
|
| 1 |
|
Poland | 480 | 486 | 543 | 492 | 405 | 333 |
Portugal | 53 | 22 | 42 | 46 | 28 | 25 |
Republic of Ireland | 557 | 620 | 651 | 557 | 633 | 444 |
Romania | 3328 | 2871 | 3108 | 3452 | 2825 | 2427 |
Scotland |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Slovakia | 23 | 21 | 32 | 22 | 33 | 18 |
Slovenia | 1 |
| 1 |
|
|
|
Spain | 729 | 316 | 539 | 490 | 539 | 408 |
Sweden | 2 | 1 |
| 33 | 1 | 2 |
Switzerland | 1 | 2 | 1 |
|
|
|
Wales |
|
|
|
|
|
|
UK |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Isle of Man |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(blank) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Grand Total | 6538 | 5610 | 6548 | 6463 | 5667 | 4816 |
2022 Numbers of Dogs imported under Balai Directive | ||||||
Country of Origin | Jan | Feb | Mar | April | May | 1/6/22 to 6/6/22 |
Austria | 3 |
|
| 2 |
| |
Belgium | 10 |
| 4 | 5 | 3 |
|
Bulgaria | 79 | 40 | 95 | 115 | 244 | 57 |
Croatia | 145 | 190 | 358 | 248 | 239 |
|
Cyprus | 335 | 282 | 275 | 77 | 253 | 11 |
Czechia | 14 | 11 | 10 | 18 | 23 |
|
Denmark | 1 | 19 | 67 | 97 | 32 |
|
England |
| 1 | 2 | 7 | 3 |
|
Estonia |
|
| 4 |
| 8 |
|
Finland | 1 | 1 | 1 |
|
|
|
France | 16 | 18 | 16 | 2 | 3 |
|
Germany | 22 | 21 | 7 | 11 | 15 | 4 |
Greece | 54 | 48 | 33 | 29 | 20 | 1 |
Hungary | 164 | 253 | 224 | 226 | 271 | 33 |
Iceland |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Italy | 7 | 44 | 32 | 35 | 18 |
|
Latvia | 56 | 32 | 54 | 41 | 38 | 2 |
Lithuania | 36 | 63 | 52 | 31 | 28 | 9 |
Luxembourg |
|
| 1 |
|
|
|
Malta |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Netherlands | 24 | 17 | 12 | 9 | 4 | 1 |
Northern Ireland | 1 |
|
|
| 12 |
|
Norway |
| 3 |
| 2 |
|
|
Poland | 320 | 339 | 334 | 175 | 46 | 2 |
Portugal | 30 | 36 | 30 | 24 | 43 | 9 |
Republic of Ireland | 635 | 670 | 632 | 534 | 622 | 65 |
Romania | 2529 | 2365 | 2531 | 1181 | 38 | 13 |
Scotland |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Slovakia | 17 | 13 | 12 | 17 | 14 | 1 |
Slovenia |
|
|
|
| 1 |
|
Spain | 480 | 529 | 448 | 415 | 352 | 65 |
Sweden | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| 1 |
|
Switzerland |
| 1 |
| 1 |
|
|
Wales |
|
|
|
|
|
|
UK |
|
| 1 | 2 |
|
|
Isle of Man | 2 |
|
|
|
|
|
(blank) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Grand Total | 4983 | 4999 | 5236 | 3304 | 2331 | 273 |
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many of his Department's personnel are deployed around the world; and in which locations those people are stationed.
Answered by James Heappey
The following table details the number of personnel deployed overseas on operations and their location. The numbers change depending on operational requirements, but are accurate at the time of answering the hon. Member's question.
Location | Number of UK military deployed | Number of civilians deployed | Total number of military and civilians deployed |
Egypt | 2 | 0 | 2 |
HMS Montrose | 180 | 2 | 182 |
HMS Penzance | 41 | 0 | 41 |
HMS Chiddingfold | 45 | 0 | 45 |
RFACardigan Bay | 0 | 0 | 0 |
HMS Middleton | 45 | 0 | 45 |
HMS Bangor | 36 | 0 | 36 |
HMS Trent | 61 | 0 | 61 |
HMS Spey | 46 | 0 | 46 |
HMS Tamar | 75 | 0 | 75 |
AbuDhabi (British Embassy) | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Bahrain | 188 | 2 | 190 |
Cyprus | 214 | 6 | 220 |
Oman | 18 | 0 | 18 |
Qatar | 132 | 0 | 132 |
UAE | 110 | 0 | 110 |
USA | 23 | 1 | 24 |
Baghdad(British Embassy) | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Iraq | 189 | 3 | 192 |
Jordan | 12 | 0 | 12 |
Kuwait | 51 | 3 | 54 |
TelAviv(British Embassy) | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Saudi Arabia | 24 | 0 |
|
Azerbaijan | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Pakistan(British High Commission) | 3 | 0 | 3 |
Pakistan | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Gibraltar | 3 | 0 | 3 |
Mali | 464 | 5 | 469 |
Democratic Republic of Congo | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Kenya | 10 | 0 | 10 |
Somalia | 69 | 0 | 69 |
Djibouti | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Tunisia(British Embassy) | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Chad | 3 | 0 | 3 |
Nigeria | 27 | 0 | 27 |
South Sudan | 3 | 0 | 3 |
Estonia | 1,372 | 14 | 1,386 |
Germany | 81 | 2 | 83 |
Latvia | 2 | 0 | 2 |
Lithuania | 89 | 0 | 89 |
Poland | 414 | 3 | 417 |
Bosnia | 2 | 0 | 2 |
Kosovo | 41 | 0 | 41 |
Ukraine | 97 | 0 | 97 |
Romania | 197 | 1 | 198 |
Bulgaria | 2 | 0 | 2 |
North Macedonia | 2 | 0 | 2 |
Slovakia | 43 | 0 | 43 |
Finland | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Sweden | 2 | 0 | 2 |
Japan | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Indonesia | 8 | 0 | 8 |
Kuala Lumpur | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Lebanon (British Embassy) | 7 | 0 | 7 |
Ghana | 25 | 0 | 25 |
Asked by: Marquess of Lothian (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's statement on 18 May that Turkey will not approve NATO membership for Finland and Sweden unless certain conditions are met, what recent discussions the Prime Minister has had with the President of Turkey.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Prime Minister discussed the applications of Finland and Sweden for NATO membership with President Erdoğan on 20 May. The Prime Minister underlined the UK's support for the rapid accession of both countries, who will add to the collective security of the Alliance. He welcomed Turkey's plans to discuss with Sweden and Finland the issues raised by the President, and reiterated the UK's willingness to support the accession process.