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Written Question
NATO
Monday 25th March 2024

Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the (a) location is of and (b) deployment levels are at each NATO (i) owned and (ii) operated sites.

Answered by James Heappey

The UK is one of the largest contributors of personnel to NATO, underlining our commitment to deterrence and defence of the Euro-Atlantic Area.

The table below shows the number of UK personnel posted to NATO Peacetime Establishment locations, with personnel in 39 NATO locations in 19 countries all over Europe and the Continental US, and the UK has proportional workforce equity at all locations.

Country

Location

UK Fill

Country

Location

UK Fill

Belgium

Brussels

50

Netherlands

Brunssum

110

Mons

170

Norway

Stavanger

30

Bulgaria

Sofia

~

Poland

Bydgoszcz

~

Estonia

Tallin

~

Elblag

~

France

Lille

10

Szczecin

~

Germany

Geilenkirchen

10

Portugal

Lisbon

10

Munster

10

Oeiras

~

Oberammergau

~

Romania

Bucharest

~

Ramstein

70

Slovakia

Bratislava

~

Uedem

20

Spain

Torrejon

20

Ulm

20

Valencia

~

Wesel

30

Türkiye

Istanbul

10

Greece

Thessaloniki

~

Izmir

30

Italy

Milan

20

UK

Blandford

50

Naples

120

Molesworth

10

Poggio

20

Northwood

60

Sigonella

~

Yeovilton

~

Latvia

Adazi

~

USA

Norfolk

50

Riga

~

Tampa

~

"~" denotes a number less than or equal to 5.

Data have been rounded to 10 and therefore totals may not always equal the sum of the parts.


Written Question
Cyprus: Greece
Wednesday 28th February 2024

Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what information his Department holds on the number of Greek troops that are stationed in southern Cyprus; and whether any personnel from the Greek (a) military and (b) intelligence community are hosted in the sovereign base areas of (i) Akrotiri and (ii) Dhekelia.

Answered by James Heappey

Further to the written answers to Questions 8179, 80904, and 80905, we do not propose to release details of any non-UK personnel participating in current or future operational activities in the Sovereign Base Areas. We do not hold information regarding the size of any Greek deployment in the Republic of Cyprus, this would be a matter for the Hellenic Armed Forces. We do not comment on intelligence matters.


Written Question
Yemen: Military Intervention
Thursday 25th January 2024

Asked by: Mark Hendrick (Labour (Co-op) - Preston)

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 help prevent regional conflict following strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen.

Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We continue to work with our allies and partners to safeguard maritime security and navigation rights and freedoms in the Red Sea.

The Foreign Secretary has discussed developments in the Red Sea with key interlocutors from Saudi Arabia (14 December), United Arab Emirates (16 December & 12 January), Egypt (20 December), Iran (31 December and 17 January), Oman (31 December and 14 January), United States (2 January), the Palestinian Authority (5 January), Italy (8 January), Cyprus (12 and 24 January), Turkey (12 January), Saudi Arabia ( 17 January), Government of Yemen (17 January), United States (17 January), UN Secretary General (17 January), Poland (17 January), Sweden (21 January) and Greece (21 January). He also sent messages to United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain on 23 January providing an update on the 22 January strikes.

The UK, alongside international partners, condemned the Houthi attacks through a series of ministerial statements. This included a 1 December United Nations Security Council statement, a 19 December US led statement with 43 signatories, a 3 January statement clearly stating that continued attacks would have consequences, a 12 January statement after the first strikes signed by 10 countries and a 23 January statement after the second strikes signed by 24 countries. On 10 January the United Nations Security Council passed resolution 2722 affirming freedom of navigation and noting members states' right to defend their vessels.


Written Question
Asylum: Rwanda
Wednesday 20th December 2023

Asked by: Lord Marlesford (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government how Rwanda compares in population density with (1) China, (2) Russia, (3) the USA, (4) Australia, (5) Libya, (6) France, (7) Spain, (8) Germany, (9) the UK, and (10) Greece; and how relevant they regard that measure in their policy for transporting migrants from the UK to Rwanda.

Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The table below shows the estimated population density (the number of people per square kilometre) of the countries listed based on UN statistics published in October 20231. The countries are ordered as in the question plus Rwanda at 11:

Country

Population density

1

China2

148.5

2

Russia

8.8

3

United States of America

37.0

4

Australia

3.4

5

Libya

4.1

6

France

117.2

7

Spain

94.7

8

Germany

239.2

9

United Kingdom

278.1

10

Greece

79.4

11

Rwanda

569.1

1 UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, ‘Statistical Yearbook 2023, Sixty-sixth issue’ (pages 15 to 35), October 2023

2 For statistical purposes, the UN data for China do not include the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Macao Special Administrative Region and Taiwan

Population was one of a range of factors that was considered when entering into the Migration and Economic Development Partnership with Rwanda.


Written Question
Prisoners: Repatriation
Tuesday 19th December 2023

Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many foreign national offenders were removed from the country through a prison transfer agreement each year since 2010; and if he will list which countries were they removed to.

Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

Any foreign national who is convicted of a crime and given a prison sentence is considered for deportation at the earliest opportunity. Where appropriate, the Government will also seek to permanently remove foreign criminals from the UK via the Early Removal Scheme once they have served the minimum required of their sentence. This is our best performing removal scheme with 5,262 Foreign National Offenders (FNOs) having been removed between January 2019 and June 2022.

The Home Office removed 16,676 foreign national offenders since January 2019 to September 2023. Published figures show that FNO returns have increased in the latest 12-month period (ending September 2023) by 19% when compared to previous 12-month period.

Our new Prisoner Transfer Agreement with Albania entered into force in May 2023 and we have signed a new Prisoner Transfer Agreement with the Philippines. We are looking to negotiate new Prisoner Transfer Agreements with key EU Member States and wider-world countries

Foreign national offender removals via Prisoner Transfer Agreements since 2010:

Year:

Removals:

2010

46

2011

33

2012

41

2013

44

2014

34

2015

57

2016

99

2017

107

2018

111

2019

136

2020

81

2021

73

2022

50

2023

33

Countries or Territories we have removed foreign national offenders to via Prisoner Transfer Agreements since 2010:

Albania

Denmark

Latvia

Slovakia

Austria

Ecuador

Lithuania

Slovenia

Belgium

Estonia

Macedonia

Spain

Bermuda

France

Malta

Sri Lanka

Bolivia

Germany

Montenegro

St Helena

Brazil

Ghana

Netherlands

Sweden

Bulgaria

Gibraltar

Nigeria

Switzerland

Canada

Greece

Norway

Turkey

Cayman

Hungary

Pakistan

Ukraine

Chile

India

Poland

Vietnam

Croatia

Ireland

Portugal

Iraq

Cyprus

Israel

Romania

Czech Republic

Italy

Saudi


Written Question
Cyprus: Politics and Government
Monday 18th December 2023

Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester, Gorton)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what recent assessment he has made of the adherence by Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots to the 1960 Treaty of Guarantee.

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

The Treaty of Guarantee was signed by the Republic of Cyprus, the UK, Greece and Turkey in 1960. We do not make an assessment of the adherence by the Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot communities to the Treaty. As one of the signatories, the UK's support for the independence, territorial integrity and security of the Republic of Cyprus remains unwavering. We recognise that the status quo creates serious challenges for all Cypriots and continue to support the UN-led process to resolve these through a just and lasting Settlement, in line with UN Security Council Resolutions. We continue to engage all sides on this, including the leaders of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities.


Written Question
Gender Recognition Certificates
Friday 15th December 2023

Asked by: Anneliese Dodds (Labour (Co-op) - Oxford East)

Question

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether she had discussions with her counterpart in Greece before laying the Gender Recognition (Approved Countries and Territories and Saving Provision) Order 2023 on the removal of that country from the list of approved countries and territories to qualify applicants for the overseas route to apply for gender recognition certificates.

Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

I refer back to my previous answer to UIN 5635 on 14th December.


Written Question
Greece: Turkey
Wednesday 13th December 2023

Asked by: Lord Stone of Blackheath (Non-affiliated - Life peer)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the case for recognising the actions by the Young Turk and Kemalist regimes against Pontic Greeks between 1914 and 1923 as a genocide.

Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK's longstanding position is that determining whether a situation amounts to genocide is an issue for competent national and international courts after consideration of all of the available evidence, rather than a decision by Governments or non-judicial parties. For this reason, the UK has not made an assessment of this case.


Written Question
Corporation Tax: International Cooperation
Tuesday 5th December 2023

Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department holds information on the countries that will implement the OECD Pillar 2 minimum corporation tax measures from 31 December 2023; and what discussions he has had with (a) the OECD and (b) his counterparts in other countries on the implementation of that measure.

Answered by Gareth Davies - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

Countries that have committed to apply Pillar 2 from 31 December 2023 or 1 January 2024 include: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Vietnam. Japan are implementing for 1 April 2024.

Guernsey, Isle of Man, Jersey, Hong-Kong and Singapore have committed to implement for 1 January 2025.

There are many other jurisdictions that have taken steps towards Pillar 2 implementation.

There are regular multilateral discussions at Ministerial level, including at the level of the G20, on how to ensure swift and coordinated implementation of Pillar 2, as well as the support that can be provided to developing countries in that regard.


Written Question
Trade Fairs
Wednesday 29th November 2023

Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if she will publish a list of global trade shows which her Department has encouraged businesses to attend in each of the last two years.

Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Over the last two financial years (including 2023-24), the Department for Business and Trade has organised international activations for UK export-ready small and medium sized enterprises at over 90 international trade shows listed below.

2022-23

Trade show

Country

Cannes Lion

France

Aero India

India

Arab Health

UAE

BETT Asia

Malaysia

Bio Convention - San Diego

USA

Chemspec Europe

Germany

DSEI Japan

Japan

ExpoNaval

Chile

Fruit Attraction

Spain

Gulfood (February 2023)

UAE

IACP

USA

IDEX

UAE

Indo Defence

Indonesia

Indo Pacific

Australia

Innotrans

Germany

International Atomic Energy Agency General Conf

Austria

Intersec

UAE

Investing in Africa Mining, Indaba

South Africa

JP Morgan Healthcare conf

USA

Kidscreen

USA

Medica

Germany

Middle East Beauty

France

Mobile World Congress (MWC)

Spain

Money 2020

USA

International Defence Industry Exhibition MSPO

Poland

Pitti Uomo

Italy

Posidonia 2022

Greece

Sial

France

Singapore Fintech Week

Singapore

SMM Hamburg

Germany

SOFIC

USA

South By South West (SXSW)

USA

Web Summit 2022

Portugal

2023-24

Trade show

Country

AAHAR

India

Agritechnica

Germany

Anuga

Germany

Arab Health

UAE

Asia Pacific Maritime

Singapore

Australia Space Policy Forum

Australia

Bengalaru Tech Summit

India

BETT Asia

Malaysia

Big 5 Construction

UAE

BIO International

USA

Cannes Lions

France

Chemspec

Germany

CPHI

Spain

Defense & Security

Thailand

DIMDEX

Qatar

Dubai Airshow

UAE

DUPHAT

UAE

FoodEx

Japan

GCC Beauty World ME

Dubai

Global Health Expo

Saudi Arabia

Global Space & Technology Convention

Singapore

GULFOOD 2024

UAE

IACP

USA

Indo Pacific

Australia

InFlavour

Saudi Arabia

Intersec

UAE

Investing in Africa Mining Indaba

South Africa

International Defence Industry Exhibition (MSPO)

Poland

International Defence Industry Fair (IDEF)

Turkey

Intersec

UAE

Intersec KSA

Saudi Arabia

JP Morgan Health Tech

USA

Kidscreen 2024

USA

Kormarine

ROK

Medica

Germany

METSTRADE

Netherlands

Middle East Rail

UAE

Mobile World Congress

Spain

Money 2020

USA

NorShipping

Norway

Paris Air Show

France

PCHI (Personal Care and Homecare Ingredients)

China

Photonics West

USA

Pitti Uomo

Italy

Prowein

Germany

ReBuild Ukraine

Poland

Seafood Expo

USA

Singapore Fintech Week

Singapore

Singapore Maritime Week

Singapore

SOF Week

USA

Space Tech Expo

Germany

SXSW

USA

Web Summit

Portugal

Wind Europe

Denmark

Wind Europe 2024

Spain

World Defense Show

Saudi Arabia

World New Energy Vehicle Congress

China

World Nuclear Exhibition

Paris