Asked by: Dan Carden (Labour - Liverpool, Walton)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions she has had with the Prime Minister on his attendance at COP28.
Answered by Graham Stuart
My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has confirmed he will attend COP28 with other world leaders to achieve a step change in ambition and action.
Asked by: Philip Davies (Conservative - Shipley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make a formal apology to Matthew Hedges on the level of support offered by his Department while Mr Hedges was in prison in United Arab Emirates.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) issued a formal apology to Mr Hedges on 31 August 2023 in accordance with the recommendations set out following an investigation by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, which upheld aspects of his complaint. Supporting British nationals when they need help abroad remains an enduring priority of the FCDO.
Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has taken recent steps to help (a) maintain the ceasefire and (b) negotiate a longer-term pause in hostilities to allow emergency supplies to reach Sudan.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The UK is working with a range of partners, including from Quad (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, UK, US), African and European countries, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the African Union (AU) and the United Nations to end the hostilities in Sudan. We welcome the mediation efforts of IGAD, the AU and neighbouring countries to bring the leaders of the warring parties together and secure a permanent ceasefire. The UK's top humanitarian priority is to secure humanitarian access and operational security guarantees for humanitarian agencies. We continue to press all parties to respect their obligations under International Humanitarian Law to protect civilians, as well as to provide safe and unfettered humanitarian access to affected populations.
Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to prevent (a) the escalation of conflict in Sudan and (b) the involvement of neighbouring countries.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The UK is working with a range of partners, including from Quad (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, UK, US), African and European countries, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the African Union (AU) and the United Nations to end the hostilities in Sudan. We welcome the mediation efforts of IGAD, the AU and neighbouring countries to bring the leaders of the warring parties together and secure a permanent ceasefire. The UK's top humanitarian priority is to secure humanitarian access and operational security guarantees for humanitarian agencies. We continue to press all parties to respect their obligations under International Humanitarian Law to protect civilians, as well as to provide safe and unfettered humanitarian access to affected populations.
Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to deliver humanitarian aid to Sudan.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
In May, the Minister for Development and Africa announced that the UK would provide £21.7 million in humanitarian aid for people in need in Sudan, as part of our contribution at the UN Horn of Africa pledging summit. The UK's top humanitarian priority is to secure humanitarian access and operational security guarantees for humanitarian agencies. We are in close contact, and actively working with the UN, donors and humanitarian agencies to coordinate the effective delivery of aid, and to put pressure on the parties to abide by their commitments under international humanitarian law to protect civilians. The UK is pursuing all diplomatic avenues, working with international partners, including the UN, through the Quad (Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, UK and US) and the African Union-led Core Group, to secure a cessation of hostilities, ensure the protection of civilians and to grant safe humanitarian access.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make a formal apology to Matthew Hedges on the level of support offered by his Department while Mr Hedges was in prison in United Arab Emirates.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) issued a formal apology to Mr Hedges on 31 August 2023 in accordance with the recommendations set out following an investigation by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, which upheld aspects of his complaint. Supporting British nationals when they need help abroad remains an enduring priority of the FCDO.
Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he is taking diplomatic steps to support the proposal by the Israeli government to construct a land bridge to connect Israel to United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Jordan.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government welcomes all initiatives that aim to facilitate regional integration, enhance economic growth, and build peace.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of St Albans (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with (1) Sudanese Armed Forces, (2) Rapid Support Forces, and (3) the Sudan People's Liberation Movement–North, about the ongoing conflict in Sudan.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
UK officials have had various contacts with representatives of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), Rapid Support Forces (RSF), Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPMN-N) factions and other groups. In these contacts, we have demanded that the warring parties respect calls for a ceasefire, engage in a meaningful peace process and grant immediate humanitarian access. The UK is working with a range of international partners, including counterparts from the Quad (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, UK, US), African and European countries, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the African Union (AU) and the UN, to get the parties to the negotiating table and end hostilities in Sudan. On 12 July, we announced a package of six sanctions under the Sudan (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020, freezing the assets of three commercial entities linked to each party involved in the conflict. These sanctions target entities which the SAF and RSF have used to support their war efforts and are designed to press the parties to allow humanitarian assistance, end the violence and engage in a meaningful and sustained progress to peace.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to international partners, including the US, Canada, Germany, and France, in relation to the situation in Sudan, in particular in Darfur; and what steps they are taking together in response, in accordance with the 'responsibility to protect' principle.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK condemns reports of targeted violence against specific groups in Darfur. We have raised these reports in international fora, including the UN Security Council (UNSC) and Human Rights Council. Most recently, at the 13 July UNSC meeting on the International Criminal Court's Sudan investigation, we welcomed the ICC Prosecutor's decision to commence investigations into the offences currently being committed in Darfur. The UK has released funding to organisations who are working with local partners to collect, verify and preserve digital content from the conflict, including incidents of significant abuses. This will play a vital role in amplifying the voices of those who are being targeted and would be permissible in future accountability mechanisms, should they be established. We continue to work with counterparts from African, Quad (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, UK, US) and European countries to support efforts to end the violence, protect civilians and secure safe humanitarian access.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the UN in relation to the violence and atrocities in Sudan, in particular in Darfur; and what steps they are taking in response, in accordance with the 'responsibility to protect' principle.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK condemns reports of targeted violence against specific groups in Darfur. We have raised these reports in international fora, including the UN Security Council (UNSC) and Human Rights Council. Most recently, at the 13 July UNSC meeting on the International Criminal Court's Sudan investigation, we welcomed the ICC Prosecutor's decision to commence investigations into the offences currently being committed in Darfur. The UK has released funding to organisations who are working with local partners to collect, verify and preserve digital content from the conflict, including incidents of significant abuses. This will play a vital role in amplifying the voices of those who are being targeted and would be permissible in future accountability mechanisms, should they be established. We continue to work with counterparts from African, Quad (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, UK, US) and European countries to support efforts to end the violence, protect civilians and secure safe humanitarian access.