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Written Question
Venezuela: Prisoners' Release
Tuesday 21st November 2023

Asked by: Andrew Lewer (Conservative - Northampton South)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make representations to his Venezuelan counterpart on the release of (a) Guillermo Zarraga, (b) Emirlendris Benítez, (c) Gabriel Blanco, (d) Maria Auxiliadora Delgado, (e) Juan Carlos Marufo, (f) Dario Estrada and (g) Robert Franco.

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

The UK continues to call for the unconditional release of all those unjustly detained in Venezuela. We regularly raise the human rights situation in Venezuela at the UN Human Rights Council, and our Embassy in Caracas supports local non-governmental organisations working on human rights. We continue to encourage the implementation of the Venezuelan-led political agreement reached on 17 October in Barbados, including the release of political prisoners. The regime's practice of regularly targeting those engaged in human rights work stands in the way of democracy and a resolution to Venezuela's humanitarian crisis. Human rights violations must stop.


Written Question
Military Attachés
Friday 17th November 2023

Asked by: John Healey (Labour - Wentworth and Dearne)

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which countries do not have a resident UK Defence Attache.

Answered by James Heappey

The table below has a list of countries covered on a Non-Residential Accreditations (NRA) basis, where a UK Defence Attaché (DA) is not resident in country, but a DA elsewhere has the responsibility. This ensures that we have coverage across the world’s regions.

Country (NRA)

Location of DA

Angola

Pretoria – South Africa

Anguilla

Jamaica - Kingston

Antigua & Barbua

Jamaica - Kingston

Armenia

Georgia – Tbilisi

Azerbaijan

Georgia – Tbilisi

Bahamas

Jamaica - Kingston

Barbados

Jamaica - Kingston

Belarus

Ukraine – Kyiv

Belize

Jamaica - Kingston

Benin

Accra - Ghana

Bermuda

USA – Washington DC

Bolivia

UK – London

Botswana

Harare - Zimbabwe

British Virgin Islands

Jamaica - Kingston

Burkina Faso

Ghana - Accra

Burundi

Uganda – Kampala

Cambodia

Singapore

Cape Verde Islands

UK-London

Cayman Islands

Jamaica – Kingston

Congo

UK - London

Cuba

Mexico – Mexico City

Djibouti

Ethiopia – Addis Ababa

Dominica Dominican Republic

Jamaica - Kingston

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Kampala - Uganda

Eritrea

Sana’a - Yemen

Ecuador

Bogota - Colombia

Gabon

London

Grenada

Jamaica - Kingston

Guinea

Sierra Leone – Freetown

Guyana

Jamaica - Kingston

Guatemala

Mexico – Mexico City

Guinea-Bissau

Senegal - Dakar

Haiti

Jamaica - Kingston

Hungary

Croatia - Zagreb

Iceland

Norway - Oslo

Ivory Coast

Ghana – Accra

Khartoum

Egypt - Cairo

Kosovo

Macedonia - Skopje

Kyrgyzstan

Kazakhstan – Astana

Lesotho

South Africa - Pretoria

Liberia

Sierra Leone - Freetown

Libya

Libya - Tripoli

Malawi

Zimbabwe – Harare

Malta

Rome

Mauritania

Morocco – Rabat

Monaco

France – Paris

Mongolia

Japan – Tokyo

Montenegro

Tirana – Albania

Myanmar

Singapore (BDS SEA)

Montserrat

Jamaica - Kingston

Mozambique

South Africa – Pretoria

Panama City

Puerto Rico

Namibia

South Africa – Pretoria

Niger

Mali - Bamako

Papua New Guinea

Australia – Canberra

Paraguay

Argentina – Buenos Aires

Peru

Colombia - Bogota

Rwanda

Uganda – Kampala

Seychelles

Kenya - Nairobi

St Kitts & Nevis

Jamaica - Kingston

St Lucia

Jamaica - Kingston

St Vincent

Jamaica - Kingston

Slovakia

Czech Rep - Prague

Slovenia

Austria – Vienna

South Sudan

Addis Ababa – Ethiopia

Switzerland

Vienna - Austria

Syria

Lebanon

Tajikistan

Kazakhstan – Astana

Tanzania

Kenya – Nairobi

The Gambia

Senegal - Dakar

Timor-Leste (East Timor)

Indonesia - Jakarta

Togo

Ghana – Accra

Tonga

Fiji – Suva

Trinidad & Tobago

Jamaica - Kingston

Turkmenistan

Uzbekistan - Tashkent

Turks & Caicos Islands

Jamaica - Kingston

Uruguay

Argentina - Buenos Aires

Vanuatu

Fiji – Suva

Venezuela

Bogota - Colombia

Zambia

Zimbabwe - Harare


Written Question
Chevening Scholarships Programme
Friday 8th September 2023

Asked by: Matt Western (Labour - Warwick and Leamington)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many Chevening scholarships have been awarded to each country for awarded for the 2023-24 academic year.

Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)

Chevening operates in over 160 countries and territories. For the 2023-24 academic year, our budget of £57.7 million Official Development Assistance (ODA), £1.6 million non-ODA funding, and additional income of around £13.2 million from tuition fee-waivers and external partners allowed us to offer 1440 awards of which 1383 were from ODA funding and 57 from non-ODA funding. Attached is a table indicating numbers from each eligible country. For countries where we offered fewer than five places we withhold the exact number as this would contravene one of the data protection principles. In this case, Sections 40(2) and 40 (3A)(a) of the Freedom of Information Act apply.

ODACountryAwards made (incl. full/part partner funded awards)
ODAAFGHANISTAN22
ODAALBANIA11
ODAALGERIA7
ODAANGOLA / SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE15
ODAARGENTINA15
ODAARMENIA5
ODAAZERBAIJAN7
ODABANGLADESH21
ODABELARUS7
ODABELIZEFewer than 5
ODABHUTAN5
ODABOLIVIA6
ODABOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA6
ODABOTSWANA5
ODABRAZIL46
ODABURUNDIFewer than 5
ODACAMBODIA14
ODACAMEROON / CHAD / EQUATORIAL GUINEA / GABON8
ODACHINA33
ODACOLOMBIA14
ODACONGO, The Democratic Republic Of The/Central African Republic/Republic of CongoFewer than 5
ODACOSTA RICA / NICARAGUA6
ODACOTE D'IVOIRE7
ODACUBA8
ODADJIBOUTIFewer than 5
ODADOMINICAN REPUBLIC/HAITI13
ODAEAST CARIBBEAN ODA (GRENADA, ST LUCIA, DOMINICA, ST VINCENT & THE GRENADINES, ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA)11
ODAEAST TIMORFewer than 5
ODAECUADOR6
ODAEGYPT30
ODAEL SALVADORFewer than 5
ODAERITREAFewer than 5
ODAEswatiniFewer than 5
ODAETHIOPIA13
ODAGAMBIA5
ODAGEORGIA/South Caucasus14
ODAGHANA / BENIN / TOGO /BURKINA FASO16
ODAGUATEMALA / HONDURAS5
ODAGUINEAFewer than 5
ODAGUYANA / SURINAME5
ODAINDIA38
ODAINDONESIA43
ODAIRAQ18
ODAJAMAICA13
ODAJORDAN8
ODAKAZAKHSTAN9
ODAKENYA33
ODAKOSOVO8
ODAKYRGYZ REPUBLICFewer than 5
ODALAOS13
ODALEBANON10
ODALESOTHO6
ODALIBERIAFewer than 5
ODALIBYA10
ODAMADAGASCAR/COMOROS8
ODAMALAWI6
ODAMALAYSIA41
ODAMALDIVES7
ODAMALIFewer than 5
ODAMAURITANIA5
ODAMAURITIUS7
ODAMEXICO34
ODAMOLDOVA6
ODAMONGOLIA17
ODAMONTENEGRO7
ODAMOROCCO11
ODAMOZAMBIQUE15
ODAMYANMAR11
ODANAMIBIA14
ODANEPAL11
ODANIGERFewer than 5
ODANIGERIA39
ODANORTH MACEDONIA6
ODAOVERSEAS TERRITORIES12
ODAPACIFIC POOL32
ODAPAKISTAN (DOES NOT INCLUDE FELLOWS)46
ODAPALESTINIAN TERRITORIES11
ODAPANAMA5
ODAPARAGUAY17
ODAPERU11
ODAPHILIPPINES23
ODARWANDA8
ODASAMOA + COOK ISLANDSFewer than 5
ODASENEGAL / CAPE VERDE /GUINEA-BISSAU8
ODASERBIA7
ODASIERRA LEONE6
ODASOMALIA17
ODASOUTH AFRICA47
ODASOUTH SUDAN6
ODASRI LANKA10
ODASUDAN14
ODASYRIA15
ODATAJIKISTANFewer than 5
ODATANZANIA17
ODATHAILAND24
ODATUNISIA6
ODATURKEY20
ODATURKMENISTAN6
ODAUGANDA21
ODAUKRAINE37
ODAUZBEKISTAN7
ODAVENEZUELA7
ODAVIETNAM23
ODAYEMEN9
ODAZAMBIA11
ODAZIMBABWE7
Non-ODAAUSTRALIAFewer than 5
Non-ODABAHAMASFewer than 5
Non-ODABARBADOS (+ ST KITTS AND NEVIS)Fewer than 5
Non-ODABRUNEIFewer than 5
Non-ODACANADAFewer than 5
Non-ODACHILEFewer than 5
Non-ODAHONG KONGFewer than 5
Non-ODAICELANDFewer than 5
Non-ODAISRAELFewer than 5
Non-ODAJAPANFewer than 5
Non-ODANEW ZEALANDFewer than 5
Non-ODASEYCHELLESFewer than 5
Non-ODASINGAPORE5
Non-ODASOUTH KOREAFewer than 5
Non-ODATAIWAN5
Non-ODATRINIDAD AND TOBAGOFewer than 5
Non-ODAURUGUAY10
1350

Written Question
Venezuela: Elections
Friday 28th July 2023

Asked by: Marquess of Lothian (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the current political situation in Venezuela, following the Venezuelan government’s recent announcement that opposition leader María Corina Machado is banned from holding public office for 15 years, and (2) the prospects for free and fair presidential elections in Venezuela in 2024.

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

The Venezuelan regime's recent decision to disqualify opposition leader, María Corina Machado, from holding public office for 15 years is an attack on basic democratic rights. It is vital for opposition leaders to be able to stand for election and for opposition parties to be able to organise primaries without improper interference by the state. We have registered our thoughts about the disqualification of Maria Corina Machado and Minister Rutley issued a tweet on 2 July publicly condemning the decision. We continue to encourage all parties concerned to do everything necessary to bring about a return to democracy in Venezuela and to hold free, fair presidential elections in 2024, in accordance with international democratic standards.


Written Question
Ebrahim Raisi: Official Visits
Monday 19th June 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, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his Department's policies on Latin America and the Caribbean of the visit of the President of Iran to Venezuela, Nicaragua and Cuba in June 2023.

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

UK policy on Latin America and the Caribbean is not affected by the visit of Iranian President Raisi to Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. Through the visit, the Iranian regime sought to deepen political, economic and trade relations with the ruling regimes in these three Latin American countries, all of which, like Iran, suffer from serious democratic shortcomings.

The UK continues to stand up for UK values and security interests. The Foreign Secretary visited Latin America in May and emphasised the need for respect for sovereignty, democracy and human rights, and to resist systemic threats to these values arising from destabilising states.


Written Question
Venezuela: Organised Crime
Tuesday 13th June 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 support his Department is providing to the Venezuelan government on tackling criminal gangs in Caracas.

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

The UK Government does not provide any support to tackle criminal gangs in Caracas. The UK does work with countries in the region to combat organised crime groups. In my statement at the UN Security Council on 11 January, I [Minister Rutley] welcomed Colombian Government-led efforts to secure a ceasefire with armed groups, many of which are fighting for control of illicit economies, including illegal mining in Venezuela which has become an important source of revenue for criminal gangs.


Written Question
Emirlendris Benítez
Tuesday 16th May 2023

Asked by: Andrew Lewer (Conservative - Northampton South)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will call for the provision of urgent medical care for Emirlendris Benítez.

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

The UK continues to monitor the ongoing imprisonment and mistreatment of Emirlendris Benítez, who was arbitrarily detained in August 2018 for political reasons. We regularly raise the human rights situation in Venezuela at the UN Human Rights Council, and our Embassy in Caracas supports local non-governmental organisations working on human rights. The regime's practice of regularly targeting those engaged in human rights work stands in the way of democracy and a resolution to Venezuela's humanitarian crisis.


Written Question
Javier Tarazona
Tuesday 16th May 2023

Asked by: Andrew Lewer (Conservative - Northampton South)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will call for the unconditional release of Javier Tarazona..

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

The UK continues to monitor the ongoing imprisonment and mistreatment of Javier Tarazona, the director of the non-governmental organization FundaREDES who was arbitrarily detained in July 2021. We regularly raise the human rights situation in Venezuela at the UN Human Rights Council, and our Embassy in Caracas supports local non-governmental organisations working on human rights. In July 2022, the then FCDO Minister for Latin America issued a tweet calling for the release of Javier Tarazona. Human rights organisations must be able to work freely and without fear. The regime's practice of regularly targeting those engaged in human rights work stands in the way of democracy and a resolution to Venezuela's humanitarian crisis.


Written Question
Venezuela: Non-governmental Organisations
Tuesday 16th May 2023

Asked by: Andrew Lewer (Conservative - Northampton South)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will call for the removal of the Law for the audit, regularization, action and financing of non-governmental and related organizations proposed by the Venezuelan authorities.

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

The UK firmly supports the right of civil society to operate freely in all countries, including Venezuela. Recent years have seen a worrying deterioration of the human rights situation in Venezuela, where the Maduro regime has used force against peaceful protesters, stifled media freedom, carried out arbitrary detentions and harassed journalists and human rights defenders. The UK is closely monitoring the proposed Law on control, regularization, operations and financing of non-governmental and related organisations, which would limit further the civil and democratic space. We raised the proposed bill at the UN Human Rights Council in March. We urge the Venezuelan regime to undertake constructive dialogue with the international community to ensure this space is protected in accordance with International Law.


Written Question
State Retirement Pensions: British Nationals Abroad
Monday 15th May 2023

Asked by: Rob Roberts (Independent - Delyn)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average amount of state pension paid to individuals who live outside the UK is; and if he will provide a breakdown of the average state pension payment in each country in which recipients reside.

Answered by Laura Trott - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

In November 2020, the average (mean) amount of State Pension paid to individuals who live outside the UK was £70.61 per week.

Table 1. Average Amount of State Pension paid to individuals who live outside the UK, November 2020

Residency

Mean Weekly State Pension Amount

Outside United Kingdom

£ 70.61

Source: Stat-Xplore - Home (dwp.gov.uk)

Below is a table of the average (mean) amount of State Pension paid to individuals who live outside the UK, broken down by country of residence, in November 2020.

Table 2. Average Amount of State Pension by Country of Residence, November 2020

Country of Residence

Mean Weekly State Pension Amount

Abroad - Not known

£ 112.62

Albania

£ 110.57

Alderney

£ 126.99

Algeria

£ 62.41

Andorra

£ 94.96

Anguilla

£ 64.93

Antigua

£ 74.02

Argentina

£ 65.18

Aruba

£ 60.29

Ascension Island

£ 91.68

Australia

£ 50.09

Austria

£ 49.24

Azerbaijan

£ 166.77

Bahamas

£ 66.64

Bahrain

£ 97.27

Bangladesh

£ 39.49

Barbados

£ 116.97

Belarus

£ 111.17

Belgium

£ 63.62

Belize

£ 85.01

Bermuda

£ 81.36

Bolivia

£ 106.19

Bosnia and Herzegovina

£ 73.12

Botswana

£ 75.98

Brazil

£ 81.20

Brunei

£ 121.78

Bulgaria

£ 122.47

Burkina Faso

£ 54.09

Cambodia

£ 119.76

Cameroon

£ 58.81

Canada

£ 46.34

Cape Verde

£ 52.18

Cayman Islands

£ 89.42

Chile

£ 72.13

China

£ 96.39

Colombia

£ 89.09

Cook Islands

£ 57.92

Costa Rica

£ 81.75

Cyprus

£ 122.54

Denmark

£ 58.40

Dom Commonwealth (Dominica)

£ 77.73

Dominican Republic

£ 107.52

Dutch Caribbean

£ 67.76

Ecuador

£ 85.95

Egypt

£ 78.64

El Salvador

£ 80.36

Equatorial Guinea

£ 142.11

Ethiopia

£ 88.34

Falkland Islands and Dependencies

£ 85.64

Faroe Islands

£ 33.01

Fiji

£ 73.66

Finland

£ 58.89

France

£ 113.52

French Overseas Departments

£ 84.34

French Polynesia

£ 55.84

Gambia

£ 91.46

Germany

£ 46.48

Ghana

£ 56.69

Gibraltar

£ 100.77

Greece

£ 109.44

Greenland

£ 23.21

Grenada

£ 77.33

Guam

£ 83.49

Guatemala

£ 77.73

Guernsey

£ 84.86

Guyana

£ 60.60

Honduras

£ 79.02

Hong Kong

£ 85.42

Hungary

£ 102.32

Iceland

£ 71.68

India

£ 50.10

Indonesia

£ 106.53

Iran

£ 70.85

Iraq

£ 64.11

Ireland

£ 66.41

Isle of Man

£ 127.85

Israel

£ 101.27

Italy

£ 56.79

Jamaica

£ 116.05

Japan

£ 46.97

Jersey

£ 70.02

Jordan

£ 67.90

Kazakhstan

£ 124.13

Kenya

£ 79.34

Kuwait

£ 103.54

Kyrgyzstan

£ 76.07

Laos

£ 100.66

Lebanon

£ 88.20

Lesotho

£ 59.64

Liechtenstein

£ 28.62

Luxembourg

£ 83.34

Macau

£ 77.52

Madagascar

£ 62.23

Malawi

£ 71.90

Malaysia

£ 77.87

Malta

£ 104.22

Mauritius

£ 108.25

Mexico

£ 74.98

Moldova

£ 124.94

Monaco

£ 111.96

Montserrat

£ 65.67

Morocco

£ 75.51

Mozambique

£ 74.56

Myanmar

£ 84.84

Namibia

£ 70.17

Nepal

£ 63.99

Netherlands

£ 55.81

Nevis, St Kitts-Nevis

£ 75.56

New Caledonia

£ 79.61

New Zealand

£ 46.44

Nicaragua

£ 79.72

Nigeria

£ 27.65

Norfolk Island

£ 55.18

North Macedonia

£ 24.20

Norway

£ 58.24

Oman

£ 89.53

Pakistan

£ 48.74

Panama

£ 96.96

Papua New Guinea

£ 75.49

Paraguay

£ 68.41

Peru

£ 88.02

Philippines

£ 138.86

Poland

£ 59.39

Portugal

£ 119.47

Puerto Rico

£ 77.32

Qatar

£ 113.55

Republic of Croatia

£ 62.10

Republic of Estonia

£ 78.98

Republic of Georgia

£ 129.54

Republic of Latvia

£ 68.34

Republic of Lithuania

£ 42.71

Republic of Slovenia

£ 60.38

Romania

£ 99.40

Russia

£ 85.51

Saint Helena & Dependencies

£ 89.27

San Marino

£ 29.33

Sark

£ 117.68

Saudi Arabia

£ 86.88

Senegal

£ 74.13

Serbia

£ 123.58

Seychelles

£ 79.10

Sierra Leone

£ 52.66

Singapore

£ 89.20

Solomon Islands

£ 79.08

Somalia

£ 44.20

South Africa

£ 56.52

South Korea

£ 41.69

Spain

£ 120.61

Sri Lanka

£ 59.98

St Lucia

£ 76.63

St Vincent & Grenadines

£ 80.10

State Union of Serbia and Montenegro

£ 53.44

Sudan

£ 71.27

Suriname

£ 151.95

Swaziland

£ 79.26

Sweden

£ 57.52

Switzerland

£ 51.98

Syria

£ 63.61

Tahiti

£ 77.00

Taiwan

£ 105.85

Tanzania

£ 87.61

Thailand

£ 119.10

The Czech Republic

£ 92.30

The Slovak Republic

£ 49.82

Togo

£ 50.10

Tonga

£ 73.36

Tours (Individuals on Tour)

£ 133.34

Trinidad & Tobago

£ 55.37

Tunisia

£ 88.16

Turkey

£ 132.24

Turks and Caicos Islands

£ 118.32

Uganda

£ 88.33

Ukraine

£ 115.86

United Arab Emirates

£ 107.46

United States

£ 74.19

United States Minor Outlying Islands

£ 75.89

Uruguay

£ 77.74

Vanuatu

£ 85.86

Venezuela

£ 67.62

Vietnam

£ 125.09

Virgin Islands (British)

£ 91.77

Virgin Islands (USA)

£ 72.74

Western Samoa

£ 34.12

Yemen

£ 42.90

Zambia

£ 75.67

Zimbabwe

£ 48.98

Source: Stat-Xplore - Home (dwp.gov.uk)