Jo Cox – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jo Cox on 2016-01-04.

To ask the Prime Minister, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of creating a cross-cabinet position responsible for the protection of civilians abroad who are at risk of mass atrocity crimes.

Mr David Cameron

The Government has an established cross-governmental process, overseen by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, that supports international efforts to protect civilians at risk from mass atrocities.

The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Rochford and Southend East (Mr Duddridge) is responsible for conflict issues and UK policy on the prevention of mass atrocities. The Minister of State, my noble friend the right hon. The Baroness Anelay of St Johns, is responsible for Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict in her role as my Special Representative. Baroness Anelay of St Johns is also responsible for UN peacekeeping and the International Criminal Court, and contributes to policy in both these areas.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office also works to ensure that any British Nationals caught up in mass atrocity crimes are supported.

The Government’s crisis management committee, COBR, also provides a mechanism to manage the cross-government response to such events.