Tag: Lord Chidgey

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Chidgey on 2016-02-03.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of political instability, human rights violations, poor governance and rule of law, and economic collapse, on migration flows from Sudan.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

We are concerned by migration flows from across the region, including Sudan. There are a range of political, economic and security factors that impact migration flows and we are undertaking further research on the drivers of migration from Sudan. We continue to raise our concerns about the human rights situation in Sudan and urge the government and opposition groups to work together to secure a political settlement that addresses Sudan’s internal conflicts.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Chidgey on 2016-07-06.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the monitoring and oversight mechanisms in place in respect of the use of EU funds to ensure that the Khartoum Process complies with human rights norms.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

The Government is continuing its Chairmanship of the Khartoum Process, and remains committed in its support for human rights. Our focus remains on the implementation of the actions agreed at last year’s EU-Africa Valletta Summit on migration.

We are working with EU and international partners to ensure that EU funding underlying the Khartoum Process is properly monitored and overseen, including compliance with the EU Treaties which includes respect for human rights.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Chidgey on 2016-03-01.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by Baroness Verma on 29 February (HL Deb, cols 573–5), whether the UK Mission to the UN, following receipt of a UN Security Council briefing on the humanitarian situation in South Sudan, has called for the immediate imposition of an arms embargo; and if so, why such an embargo should not also be applied to Sudan.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

The UK has made clear our strong support for a UN arms embargo in South Sudan. We welcome that the UN Security Council will return to this issue by 15 April and we will continue to make the case to other Council members in the interim. We fully support the existing UN arms embargo for Darfur and the EU arms embargo that applies to Sudan as a whole. We remain deeply concerned by the impact of the devastating conflicts in Sudan and will continue to press all sides to engage in the African Union-led peace talks.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Chidgey on 2016-07-13.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the potential effects on investment of uncertainty around issues of future market access, whether they plan to commit to (1) extending bilaterally the duty- and quota-free access that the least developed countries have had to the UK market since 2001 once the UK’s exit from the EU is completed; (2) honouring the duty- and quota-free market access granted to Caribbean countries since 2008 until new bilateral trade agreements have been concluded; and (3) unilaterally extending the duty- and quota-free access granted to sub-Saharan countries under the transitional arrangements established since 2008 until new bilateral trade agreements have been concluded.

Lord Price

While the UK is still a member of the EU, all rights and obligations will apply. There will be no initial change in the way we trade with developing countries. The new Department for International Trade will work with the Department for International Development on the structure and access to the UK’s markets to be offered to developing countries. This will reflect the UK’s longstanding support for Least Developed Countries and other developing country trading partners including through preferential trade agreements. This recognises that trade can be an effective way of growing economies and reducing poverty internationally.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Chidgey on 2016-03-16.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they are making to the government of Sudan concerning the recent raid by Sudan’s National Intelligence and Security Services on civil society actors at the Tracks offices in Khartoum.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

An official based at our Embassy in Khartoum raised this specific case directly with the Director for Human Rights at the Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs last week. More broadly, we continue to highlight our concerns about the freedom of civil society organisations as part of our ongoing human rights dialogue with the Government of Sudan.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Chidgey on 2016-07-13.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to continue to recognise EU sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) and food safety approvals for imports of agricultural products from the African, Caribbean and Pacific group countries once the UK’s exit from the EU is complete, or whether they plan to require exporters from those countries to secure separate SPS and food safety approvals for exports to the UK.

Lord Price

A new Department for Exiting the European Union has been established by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, to oversee arrangements for the UK’s exit from the EU after we have triggered Article 50. Until then the UK remains a full member of the EU.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Chidgey on 2016-04-18.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the effects of any inconsistencies in deadlines for the ratification of concluded and signed EU trade agreements established by the European Commission under the auspices of Economic Partnership Agreements.

Lord Price

I am not aware of inconsistencies in deadlines for the ratification of Economic Partnership Agreements between the EU and African, Caribbean and Pacific partners. EU Regulation 1528/2007 of 20 December 2007 states that ratification of the agreements should take place “within a reasonable period of time.”

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Chidgey on 2016-04-18.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact on the normal functioning of parliamentary ratification processes in developing countries of the EU bringing forward the deadlines for ratification of EU Economic Partnership Agreements.

Lord Price

The EU has not brought forward the deadlines for ratification of Economic Partnership Agreements between the EU and African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) partners. EU Regulation 1528/2007 of 20 December 2007 states that ratification of the agreements should take place “within a reasonable period of time.” I expect the parliamentary ratification processes in developing countries to function as normal in relation to these agreements.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Chidgey on 2016-04-18.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to discuss with the European Commission the effect of the deadlines placed on the ratification of trade agreements with developing countries where such deadlines could undermine the normal functioning of parliamentary engagement of these ratification processes.

Lord Price

EU Regulation 1528/2007 of 20 December 2007 states that ratification of the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) between the EU and African, Caribbean and Pacific partners should take place “within a reasonable period of time.” UK officials are in regular contact with the European Commission about the EPAs and we do not expect Regulation 1528/2007 to undermine the normal functioning of parliamentary engagement in the ratification processes for these agreements.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Chidgey on 2016-05-18.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what communication the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has had with the South Sudanese Transitional Government of National Unity.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Hon. Friend the Member for Rochford and Southend East (James Duddridge), wrote to President Salva Kiir Mayardit, First Vice President Dr Riek Machar Teny and the Minister for Foreign Affairs Deng Alor Kwol on 6 May. He welcomed the formation of the transitional government and urged them to secure peace, tackle the economic crisis and address the humanitarian situation. Our Embassy in Juba is also in direct contact with members of the transitional government and will continue to press for the full implementation of the peace agreement.