Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The UK is a strong supporter of both the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM). We continuously encourage all our UN humanitarian partners to work closely together for maximum impact and efficiency. This includes through the use of performance based core funding, which incentivises the collective performance of the UN...
Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: All farm animals are protected by comprehensive and robust animal health and welfare legislation. The Animal Welfare Act 2006 makes it an offence either to cause any captive animal unnecessary suffering or to fail to provide for the welfare needs of the animal. This is supplemented by detailed legislation to protect the welfare of livestock while on farm, as well as legislation to protect...
Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: We are concerned by reports from Tigray on the damage to cultural monuments and artefacts. We have stressed the need for Ethiopia to safeguard its incredible diversity of faith and identity. Respect for cultural heritage is part of this, alongside freedom of expression and freedom of religion and belief.
Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: We are deeply concerned by the worsening humanitarian crisis in northern Ethiopia. The conflict is causing appalling suffering to the civilian population, with over 400,000 people in Tigray now living in famine-like conditions and over 25 million in need of urgent humanitarian assistance across the country. The humanitarian response in Tigray is now at standstill owing to the de facto...
Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: We remain deeply concerned about reports of human rights abuses and violations in Ethiopia. The Minister for Africa has raised our concerns about ethnically targeted arrests with Minister Redwan in Addis Ababa on 20 January. The protection of all civilians needs to be prioritised, human rights respected and those responsible for human rights abuses and violations held to account. At a special...
Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: HMG is not providing any funding to the Albanian prison system at present. We have no specific plans to provide financial support to the Albanian prison system, although we continue to scope out possibilities for collaboration in areas of shared interest and benefit, including assisting reform of the Albanian justice system.
Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The Defra-funded environmental assessment of washable and disposable nappies is nearing completion. Peer review is expected to commence shortly and we aim to publish the research in the spring.
Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: Defra and the Animal and Plant Health Agency have been in touch with the University of Liverpool Small Animal Veterinary Surveillance Network (SAVSNET) which has been investigating the increase in reports of vomiting and diarrhoea (V&D) in dogs in the Northeast of England. Investigations continue, but so far SAVSNET has reported a seasonal increase across England in V&D commonly seen each...
Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: As an active UN member state, we encourage all countries in the UN to abide by these important guiding principles. We have not raised the dismissal of Mr Dincer with the Turkish authorities, as this is an internal matter for Turkey.
Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: We are committed to working collaboratively with the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) to finalise the Defra-OEP Framework Document as soon as possible. The Framework Document will be published in due course, once a final version has been agreed between Defra and the OEP.
Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: We will publish the environmental principles draft policy statement as soon as possible, following the consultation we carried out last year. The policy statement will then undergo parliamentary scrutiny and a final version will be published. There will be an implementation period to allow Government departments to prepare for the new duty. Defra has already been working with departments by...
Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The Government is committed to establishing the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) with sufficient funding to fulfil its statutory functions. The OEP will be given a five-year indicative budget, which will be ring-fenced by Defra within the spending review period. The OEP’s budget for financial year 22/23 and an indicative five-year budget will be announced before it comes into...
Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The Prime Minister spoke to President ErdoÄan most recently on 14 January, when they discussed the situation on the Ukrainian border and emphasised NATO's collective resolve to avoid further escalation.
Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: Almost 60 members of staff of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office currently have valid exam passes in Russian at C1 level. Exam passes are valid for five years. In December 2017, that figure was below 50. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office does not routinely collect data on language skills below C1 level.
Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: Environmental permitting regulations specify statutory timescales for the Environment Agency (EA) to consider permit applications and the EA also has its own performance measures and is subject to corporate reporting. The EA communicates with operators through sector bodies and on individual applications about its timescales to enable them to make their applications in time for projects to...
Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The Environment Agency's (EA) National Permitting Service is dealing with the application from Fenix Recycling Ltd as a priority. This application is for the recovery and disposal of hazardous waste and this type of facility and activity has the potential to cause significant harm to the environment and local community. The site is near residential properties and the applicant's submissions...
Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The next meeting of the Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee will take place on 21 February 2022. The meeting will be co-chaired by the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Affairs, Rt Hon Elizabeth Truss MP, on behalf of the UK. The Minister of State for Europe and North America, Rt Hon James Cleverly MP, and the Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office, Rt...
Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The UK has been at the forefront of the international sanctions response. Since 1 February 2021, the UK has worked quickly, in coordination with partners, to impose targeted sanctions on the junta. We have sanctioned the junta's ruling body and its military leadership, as well as key revenue streams for the military, including three State Owned Enterprises, a high profile business associate,...
Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The UK supports ASEAN's efforts to find a resolution to the crisis in Myanmar. We discussed the deteriorating situation with ASEAN partners at the G7 Foreign and Development Ministers' Meeting from 10-12 December. We reiterated our support for the ASEAN Five Point Consensus and raised the need to de-escalate conflict, tackle the flow of arms and ensure humanitarian access. We acknowledge...
Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: Meeting humanitarian needs and supporting the resilience of the most vulnerable remains our priority. Since the coup the FCDO has provided £49.4 million in aid to Myanmar. We continue to provide humanitarian assistance through International NGOs, the UN, Red Cross and civil society organisations to those affected by conflict and natural disasters including with food, water, hygiene and...