Brendan O'Hara MP: written questions
106 published records · newest first.
Written questions
China: Religious FreedomForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 4 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 35291More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking with international partners to support (a) individuals and (b) communities facing religious persecution in China.
Answer: The environment for freedom of religion or belief in China is restrictive, which includes the persecution of Uyghur Muslims, Tibetan Buddhists, Falun Gong practitioners, and Christians. This Government stands firm on human rights, including the right to f...
Answered 7 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordIsrael: West BankForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 27 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 34276More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions the Prime Minister has had with his Israeli counterpart on adhering to international law in the Occupied West Bank.
Answer: This Government is clear that International Humanitarian Law (IHL) must be upheld, and civilians protected, and the Government continues to press Israeli counterparts on issues of international law compliance. Stability in the West Bank is crucial to ensu...
Answered 10 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordIsrael: Military AidMinistry of DefenceTabled 27 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 34275More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the report by the British Palestinian Committee entitled British Military Collaboration with Israel, published on 28 January 2025.
Answer: We will consider the report and continue to act in line with our obligations to International Law.
Answered 13 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordHague GroupForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 27 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 34274More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of the UK joining the Hague Group.
Answer: The UK has no current plans to join the Hague Group. The UK is fully committed to international law and respects the independence of the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court.
Answered 10 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordGaza: PalestiniansForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 27 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 34273More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Israeli counterparts on the right to return by Palestinians who have left Gaza since 7 October 2023.
Answer: There must be no forced displacement of Palestinians, nor any reduction in the territory of the Gaza strip. Palestinian civilians, including those evacuated from northern Gaza, must be permitted to return to their communities and rebuild. Our position is ...
Answered 7 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordOccupied Territories: Unmanned Air SystemsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 27 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 34272More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether UK surveillance drones have been flown from Jordan over (a) Gaza and (b) the West Bank in Occupied Palestine.
Answer: We are unable to comment on the detail of intelligence matters, for operational security reasons.
Answered 10 Mar 2025
Original Parliament recordCivil Partnerships: ScotlandScotland OfficeTabled 21 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 31937More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, with reference to the Answer of 17 May 2024 to Question 26173 on Civil Partnerships: Scotland, whether he will permit the Scottish Government to legislate accordingly.
Answer: I can confirm the UK Government’s in-principle agreement to proceed with a Scotland Act Order Civil Partnerships, and will write to the Scottish Government Cabinet Secretary on this matter.
Answered 26 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordÁlvaro UribeForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 4 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 28534More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the legal case in Argentina implicating former Colombian President Álvaro Uribe Vélez for huma
Answer: It is not appropriate to comment on an ongoing legal case. The UK remains committed to upholding human rights and international law, including through its international engagement.
Answered 10 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordTortureForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 24 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 26302More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to incorporate the UK’s obligation to prevent and prohibit torture into the Government’s human rights strategy.
Answer: Upholding the rule of law is central to the strategic approach to human rights and democratic governance, set out by the Foreign Secretary and the Minister for Africa on 10 December 2024. We unreservedly condemn the use of torture for any purpose and regu...
Answered 29 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordForeign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Human RightsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 24 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 26301More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to consult survivors of human rights violations on his Department's human rights strategy.
Answer: On 10 December 2024, the Foreign Secretary and the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Lord Collins, set out their five priorities for promoting and protecting human rights, rule of law and democratic governance. The UK recognises that meaningful enga...
Answered 29 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordIsrael Defense ForcesMinistry of DefenceTabled 24 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 26300More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many meetings his Department has had with Israel Defense Forces personnel since 5 July 2024; who participated in those meetings; and when those meetings took place.
Answer: Israel is an important regional partner for the UK and we have a broad relationship including on Defence. The Ministry of Defence routinely conducts bilateral Defence engagement with the Israel Defense Forces, the Palestinian Authority, and the US, as par...
Answered 29 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordOded BasyukMinistry of DefenceTabled 24 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 26299More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he met General Oded Basyuk of the Israel Defense Forces in January 2025.
Answer: No.
Answered 29 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordIsrael Defense ForcesMinistry of DefenceTabled 23 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 26015More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he last met a General of the Israel Defense Forces.
Answer: The Secretary of State for Defence last met with a General of the Israel Defense Forces on Friday 2 August 2024, during a visit to hold an introductory meeting with the Israeli Defence Minister, and discuss efforts to reduce the risk of escalation in the ...
Answered 28 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordIsrael Defense ForcesMinistry of DefenceTabled 23 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 26014More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when a General of the Israel Defense Forces last visited his Department.
Answer: The last visit to the Ministry of Defence by a General of the Israel Defense Forces took place on Wednesday 22 January 2024, by Major General Oded Basyuk.
Answered 28 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordChina: UyghursForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 20 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24879More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he has made to his Thai counterpart on reported plans to deport 43 Uyghur men to China.
Answer: The UK government is seriously concerned about reports that detained Uyghurs in Thailand are at risk of imminent refoulment.We have raised the issue directly with the Thai Government and continue to work closely with likeminded partners. We continue to ur...
Answered 27 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordGaza: Minority GroupsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 20 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24878More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the (a) humanitarian and (b) security situation for (i) Orthodox Christians and (ii) other minority communities in Gaza.
Answer: The UK has always been clear that an immediate ceasefire is just the first step towards a lasting solution to this crisis. We remain focused on pushing for an end to the devastating violence in Gaza, protecting civilians, ensuring the release of all hosta...
Answered 27 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordAlaa Abd El-FattahForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 20 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24877More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, on how many occasions a representative of the Government has raised the case of Alaa Abd el-Fattah with the Egyptian government since December 2021.
Answer: The UK remains committed to securing Alaa Abd El-Fattah's release so he can be reunited with his family. The Foreign Secretary has repeatedly raised Mr El-Fattah's case with the Egyptian Foreign Minister, most recently during his visit to Egypt on 23 Janu...
Answered 28 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordEnergy: MetersDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 11 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 19323More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will made an assessment of the potential merits of changing the Smart Energy Code licence restrictions to allow companies setting up smart meter connections for energy consumers to use
Answer: Under its licence, the Data Communication Company (DCC) is obligated to provide Wide Area Network (WAN) coverage to at least 99.5% of premises across its ‘North’ region. DCC is currently taking forward its strategy for ongoing communications in the North ...
Answered 16 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordMyanmar: Politics and GovernmentForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 29 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 16960More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with representatives of the (a) national unity government and (b) ethnic revolutionary organisations from Myanmar.
Answer: We continue to meet regularly with a range of pro-democracy actors from Myanmar, including senior representatives from the National Unity Government (NUG) and from a number of Ethnic Resistance Organisations (EROs). The UK stands in solidarity with those ...
Answered 4 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordOverseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Act 2021Ministry of DefenceTabled 29 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 16936More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has plans to repeal the Overseas Operations (Service Personnel and Victims) Act 2021.
Answer: We have no plans to repeal the Overseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Act 2021.
Answered 4 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordArmed Conflict: CiviliansMinistry of DefenceTabled 28 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 16764More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with the Dutch Ministry of Defence on civilian harm mitigation and response.
Answer: Working level discussions have taken place between officials from the Ministry of Defence and Dutch Ministry of Defence on civilian harm mitigation and response. This has also included officials from the US Department of Defence as well as officials from ...
Answered 3 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordArmed Conflict: CiviliansMinistry of DefenceTabled 28 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 16763More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to respond to the recommendations of the report entitled Strengthening UK Military Investigations into Civilian Harm, published by the Ceasefire Centre for Civilian Rights on 26 November 2024.
Answer: I thank the hon. Member for raising this report with the Department. Where the UK undertakes military action, it is conducted in full accordance with UK and international law. Military action is meticulously planned in accordance with the recognised IHL p...
Answered 3 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordInternational Criminal Court: Departmental ResponsibilitiesForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 28 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 16762More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, which Department leads on the International Criminal Court Act 2001.
Answer: Policy on the International Criminal Court (ICC), including the ICC Act (2001), is owned by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).
Answered 4 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordWinter Fuel Payment: ScotlandScotland OfficeTabled 26 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 901542More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on the potential impact of recent changes to the Winter Fuel Payment on pensioners in Scotland.
Answer: This Government is supporting pensioners through increasing pension credit uptake and protecting the triple lock. This means an increase in the state pension for a million Scottish pensioners of up to £470 next year, on top of up to £900 this year.This ye...
Answered 4 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordIsrael: Intelligence ServicesMinistry of DefenceTabled 4 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 12449More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to implement a mechanism to ensure that intelligence information shared with the Israeli government is used within the boundaries of international humanitarian law, and what di
Answer: The Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) mandate is narrowly defined to focus on securing the release of the hostages only, including British nationals. Only information relating to hostage rescue will be passed to the relevant authorities. The MOD has robust poli...
Answered 11 Nov 2024
Original Parliament record
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