PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES - United Kingdom Parliament

1077W
Written Answers
26 MARCH 2013
Written Answers
1078W
What do you mean you’ve never been to Alpha Centauri? Oh,
for heaven’s sake, mankind, it’s only four light years away, you
know. I’m sorry, but if you can’t be bothered to take an interest in
local affairs, that’s your own lookout. Energize the demolition
beams.”
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
Burma
Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for
Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent
assessment he has made of the number of political
prisoners in Burma; and what steps he is taking to
secure their release. [149978]
Mr Swire: Independent reports indicate that around
200 political prisoners could remain in Burma’s jails.
We remain in regular contact with released political
prisoners and their representatives. We welcome the
creation by the Burmese Government of a committee
on political prisoners and note the range of independent
civil society organisations taking part. This committee
builds on earlier steps by the Burmese Government to
grant the International Committee for the Red Cross
access to prisoners and prisons. We continue to press for
all cases to be reviewed promptly, impartially and
transparently.
Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for
Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions
he has had with the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture
on the treatment of prisoners in Buttidaung Prison in
northern Rakhine State. [150188]
Mr Swire: We have not had any recent discussions
with the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture. However,
we have regular discussions with the UN Special Rapporteur
on the Human Rights situation in Burma, Tomas Ojea
Quintana. These meetings cover the full range of human
rights issues in Burma, including the issue of political
prisoners. Mr Quintana’s report on 6 March highlighted
concerns about the ongoing practice of torture in places
of detention in Burma, and set out allegations that
Muslim prisoners detained in Buthidaung prison in
Rakhine State after last June and October’s violence
had been tortured and beaten to death.
On 7 March, our ambassador discussed the plight of
Rohingya prisoners in Buthidaung jail with the Burmese
Minister for Border Affairs.
We continue to press for full and prompt implementation
of the mechanism set up by the Burmese Government
for reviewing disputed cases and for the unconditional
release of political prisoners with senior members of
the Burmese Government, as I did during my visit to
Burma in December 2012.
Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for
Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment
he has made of the treatment of Kachin men accused
of belonging to the Kachin Independence Army by the
government of Burma; and whether he has discussed
this issue at UN or EU level. [150189]
Mr Swire: We are aware of credible reports of the
arbitrary arrest and torture of Kachin men accused of
belonging to the Kachin Independence Army (KIA),
most recently raised by UN Special Rapporteur for
Human Rights in Burma, Tomas Ojea Quintana, in his
report to the UN Human Rights Council. We remain
deeply concerned over recent military action and reported
wider human rights abuses against civilians in Kachin
State.
British officials regularly raise the situation in Kachin
State bilaterally with the Burmese Government, through
the EU, most recently during a visit to Kachin State
from 12-13 March, as well as at the UN, including the
latest Human Rights Council session. We also continue
to press urgently for humanitarian access to KIA-controlled
areas.
Chemical Weapons: Conferences
Sir John Stanley: To ask the Secretary of State for
Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what outcomes
the Government wants to see achieved at the
forthcoming Chemical Weapons Convention 3rd
Review Conference. [149311]
Alistair Burt: The Chemical Weapons Convention
(CWC) has proved an invaluable tool to progress our
objective to see a world free from chemical weapons. We
welcome the progress made to destroy 78% of the
world’s declared chemical weapons. While completion
of destruction is essential, we want the third CWC
review conference to also focus on ensuring that chemical
weapons cannot return. We want the Director General
of the Organisation for the Prevention of Chemical
Weapons to be given a clear mandate to enable the
organisation to focus more on chemical safety and
security issues. We want to see an even greater effort to
bring into the convention the remaining eight non-states
parties, including Syria; to promote effective national
implementation of the convention by all states parties;
for the convention and its verification regime to take
into full account developments in Science & Technology
and, in doing so, promote awareness of the “dual use”
risks from chemistry among scientists and engineers.
Cyprus
Oliver Colvile: To ask the Secretary of State for
Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what rights the
UK has to (a) natural gas, (b) oil and (c) other
natural resources off the coast of Cyprus as a result of
the British Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and
Dhekelia. [150177]
Mr Lidington: The UK claims a territorial sea of
three nautical miles for the Sovereign Base Areas and
reserves the rights to claim up to 12 nautical miles. The
declaration made by the Government in 1960 makes
clear the UK’s intention not to develop the Sovereign
Base Areas for other than military purposes.
International Organisations
Chris Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for
Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which
subscriptions due to be paid by the UK to international
organisations in 2012-13 will now not be paid until
2013-14; and if he will make a statement. [150216]
Mr Lidington: All UK subscriptions due to be paid
by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to international
organisations in 2012-13 have been paid. No payments
due to be made in the current financial year have been
deferred to 2013-14.