Tuesday Volume 541 28 February 2012 No. 270 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Tuesday 28 February 2012 £5·00 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2012 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Parliamentary Click-Use Licence, available online through The National Archives website at www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/information-management/our-services/parliamentary-licence-information.htm Enquiries to The National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 4DU; e-mail: [email protected] 131 28 FEBRUARY 2012 132 resettlement and reintegration—process of integrating House of Commons the militias, which helps not only the men but the women engaged in the uprising by, for example, redefining Tuesday 28 February 2012 “fighter” to include women. Will the Minister outline what support the UK Government are giving to the Libyan Government in developing their DDRRR plan The House met at half-past Two o’clock to ensure that it addresses the concerns of women in post-conflict Libya? PRAYERS Mr Hague: This is a very important issue. From the beginning, including in the very first visit that I made to [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] Benghazi in June last year, during the conflict, we have gone out of our way to support the involvement of women in the transition in Libya. We are working BUSINESS BEFORE QUESTIONS closely with all the relevant organisations on this. We co-funded the first women’s convention in Tripoli in LONDON LOCAL AUTHORITIES BILL [LORDS] November. We are about to start a six-month programme (BY ORDER) of support to promote women’s and youth participation Resumption of adjourned debate on Question (21 February), in the political process in Libya. I am pleased that the That the Bill be now read the Third time. election law that was approved earlier this month will provide, in effect, for a certain proportion of the seats in Hon. Members: Object. the national congress to go to women. Debate to be resumed on Tuesday 6 March. Jonathan Edwards (Carmarthen East and Dinefwr) LONDON LOCAL AUTHORITIES AND TRANSPORT FOR (PC): On 21 February, Gareth Montgomery-Johnson, a LONDON (NO.2)BILL [LORDS](BY ORDER) freelance cameraman, and several others were arrested in Tripoli by the Saraya Swehli militia. Despite repeated Second Reading opposed and deferred until Tuesday requests, the militia have refused to transfer Mr Johnson 6 March at Seven o’clock (Standing Order No. 20). and his colleagues to the Libyan Government or to provide access to Human Rights Watch. His next of TRANSPORT FOR LONDON (SUPPLEMENTAL TOLL kin, who are constituents of mine, are increasingly PROVISIONS)BILL [LORDS](BY ORDER) concerned about the situation. Will the Secretary of Second Reading opposed and deferred until Tuesday State assure them that the Foreign Office will do everything 6 March (Standing Order No. 20). in its power to release my constituent from militia captivity? Mr Hague: Yes, absolutely. The hon. Gentleman is Oral Answers to Questions right to raise the position of his constituent. We are aware of the situation. The embassy in Tripoli is doing everything that it can to assist. It is important that FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE consular access is given to his constituent and to one other person involved, and so, while we have not yet achieved everything that we want on this, we are continuing The Secretary of State was asked— to work on it. Libya Human Trafficking 1. Nicola Blackwood (Oxford West and Abingdon) 2. Justin Tomlinson (North Swindon) (Con): What (Con): What support his Department is providing to steps he is taking to work with his EU counterparts on the Libyan Government. [96687] tackling human trafficking. [96688] The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr William Hague): We are working closely Office (Mr Jeremy Browne): The Foreign and with the transitional Government to provide stabilisation Commonwealth Office and the Home Office work closely assistance across a range of issues, including policing, with other EU member states to try to prevent human security and prison reform, as well as on projects to trafficking. Three of the countries recognised in the promote youth and women’s political participation and Government’s human trafficking strategy—Romania, human rights. We have also worked to ensure that the Czech Republic and Slovakia—are EU member Libya’s assets are available to fund its own reconstruction. states. We are working with partners in these countries to help to combat trafficking at source. Nicola Blackwood: During a recent round table on women in Libya organised by the all-party group on women, Justin Tomlinson: I pay tribute to the Foreign Secretary peace and security and attended by the Under-Secretary for his work in raising awareness of modern-day slavery. of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Given the international nature of human trafficking, hon. Friend the Member for North East Bedfordshire what support has the Minister provided to the European (Alistair Burt), we heard about the importance of the Commission-backed project, led by the Human Trafficking DDRRR—disarmament, demobilisation, repatriation, Foundation, to set up a parliamentary network on 133 Oral Answers28 FEBRUARY 2012 Oral Answers 134 trafficking that aims to promote and strengthen a network Mr Browne: We make frequent representations to the of parliamentarians and businesses against trafficking Argentines and to many other countries in south America. in human beings throughout all EU member states? It is a source of sadness and frustration to us that people who are on holiday and who want to further Mr Browne: I share my hon. Friend’s abhorrence of relations between ourselves and Argentina at a people- this terrible crime. We are keen to work through the to-people level are not able to do so. We enter the Commission and through other bodies in the European relationship with Argentina in a spirit of friendship and Union, at Parliament-to-Parliament level, and at it is a source of sadness to us that it does not always do Government-to-Government level. For example, we share the same. skills, knowledge and experience, and fund projects that help countries to tackle the problem at source. Independent Judiciary (Hungary) Tony Lloyd (Manchester Central) (Lab): The whole 4. Andrew Miller (Ellesmere Port and Neston) (Lab): House will share the Minister’s abhorrence of this form What representations he has made to the Hungarian of modern slavery. Will he give an absolute guarantee Government on state control of the judiciary in that that nothing that this Government negotiate at the country. [96690] European level will make it more difficult for women, in particular, who have been trafficked to be given proper The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign refuge in this country and that nothing will give them and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr Henry Bellingham): An an incentive to continue in slavery rather than risk being independent judiciary is necessary for the preservation sent back to their country of origin to be re-trafficked? of democracy and fundamental freedoms. We have urged Hungary to consider the implications of its new laws and to continue working with the European Mr Browne: Our intention always is to give paramount Commission to ensure that those laws are consistent importance to the victims of such crime. When we with EU norms. negotiate in the European Union and elsewhere, we try to give those victims the most protection that we can. Andrew Miller: I welcome that response from the Minister. There have been suggestions in the media over Falkland Islanders the past few days that progress is being made at the EU level. Will he spell out what that progress is? Will he give 3. Sheryll Murray (South East Cornwall) (Con): the House an assurance that this and the other outstanding What support the Government are providing to the issues with Hungary’s new constitution will be pursued Falkland Islanders; and if he will make a statement. vigorously by this Government? [96689] Mr Bellingham: On 17 January, the European Commission released its analysis of the incompatibility The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth of specific elements of the new Hungarian constitution Office (Mr Jeremy Browne): The Government support with EU treaty obligations. Letters of formal notice the Falkland Islanders’ right to self-determination. That were sent to the Hungarian Government as the first support takes many forms, from the military deterrent stage of EU infringement proceedings. on the islands to the work of our diplomatic network to promote their rights in the region and more widely. We David T.C. Davies (Monmouth) (Con): Notwithstanding do all that with the full endorsement of the Falkland the EU’s concerns, is it not the case that the vast Islands Government. majority of Hungarians voted for Fidesz at the last election? We should remember that that party is led by a Sheryll Murray: What discussions have taken place man who was at the forefront of the battle against the with Argentina to encourage it to rejoin the south socialist dictatorship in Hungary, a country in which I Atlantic fisheries commission, which was set up in 1990 have a great personal interest. to facilitate action on conservation issues of mutual concern around the Falkland Islands? Mr Bellingham: I certainly respect the will of the Hungarian electorate. However, we strongly urge the Mr Browne: It is a source of regret to us that the Hungarian authorities to consider the implications of many fruitful negotiations between the United Kingdom the new laws for political balance and to work with the and Argentina in the 1990s on this topic were effectively Commission to ensure that the laws are consistent with suspended in 2007, when the Argentines withdrew their EU norms.