Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)
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Tuesday Volume 598 14 July 2015 No. 33 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Tuesday 14 July 2015 £5·00 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2015 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 709 14 JULY 2015 710 19. [901012] Fiona Bruce (Congleton) (Con): May I House of Commons associate myself with the concerns expressed about President Nasheed and his welfare by my hon. Friend Tuesday 14 July 2015 the Member for Redditch (Karen Lumley)? I understand that Richard Branson raised recently on his blog concerns about the impact of the political situation in the Maldives The House met at half-past Eleven o’clock on travel and tourism. Does the Minister have a view on that? PRAYERS Mr Swire: British tourists play a key part in the Maldivian economy and we keep our travel advice [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] under constant review, as my hon. Friend knows—the first thing we ensure, as far as we can, is the safety of our nationals—which includes the political stability of Oral Answers to Questions the country. Ian Paisley (North Antrim) (DUP): The Minister will agree that the kidnapping and holding of a judge is a very serious affair, and that we should therefore allow FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE the rule of law to determine the outcome of the case of former President Nasheed. Does he agree that the main The Secretary of State was asked— focus of Government foreign policy in the Maldives should be on improving trade relations? Maldives Mr Swire: The focus should be on improving relations, 1. Karen Lumley (Redditch) (Con): What recent but it should also be on improving the democratic assessment he has made of the political situation in the space. The trial of the former President was very rushed Maldives; and if he will make a statement. [900991] and appeared to contravene the Maldives’ own laws and practices, as well as international fair trial standards. The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth That is currently being looked at. Office (Mr Hugo Swire): I remain deeply concerned by the situation in the Maldives. On 24 June, my right hon. John Glen (Salisbury) (Con): I urge the Minister to Friend the Prime Minister made clear his view that resist complacency on the Maldives, particularly given there should be a political dialogue involving all parties that the current regime seems also to be a recruiting to discuss the country’s governance, and that all political sergeant for ISIL in the Maldives. There will come a detainees, including former President Nasheed, should time when the Government will need to stand clearly on be released swiftly. the right side of the argument and intervene more fully to secure justice in that country. Karen Lumley: Does my right hon. Friend share my concerns that the continued detention of political Mr Swire: I hear what my hon. Friend says, but I do prisoners, including former President Nasheed—the first not think we can be accused of complacency. I recently democratically elected President of the Maldives—is an raised the Maldives again with the Commonwealth impediment to the ongoing talks and to the possible Secretary-General, the Indian Foreign Secretary and resolution of the crisis? the US assistant Secretary of State. Both my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and I have met Mr Nasheed’s Mr Swire: We welcome the fact that Mr Nasheed has wife, and Amal Clooney and other members of been moved to house arrest and the political dialogue Mr Nasheed’s legal team, to discuss the situation. We between the opposition parties and the new Government. are closely involved. We hope the talks will provide the basis for progress on the numerous concerns within the Maldives. It is worth Russian Federation: EU Sanctions repeating that the Prime Minister has called for the release of all political prisoners, including former President Nasheed. 2. Jeff Smith (Manchester, Withington) (Lab): What assessment he has made of the effectiveness of EU Andrew Gwynne (Denton and Reddish) (Lab): But sanctions on the Russian Federation. [900992] does the Minister agree that the Maldives are in breach of the principles of the Commonwealth charter, and The Minister for Europe (Mr David Lidington): Sanctions does he think the time is right for the Commonwealth are having a tangible impact on Russia by exacerbating to take action against the Maldives to bring about the negative trends in the Russian economy. Russian sovereign return of the rule of law and the principles of democracy? debt has been downgraded to junk status by two ratings agencies and forecasters predict that the Russian economy Mr Swire: We are not a member of the Commonwealth will contract by between 3.5% and 5% during the current Ministerial Action Group, as the hon. Gentleman knows. year. I have discussed these matters with the Commonwealth Secretary-General. I understand that there has been a Jeff Smith: The BRIC countries—Brazil, Russia, India telephone conversation between CMAG members and and China—announced at the summit last week that that they keep the situation under continuous review. they will not join in imposing sanctions on Russia. 711 Oral Answers14 JULY 2015 Oral Answers 712 How much of a blow does the Minister consider that to Given that the Foreign Secretary is on the record as be, and what diplomatic efforts will the UK Government saying that the UK could leave the EU if treaty make, if any, to remedy the situation? renegotiations are not to his liking, will the Minister say whether that opinion has been discussed with the First Mr Lidington: We continue to urge all countries to Ministers of the devolved Administrations? bring pressure to bear, by diplomatic and other means, on Russia to desist from its interference in the affairs of Mr Lidington: I do not think the First Minister has Ukraine and to withdraw the support it has been giving ever been shy about making her opinions known to the separatists there. I do not believe that the decision to British Ministers. The key point is that British membership which the hon. Gentleman referred will have a significant of the European Union is the membership of the whole impact on the efficacy of the sanctions that the European of the United Kingdom. Our membership of international Union and the United States have imposed. organisations is explicitly a reserved matter under the terms of the devolution settlements. Under this Crispin Blunt (Reigate) (Con): Russia is properly Government, the people of Scotland will at least have under sanction for its misbehaviour towards Ukraine, the right to a vote on whether they wish to stay in the but the harsh truth is that in our wider relations with European Union, which the hon. Gentleman’s party Russia we have a clear common interest in taking on tried to deny them when it voted against the European Daesh, which is very important to our national interest. Union Referendum Bill the other week. Will the Minister try to ensure that where we can find common cause with Russia, we can conduct relations Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough) (Con): Does the positively, while at the same time sustaining our disapproval Minister agree that that shower that sit over there have of its behaviour in Ukraine? no right to have a veto on what the United Kingdom does and whether it wants to be in the EU or not? Mr Lidington: The Prime Minister spoke to President Putin in May and made it clear that while we disagree Mr Lidington: As I said a moment ago, it was the profoundly with Russia about Ukraine we are still prepared United Kingdom that acceded to the European Union to try to work with Russia on combating international back in the 1970s, and it is the United Kingdom as a terrorism and advancing the cause of non-proliferation. whole that will take the decision by the end of 2017 My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has this whether we wish to maintain that membership. week been working with the Russian Foreign Minister and other partners in Vienna to that aim. 16. [901009] Ms Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh (Ochil and South Perthshire) (SNP): To be absolutely clear, will the Seema Kennedy (South Ribble) (Con): Does my right Minister confirm that if the nations of Wales and hon. Friend agree that Russia’s actions in Crimea and Scotland vote to stay in the European Union, the UK Donbass are a fundamental challenge to rules-based Government will drag us out against our will? order, and that it is vital that we stand up to that aggression? Mr Lidington: It will not be a matter for the United Kingdom Government: it will be a matter for the people Mr Lidington: I completely agree with my hon. Friend’s of the entire United Kingdom what decision they wish point. The Russian annexation of Crimea and its continued to take. intervention in the internal affairs of Ukraine are a breach of the Helsinki agreements as well as the agreements Andrew Rosindell (Romford) (Con): The Minister will that Russia and Ukraine came to at the time of the be aware that Britain’s relationship with the EU is vital break-up of the USSR. The precedent that has been set to the people of Gibraltar and to the people of the is extremely dangerous. Crown dependencies that trade with the EU. Will he ensure that consultations take place with the Parliaments EU Membership and Governments of Gibraltar, Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man? 3.