Parliamentary update: 23 April 2013

THURSDAY 25 APRIL 2013

Culture, Media and Sport Committee hearing of BBC Director General Tony Hall and BBC Chairman Chris Patten on 25 April 2013 on the topic: “Priorities for the Director-General of the BBC”. The following extracts from the two and a half hour session were transcribed jointly by Eric Willoughby and Elizabeth Morley.

– John Whittingdale (@approx 24mins):  Just in connection with James Purnell’s appointment, can you give any example previously of where a senior management position within the BBC has been filled by somebody who’s not just politically affiliated but has been a very active recent participant in party politics?
– Tony Hall: My judgement about James was that he’s hung his boots up at the door and left politics behind some two and a half to three years ago. (Passage omitted) Do I think that he can leave all where he has been behind him? Yes, I do. (Passage omitted) The key thing is – and James’ job is of course not editorial – but do you believe that people who are coming to work for the BBC will be impartial, will buy into its impartiality or not? That to me is the key test. And in his case I am satisfied that is the case.

– Jim Sheridan (@ approx 2:16:16) I would like to refer very briefly to the impartiality. (Passage omitted) Can I say that there is an organisation, I’ve never heard of them, know nothing about them, called The Electronic Intifada, and they have a headline called “Apologists for Israel Take Top Posts at the BBC”, and they criticise you as declaring you as a very firm supporter of pro-Israel; they then criticise James Purnell as a former member of Labour Friends of Israel when he was a member of Parliament, and then they criticise Ceri Thomas for repeatedly inviting Israel politicians to be interviewed as opposed to the other side. Now I suggest you’d probably challenge those allegations, but what checks and balances are in place to ensure that when you’re covering things like Israel/Palestine, that both sides get an equal hearing?
– Tony Hall: Personally I’ve had no connection whatsoever with any pro-Israel or any other groupings, so I don’t quite know where that’s come from. James Purnell – as we talked about earlier – has no editorial role and he’s hung up his boots on all other issues. And to go back on  James Harding, when you enter the BBC you leave behind all those contacts you might have had, issues that you might have been involved with, and absolutely your job is about ensuring the impartiality of the BBC, and that means looking at all ranges of voices across all issues, including Israel.
– Jim Sheridan:  What checks and balances are in place?
– Tony Hall: Well, there’s me, there are Complaints and there’s the Trust. I can tell you now that James Harding and I will be absolutely clear about the impartiality when we cover Israel or Palestine or any other issue… (? absolutely).
– Chris Patten: And there are some wonderful journalists like Jeremy Bowen and Ian Pannell in Syria who risk their lives to report news and news in the sort of way I think you would approve of.

TUESDAY  23  APRIL  2013

Watch FCO Questions

1. Oral Answers to FCO Questions:
– Richard Burden: What steps are being taken to draw up and bring into force the guidelines to ensure that settlement goods are not imported to the EU labelled “Made in Israel”?
– Andrew Gwynne: What recent assessment has Foreign Secretary made of the MEPP and does he share my concern at the resignation of Salam Fayyad?
– Karl McCartney: What assessment has Foreign Secretary made of reports of PA-sanctioned incitement, which remains an obstacle to a genuine peace settlement?
– Louise Ellman: In view of rockets recently falling on Eilat and of Egypt intercepting a ship containing arms destined for Gaza and Sinai, does Foreign Secretary agree that implementation of UNR 1860 must be an integral part of any peace settlement?
– Sir Bob Russell: Can Foreign Secretary say why Palestinians should trust Britain when there is not a level playing field, given that HMG has voiced support of European football tournament to be held in Israel?
– Jeremy Corbyn: Does Foreign Secretary not realise that settlement building, the annexation of East Jerusalem and the siege of Gaza make progress unlikely? Israel must radically modify its behaviour towards the Palestinian people.
– Philip Hollobone: Does Foreign Secretary think elections in the WB and Gaza this year would be helpful or unhelpful?

2. Topical FCO Questions:
– Lisa Nandy: Is the Minister aware that Ahava Cosmetics, producing cosmetics in an illegal settlement, is currently labelled as “Israeli” in the UK?
– Graham Evans: What assessment has Foreign Secretary made of reports that Hamas will seek to petition the EU to remove it from the terrorist list?

– Ian Austin: Will Foreign Secretary set out the UK’s opposition to boycotts, disinvestment campaigns and other attempts to de-legitimise Israel?
– Dr William McCrea: Did Foreign Secretary or PM have any discussions with Israeli PM on his recent visit to London; when did Foreign Secretary last discuss MEPP with him?

3. Syria: Refugees – debate in Grand Committee tabled by Baroness Blackstone:
– Baroness Blackstone: In Lebanon UNRWA is struggling to deal with the crisis; the burden falls on the existing Palestinian community. “Hamas and Fatah are trying to raise money from their own sources and are co-operating with the UN. Sadly, the EU makes no contact with Hamas in Lebanon, even on humanitarian issues, and I would welcome a view on this from the Minister. Do the Government consider that contact on these issues would help?”
– Baroness Jay: Was surprised that the UNWRA officials she talked to seemed not to be pressurising the Lebanese to lift the work restrictions on Palestinians from Syria, refugees for the second time.
– Bishop of Exeter: Inflow of 32,000 Palestinian refugees from Syria into Lebanon, which already has around 450,000 Palestinian refugees, brings potential for further destabilisation.
– Lord Warner: Declares an interest as an adviser to the Council for European and Palestinian Relations, under whose auspices the parliamentary delegation visited Lebanon; describes their meetings with UNWRA as “less than encouraging”.
– Baroness Northover: Says peers were right to “flag up” the situaion of the Palestinians feeling from Syria; does not respond to Baroness Blackstone’s question concerning Hamas.

MONDAY 22 APRIL 2013

1. Rushanara Ali: What discussions has Foreign Secretary had with Israel on ensuring that children in military detention prosecuted for alleged offences in Israel are treated in accordance with international juvenile justice standards and on preventing the ill-treatment of children in military detention by military officials?

2. Richard Burden: Which Israeli water companies participated in the UK Israel Tech Hub mission to the UK in April 2013; and what were the main objectives of the mission?

3. Richard Burden: Which UK businesses participated with the visiting UK Israel Tech Hub mission in discussions on global water market opportunities and in the workshop in pursuit of joint projects in British municipal and industrial markets; and what advice did FCO give to UK participants on the potential risks of  investing in and entering into partnerships with businesses that have invested in the OPTs?

Nos 1-3

4. Rushanara Ali: What recent assessment has Foreign Secretary made of the effects of the economic restrictions imposed by Israel on the competitiveness of the Palestinian economy, the productivity of the Palestinian agricultural and manufacturing sectors, the employability of the Palestinian workforce and the share of exports in the Palestinian economy?

5. Baroness Warsi: Replying to a debate in Grand Committee on EU: UK Isolation, says “The UK has successfully driven common security and defence policy in the EU and we have made it a useful tool for delivering British objectives, whether in the Horn of Africa or the West Bank, and whether it was to improve policing in Palestine, Kosovo or in Georgia, British personnel were in key positions of influence and multinational efforts to help local populations deal with the legacies of conflict.”

9. Baroness Tonge: What representations have HMG made to Israel concerning the reported spraying of foul smelling liquid known as “skunk” on residents and homes in the village of Nabi Saleh by the Israeli Defence Staff?
– Andrew Gwynne: What recent assessment has Foreign Secretary made of the MEPP and does he share my concern at the resignation of Salam Fayyad?
– Karl McCartney: What assessment has Foreign Secretary made of reports of PA-sanctioned incitement, which remains an obstacle to a genuine peace settlement?
– Louise Ellman: In view of rockets recently falling on Eilat and of Egypt intercepting a ship containing arms destined for Gaza and Sinai, does Foreign Secretary agree that implementation of UNR 1860 must be an integral part of any peace settlement?
– Sir Bob Russell: Can Foreign Secretary say why Palestinians should trust Britain when there is not a level playing field, given that HMG has voiced support of European football tournament to be held in Israel?
– Jeremy Corbyn: Does Foreign Secretary not realise that settlement building, the annexation of East Jerusalem and the siege of Gaza make progress unlikely? Israel must radically modify its behaviour towards the Palestinian people.
– Philip Hollobone: Does Foreign Secretary think elections in the WB and Gaza this year would be helpful or unhelpful?
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201213/cmhansrd/cm130423/debtext/130423-0001.htm#13042358000029