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Select Committee · Foreign Affairs Committee

The FCDO’s approach to state level hostage situations

Status: Closed Opened: 1 Apr 2022 Closed: 29 May 2024 21 recommendations 18 conclusions 2 reports

This inquiry will examine the processes and approaches taken by the UK Government in securing the release of the hostages in Iran, and other similar situations. It will assess the likely impact their approach may have on deterring other states from using this tactic and will consider options for multilateral action to further deter such …

Clear

Reports

2 reports
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Ninth Report - Combatting state hostage diplomacy: A follow… HC 1915 20 Oct 2023 3 Overdue
Sixth Report - Stolen years: combatting state hostage diplo… HC 166 4 Apr 2023 36 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

4 items
8 Conclusion Sixth Report - Stolen years: combatting… Not Addressed

Learning from previous cases needs to be central to the formulation of a coherent and...

Learning from previous cases needs to be central to the formulation of a coherent and flexible approach to securing the release of detainees. Given the high turnover of ministers and civil servants, we have seen insufficient evidence to indicate that any arrangements for institutional learning by the FCDO have been …

Government response. The government did not address the conclusion on learning from previous cases. Instead, the response discussed international law and consular relations.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
9 Recommendation Sixth Report - Stolen years: combatting… Not Addressed

Starting immediately, we recommend a central repository be created for information on cases of arbitrary...

Starting immediately, we recommend a central repository be created for information on cases of arbitrary detention and hostage taking, both active and closed, detailing processes followed and learning gained. There should be a systematic approach applied to all cases, not simply a sample. The Minister for Consular Policy should have …

Government response. The government did not address the recommendation to create a central repository for information, and instead discussed international law and consular relations.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
18 Recommendation Sixth Report - Stolen years: combatting… Not Addressed

We recommend that the FCDO demonstrates meaningful engagement and provides the Committee with an annual...

We recommend that the FCDO demonstrates meaningful engagement and provides the Committee with an annual private report on the progress of UK nationals arbitrarily detained abroad, with follow-up briefing at the Foreign Office if required, to enable the work of Parliament and Government to better serve UK interests. (Paragraph 49) …

Government response. The Government agrees the importance of continuous improvement and proactive case management and has systems and practices in place to support this, including a central database for recording and managing consular casework globally, and thorough briefings for incoming staff or …
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
28 Recommendation Sixth Report - Stolen years: combatting… Not Addressed

We recommend a plan be prepared by the FCDO for providing material support for long-term...

We recommend a plan be prepared by the FCDO for providing material support for long-term arbitrarily detained persons on their release as well as support during detention for families especially where the detainee is the primary earner. In this context the FCDO should: • Continue to resource organisations who provide …

Government response. The government discusses the task force approach to complex consular cases, designed to ensure prompt identification of complex detentions.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Oral evidence sessions

5 sessions
Date Witnesses
13 Mar 2023 David Rutley · Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, Jennifer Anderson · Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, The Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon · Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office View ↗
7 Feb 2023 Mickey Bergman · Governor Richardson Center for Global Engagement, Phil Harper QPM · Sheep One Hundred View ↗
19 Jul 2022 Dr Tatyana Eatwell · Doughty Street Chambers, Hans-Jakob Schindler · Counter Extremism Project (CEP), Rupert Skilbeck · REDRESS View ↗
24 May 2022 Brian Jenkins · Rand Corporation, Rachel Briggs · The Clarity Factory, The Rt Hon. the Lord Hammond of Runnymede View ↗
17 May 2022 Rt Hon Alistair Burt · Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt View ↗

Correspondence

4 letters
DateDirectionTitle
6 Jul 2023 From cttee Letter to the Foreign Secretary relating to the Government Response to the Comm…
6 Jul 2023 — Correspondence with the Minister for Americas and the Caribbean following the F…
28 Mar 2023 — Correspondence with the Foreign Secretary relating to the Committee's inquiry o…
8 Sep 2022 — Correspondence with the Foreign Secretary relating to the status of Morad Tahba…