LETTERS AND SUBMISSIONS FROM UNA-UK TO THE UK GOVERNMENT & PARLIAMENT
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UNA-UK regularly engages the UK government by sending letters to ministers on UN issues and responding to consultations, copies of which are displayed below.

2009

UNA-UK evidence to Conservative Party Human Rights Commission (9 December)
UNA-UK Chair Lord Hannay and Head of Communications Natalie Samarasinghe put forward evidence on UN mechanisms relating to human rights.

UNA-UK urges the government to act on the plight of many thousands of internally displaced persons in Sri Lanka (12 November 2009)
Letter from UNA-UK Chair Lord Hannay to the Foreign Secretary calling on the British government to reconsider the EU's preferential trade agreement with Sri Lanka in light of the continued plight of many thousands of internally displaced persons in Sri Lanka.

Reply from David Miliband MP, Foreign Secretary (2 December 2009)

UNA-UK urges the government to proritise review mechanism for the UN Convention against Corruption (11 November 2009)
Letter from UNA-UK Chair Lord Hannay to the Foreign Secretary asking the government to make every effort to bring the current negotiations on a review mechanism for the UN Convention against Corruption to an early and successful conclusion.

Reply from David Miliband MP, Foreign Secretary (30 November 2009)

UNA-UK calls for voting rights of British citizens working abroad for the UN (14 September 2009)
Letter from UNA-UK Chair Lord Hannay to the Secretary of State for Justice, Jack Straw, on the issue of the voting rights of British citizens working abroad for the United Nations.

Reply from Minister of State for Justice Michael Wills (12 October 2009)

UNA-UK urges the government to support an increase in the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) budget (10 July 2009)
Letter from UNA-UK Chair Lord Hannay to FCO Minister Lord Malloch-Brown expressing deep concern that the UK, along with other European countries, is resisting any significant increase in the IAEA’s budget.

Reply from FCO Minister Ivan Lewis (27 July 2009)

UNA-UK urges the government to offer greater recognition for fallen British peacekeepers (11 June 2009)
Letter from UNA-UK Chair Lord Hannay to FCO Minister Lord Malloch-Brown calling on the government to establish a memorial for British citizens who have lost their lives on peacekeeping and humanitarian operations.

Reply from FCO Minister Lord Malloch-Brown (12 July 2009)

UNA-UK evidence to the Foreign Affairs Committee inquiy into 'Global security: Non-proliferation' published in the committee's report. (14 June 2009)

UNA-UK calls for swift ratification by the UK government of the Convention on Cluster Munitions (4 June 2009)
Letter co-signed by UNA-UK Chair Lord Hannay to the Prime Minister urging the government to make ratification of the draft cluster munitions legislation a priority.

UNA-UK calls for the government to close legal loopholes on international crime (29 May 2009)
Letter from UNA-UK Chair Lord Hannay to the Secretary of State for Justice calling on the government to close legal loopholes that can prevent international criminal suspects found on UK soil from being prosecuted, extradited or deported.

Reply from Jack Straw MP Lord Chancellor and Secretarty of State for Justice (23 June 2009)

UNA-UK urges the UK to continue to protest the 'trumped-up' charges against Aung San Suu Kyi (22 May 2009)
Letter from UNA-UK Chair Lord Hannay to the Foreign Secretary expressing UNA-UK’s deep concern at the latest arrest of Aung San Suu Kyi.

Reply received from FCO Minister Ivan Lewis (17 June 2009)

FCO calls for UNA-UK's support in establishing an international Arms Trade Treaty (23 April 2009)
Letter from the Foreign Secretary David Miliband to UNA-UK requesting its support for the UK government’s championing of the Arms Trade Treaty.

Reply from UNA-UK Chair Lord Hannay to the Foreign Secretary expressing UNA-UK’s continued support (6 May 2009)

UNA-UK calls for the UK to ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (6 February 2009)
Letter from UNA-UK Executive Director Sam Daws to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and the Minister for Disabled People urging the UK to ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 'immediately and without any reservations'.

UNA-UK urges full government engagement with the UN Durban Review Conference on Racism (4 February 2009)
Letter from UNA-UK Chair Lord Hannay to the Foreign Secretary urging the British government, together with other EU countries, to engage fully and constructively in the preparations for the review conference and in the conference itself.

UNA-UK expresses concern over the BBC's decision not to air the DEC Gaza appeal (26 January 2009)
Letter from UNA-UK Chair Lord Hannay to BBC Director-General Mark Thompson calling the broadcaster's decision not to air the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) Gaza humanitarian appeal 'both incomprehensible and unsustainable'.

UNA-UK condemns the killing of a prominent Sri Lankan journalist (13 January 2009)
Letter from UNA-UK Chair Lord Hannay to the Sri Lankan High Commissioner in London condemning the killing of a prominent Sri Lankan journalist.

UNA-UK expresses deep concern over Gaza violence (6 January 2009)
Letter from UNA-UK Chair Lord Hannay to the Foreign Secretary expressing deep concern at the hostilities in and around Gaza.

Reply from FCO MInister Bill Rammell (22 January 2009)

2008

UNA-UK urges British government support for stronger UN presence in the DRC (31 October 2008)
Letter from UNA-UK Chair Lord Hannay to FCO Minister Lord Malloch-Brown urging the British government to do everything it can to reinforce the UN's peacekeeping operation in the DRC.

Reply from Lord Malloch-Brown, Minister for Africa, Asia and the UN (20 January 2009)

UNA-UK urges the government to address piracy around the Horn of Africa (29 September 2008)
Letter from UNA-UK Chair Lord Hannay to Lord Malloch-Brown, Minister for Africa, Asia and the UN, urging the British government to support efforts at the UN to confront the rising incidence of piracy in the waters around the Horn of Africa.

Reply from Lord Malloch-Brown, Minister for Africa, Asia and the UN (20 October 2008)

UNA-UK evidence to the Foreign Affairs Select Committee report, 'Global security: Non-proliferation enquiry'' (26 September 2008)

UNA-UK congratulates Foreign Secretary on Dublin agreement (30 May 2008)
Letter from UNA-UK Chair Lord Hannay to the Foreign Secretary welcoming the position taken by the UK government at the recent meeting of the Oslo Process in dublin.

Reply from David Miliband MP, Foreign Secretary (16 June 2008)

UNA-UK urges the government to ban all forms of cluster bombs (April 2008)
Letter from UNA-UK Chair Lord Hannay to the Foreign Secretary relaying the resolution from UNA-UK's Annual Conference 2008, calling on the government to continue working towards a comprehensive and effective international ban on cluster munitions at the forthcoming meeting of the Oslo Process. To view the text of the resolution, please click here.

Reply from David Miliband MP, Foreign Secretary (16 May 2008)

UNA-UK submission to the House of Lords Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Committee on International Organisations (January 2008)
UNA-UK’s submission outlines how different agencies in the UN system play pivotal roles in combating and controlling the spread of communicable and infectious disease, and the need for strong continuing support for coordinated action at an international level.

UNA-UK submission to the UK government war powers consultation (January 2008)
Submission by UNA-UK to the UK government consultation on: ‘The Governance of Britain – War Powers and Treaties: Limiting Executive Powers’

2007

UNA-UK urges Ministry of Defence to step up on Darfur (18 December 2007)
Letter from UNA-UK Chair Lord Hannay to Des Browne asking the Ministry of Defence do everything in its power to provide helicopters for the AU/UN force in Darfur.

Reply from Lord Malloch-Brown, Foreign Office Minister- Part One (14 January 2008)
Reply from Lord Malloch-Brown, Foreign Office Minister- Part Two (14 January 2008)

Iran: finding a diplomatic solution to the nuclear problem (17 September 2007)
Letter to the Foreign Secretary highlighting concern about the lack of dialogue between Iran and the main Security Council powers.

UNA-UK evidence to the Foreign Affairs Select Committee report, 'Global security: The Middle East' (21 August 2007)

The Middle East: reviving the peace process (9 August 2007)
Letter to the Foreign Secretary showing support for the new government measures in the region and hopes for a fully inclusive peace process and greater involvement of the European Union.

Reply from David Miliband MP, Foreign Secretary (1 October 2007)

The situation in Darfur: calling for a mandate to help UN/AU forces protect the civillians (13 March 2007)
Letter to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State calling for further action and international cooperation to end the human rights abuses in the Darfur region of Sudan.

Reply from the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (29 March 2007)

Serious Fraud Office investigations into BAE and Saudi Arabia contracts (16 January 2007)
Letter to the Foreign Secretary expressing dismay at the termination of the Serious Fraud Office's investigation.

Cluster munitions: progress towards a moratorium (16 January 2007)
Letter from Lord Hannay to the Foreign Secretary supporting Lord Dubs's Private Members Cluster Munitions (Prohibition) Bill as well as urging the government to continue towards a total ban.

Reply from Margaret Beckett, Foreign Secretary - Part One (23 January 2007)
Reply from Margaret Beckett, Foreign Secretary - Part Two (23 January 2007)

2006

TO EDUCATION SECRETARY: UN IN THE CITIZENSHIP CURRICULUM (23 October 2006)

REPLY FROM EDUCATION MINISTER (9 November 2006)

REPLY FROM EDUCATION MINISTER (17 November 2006)

TO FOREIGN SECRETARY: INTERNATIONAL ARMS TRADE TREATY (2 October 2006)

REPLY FROM FCO MINISTER (19 October 2006)

TO FCO MINISTER: PEACEKEEPING IN DARFUR (11 September 2006)

REPLY FROM FCO MINISTER (28 September 2006)

TO FOREIGN SECRETARY: THE SITUATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST (17 July 2006)

TO FOREIGN SECRETARY: THE SITUATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST(1 August 2006)

REPLY FROM FCO MINISTER (22 September 2006)

TO FOREIGN SECRETARY: THE SITUATION IN DARFUR (28 April 2006)

REPLY FROM FCO MINISTER (23 May 2006)

TO FOREIGN SECRETARY: THE UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL (3 March 2006)

REPLY FROM TRADE & FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER (7 June 2006)