Reading between the lines, it would appear that the idea of boycotting COP6 - despite simultaneously talking tough on applying sanctions on Russia - didn't even cross the UK government's mind.
Philip Davies (Shipley, Conservative)
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations his Department received urging them to boycott the conference of the parties to the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.
Jane Ellison (The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health; Battersea, Conservative)
The Department received no such representations.Well, they certainly received many comments on Twitter suggesting just such a course of action, but I suppose we don't count.
USA refused to go, Canada was 'proud' not to attend, and even Australia considered it, but the Department of Health ignored all that. So eager were they to be welcomed by Putin and do the complementary tour of Soviet monuments, they happily flew there and put all thoughts of air passengers being shot down in transit behind them.
Our Phil also asked a question about how much it cost us as taxpayers. Now, I don't know about you, but I don't reckon Ellison answered the question adequately here.
Philip Davies
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much his Department spent on attendance at the conference of the parties to the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in Moscow; and whose travel, accommodation and other expenses related to attendance at the conference his Department paid for.
Jane Ellison
The sixth Conference of the Parties (COP) of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control was held in Moscow over 13-18 October 2014. To be able to participate in the full range of business at the COP, the United Kingdom was represented by two officials.
The United Kingdom’s delegation travelled on economy class flights to Moscow and stayed during the COP in the hotel where the conference was held, however total costs are not yet available.The question requested two answers; who went and how much it cost. It seems that Ellison doesn't want to say who went and - incredibly - doesn't yet know how much it cost!
We do now know, though, that the two delegates - Andrew Black and one other - stayed not in just any hotel. No, they stayed in the most expensive one. Well, if you're breaking sanctions you may as well take the right royal piss, eh?
Remember that the question allowed Ellison to sidestep the attendance of ASH's Deborah Arnott - also a beneficiary of your taxes - who went claiming to be the vaper's friend, but returned clutching a recommendation that e-cigs should be summarily crushed after a summit which was conducted in the midst of staggering censorship, denial of free speech, bribery, bullying, and abuse of democracy. Which expensive hotel she stayed in while selling out is not yet clear.
Hopefully, Mr Davies will keep prodding this blistering sore in the heart of government. The actions of Department of Health officials are starting to look a lot like institutionalised treachery.
5 comments:
It can´t be Omerta, no way.
It sort of begs the question... 'What is the fucking point of asking questions?'
Every time somebody asks a question there on TC or climate change (and prolly loads of other stuff in which I have no interest) they just get some bland non-answer or get kicked into the long grass...
What really is the point of the place now?
Posturing and empty gestures, mostly.
Which seems to be about the only thing MPs are good at! Wonder if they got a doctorate in it at their posh schools?
Vaping has nothing to do with russia, moscov or putin. Tobacco control manipulates and lies everywhere on this planet. Our biggest problem is: the FCTC is law! Tobacco control will waste taxpayers money unless we can get rid off the FCTC and therefore we need to convince 168 member states ...
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