The UK Government reiterates its profound sympathy for UK victims of Qadhafi-sponsored IRA terrorism and indeed for all victims of the Troubles. As set out in the 23 March Written Ministerial Statement: https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2021-03-23/hcws874, providing compensation for the actions of the Qadhafi regime, separate from the UK-funded support that has already been made available for victims of the Troubles, is the responsibility of the Libyan State. We continue to press the Libyan authorities, including at the highest levels of the Libyan Government, to address the Libyan State's historic responsibility for the Qadhafi regime's support for the IRA.

The UK is deeply concerned at increasing numbers of reported casualties this year, resulting from landmines, booby traps, improvised explosive devices and other explosive remnants of war (ERW). The UK Government continues to raise this issue at senior levels, including in its intervention on Libya at the UN Security Council on 2 September, and in contacts with Libyan interlocutors. Through the Conflict, Security and Stability Fund, we fund the survey and clearance of areas contaminated by ERW. This includes training in explosive ordnance disposal and other technical mine action activities, and mine risk education, to raise awareness of the dangers of mines and ERW.

The UK fully supports the UN-led political process in Libya and the efforts of the UN Special Representatives Ghassan Salamé to bring Libyans together to make political progress. I visited Libya on 8 – 9 April and met representatives and a number of senior politicians, including from the Libyan Government of National Accord; I emphasised the need for all parties to engage fully in the UN-led process and to be willing to compromise for the national interest. Mr Salamé’s political roadmap aims to build consensus on the need to move towards elections; we agree that elections are an important part of Libya’s political transition, although they must be preceded by necessary political, legislative and security preparations to be a success. We shall continue to work with Libyans and the international community in order to make progress towards political agreement and the establishment of a more united and effective Government in Libya.

From 2017 to 2019, DFID are partnering with the World Health Organisation (WHO) to improve access to quality medical care services for people in the cities of Tripoli, Benghazi and Sabha. The WHO aim to reach 3.6m indirect beneficiaries through DFID’s £2m contribution. This will improve medical access for Libyans, including internally displaced persons, and migrants. The distribution of life-saving medication to health centres began in May 2018.

DFID has also contributed to the 2017 and 2018 International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) appeals. Through multi donor support ICRC aim to provide 408,000 people in Libya with food, and provide medical supplies to support 16 health centres and 6 hospitals in 2018. DFID’s £1m contribution will assist ICRC in distributing food and medical supplies to vulnerable people in Libya.

As part of our new £75m migration programme, DFID has committed up to £5m of further assistance in Libya. This is expected to include health care provision for migrants and other assistance and protection activities.

The recent introduction of the unexplained wealth order in the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 is an important additional tool in asset recovery relating to corruption and serious crime.

This new investigation tool is not a power available to Ministers but rather to certain law enforcement and prosecution agencies such as the National Crime Agency, the Crown Prosecution Service and the Serious Fraud Office. The Government cannot comment on the potential or actual use of investigation powers in individual cases.

We welcome the progress made at recent Libyan economic dialogue meetings in London, Rome and Tunis. The approval by the Libyan Presidency Council (PC) of the budget for 2017 is an important step towards an effective economic policy addressing the most urgent needs of Libya's population.

Following action under United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973 (2011), Council Regulation (EU) No 204/2011 of 2 March 2011 (consolidated by Council Regulation (EU) No 44/2016) imposed an asset freeze against listed individuals and entities in view of the situation in Libya. The UN Security Council has stipulated that when these are unfrozen, they will be made available to, and for the benefit of the Libyan people. For the duration of time that these assets are frozen, they and any interest they accrue will be governed in accordance with the specific sanctions in place over the individuals or entities to which the assets belong.

The latest data on UK trade in oil products with Libya are given in Table 1 below:

Table 1: UK trade in oil products with Libya

Source: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) Overseas Trade Statistics database

Note: Oil products defined as HS code 27: Mineral fuels, mineral oils and products of their distillation; bituminous substances; mineral waxes

Following action at the United Nations, Council Regulation (EU) No 204/2011 of 2 March 2011 imposed an asset freeze against listed individuals and entities in view of the situation in Libya. Council Regulation (EU) No 204/2011 has since been repealed and replaced by Council Regulation (EU) 2016/44 with effect from 20 January 2016. The EU regulation, which has direct effect in the UK, requires that all assets owned or controlled by listed persons are frozen.

The approximate aggregate value of funds frozen in the UK (under EU Regulation 204/2011) was £ 9,467,630,000 at the close of business on 30 September 2015. The figures for the 2016 round of UK frozen funds reporting are in the process of being finalised and as such are not currently available. The frozen funds continue to belong to the individuals and entities listed under the Regulation and are not seized or otherwise held by HM Government. The figure is provided on an aggregate basis so as not to indirectly disclose the value of funds held by particular individuals or entities.

We are unaware of any EU mechanism that specifically monitors the resumption of Libyan oil exports. UN Security Council Resolutions 2259 and 2278 highlight the importance of the Libyan State financial institutions, including the National Oil Corporation, the Central Bank of Libya, and the Libyan Investment Authority, continuing to function for the benefit of all Libyans. The UK maintains regular contact with the Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA) on a range of issues, including the importance of resuming Libya's oil production to generate the vital revenue needed to enable the Government to provide essential services for the Libyan people, including electricity, healthcare, infrastructure, and other services. The most recent announcement by the National Oil Corporation Chairman in London on 24 January put national oil production at 715,000 barrels per day.

​We have made clear to the Libyan authorities that resolution of this issue remains a priority for us. The Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip (Mr Johnson) and I raised the issue of compensation during our respective meetings with Prime Minister Serraj and Deputy Prime Minister Maiteq during the London Ministerial on 31 October 2016. We will continue to encourage the Libyan authorities to engage with UK victims and their legal representatives seeking redress, including those seeking compensation.

We are extremely concerned about the growing threat from extremist groups in Libya, including Daesh. The recent attacks on the Ras Lanuf and Sidra oil terminals show the threat that these groups pose to Libya’s future political and economic stability. The urgent establishment of the Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA) is the best way to tackle the threat in the long term. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) gave this message when he spoke to Prime Minister-designate, Fayez al-Serraj, on 10 January. He also emphasised the UK Government’s commitment to supporting the GNA in tackling the threats from Daesh and people smuggling.

Effective public financial management will be crucial in helping the GNA achieve real impact on the ground and gain economic credibility. And it is why we have committed £3 million over the next two years to provide technical assistance and economic governance expertise to Libya, thereby enabling a more effective response to defending Libya’s oil facilities.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office ministers regularly discuss Libya with their Egyptian counterparts, as part of the united international effort to assist the formation of a government in Libya that can deliver stability, security, and prosperity for the Libyan people. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) continues ongoing discussions of Libya with his Egyptian counterpart, Minister for Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukhry. They previously discussed the subject in meetings in September and November.

We are extremely concerned about the growing threat from extremist groups in Libya, including Daesh. The recent attacks in the Oil Crescent and Zliten in western Libya show the threat that these groups pose to the stability of Libya and the region, and potentially to the UK and our interests. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) spoke to Prime Minister Designate, Fayez al-Serraj, on 10 January to stress the importance of the Government of National Accord forming quickly, and to emphasise the UK Government’s commitment to supporting the new government to tackle the threats from Daesh and people smuggling.

We welcome the recent progress towards the formation of a Government of National Accord in Libya. We are considering, with partner nations, how we can best support a Libyan Government once it is established, including capacity building and security sector reform.

We are also training two Libyan Officer Cadets who are due to commission from Sandhurst later this year after successfully completing their training programme in the UK which started in April 2014.

The UK and EU Member States have agreed to establish a military Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) operation to disrupt trafficking and smuggling networks in the Mediterranean, which will include migrant flows from Libya ports. To stop the flows reaching Libya in the first place we are engaging with source and transit countries to address the causes of migrants leaving their home countries, through development aid, humanitarian support, addressing human rights abuses and tackling conflict.

We are also working to bring order and stability in Libya to make it a more difficult operating environment for smugglers and traffickers. Only a stable and representative Government of National Accord (GNA) can deal with the political and security challenges Libya faces, including the control of her borders.

The National Security Adviser visited Egypt on 10-11 June and Libya on 16 June, and discussed the situation on the Libyan-Egyptian border with the then Egyptian Foreign Minister Fahmy and Libyan PM Al Thinni. We will continue to discuss means to lessen the threat along Libya’s borders with the Government of Libya and those of neighbouring states.

The UK is providing direct support to strengthen Libya’s borders. We have a Border Security Adviser embedded with the Libyan Border Security HQ, and provide four UK experts to the EU Border Assistance Mission in Libya (EUBAM), including the Deputy Head of Mission. The UK’s Defence Advisory Training Team provides advice and training to the Libyan Ministry of Defence and institutions, including the Border Security Force.

The British Government was appalled at the desecration of Commonwealth war graves. I raised the issue with the Deputy Foreign Minister Abdul Aziz and stressed the importance of a thorough investigation. He gave assurances that the Libyan Government shared our views on the attacks and would continue to investigate these crimes. Our ambassador in Libya also raised our concerns with the Minister of Interior and the offices of National Transitional Council Chairman Abdul Jalil and Prime Minister al-Kib. Foreign Minister Khayyal and Chairman Abdul-Jalil made statements condemning the attacks.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) has begun work to replace the damaged headstones and hopes to have completed this work this autumn. The Libyan authorities are in contact with the CWGC and have confirmed that they will fund these works.