Show Search Form

Search Results

registered interest	true false
date	exactly: or between: and
answering body
answering dept id
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name
hansard heading
house id
legislature	pref label
question text
tabling member constituency
tabling member printed
uin
answer	is ministerial correction true false date of answer exactly: or between: and answer text answering member constituency answering member printed grouped question UIN question first answered answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

1125050

registered interest
date	07/05/2019
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Cameroon: Human Rights
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the political and human rights situation in Cameroon; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Leeds Central
tabling member printed	Hilary Benn
uin	251239
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/05/2019 answer text <p>​The UK continues to be deeply concerned at the worsening humanitarian situation in the North-West and South-West (Anglophone) regions of Cameroon and the reports of human rights violations and abuses committed by both security forces and separatists. Violence is driving people from their homes, and impacting on the lives of ordinary civilians, particularly women and children. The UK is providing lifesaving assistance to 10,000 people in the Anglophone regions following a £2.5m contribution to UNICEF in December.</p><p>The British Government regularly raises concerns about the political, human rights, and humanitarian situation with the Government of Cameroon. Further to a phone call in March with Cameroon Prime Minister, Joseph Ngute, on 30 April, I met with the Cameroon High Commissioner to London to reiterate UK concerns. We discussed the plight of the 530,000 people who have been internally displaced within the Anglophone regions, the 32,000 refugees in Nigeria who have fled from the crisis, and the arrest and detention of Opposition Leader, Maurice Kamto and other political actors. I urged the Government of Cameroon to urgently take steps to establish a credible dialogue to tackle the root causes of the crisis in the Anglophone regions, and ensure fair and timely trial, or release, of detainees. The UK continues to call for unhindered humanitarian access to affected populations, and investigations into all reports of human rights violations and abuses. The UK and Austria delivered a joint statement with support from 37 countries on the deteriorating situation in Cameroon at the UN Human Rights Council in March, demonstrating the increasing concerns of the wider international community.</p> answering member constituency West Worcestershire answering member printed Harriett Baldwin grouped question UIN 251243 question first answered 13/05/2019 14:25:04 answering member 4107 label Biography information for Dame Harriett Baldwin
tabling member	413 label Biography information for Hilary Benn

1125064

registered interest
date	07/05/2019
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Cameroon: Politics and Government
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the political and humanitarian situation in Cameroon; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Leeds Central
tabling member printed	Hilary Benn
uin	251243
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/05/2019 answer text <p>​The UK continues to be deeply concerned at the worsening humanitarian situation in the North-West and South-West (Anglophone) regions of Cameroon and the reports of human rights violations and abuses committed by both security forces and separatists. Violence is driving people from their homes, and impacting on the lives of ordinary civilians, particularly women and children. The UK is providing lifesaving assistance to 10,000 people in the Anglophone regions following a £2.5m contribution to UNICEF in December.</p><p>The British Government regularly raises concerns about the political, human rights, and humanitarian situation with the Government of Cameroon. Further to a phone call in March with Cameroon Prime Minister, Joseph Ngute, on 30 April, I met with the Cameroon High Commissioner to London to reiterate UK concerns. We discussed the plight of the 530,000 people who have been internally displaced within the Anglophone regions, the 32,000 refugees in Nigeria who have fled from the crisis, and the arrest and detention of Opposition Leader, Maurice Kamto and other political actors. I urged the Government of Cameroon to urgently take steps to establish a credible dialogue to tackle the root causes of the crisis in the Anglophone regions, and ensure fair and timely trial, or release, of detainees. The UK continues to call for unhindered humanitarian access to affected populations, and investigations into all reports of human rights violations and abuses. The UK and Austria delivered a joint statement with support from 37 countries on the deteriorating situation in Cameroon at the UN Human Rights Council in March, demonstrating the increasing concerns of the wider international community.</p> answering member constituency West Worcestershire answering member printed Harriett Baldwin grouped question UIN 251239 question first answered 13/05/2019 14:25:04 answering member 4107 label Biography information for Dame Harriett Baldwin
tabling member	413 label Biography information for Hilary Benn

1124684

registered interest
date	03/05/2019
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	China: Uyghurs
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has made to his Chinese counterpart on the reported mass detention of Uighur Muslims in that country.
tabling member constituency	Slough
tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
uin	250765
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/05/2019 answer text <p>Ministers and senior officials regularly raise our serious concerns about the treatment of Uyghurs in Xinjiang directly with the Chinese authorities, and will continue to do so. During my most recent visit to China in July 2018, I raised our concerns with my counterpart the Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Mr Field, Minister of State for Asia and the Pacific raised our concerns with Vice Minister Guo Yezhou during his visit to China on 22 July 2018.</p><p> </p><p>We spoke publicly about the situation in Xinjiang at the 40th UN Human Rights Council which took place earlier this year. The Prime Minister’s Special Envoy on Freedom of Religion and Belief, Lord Ahmad, raised our concerns during his opening address on 25 February. The UK also spoke about Xinjiang during our “Item 4” national statement on 12 March, and we co-sponsored a side event on “Protecting the fundamental freedoms in Xinjiang” on 13 March.</p><p> </p><p>Additionally, in our statement at China’s Universal Periodic Review on 6 November, we made clear our concern about the treatment of Uyghurs in China. The UK issued a specific recommendation to China that it implements the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination’s recommendations on Xinjiang and allows the UN to monitor the implementation.</p> answering member constituency Cities of London and Westminster answering member printed Mark Field question first answered 09/05/2019 13:26:31 answering member 1405 label Biography information for Mark Field
tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi

1124732

registered interest
date	03/05/2019
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Christianity: Oppression
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to combat the persecution of Christians abroad.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
uin	250744
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/05/2019 answer text <p>The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) is committed to using our influence to defend Freedom of Religion or Belief as a universal human right which should be enjoyed by everyone. That is why the Prime Minister appointed Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon as the Special Envoy on Freedom of Religion or Belief. We regularly raise Christian persecution with our international counterparts, for example through the Human Rights Council. In recent years we have seen reports of a particular rise in the persecution of Christians. The Foreign Secretary launched the independent review of FCO support for persecuted Christians on 30 January. The Review is led by the Bishop of Truro. It will map levels of persecution and discrimination against Christians around the world, and provide robust recommendations on how the FCO can respond. The Bishop has now submitted his interim report and will submit his final report in Summer.</p> answering member constituency Cities of London and Westminster answering member printed Mark Field question first answered 09/05/2019 13:20:16 answering member 1405 label Biography information for Mark Field
tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

1124736

registered interest
date	03/05/2019
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Sri Lanka: Politics and Government
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the security situation in Sri Lanka.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
uin	250760
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/05/2019 answer text <p>We are continuing to assess the security situation in Sri Lanka. Security operations in Sri Lanka are ongoing following the 21 April attacks and a State of Emergency remains in place. The Sri Lankan authorities have made a number of arrests in relation to the attacks, and investigations are ongoing.</p><p>Until security operations have reduced the threat, we assess that it is very likely that terrorists will try to mount terrorist attacks. Attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places visited by foreigners. We have updated our travel advice to reflect this and are keeping our recommendation against all but essential travel under close review.</p><p>We have done much to improve our protective security and preparedness capability in the UK given the history of attacks in our country. The Minister of State for Security, Ben Wallace, visited Sri Lanka on 2-3 May to demonstrate UK solidarity and to take forward discussions on what UK support would be most helpful, drawing on the UK's experience and expertise in this field.</p> answering member constituency Cities of London and Westminster answering member printed Mark Field question first answered 09/05/2019 13:17:54 answering member 1405 label Biography information for Mark Field
tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

1124569

registered interest
date	02/05/2019
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Burma: Rohingya
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Myanmar counterpart on the Rohingya people.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
uin	250433
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/05/2019 answer text <p>The Foreign Secretary visited Myanmar on 19 and 20 September 2018 to visit northern Rakhine and to press Myanmar's leaders to take action. He also discussed the Fact-Finding Mission report with Aung San Suu Kyi. Minister Field spoke with the Myanmar Minister for International Cooperation Kyaw Tin on 1 November 2018 to stress the UK's serious concern at Myanmar's announcement, with Bangladesh, that refugee repatriation would begin despite suitable conditions not yet being in place in northern Rakhine.</p><p>In November 2018, the Foreign Secretary wrote a joint letter with the French Foreign Minister making clear to the Myanmar authorities that its Commission of Inquiry needs to be an independent and credible mechanism that will lead to a judicial process in order to deliver accountability for the atrocities committed. The British Ambassador continues to have regular discussions with senior Myanmar officials about the Rohingya people.</p><p>On 18 March I met with U Thaung Tun, the Myanmar Union Minister for Investment and Foreign Economic Relations and National Security Advisor and again raised the issue of conditions in Rakhine and the importance of long term social and economic development in Rakhine to improve prospects for all, including the Rohingya.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Cities of London and Westminster answering member printed Mark Field question first answered 09/05/2019 13:13:22 answering member 1405 label Biography information for Mark Field
tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

1124582

registered interest
date	02/05/2019
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Brunei: Legal Systems
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what estimate he has made of the number of people convicted in Sharia Courts in Brunei since the introduction of those courts.
tabling member constituency	Cardiff Central
tabling member printed	Jo Stevens
uin	250502
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/05/2019 answer text <p>The British Government does not record statistics of cases bought before Sharia Courts in Brunei. Sharia Courts have been present in Brunei for decades. Sharia Family law has been used in Brunei alongside the Common Law and predates the Sharia Penal Code. The first phase of the Sharia Penal Code Order was introduced in 2013. Phase III was implemented on 3 April. There have been no convictions in Sharia Courts since 3 April under Phase III of the Sharia Penal Code.</p> answering member constituency Cities of London and Westminster answering member printed Mark Field question first answered 09/05/2019 13:14:49 answering member 1405 label Biography information for Mark Field
tabling member	4425 label Biography information for Jo Stevens

1124584

registered interest
date	02/05/2019
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Iran: Ethnic Groups
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential threat posed to ethnic Arabs in Iran by the Iranian Government.
tabling member constituency	Cardiff Central
tabling member printed	Jo Stevens
uin	250504
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/05/2019 answer text <p>We continue to be concerned by reports of substantial violations of the rights of ethnic minorities and their defenders in Iran, including but not limited to Arabs, Azeris, Baluchis, Kurds, Turkmen, and Azerbaijani Turks.</p><p>We regularly raise the treatment of religious and ethnic minorities in Iran with the Iranian Government, and we continue to take action with the international community to press Iran to improve its poor record on all human rights issues.</p> answering member constituency Cities of London and Westminster answering member printed Mark Field question first answered 09/05/2019 13:35:25 answering member 1405 label Biography information for Mark Field
tabling member	4425 label Biography information for Jo Stevens

1124139

registered interest
date	01/05/2019
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Democracy and Human Rights: Annual Reports
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when his Department plans to publish the next annual Human Rights and Democracy report.
tabling member constituency	Cynon Valley
tabling member printed	Ann Clwyd
uin	249853
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/05/2019 answer text <p>​The 2018 Human Rights and Democracy report is due to be published in early June 2019.</p> answering member constituency Cities of London and Westminster answering member printed Mark Field question first answered 08/05/2019 14:50:50 answering member 1405 label Biography information for Mark Field
tabling member	553 label Biography information for Ann Clwyd

1124140

registered interest
date	01/05/2019
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Iraq: Water
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has discussed with his Iraqi counterpart the water pollution crisis in Iraq; and whether the Government has offered the Iraqi Government any assistance to address that crisis.
tabling member constituency	Cynon Valley
tabling member printed	Ann Clwyd
uin	249854
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/05/2019 answer text <p>​British officials have discussed the serious water problems in Iraq with senior interlocutors in the Government of Iraq, including with respect to the specific difficulties around water provision in Basra. Through UK Export Finance, the UK has provided more than £1 billion of support for UK companies delivering critical infrastructure projects in Iraq – including water and waste water treatment projects.</p> answering member constituency Cities of London and Westminster answering member printed Mark Field question first answered 09/05/2019 13:55:56 answering member 1405 label Biography information for Mark Field
tabling member	553 label Biography information for Ann Clwyd