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1228026

registered interest
date	27/07/2020
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	Ahmadiyya: Oppression
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Suffering of the Faithful – the persecution of Ahmadi Muslims and the rise of international extremism, published on 20 July; and what steps they are taking to address the recommendations of that report.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL7318
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/08/2020 answer text <p>Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon was pleased to attend the launch of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community's report on 20 July. We welcome the thrust of the report and are considering the recommendations made. The UK Government remains deeply concerned by reports of discrimination and violence against Ahmadiyya Muslims in Pakistan and elsewhere. Most recently, Lord Ahmad raised our concerns about Freedom of Religion or Belief, with Pakistan's Human Rights Minister, Dr Shireen Mazari, on 15 July. We continue to urge the Government of Pakistan at senior levels to guarantee the fundamental rights of its citizens, regardless of their belief.</p> answering member printed Baroness Sugg question first answered 03/08/2020 14:48:07 answering member 4584 label Biography information for Baroness Sugg
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1227100

registered interest
date	21/07/2020
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	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government when they last discussed the detention of Uighur Muslims in camps in Xinjiang with the Ambassador of China to the UK; and what response they received to any such discussions.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL7070
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/08/2020 answer text <p>The Minister for Asia raised the Government's serious concerns about the detention of Uyghurs in so-called &quot;re-education camps&quot; with the Chinese Ambassador to the UK during their most recent meeting on 5 March. Officials also regularly raise our human rights concerns with the Chinese Embassy. We will continue to raise this issue with the Chinese authorities, both bilaterally with China and at the UN alongside our international partners.</p> answering member printed Baroness Sugg question first answered 03/08/2020 14:35:52 answering member 4584 label Biography information for Baroness Sugg
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1227101

registered interest
date	21/07/2020
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: Religious Freedom
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of China about (1) its rejection of Article 18 of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and (2) whether that government will support Article 18 in the future.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL7071
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/08/2020 answer text <p>We regularly raise human rights concerns, and the need for China to uphold its international obligations with the Chinese authorities. On 9 March the Foreign Secretary raised our concerns about the human rights situation in Xinjiang with his Chinese counterpart, Foreign Minister and State Councillor Wang Yi. On 30 June, the UK read out a statement on behalf of 28 countries at the 44th session of the UN Human Rights Council highlighting concerns about arbitrary detention, widespread surveillance and restrictions, particularly those targeting Uyghurs and other minorities, in Xinjiang.</p> answering member printed Baroness Sugg question first answered 03/08/2020 14:36:13 answering member 4584 label Biography information for Baroness Sugg
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1226160

registered interest
date	20/07/2020
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	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the authenticity of the drone footage reported to show shackled and blindfolded Uighur Muslims being led from trains in China. [T]
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL6990
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/07/2020 answer text <p>We are aware of the footage, which was initially published online in September 2019. Open source analysis indicates the people shown in the footage are Uyghur or other minorities in Xinjiang. We judge this analysis to be credible. The footage adds to the growing body of evidence on the disturbing situation that Uyghurs and other minorities are facing in Xinjiang.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 27/07/2020 12:39:20 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1226163

registered interest
date	20/07/2020
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	Islamic State: Coronavirus
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that the influence of Daesh has grown during the COVID-19 pandemic; what is their current assessment of the risk posed by Daesh in the Middle East; and what steps they are taking to address any such risk.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL6993
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/08/2020 answer text <p>We are concerned by reports that Daesh is using the current COVID-19 pandemic crisis to exert their influence. As the Defence Secretary outlined in the Counter-Daesh Statement on 22 July in the House, we continue to work closely with our allies in the Global Coalition to prevent Daesh from resurging, in particular in Syria and Iraq. The Minister of State for Middle East and North Africa discussed this in a Counter-Daesh Coalition Small Group meeting on 4 June. He also raised the importance of the continued fight against Daesh in his conversations with Iraq's Ambassador to the UK on 16 March and Iraqi Foreign Minister Hakim on 1 April. The UK supports the UN Secretary-General's call for a global ceasefire in armed conflicts and we will continue to work closely with international partners towards peace in the Middle East, particularly in light of COVID-19.</p> answering member printed Baroness Sugg question first answered 03/08/2020 14:07:44 answering member 4584 label Biography information for Baroness Sugg
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1226165

registered interest
date	20/07/2020
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: Minority Groups
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to assist religious minorities in Iraq, in particular those who have (1) been victims of genocidal acts, and (2) who are at risk due to the COVID-19 pandemic; and what assistance they have provided to the government of Iraq to assist with the prosecution of Daesh fighters in that country.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL6995
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/07/2020 answer text <p>The UK is working to support the rights of religious minorities in Iraq, including those who were the victims of appalling Daesh crimes. To enable the return of internally displaced persons, including minorities, we have contributed £28 million to the UNDP Funding Facility for Stabilisation, which is restoring vital infrastructure and basic services in areas liberated from Daesh. Additionally, we have redistributed £9.9 million to support the health response to the spread of Covid-19 in Iraq. In order to support the prosecution of Daesh crimes in Iraq, we have provided £2 million to the UN Investigative Team for the Accountability of Daesh (UNITAD) and are encouraging close co-operation between UNITAD and the Government of Iraq to achieve justice for Daesh's victims.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 29/07/2020 10:32:14 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1226182

registered interest
date	20/07/2020
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	India: Religious Freedom
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the announcement by the Chief Minister of Haryana that he intends to introduce a freedom of religion law to ensure that anyone involved in "unlawful conversions" will be brought to justice, what plans they have to make urgent representations to the government of (1) India, and (2) Haryana, about the impact such a law would have on (a) the reality of freedom of religion or belief for Indian citizens, and (b) international confidence in the government of India’s willingness to uphold Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL7012
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/07/2020 answer text <p>We engage India on the full range of human rights matters. We work with Union and State Governments, as well as NGOs, to build capacity and share expertise to promote human rights for all. Where we have concerns we raise them directly with the Government of India. Most recently, I discussed the situation for India's minorities with the Acting High Commissioner of India on 22 May. I have previously raised our concerns about the impact of recent legislative and judicial measures on minorities with Indian Government Ministers.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 29/07/2020 16:22:14 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1224697

registered interest
date	14/07/2020
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	Mozambique: Islamic State
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the prevalence of Islamic State (IS) insurgency in northern Mozambique and reports (1) of the displacement of 200,000 people, (2) of wide-spread killings, and (3) of the seizure of towns by IS in Cabo Delgado; what discussions they have had with the government of South Africa about reports that it is considering a military intervention in northern Mozambique; and what plans they have to provide humanitarian assistance to those people who have been displaced.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL6822
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/07/2020 answer text <p>The UK is deeply concerned about the situation in northern Mozambique and the increasing attacks by groups with links to Islamic extremism. We strongly condemn the targeting of civilians and the temporary seizures of the towns of Mocimboa da Praia and Quissanga by insurgent groups. The Foreign Secretary discussed the situation in northern Mozambique with President Nyusi on 11 June, urging him to address the underlying causes of the insurgency as well as its effects. We support the Government of Mozambique to address the drivers of conflict and instability in northern Mozambique, including through engagement with the Government of Mozambique's regional development authority in Cabo Delgado and with targeted technical assistance under the framework of a Defence Memorandum of Understanding. The UK also has a substantial aid programme in Mozambique, worth £168 million in 2019/20, which includes programmes to drive more inclusive growth and to improve good governance in Cabo Delgado.</p><p>We are also concerned about the 200,000 people displaced as a result of instability in Cabo Delgado. The UK has committed over £3 million through the World Food Program and Food and Agricultural Organisation to deliver food assistance, shelter, improvement of water and sanitation, the treatment of acute malnutrition and agriculture recovery.</p><p>The Minister for Africa discussed the situation in northern Mozambique with the Deputy Minister for International Relations and Cooperation of South Africa on 16 July. They agreed on the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the Southern African region and on central role of the Southern African Development Community in achieving this.</p> answering member printed Baroness Sugg question first answered 23/07/2020 12:22:38 answering member 4584 label Biography information for Baroness Sugg
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1224698

registered interest
date	14/07/2020
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	Mozambique: Christianity
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the recommendations of the Bishop of Truro’s Independent Review for the Foreign Secretary of FCO Support for Persecuted Christians, published in June 2019, what assessment they have made of reports (1) of churches being burned down, and (2) of Christians being attacked, in northern Mozambique; and what discussions they have had, if any, with the Bishop of Pemba in northern Mozambique about such reports.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL6823
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/07/2020 answer text <p>We remain deeply concerned at the scale of Freedom of Religion or Belief violations in many parts of the world. We recognise that people's religion and gender can increase their vulnerabilities, particularly those from minority groups. The Government has committed to implementing the Bishop of Truro's 22 recommendations in full. This work is being overseen by the Prime Minister's Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief, Rehman Chishti MP. 11 of the recommendations have already been implemented, or are in the process of being implemented. Work is ongoing to implement all the recommendations in a way that will bring real improvements to the lives of those persecuted because of their faith, belief, or because they have no religious belief</p><p>We are aware that homes and commercial buildings have been targeted by groups with links to Islamic extremism in certain areas of northern Mozambique, particularly in the coastal town of Mocimboa da Praia on 23 March. The insurgents have attacked and terrorised all the peoples of Cabo Delgado, irrespective of their beliefs. The UK strongly condemns any targeting of civilians by insurgent groups, regardless of their religion.</p><p>The British High Commission hopes to reinstate a planned visit to Cabo Delgado to meet all faith leaders including the Bishop of Pemba as soon as possible once COVID-19 restrictions are lifted and it is safe to do so.</p> answering member printed Baroness Sugg question first answered 23/07/2020 12:22:25 answering member 4584 label Biography information for Baroness Sugg
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1224153

registered interest
date	13/07/2020
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	Darfur: Demonstrations
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the mass protests in Nertiti in Central Darfur, Sudan, and (2) the calls of protestors to the government of Sudan to put in place protective measures against attacks by raiding militia.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL6750
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/07/2020 answer text <p>We are closely monitoring events in Central Darfur. The UK supports Prime Minister Hamdok's commitment to secure a sustainable peace agreement that in the long term will help end conflict. We welcome progress to date in the Juba-based talks between the Government of Sudan and armed opposition groups, which once finalised should begin to address conflict and violence in Darfur, as well as demands made by protesters such as the appointment of civilian state governors. We do however remain concerned by incidents of violence in Darfur and continue to urge the Government of Sudan to provide protection of civilians, working with the UN/AU peacekeeping Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) to do so. We continue to put the protection of civilians at the heart of our work on the future UN presence in Sudan, including during UN Security Council negotiations in May to establish the UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission that will support Sudan's transition, and the renewal of UNAMID's current mandate.</p> answering member printed Baroness Sugg question first answered 23/07/2020 12:23:25 answering member 4584 label Biography information for Baroness Sugg
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool