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782417

registered interest
date	02/11/2017
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	Commonwealth: Religious Freedom
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 number of Commonwealth countries that retain apostasy laws.
tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of Coventry
uin	HL2840
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/11/2017 answer text <p>Her Majesty's Government remains firmly committed to the promotion and protection of Freedom of Religion or Belief around the world. Criminalising apostasy runs contrary to this human right and we oppose it for that reason. We do not currently hold information on the number of Commonwealth countries that criminalise apostasy, but data collected by Pew Research Centre in 2014 found that 25 countries worldwide had some form of apostasy law or policy.</p><p>We do not hold these details and it is difficult to obtain accurate data. We will speak with our non-governmental organisations to see if they hold information</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 15/11/2017 17:23:46 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	4266 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of Coventry

782418

registered interest
date	02/11/2017
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	Commonwealth: Blasphemy
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 number of Commonwealth countries that retain some form of blasphemy law.
tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of Coventry
uin	HL2841
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/11/2017 answer text <p>Her Majesty's Government remains firmly committed to the protection and promotion of Freedom of Religion or Belief around the world. Criminalising blasphemy runs contrary to that human right and we oppose it for that reason. We do not currently hold information on the number of Commonwealth countries that criminalise blasphemy, but a report published by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom in July 2017 found that blasphemy laws were retained in 71 countries worldwide.</p><p>We do not hold this information and accurate data is difficult to obtain. We will speak with our non-governmental organisations to see if they hold this information.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 15/11/2017 17:24:21 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	4266 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of Coventry

782419

registered interest
date	02/11/2017
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	Commonwealth: Capital Punishment
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 number of Commonwealth countries that retain the death penalty.
tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of Coventry
uin	HL2842
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/11/2017 answer text <p>The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) works closely with leading human rights organisations to promote abolition of the death penalty globally. 33 Commonwealth countries retain the death penalty. The UK opposes the death penalty in all circumstances and we make our opposition known at the highest levels in countries where it continues to be applied. On World Day Against the Death Penalty on 10 October, I issued a statement setting out the UK Government’s position that the use of the death penalty undermines human dignity, that there is no conclusive evidence of its deterrent value, and that any miscarriage of justice leading to its imposition is irreparable.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 15/11/2017 17:28:42 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	4266 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of Coventry

782420

registered interest
date	02/11/2017
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	Commonwealth: Religious Freedom
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their strategy for protecting freedom of religion or belief across the Commonwealth.
tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of Coventry
uin	HL2843
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/11/2017 answer text <p>Protecting Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) remains a high priority for Her Majesty's Government. We work on this issue around the world, including in countries that are members of the Commonwealth.</p><p>On International Religious Freedom Day (27 October), I wrote to all UK Ambassadors and High Commissioners encouraging them to make FoRB a priority in their human rights engagements and work in country. I also re-issued our revised &quot;toolkit&quot; which supports our diplomats working to protect and promote FoRB in locally appropriate ways. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) also continues to provide training and seminars to increase religious literacy amongst staff.</p><p>Ministers and officials also speak out publicly in support of Freedom of Religion or Belief. For example, during my visit to Bangladesh in August 2017, I visited the Ahmadiyya Mosque in Dhaka and made a public call for religious tolerance.</p><p>The UK Government also continues to support a number of projects which promote Freedom of Religion or Belief through the FCO's Magna Carta Fund for Human Rights and Democracy. Examples include a project to support a network of human rights defenders in South Asia.</p><p>In multilateral fora, the Government continues to work to sustain consensus on the adoption and implementation of two important resolutions: the European Union's Freedom of Religion or Belief resolution and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)'s resolution on Combating Religious Intolerance.</p><p>In October 2017, I convened the first in a series of roundtable meetings on FoRB. These meetings will bring together faith leaders and civil society to discuss current challenges to FoRB internationally, and how we can collaborate to strengthen our response to these.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 15/11/2017 17:31:23 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	4266 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of Coventry

782421

registered interest
date	02/11/2017
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	Commonwealth: Religious Freedom
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of funds currently allocated under the Magna Carta Fund aim to protect or strengthen freedom of religion or belief across the Commonwealth.
tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of Coventry
uin	HL2844
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/11/2017 answer text <p>This financial year 2% (£207,946) of the overall Magna Carta Fund has been allocated to protecting or strengthening freedom of religion or belief across the Commonwealth. All of these projects are regional and therefore include Commonwealth and non-Commonwealth countries.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 15/11/2017 17:36:39 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	4266 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of Coventry

782424

registered interest
date	02/11/2017
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	Elephants: Conservation
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what further support they intend to offer members of the Elephant Protection Initiative to succeed in protecting their wildlife.
tabling member printed	Lord Hague of Richmond
uin	HL2847
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/11/2017 answer text <p>The UK Government has supported the work of the Elephant Protection Initiative (EPI) since its launch at the 2014 Illegal Wildlife Trade (IWT) conference in London, including providing approximately £1.2 million funding through Stop Ivory. The Minister for Asia and the Pacific and the Minister for Africa both recently met Helen Clarke, co-chair of the new EPI Consultative Group, to discuss Her Majesty's Government's support for the next phase of the EPIs work and in developing plans for the 2018 London IWT Conference. The UK Government also supports countries, including EPI members, to tackle poaching and the illegal ivory trade through the Global Environment Facility which is providing $131 million (£97 million) over seven years from 2015 to the Global Wildlife Programme. Our overseas network has supported EPI events in a number of member states and we are happy to continue this support.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 15/11/2017 17:32:34 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	379 label Biography information for Lord Hague of Richmond

782425

registered interest
date	02/11/2017
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	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative experts have been deployed to Bangladesh in response to the atrocities committed against the Rohingya people.
tabling member printed	Lord Hague of Richmond
uin	HL2848
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/11/2017 answer text <p>The Head of ​the ​Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO)'s PSVI Team recently visited Bangladesh, including Dhaka and Cox's Bazar, with the UN Secretary General's Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Pramila Patten. The Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG)'s mission will meet survivors, service providers, government officials and security services. The FCO, working with the Stabilisation Unit, is deploying two Deployable Civilian Experts to Bangladesh this month to conduct a needs assessment. These experts in gender issues and criminal law, including sexual violence in conflict, will build on the SRSG and Head of PSVI's assessment to look at the extent of reported incidents of sexual violence, services being provided, identify gaps and make recommendations for the UK Government. Part of the assessment will be a deep dive on investigation and documentation of sexual violence.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 16/11/2017 17:47:12 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	379 label Biography information for Lord Hague of Richmond

782426

registered interest
date	02/11/2017
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	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they have taken at the UN Security Council regarding the Rohingya people.
tabling member printed	Lord Hague of Richmond
uin	HL2849
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/11/2017 answer text <p>The British Government played a central role in the Presidential Statement on Rakhine agreed by the UN Security Council (UNSC) ​​on 6 November. The Statement calls, among other things, for the safe return of the Rohingya refugees to Rakhine, a transparent investigation of human rights violations, including those of sexual violence, as well as cooperation of the Government of Burma with UN organisations and access for humanitarian and media organisations to Rakhine. The Statement also calls on the Government of Burma to address the root causes of the conflict, including through the implementation of the Rakhine Advisory Commission recommendations.​</p><p>This comes as a result of several weeks of British Government activity at the UN Security Council. We have raised Burma four times since 25 August. On 13 September we secured the first agreed UNSC press statement on Burma in eight years. On 28 September we instigated the first open session of the Security Council on Burma in almost a decade. The Security Council then discussed Burma on 13 October. We will continue to work to ensure continuing P5 unity on the gravity of the situation in Burma.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 16/11/2017 17:48:10 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	379 label Biography information for Lord Hague of Richmond

782427

registered interest
date	02/11/2017
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	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Burma regarding current events in Rakhine state.
tabling member printed	Lord Hague of Richmond
uin	HL2850
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/11/2017 answer text <p>In recent weeks, the British Government has made a number of representations to the Burmese government. We continue to make clear the need to end all violence in Rakhine, including sexual violence, to ensure the safe return of refugees, to allow humanitarian assistance to all communities in Rakhine, to enable access for the UN Fact-Finding Mission and to implement the recommendations of Kofi Annan's Rakhine Advisory Commission. The Foreign Secretary raised these issues directly with State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi when he spoke to her on 7 and 14 September and on 21 October.</p><p>The Minister of State for Asia and the Pacific met Burma's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs on 20 September in New York and State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi on 27 September in Burma, and reiterated the same messages. Minister Field also raised our deep concern about the situation in Rakhine with the Burmese Ambassador when they met on 31 October.</p><p>Our Ambassador in Rangoon has also made a number of representations, most recently with the Burmese Defence Minister whom he met on 1 November.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 17/11/2017 14:51:53 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	379 label Biography information for Lord Hague of Richmond

782436

registered interest
date	02/11/2017
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: Community Relations
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what support they are providing to the government of Iraq to promote reconciliation within civil society in Iraq.
tabling member printed	Lord McInnes of Kilwinning
uin	HL2859
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/11/2017 answer text <p>We recognise that reconciliation is critical to defeating Daesh and ensuring long-term stability within Iraq. At both official and ministerial levels we continue to promote action to ensure that those responsible for human rights abuses are held to account. Through the Conflict, Security and Stability Fund we are supporting community-level reconciliation, reintegration and transitional justice efforts in liberated areas. The UK is also at the forefront of international efforts to bring Daesh to justice. On 21 September, the United Nations Security Council voted unanimously to adopt UK-proposed Daesh Accountability Resolution 2379, which requests the UN Secretary General to establish an Investigative Team to collect, preserve and store evidence of Daesh crimes, beginning in Iraq. The UK has pledged £1 million as a voluntary contribution to help establish the Investigative Team.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 16/11/2017 17:47:42 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	4576 label Biography information for Lord McInnes of Kilwinning