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 question first answered answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

1134185

registered interest
date	24/06/2019
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	Pakistan: Religious Freedom
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 he has taken to ensure the implementation of the Supreme Court of Pakistan’s Judgement of 19 June 2014 to protect the rights of religious minorities in the last five years.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow East
tabling member printed	David Linden
uin	268579
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/07/2019 answer text <p>At the UN Periodic Review of Pakistan's human rights record in November 2017, the UK called on Pakistan to strengthen protection of minorities and establish an independent National Commission for Minorities. We regularly raise our concerns about discrimination against minority communities with the Pakistan Government at a senior level. Lord Ahmad raised our concerns about protection of minority religious communities with Pakistan's Human Rights Minister, Dr Shireen Mazari, during his visit to Islamabad in February 2019. The British Government strongly condemns the persecution of minorities, including the targeting of innocent people based on their beliefs. We will continue to urge Pakistan to honour in practice its human rights obligations, including those related to religious minorities, and to uphold the rule of law.</p><p>Through the Magna Carta Fund for Human Rights and Democracy, the UK has supported projects in Pakistan to combat intolerance and encourage respect amongst individuals of different faiths and beliefs through education. The British Government strongly condemns the persecution of minorities, including the targeting of innocent people based on their beliefs.</p> answering member constituency South West Wiltshire answering member printed Dr Andrew Murrison question first answered 02/07/2019 14:47:04 answering member 1466 label Biography information for Dr Andrew Murrison
tabling member	4640 label Biography information for David Linden

1134186

registered interest
date	24/06/2019
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	Pakistan: Religious Freedom
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what diplomatic support his Department has provided to the Federal Government of Pakistan to (a) establish a taskforce to develop a strategy to promote religious tolerance and (b) develop a curricula at schools and colleges that promotes a culture of religious and social tolerance.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow East
tabling member printed	David Linden
uin	268580
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/07/2019 answer text <p>The Department for International Development (DFID)'s AAWAZ II Accountability, Inclusion and Reducing Modern Slavery Programme works with communities in Pakistan to promote rights of children, women, youth and religious minorities, protect them from exploitation, prevent discrimination and intolerance. This £39.5m programme, due to run from 2018 to 2024, will build on AAWAZ I. It will also build capacity of targeted government institutions.</p><p>Since 2008, responsibility to develop curriculum and textbooks has been devolved to provinces in Pakistan (with the Federal Government having some oversight but very little role in implementation). DFID has assisted the provincial governments in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to revise specific textbooks to align them with the 2006 national curriculum, which is a substantial improvement in terms of inclusion and tolerance from the previous curriculum. DFID technical assistance provided to both provincial governments is increasing the capability and capacity of the Curriculum and Textbook Boards to review textbooks, including on the systems and standards necessary to identify and remove discriminatory content. We are also supporting education for children from minority communities and funding training for 100,000 teachers on inclusion.</p> answering member constituency South West Wiltshire answering member printed Dr Andrew Murrison question first answered 02/07/2019 14:51:30 answering member 1466 label Biography information for Dr Andrew Murrison
tabling member	4640 label Biography information for David Linden

1134187

registered interest
date	24/06/2019
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	Pakistan: Religious Freedom
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what support his Department provides to the Government of Pakistan in response to Pakistan’s Supreme Court Judgment of 2014 to establish a National Council on the safeguarding and protection of the rights of religious minorities.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow East
tabling member printed	David Linden
uin	268581
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/07/2019 answer text <p>​At the UN Periodic Review of Pakistan's human rights record in November 2017, the UK called on Pakistan to strengthen protection of minorities and establish an independent National Commission for Minorities. We regularly raise our concerns about discrimination against minority communities with the Pakistan Government at a senior level. Lord Ahmad raised our concerns about protection of minority religious communities with Pakistan's Human Rights Minister, Dr Shireen Mazari, during his visit to Islamabad in February 2019. The British Government strongly condemns the persecution of minorities, including the targeting of innocent people based on their beliefs. We will continue to urge Pakistan to honour in practice its human rights obligations, including those related to religious minorities, and to uphold the rule of law.</p><p>Through the Magna Carta Fund for Human Rights and Democracy, the UK has supported projects in Pakistan to combat intolerance and encourage respect amongst individuals of different faiths and beliefs through education. The British Government strongly condemns the persecution of minorities, including the targeting of innocent people based on their beliefs.</p> answering member constituency South West Wiltshire answering member printed Dr Andrew Murrison question first answered 02/07/2019 14:54:54 answering member 1466 label Biography information for Dr Andrew Murrison
tabling member	4640 label Biography information for David Linden

1133847

registered interest
date	21/06/2019
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	Armed Conflict: Children
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to the UN on the continued use of child soldiers in conflict zones.
tabling member constituency	East Londonderry
tabling member printed	Mr Gregory Campbell
uin	267722
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/06/2019 answer text <p>The UK is firmly committed to ending the recruitment and use of child soldiers and to protecting all children affected by armed conflict. As a permanent member of the UN Security Council (UNSC), we are using our membership to ensure that conflict-related child protection issues remain a key part of the Council discussions and to ensure that UN operations retain the necessary capacity to address all child protection issues, including the continued use of child soldiers in conflict zones.</p><p>For example, to mark the International Day against the Use of Child Soldiers (Red Hand Day) the UK took part in a UNSC Arria meeting on protecting children in shrinking humanitarian spaces. The UK called for better integration of the Children and Armed Conflict (CAAC) portfolio into UNSC country specific discussions and for all states to sign up to the key international commitments pertaining to ending the recruitment and use of children in conflict; the Paris Principles and Commitments; the Vancouver Principles; and the Optional Protocol on children in armed conflict. The UK also highlighted the importance of mainstreaming child protection in peacekeeping missions.</p><p>We will be participating in the annual CAAC debate in August and will continue to use our position on the UNSC to engage with the international community and advocate greater protection for children in armed conflict against all grave violations, including recruitment and use. As the Foreign and Commonwealth Minister of State responsible fpr Children and Armed Conflict, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon champions this agenda and is committed to raising it's profile and driving progress across Government and internationally.</p><p><strong>Background</strong></p><p>The UK is an active member of the United Nations Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict (CAAC), which leads the international response to the issue of child soldiers and child protection. This includes pressing those parties to conflict, listed in the UN Secretary-General's annual report on CAAC, to enter into concrete action plans with the UN to verify and release any child soldiers associated with armed groups and forces and to prevent re-recruitment. The UK is the largest single financial contributor to the office of the UN Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) for CAAC, contributing £800,000 in the last five years, and a member of the 'Global Coalition for Reintegration', a forum to generate new ideas for supporting reintegration programmes for children formerly associated with armed groups.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency South West Wiltshire answering member printed Dr Andrew Murrison question first answered 26/06/2019 16:26:37 answering member 1466 label Biography information for Dr Andrew Murrison
tabling member	1409 label Biography information for Mr Gregory Campbell

1133699

registered interest
date	20/06/2019
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	Council of Europe: Finance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will oppose any proposal at the Council of Europe to decrease the budget for youth activities.
tabling member constituency	Brighton, Kemptown
tabling member printed	Lloyd Russell-Moyle
uin	267332
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/06/2019 answer text <p>No decision has been taken to decrease the budget of the Council of Europe's (CoE) youth department. The suggestion to decouple the youth budget from the main budget is just one option proposed to manage the CoE's budget deficit following Russia's non-payment of its contributions and as part of wider reforms and efficiency savings. The UK's priority remains to protect the core functions of the CoE, including the European Court of Human Rights and the European Convention system. The UK continues to urge Russia to abide by its freely entered into and legally binding obligation to pay outstanding contributions in full.</p> answering member constituency South West Wiltshire answering member printed Dr Andrew Murrison question first answered 27/06/2019 14:08:40 answering member 1466 label Biography information for Dr Andrew Murrison
tabling member	4615 label Biography information for Lloyd Russell-Moyle

1133738

registered interest
date	20/06/2019
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	Syria: Armed Conflict
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with international partners on the merits of creating and upholding no-fly zones over Idlib, Syria.
tabling member constituency	Bridgend
tabling member printed	Mrs Madeleine Moon
uin	267355
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/06/2019 answer text <p>We are deeply concerned by the civilian deaths caused by airstrikes by the Syrian regime and Russia in Idlib, however we do not consider imposition of a no-fly zone over Idlib to be a realistic option. We have urgently called on the regime and Russia to end their current offensive in Idlib and to respect the ceasefire agreed last year.</p> answering member constituency South West Wiltshire answering member printed Dr Andrew Murrison question first answered 27/06/2019 16:03:20 answering member 1466 label Biography information for Dr Andrew Murrison
tabling member	1490 label Biography information for Mrs Madeleine Moon

1133752

registered interest
date	20/06/2019
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	Hong Kong: 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 assessment he has made of the Government obligations to monitor the implementation of the principles established in the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration on Hong Kong.
tabling member constituency	Romford
tabling member printed	Andrew Rosindell
uin	267231
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/06/2019 answer text <p>The Sino-British Joint Declaration is a legally binding treaty, registered with the UN that remains in force. We believe that the UK has an obligation and a right to monitor its implementation closely, and we are strongly committed to doing so.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency South West Wiltshire answering member printed Dr Andrew Murrison question first answered 28/06/2019 11:01:01 answering member 1466 label Biography information for Dr Andrew Murrison
tabling member	1447 label Biography information for Andrew Rosindell

1133762

registered interest
date	20/06/2019
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	EU Countries: Political Parties
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether there are political parties within the EU with which it is the UK Government's policy not to engage with.
tabling member constituency	Romford
tabling member printed	Andrew Rosindell
uin	267366
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/06/2019 answer text <p>We decide whether to engage with individual political parties in Europe on a case-by-case basis. We regularly review our approach.</p> answering member constituency Rutland and Melton answering member printed Sir Alan Duncan question first answered 27/06/2019 16:15:43 answering member 343 label Biography information for Sir Alan Duncan
tabling member	1447 label Biography information for Andrew Rosindell

1133153

registered interest
date	19/06/2019
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	Saudi Arabia: Capital Punishment
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 effectiveness of the Government's diplomatic representations to the Government of Saudi Arabia on trends in the number of planned executions in that country in each of the last five years.
tabling member constituency	West Ham
tabling member printed	Lyn Brown
uin	266713
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/06/2019 answer text <p>We regularly raise our views on the use of the death penalty with the Saudi authorities. We make clear that the British Government opposes the death penalty in all circumstances and in every country, including Saudi Arabia, especially for crimes other than the most serious and for juveniles. This is in line with the minimum standards set out in the EU Guidelines on the Death Penalty of 2008 and the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Arab Charter on Human Rights.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency South West Wiltshire answering member printed Dr Andrew Murrison question first answered 27/06/2019 15:58:06 answering member 1466 label Biography information for Dr Andrew Murrison
tabling member	1583 label Biography information for Ms Lyn Brown

1133175

registered interest
date	19/06/2019
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: 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 discussions he has had with his Iranian counterpart on the protection of (a) the LGBT community and (b) religious minorities in Iran.
tabling member constituency	Hornsey and Wood Green
tabling member printed	Catherine West
uin	266865
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/06/2019 answer text <p>​We regularly raise the treatment of persecuted and vulnerable groups with the Iranian authorities at all levels. While no progress has been made on LGBT rights under Iranian law so far, we continue to take action with the international community to press Iran to improve its poor record on all human rights issues, and freedom of religion and belief.</p> answering member constituency South West Wiltshire answering member printed Dr Andrew Murrison question first answered 27/06/2019 16:00:10 answering member 1466 label Biography information for Dr Andrew Murrison
tabling member	4523 label Biography information for Catherine West