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1185955

registered interest
date	17/03/2020
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: Demonstrations and Surveillance
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 China about the reported (1) use of facial recognition technology in Xinjian to monitor Uighur Muslims resulting in human rights violations, and (2) mistreatment by the Hong Kong police force of pro-democracy protestors in Hong Kong; what assessment they have made of the impact of any development of facial recognition technology on those groups; and what plans they have to re-assess their collaboration with China in regard to the development of such technology.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL2672
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/03/2020 answer text <p>We have serious concerns about the human rights situation in Xinjiang, including extensive and invasive surveillance targeting Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities. An extensive body of open source evidence suggests such surveillance, including the use of facial recognition technology, plays a central role in the restrictive measures imposed in the region. With regard to the police response to protests in Hong Kong, we have been clear that this should be lawful and proportionate. We have consistently called for a robust, independent investigation into recent events. On 9 March, the Foreign Secretary raised his concerns about Xinjiang and Hong Kong with his Chinese counterpart, Foreign Minister and State Councillor Wang Yi.</p><p>A research project relating to facial recognition referred to in recent media reports was funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (ESPRC), an arms-length body that forms part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). Her Majesty’s Government is not involved in individual UKRI or EPSRC funding decisions. In accordance with principles of academic freedom, it is for universities to decide who they conduct research with, and how, within existing domestic and international legal frameworks.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 31/03/2020 14:59:10 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1185101

registered interest
date	16/03/2020
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	North Korea: Crimes against Humanity
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 statement by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on 10 March that the government of North Korea may be responsible for crimes against humanity; and what plans they have to refer that government to the International Criminal Court.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL2603
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/03/2020 answer text <p>The UK remains deeply concerned by the human rights situation in North Korea. The international community has a responsibility to respond to the human rights violations in North Korea which, as the UN Commission of Inquiry in 2014 concluded, may amount to crimes against humanity. The UK is fully committed to the principle that there must be no impunity for the most serious international crimes. North Korea is not a State Party to the International Criminal Court (ICC) and so a referral of the situation in North Korea could be made only by the UN Security Council in this instance. The UK continues to support an annual debate on North Korean human rights issues in the UN Security Council. We welcome the Human Rights Council resolution in March which provides the basis for further work on a credible framework for accountability.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 27/03/2020 12:15:14 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1184140

registered interest
date	10/03/2020
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: 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 the reported arrest and disappearance of (1) Fang Bin, (2) Chen Qiushi, and (3) Li Zehua, who had been live-streaming updates from Wuhan on the COVID-19 outbreak.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL2407
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/03/2020 answer text <p>These reports are concerning and we are following the situation closely. We have publicly raised our concerns about the lack of due process and judicial transparency in China, including in the most recent Foreign and Commonwealth Office Human Rights and Democracy report.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 20/03/2020 14:47:41 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1183404

registered interest
date	09/03/2020
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	Dictatorships
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of any correlation between (1) dictatorships and public health, and (2) the suppression of information, reporting and whistle-blowers and the spread of COVID-19; and what plans they have to assess how they engage with authoritarian regimes as part of their Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL2307
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/03/2020 answer text <p>Diseases are global threats and require an international response. The UK's support helps the most vulnerable across the globe, no matter which country they live in. We continue to encourage all countries to follow WHO guidelines to enable the international community to understand the trajectory of COVID-19 and to counter misinformation which could damage the public's health. The Integrated Review will include a reassessment of how we work with international partners and organisations to promote the UK's interests around the world.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 18/03/2020 17:28:37 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1183405

registered interest
date	09/03/2020
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	Saleem Masih
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 Pakistan about reports that Saleem Masih was tortured and killed after being accused of polluting a tube well he had bathed in due to his Christianity on 22 February.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL2308
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/03/2020 answer text <p>We are aware of the case of Saleem Masih and the concerning reports surrounding his death. We remain deeply concerned about reports of discrimination against the Christian community and other religious minorities in Pakistan. The former Foreign Secretary discussed the treatment of minority religious communities with Pakistan's Foreign Minister Qureshi during his visit to the UK in June 2019. I raised our concerns about Freedom of Religion or Belief and the protection of minority religious communities in a letter to Pakistan's Human Rights Minister, Dr Shireen Mazari, on 27 February.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 18/03/2020 17:36:36 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1183406

registered interest
date	09/03/2020
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 reports that the government of China transferred Uighurs from detention centres to work in factories where products are produced for global brands; and what plans they have to take action against such companies under the provisions of the Modern Slavery Act 2015.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL2309
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/03/2020 answer text <p>Recent reports indicating that Uyghurs are being used as a source of forced labour add to the growing body of evidence about the disturbing situation that Uyghurs and other minorities are facing in Xinjiang. Section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 requires companies operating in the UK with a turnover of £36m or more to publish annual statements setting out what steps they have taken to prevent modern slavery in their organisation and supply chains. The Home Office keeps compliance under active review.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 18/03/2020 17:58:58 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1183407

registered interest
date	09/03/2020
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	Hong Kong: 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 the briefing by Amnesty International Missing truth, missing justice, published on 5 March, which calls for an independent investigation into police violence during the Hong Kong protests and states that such an investigation "is essential to preventing unrest from reigniting in the city and rebuilding public trust".
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL2310
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/03/2020 answer text <p>We have not at this stage made an assessment of the briefing by Amnesty International 'Missing truth, Missing Justice', published on 5 March.</p><p>However we continue to believe that it is crucial that confidence in police accountability in Hong Kong is rebuilt - a point the UK made clear in our item 2 national statement at the UN Human Rights Council on 27 February.</p><p>A robust, credible and independent investigation into events in Hong Kong would be an important step in healing divisions and rebuilding trust that will support the process of dialogue and resolution.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 18/03/2020 17:57:43 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1182874

registered interest
date	04/03/2020
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	Sanctions
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 2 March (HL Deb, col 389), whether the planned secondary legislation under the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018 will be applied to individuals linked to crimes against humanity; and whether the definition of a perpetrator will vary based on country or nationality.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL2197
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/03/2020 answer text <p>As I stated in my answer to the Oral Question on 2 March 2020, House of Lords, column 389, we are currently working to soon lay secondary legislation for the UK's first autonomous sanctions regime under the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018. It would be inappropriate to comment on the specific aspects of the scope before the secondary legislation comes into force.</p><p>The regime is not intended to target individual countries, but those who commit serious human rights violations or abuses anywhere in the world.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 12/03/2020 15:47:58 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1182875

registered interest
date	04/03/2020
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: Prisoners
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 2 March (HL Deb, col 390), what steps they are taking to ensure that companies registered in the UK are not contributing to forced organ harvesting in China.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL2198
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/03/2020 answer text <p>We encourage UK businesses to conduct appropriate due diligence to satisfy themselves that their activities do not support, or risk being seen to be supporting, any human rights violations or abuses. The Government's position remains that, if true, the practice of systematic, state-sponsored organ harvesting would constitute a gross violation of human rights.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 18/03/2020 12:59:40 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1182876

registered interest
date	04/03/2020
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: Prisoners
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 2 March (HL Deb, col 390), whether they will place in the Library of the House all reports and correspondence they have received from the World Health Organisation, especially those relating to the transparency of the government of China’s organ transplant system.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL2199
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/03/2020 answer text <p>We consult and share assessments with a wide range of human rights and international organisations, including the World Health Organisation, on the basis of confidentiality. In order to maintain working relationships with these organisations, we do not publish details of discussions between them and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 10/03/2020 16:57:38 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool