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1002539

registered interest
date	06/11/2018
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: Organs
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 request from his EU and US counterparts the evidence that led to their respective parliaments passing resolutions to condemn forced organ harvesting in China.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	188826
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/11/2018 answer text <p>We are aware of reports that allege that a process of involuntary organ removal may be taking place in China, including suggestions that minority and religious groups are being specifically targeted. The British government fully supports the Declaration of Istanbul (May 2008), which encourages all countries to draw up legal and professional frameworks to govern organ donation and transplantation activities.</p><p>Reports by authors such as Kilgour, Gutmann and Matas are important sources of information about China’s organ transplant system. They rightly question the lack of transparency in China’s organ transplant system, whilst acknowledging that it is very difficult to identify the source of those organs and verify the number of organ transplants conducted in China. However we do not agree with the claims of systematic organ harvesting of prisoners of conscience, assessing that the evidence they present does not substantiate such a claim.</p><p>The World Health Organisation (WHO) collates global data on organ donations and works with China. The WHO view is that China is implementing an ethical, voluntary organ transplant system in accordance with international standards, although the WHO does have concerns about overall transparency.</p><p>We continue to review available evidence on this issue.</p> answering member constituency Cities of London and Westminster answering member printed Mark Field question first answered 14/11/2018 13:04:46 answering member 1405 label Biography information for Mark Field
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

997810

registered interest
date	30/10/2018
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: Organs
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 merits of the evidence collected by former Canadian Minister David Kilgour on forced organ harvesting in China.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	185605
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/11/2018 answer text <p>We are aware of reports that allege that a process of involuntary organ removal may be taking place in China, including suggestions that minority and religious groups are being specifically targeted. The UK government fully supports the Declaration of Istanbul (May 2008), which encourages all countries to draw up legal and professional frameworks to govern organ donation and transplantation activities.</p><p>We consider the Kilgour, Gutmann and Matas report to be important sources of information about China’s organ transplant system. These reports rightly question the lack of transparency in China’s organ transplant system, whilst acknowledging that it is very difficult to identify the source of those organs and verify the number of organ transplants conducted in China. We do not agree with the claims of systematic organ harvesting of prisoners of conscience, assessing that the evidence they present does not substantiate such a claim.</p><p>The World Health Organisation (WHO) collates global data on organ donations and works with China. The WHO view is that China is implementing an ethical, voluntary organ transplant system in accordance with international standards, although the WHO does have concerns about overall transparency.</p><p>We continue to review any new evidence that is presented to us.</p> answering member constituency Cities of London and Westminster answering member printed Mark Field question first answered 06/11/2018 11:33:41 answering member 1405 label Biography information for Mark Field
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

997813

registered interest
date	30/10/2018
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: Organs
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 an assessment of the merits of the conclusions of the people's independent tribunal on forced organ harvesting in China.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	185606
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/11/2018 answer text <p>We are aware of reports that allege that a process of involuntary organ removal may be taking place in China, including suggestions that minority and religious groups are being specifically targeted. The UK government fully supports the Declaration of Istanbul (May 2008), which encourages all countries to draw up legal and professional frameworks to govern organ donation and transplantation activities.</p><p>As the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Minister for Europe and the Americas, Sir Alan Duncan, stated in a Westminster Hall debate in October 2016: “Although I do not doubt the need to maintain close scrutiny of organ transplant practices in China, we believe that the evidence base is not sufficiently strong to substantiate claims about the systematic harvesting of organs from minority groups. Indeed, based on all the evidence available to us, we cannot conclude that this practice of “organ harvesting” is definitely happening in China.”</p><p>The World Health Organisation (WHO) collates global data on organ donations and works with China. The WHO view is that China is implementing an ethical, voluntary organ transplant system in accordance with international standards, although the WHO does have concerns about overall transparency.</p><p>We continue to review any new evidence that is presented to us.</p> answering member constituency Cities of London and Westminster answering member printed Mark Field question first answered 06/11/2018 11:55:47 answering member 1405 label Biography information for Mark Field
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

984345

registered interest
date	09/10/2018
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: Terrorism
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 validity of reports that Iran is using its embassies in Europe as cover for terrorist activity.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	177306
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/10/2018 answer text <p>We are clear that the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations requires that the premises of a diplomatic mission are not used in any manner incompatible with the functions of the mission as described in the Convention or by other rules of general international law. We are aware that France has frozen the assets of an Iranian individual who is reported to have been accredited to a diplomatic mission in Europe and arrested in connection with an alleged attack plot.</p> answering member constituency North East Bedfordshire answering member printed Alistair Burt question first answered 17/10/2018 17:04:49 answering member 1201 label Biography information for Alistair Burt
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

973162

registered interest
date	13/09/2018
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: 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 discussions he has had with his French counterpart on the recent Iran Freedom gathering in Paris.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	174718
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/10/2018 answer text <p>We understand that investigations have been ongoing in a number of European countries regarding perpetrators of a plot against a conference in Paris. On 3rd October, France announced plans to freeze the financial assets of two Iranian nationals, as well as assets belonging to the Iranian domestic intelligence agency in response to the foiled attack. We are not aware at this stage of a link to the UK. The Foreign Secretary has not discussed this with his French counterpart, although we engage regularly with the French Government on a range of security issues.</p> answering member constituency Rutland and Melton answering member printed Sir Alan Duncan question first answered 11/10/2018 09:58:22 answering member 343 label Biography information for Sir Alan Duncan
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

973163

registered interest
date	13/09/2018
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	Israel: Palestinians
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 the Norwegian Refugee Council on Israel and the Palestinian Territories.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	174719
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/10/2018 answer text <p>​The Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials regularly meet with the Norwegian Refugee Council to discuss the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and to get updates on the progress of the British funded legal aid programme. The programme supports Bedouin communities and Palestinians facing demolition or eviction in Area C of the West Bank to challenge decisions in the Israeli legal system.</p> answering member constituency North East Bedfordshire answering member printed Alistair Burt question first answered 10/10/2018 14:50:19 answering member 1201 label Biography information for Alistair Burt
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

967744

registered interest
date	04/09/2018
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: Political Prisoners
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 received representations on the June 2016 resolution of the US Congress entitled Expressing concern regarding persistent and credible reports of systematic, state-sanctioned organ harvesting from non-consenting prisoners of conscience in the People's Republic of China; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	170313
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/09/2018 answer text <p>We are aware of reports that suggest a process of involuntary organ removal may be taking place in China, including suggestions that minority and religious groups are being specifically targeted. The British government fully supports the Declaration of Istanbul (May 2008), which encourages all countries to draw up legal and professional frameworks to govern organ donation and transplantation activities.</p><p>As the Minister for Europe and the Americas stated in a Westminster Hall debate on 11 October 2016: “Although I do not doubt the need to maintain close scrutiny of organ transplant practices in China, we believe that the evidence base is not sufficiently strong to substantiate claims about the systematic harvesting of organs from minority groups. Indeed, based on all the evidence available to us, we cannot conclude that this practice of “organ harvesting” is definitely happening in China.”</p> answering member constituency Cities of London and Westminster answering member printed Mark Field question first answered 12/09/2018 15:35:40 answering member 1405 label Biography information for Mark Field
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

947673

registered interest
date	24/07/2018
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	Ukraine: 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 assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the Lugansk People's Republic law #211-II on the freedom of conscience and religious association.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	168064
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/09/2018 answer text <p>We are deeply concerned by reports on the human rights situation in the self-proclaimed &quot;Luhansk People's Republic&quot; in non-government controlled eastern Ukraine, including infringements of freedom of religion and belief. It is essential that unhindered access is granted for international humanitarian organisations to the non-government controlled areas of eastern Ukraine. We continue to call on Russia to use its considerable influence over the separatists to ensure respect of international human rights and humanitarian law. The UK also continues to raise within multilateral forums the need for UN General Assembly resolutions on Ukraine and recommendations contained in the reports of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), including the protection of freedom of religion and belief in Non-Government controlled eastern Ukraine, to be fully implemented.</p> answering member constituency Rutland and Melton answering member printed Sir Alan Duncan question first answered 06/09/2018 12:08:01 answering member 343 label Biography information for Sir Alan Duncan
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

947675

registered interest
date	24/07/2018
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	Ukraine: 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 the international community is taking to ensure that the freedom of religion or belief is protected in the Lugansk region of eastern Ukraine.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	168065
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/09/2018 answer text <p>We continue to stress the need for all parties to fully implement the UN General Assembly resolutions on Ukraine and recommendations contained in the reports of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), including the protection of freedom of religion and belief in non-government controlled eastern Ukraine. At the Human Rights Council in June, the UK and EU raised serious concerns about ongoing human rights violations in non-government controlled eastern Ukraine and Crimea. It is essential that independent investigations take place to deliver accountability for all such allegations. The UK also provides funding to the OHCHR in support of their work monitoring Human Rights violations.</p> answering member constituency Rutland and Melton answering member printed Sir Alan Duncan question first answered 06/09/2018 12:12:08 answering member 343 label Biography information for Sir Alan Duncan
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

947677

registered interest
date	24/07/2018
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: Blasphemy
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 had discussions with his Pakistani counterpart on strengthening the legal procedures relating to religious blasphemy charges in that country to protect against frivolous accusations.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	168066
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/09/2018 answer text <p>We remain deeply concerned by the misuse of the blasphemy laws in Pakistan. The blasphemy laws are used against Pakistanis belonging to all faiths although religious minorities are disproportionately affected. This is particularly concerning given the harsh penalties for blasphemy, including the death penalty.</p><p>We have regularly raised our human rights concerns with the previous Government of Pakistan at a senior level, and have urged them to take steps to prevent the misuse of the blasphemy laws. My colleague, the Minister of State for Commonwealth and the UN, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, discussed the issue of freedom of religion or belief with the former Minister of Interior in February 2018. During my visit to Pakistan in November 2017, I raised discrimination against religious minorities with the Ministry of Human Rights.</p><p>We will continue to press the new Government of Pakistan to adhere to its international obligations and uphold the rule of law.</p> answering member constituency Cities of London and Westminster answering member printed Mark Field question first answered 06/09/2018 12:14:48 answering member 1405 label Biography information for Mark Field
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon