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1356871

registered interest
date	20/09/2021
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	India: Religious Freedom
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the report by the charity Open Doors entitled Destructive Lies, what assessment her Department has made of the levels of freedom of religion or belief of Christian and Muslim minorities in India.
tabling member constituency	Argyll and Bute
tabling member printed	Brendan O'Hara
uin	51719
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/09/2021 answer text <p>We look to India to uphold all freedoms and rights guaranteed in its strong constitution, and by the international instruments to which India is a party. We engage with India on a range of human rights matters, working with Union and State Governments, and with Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), to build capacity and share expertise to promote human rights for all. We condemn any instances of discrimination because of religion or belief, regardless of the country or faith involved.</p> answering member constituency Cannock Chase answering member printed Amanda Milling question first answered 23/09/2021 14:01:08 answering member 4454 label Biography information for Dame Amanda Milling
tabling member	4371 label Biography information for Brendan O'Hara

1356876

registered interest
date	20/09/2021
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	India: 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 her Department is taking to help promote the rights of religious minorities in India.
tabling member constituency	Argyll and Bute
tabling member printed	Brendan O'Hara
uin	51720
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/09/2021 answer text <p>The British High Commission in New Delhi and our network of Deputy High Commissions across India regularly meet religious representatives and have run projects promoting minority rights. Over the last three years, they have worked with local Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to bring together young people of diverse faith backgrounds to work together on social action projects in their local communities. This year, the British High Commission supported an interfaith leadership programme for a cohort of emerging Indian faith leaders, including Christians, creating an opportunity to exchange expertise on leading modern, inclusive faith communities, and promoting values of tolerance and multi-culturalism. We also raise issues relevant to religious minorities in our engagement with Union and State authorities. On 15 March, while visiting India, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister for South Asia, discussed the situation for Christians with India's then-Minister of State for Home Affairs, Kishan Reddy.</p> answering member constituency Cannock Chase answering member printed Amanda Milling question first answered 23/09/2021 14:03:44 answering member 4454 label Biography information for Dame Amanda Milling
tabling member	4371 label Biography information for Brendan O'Hara

1355357

registered interest
date	14/09/2021
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Refugees Afghanistan
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have submitted an application to the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy scheme including applicants and their family members between 1 April and 14 September 2021; and how many and what proportion of those applications have been (a) accepted, (b) rejected and (c) received but not yet processed.
tabling member constituency	Argyll and Bute
tabling member printed	Brendan O'Hara
uin	49159
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/09/2021 answer text <p>The Afghan relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) was launched on 1 April 2021. Since this date, around 7,000 former Afghan locally employed staff and their families have been relocated to the UK, including those relocated as part of HMG’s evacuation from Afghanistan.</p><p> </p><p>The specific information requested is not held in a published format and to gather it would require a disproportionate cost.</p><p> </p><p>The Home Office does publish quarterly updates on immigration statistics. Information relating to arrivals under ARAP will be published in these statistics in due course. The most recent published migration statistics can be viewed at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/migration-statistics" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/migration-statistics</a></p><p> </p><p>Guidance relating to the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy can be viewed at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/afghan-relocations-and-assistance-policy" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/afghan-relocations-and-assistance-policy</a></p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster grouped question UIN 49161 49162 question first answered 21/09/2021 13:17:05 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4371 label Biography information for Brendan O'Hara

1355359

registered interest
date	14/09/2021
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Afghanistan: Refugees
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy scheme (a) applications were fully processed, (b) applicants and their families were able to leave for the UK before 14 August 2021 and (c) applicants were processed between 15 August 2021 and 28 August 2021 were (i) called forward to Kabul International airport and (ii) evacuated.
tabling member constituency	Argyll and Bute
tabling member printed	Brendan O'Hara
uin	49160
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/09/2021 answer text <p>Under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy, prior to the start of OP PITTING on 14 August, 850 applications were accepted, and 1,978 people were relocated to the UK.</p><p>During OP PITTING, no new applications were processed, although around 800 additional individuals were approved for the scheme as the eligibility criteria were expanded.</p><p>All of those eligible or otherwise approved for the scheme were called forward and around 7,000 were evacuated.</p> answering member constituency Wells answering member printed James Heappey question first answered 20/09/2021 08:32:42 answering member 4528 label Biography information for James Heappey
tabling member	4371 label Biography information for Brendan O'Hara

1355360

registered interest
date	14/09/2021
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Refugees: Afghanistan
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy and the special cases applications, how many applications were from (a) current or past locally employed UK government staff, (b) private companies implementing UK government funded programmes, (c) NGOs and non-profit organisations implementing UK government funded programmes, (d) Afghan government partners, (e) Afghan media and civil society organisations, and (f) other categories that the Government recognised.
tabling member constituency	Argyll and Bute
tabling member printed	Brendan O'Hara
uin	49161
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/09/2021 answer text <p>The Afghan relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) was launched on 1 April 2021. Since this date, around 7,000 former Afghan locally employed staff and their families have been relocated to the UK, including those relocated as part of HMG’s evacuation from Afghanistan.</p><p> </p><p>The specific information requested is not held in a published format and to gather it would require a disproportionate cost.</p><p> </p><p>The Home Office does publish quarterly updates on immigration statistics. Information relating to arrivals under ARAP will be published in these statistics in due course. The most recent published migration statistics can be viewed at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/migration-statistics" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/migration-statistics</a></p><p> </p><p>Guidance relating to the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy can be viewed at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/afghan-relocations-and-assistance-policy" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/afghan-relocations-and-assistance-policy</a></p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster grouped question UIN 49159 49162 question first answered 21/09/2021 13:17:05 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4371 label Biography information for Brendan O'Hara

1355361

registered interest
date	14/09/2021
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Refugees: Afghanistan
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy, how many applicants were (a) accepted, (b) called forward to Kabul International Airport, (c) evacuated by 28 August, (d) rejected, (e) appealed, and (f) have not yet been processed for (i) current or past locally employed UK government staff; (ii) private companies implementing UK government funded programmes; (iii) NGOs and non profit organisations implementing UK government funded programmes; (iv) Afghan government partners (including MPs, ministers, justice officials, etc); (v) Afghan media and civil society organisations, and (vi) other categories that the UK government recognised.
tabling member constituency	Argyll and Bute
tabling member printed	Brendan O'Hara
uin	49162
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/09/2021 answer text <p>The Afghan relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) was launched on 1 April 2021. Since this date, around 7,000 former Afghan locally employed staff and their families have been relocated to the UK, including those relocated as part of HMG’s evacuation from Afghanistan.</p><p> </p><p>The specific information requested is not held in a published format and to gather it would require a disproportionate cost.</p><p> </p><p>The Home Office does publish quarterly updates on immigration statistics. Information relating to arrivals under ARAP will be published in these statistics in due course. The most recent published migration statistics can be viewed at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/migration-statistics" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/migration-statistics</a></p><p> </p><p>Guidance relating to the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy can be viewed at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/afghan-relocations-and-assistance-policy" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/afghan-relocations-and-assistance-policy</a></p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster grouped question UIN 49159 49161 question first answered 21/09/2021 13:17:05 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4371 label Biography information for Brendan O'Hara

1355362

registered interest
date	14/09/2021
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Email
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many applications have been submitted to the his Department's special cases email address since its launch in August 2021.
tabling member constituency	Argyll and Bute
tabling member printed	Brendan O'Hara
uin	49163
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/09/2021 answer text <p>As of 8 September, the Special Cases mailbox had received over 15,000 emails. This is not the same as &quot;cases&quot;, since by definition &quot;special cases&quot; are determined by exemption not by application. These emails are being assessed and categorised for action as part of the Government's overall processing of Afghan nationals' cases.</p> answering member constituency Cannock Chase answering member printed Amanda Milling question first answered 22/09/2021 16:53:47 answering member 4454 label Biography information for Dame Amanda Milling
tabling member	4371 label Biography information for Brendan O'Hara

1355363

registered interest
date	14/09/2021
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Refugees Afghanistan
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will take steps to urgently expedite the applications of (a) staff employed by Adam Smith International and (b) others employed by the UK government’s implementing partners that worked across Afghanistan and in ministries to deliver UK funded aid projects who are being targeted as UK employees by the Tailban, under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy.
tabling member constituency	Argyll and Bute
tabling member printed	Brendan O'Hara
uin	49164
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/09/2021 answer text <p>It is not appropriate to comment on individual cases in a response to a written parliamentary question</p><p><br> The Home Office remains committed to processing applications approved by the Ministry of Defence as quickly as possible and we are working across Government and with international partners to bring approved applicants to the UK.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 21/09/2021 09:38:26 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster previous answer version 22338 answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	4371 label Biography information for Brendan O'Hara

1348272

registered interest
date	19/07/2021
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	China: Detainees
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of claims by UN experts on 14 June 2021 that they had obtained credible information that (a) detainees from minority communities in China may be being subjected to forced organ harvesting and (b) that specific ethnic, linguistic and religious minorities in detention appear to be targeted.
tabling member constituency	Argyll and Bute
tabling member printed	Brendan O'Hara
uin	35688
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/07/2021 answer text <p>We have taken note of the statement published by UN experts on 14 June expressing concern about alleged organ harvesting targeting minorities, including Falun Gong practitioners, Uyghurs, Tibetans, Muslims and Christians, in detention in China. We remain deeply concerned about the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners, Christians, Muslims, Buddhists and others on the grounds of their religion or belief in China. The freedom to practice, change or share one's faith or belief without discrimination or violent opposition is a human right that all people should enjoy. We continue to monitor the issue of alleged organ harvesting closely and consider carefully all evidence presented to us. We regularly raise our concerns about human rights with the Chinese authorities, and will continue to do so.</p> answering member constituency Selby and Ainsty answering member printed Nigel Adams question first answered 22/07/2021 08:58:06 answering member 4057 label Biography information for Nigel Adams
tabling member	4371 label Biography information for Brendan O'Hara

1348276

registered interest
date	19/07/2021
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Africa: Religious Freedom
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom’s factsheet entitled Nonbelievers in Africa published on 11 June 2021, what assessment his Department has made of the scale of challenges faced by non-religious people in Africa.
tabling member constituency	Argyll and Bute
tabling member printed	Brendan O'Hara
uin	35689
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/07/2021 answer text <p>We have taken note of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom's factsheet entitled Nonbelievers in Africa. Protecting freedom of religion or belief for all faiths, and none, remains a priority for the UK Government. Members of non-religious communities continue to be victims of harassment and persecution, despite progress over recent years with the promotion of freedom of religion or belief for all. The UK Government remains deeply concerned about the severity and scale of violations and abuses of freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all in many parts of the world, including in Africa. As the Minister of State responsible for Human Rights, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon underlined these points at the All-Party Parliamentary Humanist Group Annual General Meeting on 24 May.</p><p>Lord Ahmad works closely with the Prime Minister's Special Envoy for FoRB, Fiona Bruce MP. In addition to championing FoRB, Mrs Bruce represents the UK at meetings of the International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance to advocate for the rights of individuals being discriminated against or persecuted on the basis of their faith or belief, including members of non-religious communities.</p> answering member constituency Selby and Ainsty answering member printed Nigel Adams question first answered 22/07/2021 16:26:27 answering member 4057 label Biography information for Nigel Adams
tabling member	4371 label Biography information for Brendan O'Hara