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1054883

	registered interest
	date	04/02/2019
	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	Zimbabwe: Freedom of Expression
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Government in Zimbabwe on respect for fundamental freedoms including freedom of expression in that country.
	tabling member constituency	Belfast North
	tabling member printed	Nigel Dodds
	uin	216158
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/02/2019 answer text <p>The Zimbabwean Government’s recent internet shutdown, and restriction on social media, was a disturbing curtailing of freedom of expression. I summoned the Zimbabwean Ambassador on 17 January to express our concern at the ongoing situation, urge the government to investigate any cases of alleged human rights violations and to restore access to the internet. I was pleased that the High Court of Zimbabwe ruled the shutdown unconstitutional on 22 January.</p><p>On 30 January I spoke to Foreign Minister Moyo, repeating our calls for an end to human rights violations and a full investigation.</p> answering member constituency West Worcestershire answering member printed Harriett Baldwin question first answered 11/02/2019 17:01:26 answering member 4107 label Biography information for Dame Harriett Baldwin
	tabling member	1388 label Biography information for Lord Dodds of Duncairn

1061069

	registered interest
	date	14/02/2019
	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	Uganda: Freedom of Expression
	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 Ugandan counterpart on freedom of expression and religion in that country.
	tabling member constituency	Belfast North
	tabling member printed	Nigel Dodds
	uin	221610
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/02/2019 answer text <p>The Ugandan Constitution enshrines the 'freedom to practise any religion'. We have no evidence of persecution based on religious belief in Uganda and have not raised this issue with the Ugandan Government recently.</p><p>The UK supports freedom of expression as a fundamental human right and, alongside freedom of the media, maintains that it is an essential quality of any functioning democracy. We continue to raise any concerns around civic and political issues directly with the Ugandan Government.</p> answering member constituency West Worcestershire answering member printed Harriett Baldwin question first answered 22/02/2019 14:27:29 answering member 4107 label Biography information for Dame Harriett Baldwin
	tabling member	1388 label Biography information for Lord Dodds of Duncairn

1055185

	registered interest
	date	05/02/2019
	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	Thailand: Asylum
	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 Thai counterpart on the effect of reform to the law on asylum seekers on refugees in that country.
	tabling member constituency	Belfast North
	tabling member printed	Nigel Dodds
	uin	216962
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/02/2019 answer text <p>We understand that asylum issues are not specifically covered under Thai legislation, but that the authorities are considering new laws around this issue. We will seek to discuss this in more detail when the opportunity arises. The UK has repeatedly urged Thailand to sign the 1951 UN Convention on Refugees and has raised asylum cases and immigration crackdowns with the Thai authorities.</p><p>On 2 November 2018, the Minister of State for the Commonwealth and UN, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, spoke to the Thai Ambassador in London to raise our concerns over the detention of foreign nationals in Thailand. Our Embassy in Bangkok also raised the issues with the Ministry of the Interior. The UNHCR are working closely with the Royal Thai Government over asylum, resettlement issues, and improving conditions for genuine claimants, for example by giving them documentation that allows them to access services and protects them from persecution.</p> answering member constituency Cities of London and Westminster answering member printed Mark Field question first answered 11/02/2019 16:34:36 answering member 1405 label Biography information for Mark Field
	tabling member	1388 label Biography information for Lord Dodds of Duncairn

1064092

	registered interest
	date	19/02/2019
	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	Sierra Leone: 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 recent discussions he has had with his counterpart in Sierra Leone on the national emergency declared in that country.
	tabling member constituency	Belfast North
	tabling member printed	Nigel Dodds
	uin	223503
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/02/2019 answer text <p>The Government is aware that the President of Sierra Leone has declared a national emergency on the prevalence of sexual and gender-based violence. The high rates are alarming: 56 per cent of women in Sierra Leone report experiencing physical violence. This month, the Sierra Leone-based Rainbo Initiative reported 2800 sexual assaults committed against girls and women since the start of 2018.</p><p>The British Government regularly raises concerns about sexual and gender-based violence with the Government of Sierra Leone. The High Commissioner to Sierra Leone met the First Lady of Sierra Leone, a prominent campaigner, on 12 February 2019 to discuss the issue. We welcome President Bio's recent steps to establish a new police department that solely investigates sexual offenses involving children and a special court focusing on such cases.</p> answering member constituency West Worcestershire answering member printed Harriett Baldwin question first answered 26/02/2019 17:51:02 answering member 4107 label Biography information for Dame Harriett Baldwin
	tabling member	1388 label Biography information for Lord Dodds of Duncairn

1078642

	registered interest
	date	27/02/2019
	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	Philippines: Christianity
	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 counterpart in the Phillipines on the steps being taken to support an end to violence against Christians in that country.
	tabling member constituency	Belfast North
	tabling member printed	Nigel Dodds
	uin	226581
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/03/2019 answer text <p>The Philippines is an overwhelmingly Catholic country and incidents of violence against Christians based on their faith are rare. The British Embassy in Manila takes every opportunity to promote our values including human rights and freedom of expression. This includes regular dialogue with the Philippine Government.</p><p>My Hon Friend, the Prime Minister's Trade Envoy to Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, Richard Graham MP, raised these issues with senior members of the Philippines Government during a recent visit to Manila. They were also raised at the UK - Philippines High Level talks that took place in November 2018.</p><p>The Foreign Secretary and I publicly condemned the terror attack on the Catholic Cathedral on the island of Jolo on 27 January. The UK believes places of religious worship are sites for peace and reflection.</p><p>In January 2019 the UK launched its review into what more the Foreign and Commonwealth Office network can do to support religious freedoms for Christians around the world.</p> answering member constituency Cities of London and Westminster answering member printed Mark Field question first answered 06/03/2019 15:13:32 answering member 1405 label Biography information for Mark Field
	tabling member	1388 label Biography information for Lord Dodds of Duncairn

1054888

	registered interest
	date	04/02/2019
	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	Morocco: Freedom of Expression
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Government of Morrocco on respect for fundamental freedoms including religious expression and association in that country.
	tabling member constituency	Belfast North
	tabling member printed	Nigel Dodds
	uin	216162
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/02/2019 answer text <p>The Moroccan Constitution contains provisions that guarantee freedom of thought, expression, and assembly. We discuss human rights with the Moroccan authorities and raise concerns where appropriate. We have not made specific representations to the Moroccan Government relating to religious expression and association.</p> answering member constituency North East Bedfordshire answering member printed Alistair Burt question first answered 12/02/2019 16:27:18 answering member 1201 label Biography information for Alistair Burt
	tabling member	1388 label Biography information for Lord Dodds of Duncairn

1055176

	registered interest
	date	05/02/2019
	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	Malaysia: Swimming
	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 has he had with his Malaysian counterpart on the ban on Israeli athletes competing in Paralympics qualifying events in that country.
	tabling member constituency	Belfast North
	tabling member printed	Nigel Dodds
	uin	216959
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/02/2019 answer text <p>We do not agree with Malaysian government's position on the banning of Israeli athletes from competing at the World Para Swimming Championships. It is fundamentally wrong. We consider it right that the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has decided to strip Malaysia of the right to host the tournament. The Championships must be open to all eligible athletes and nations to compete safely and free from discrimination.</p><p>I raised our deep concerns with the Malaysian Minister for Education, Dr Maszlee bin Malik on the 22 January, as did our High Commissioner in Kuala Lumpur with Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah on the same day. We are following up on the matter with the Malaysian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and will continue to monitor developments in order to speak out against discrimination of any kind and to ensure the ideals of the Olympic movement are upheld.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Cities of London and Westminster answering member printed Mark Field question first answered 12/02/2019 13:10:13 answering member 1405 label Biography information for Mark Field
	tabling member	1388 label Biography information for Lord Dodds of Duncairn

1061070

	registered interest
	date	14/02/2019
	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	Macedonia: NATO
	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 counterparts on the proposed accession of North Macedonia to NATO.
	tabling member constituency	Belfast North
	tabling member printed	Nigel Dodds
	uin	221611
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/02/2019 answer text <p>The UK was delighted to sign North Macedonia's NATO Accession Protocol on 6 February. This is an important step towards strengthening Euro-Atlantic security and we look forward to welcoming North Macedonia as a full member of the North Atlantic alliance soon. I regularly discuss (now) North Macedonia, including NATO membership, with my counterparts, most recently at the Munich Security Conference last weekend, where I was also able personally to congratulate North Macedonia's Prime Minister Zaev.</p> answering member constituency Rutland and Melton answering member printed Sir Alan Duncan question first answered 21/02/2019 17:39:46 answering member 343 label Biography information for Sir Alan Duncan
	tabling member	1388 label Biography information for Lord Dodds of Duncairn

1077374

	registered interest
	date	25/02/2019
	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	Israel: Eurovision Song Contest
	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 Israeli counterpart on a potential boycott of the Eurovision song contest in that country; and what advice his Department provides to UK citizens planning to attend that event.
	tabling member constituency	Belfast North
	tabling member printed	Nigel Dodds
	uin	225425
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/03/2019 answer text <p>We are aware of the campaign to boycott the Eurovision song contest in Israel but have not raised this issue with the Israeli Government. While we do not hesitate to express disagreement with Israel whenever we feel it necessary, we are strongly opposed to boycotts which divide people and reduce understanding. We encourage all British nationals to make use of our travel advice, alongside other sources of information available to them, to help them plan for a safe trip.</p> answering member constituency North East Bedfordshire answering member printed Alistair Burt question first answered 05/03/2019 16:49:41 answering member 1201 label Biography information for Alistair Burt
	tabling member	1388 label Biography information for Lord Dodds of Duncairn

1054887

	registered interest
	date	04/02/2019
	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	Iraq: Minority Groups
	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 has he had with the Iraqi Government on the effect of its new education curriculum on practising religious minorities in that country.
	tabling member constituency	Belfast North
	tabling member printed	Nigel Dodds
	uin	216161
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/02/2019 answer text <p>The UK is committed to supporting the Government of Iraq as it completes formalisation of the Cabinet and we look forward to the announcement of a Minister for High Education. I recently visited Iraq and met with representatives from the Iraqi Government including the Prime Minister; Adil Abdul Mehdi and President Barham Salih where I reinforced the importance of reintegration of minority communities to ensure stabilisation.</p><p>Our Ambassador in Iraq, Jon Wilks, met with a representative from the Iraqi Government recently where discussion centred on Iraq's plans and priorities for Education, and future arrangements where the British and Iraqi Higher Education Institutions might work together. The British Council EC Schools Capacity Building Project in Primary and Secondary Education has developed a Human Rights curriculum, with the Ministry of Education, which they are hoping to pilot in Baghdad, Erbil, Basra, Anbar and other provinces.</p><p>I am aware that recently the Kurdistan Regional Government began discussions on teaching the history of all religions and we welcome these discussions.</p> answering member constituency North East Bedfordshire answering member printed Alistair Burt question first answered 12/02/2019 16:55:15 answering member 1201 label Biography information for Alistair Burt
	tabling member	1388 label Biography information for Lord Dodds of Duncairn