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1627170

registered interest
date	11/05/2023
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	Tunisia: Religious Freedom
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what recent assessment they have made of freedom of religion and belief in Tunisia.
tabling member printed	Lord Jackson of Peterborough
uin	HL7779
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/05/2023 answer text <p>Tunisia's constitution guarantees the freedom for all to practice religious rites, on the condition that public security is not compromised. We engage with different faith groups to understand the challenges they may face. During my visit to Tunisia in June 2022, I [the Minister of State for the Middle East, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon] visited Muslim, Christian and Jewish religious sites to understand the situation regarding freedom of religion or belief and to express UK support for respect and tolerance between communities. I made a statement following the terrorist attack on 9 May in Djerba near the El Ghriba Synagogue, commending the Tunisian authorities' response to the situation.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 24/05/2023 15:18:01 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	1551 label Biography information for Lord Jackson of Peterborough

1626805

registered interest
date	10/05/2023
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	Hong Kong: Women
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the situation of women in Hong Kong since 2019, and in particular of female human rights defenders and journalists; how many visas have been issued to such women; and whether they are providing any other assistance to such women.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL7726
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/05/2023 answer text <p>Actions by the Hong Kong and Chinese authorities since 2019 have further eroded the civil and political rights promised to all Hong Kongers. We have reported on the cases of a number of prominent female campaigners and journalists targeted for prosecution under the National Security Law (NSL) and others in our Six-monthly Reports on Hong Kong. The Foreign Secretary made plain our views on the imposition of the NSL and the targeting of dissenting voices with Chinese Vice-President Han Zheng on 5 May. We are entitled to act when China breaks its obligations, as we did by giving nearly 3 million Hong Kongers a path to British citizenship. Ending gender-based violence is a key priority for the FCDO, as reflected in the UK's National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security and is one of the three pillars in the new International Women and Girls Strategy.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon grouped question UIN HL7727 HL7728 question first answered 24/05/2023 15:18:57 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1626806

registered interest
date	10/05/2023
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	Hong Kong: Women
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the conditions, and (2) the incidence, of imprisoned women in Hong Kong.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL7727
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/05/2023 answer text <p>Actions by the Hong Kong and Chinese authorities since 2019 have further eroded the civil and political rights promised to all Hong Kongers. We have reported on the cases of a number of prominent female campaigners and journalists targeted for prosecution under the National Security Law (NSL) and others in our Six-monthly Reports on Hong Kong. The Foreign Secretary made plain our views on the imposition of the NSL and the targeting of dissenting voices with Chinese Vice-President Han Zheng on 5 May. We are entitled to act when China breaks its obligations, as we did by giving nearly 3 million Hong Kongers a path to British citizenship. Ending gender-based violence is a key priority for the FCDO, as reflected in the UK's National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security and is one of the three pillars in the new International Women and Girls Strategy.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon grouped question UIN HL7726 HL7728 question first answered 24/05/2023 15:18:57 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1626807

registered interest
date	10/05/2023
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	Hong Kong: Demonstrations
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the use of gender-based and sexual violence towards women during the protests in Hong Kong is 2019; and what representations they have made to the government of China on this matter.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL7728
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/05/2023 answer text <p>Actions by the Hong Kong and Chinese authorities since 2019 have further eroded the civil and political rights promised to all Hong Kongers. We have reported on the cases of a number of prominent female campaigners and journalists targeted for prosecution under the National Security Law (NSL) and others in our Six-monthly Reports on Hong Kong. The Foreign Secretary made plain our views on the imposition of the NSL and the targeting of dissenting voices with Chinese Vice-President Han Zheng on 5 May. We are entitled to act when China breaks its obligations, as we did by giving nearly 3 million Hong Kongers a path to British citizenship. Ending gender-based violence is a key priority for the FCDO, as reflected in the UK's National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security and is one of the three pillars in the new International Women and Girls Strategy.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon grouped question UIN HL7726 HL7727 question first answered 24/05/2023 15:18:57 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1626808

registered interest
date	10/05/2023
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	Turkmenistan: Methane
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking, together with international partners and agencies, to reduce the amount of fugitive methane released within the borders of Turkmenistan.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL7729
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/05/2023 answer text <p>We regularly lobby on climate change and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in Turkmenistan. These issues are an essential part of our dialogue with the Turkmen government and feature as a standing agenda item in our annual Structured Dialogue, the last of which took place in February 2023. Our regional climate ambassador visited Turkmenistan for discussions on climate change and emissions in October last year. The UK, through the UNDP (United Nations Development Programme), is also funding a project to create an up-to-date greenhouse gas inventory in Turkmenistan, to accurately measure and assist with the reduction of emissions.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 24/05/2023 15:17:01 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1626823

registered interest
date	10/05/2023
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	Tunisia: Foreign Relations
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the state of relations between the UK and Tunisia.
tabling member printed	Lord Patten
uin	HL7744
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/05/2023 answer text <p>The UK is a constructive partner to Tunisia. Given the scale of the socio-economic and fiscal challenges, we encourage the Tunisian government to implement urgent reform steps and deliver on the demands of the Tunisian people. The UK stands ready to play a role but tackling these issues are sovereign choices for Tunisia. We also have regular discussions with the Tunisian authorities to reiterate the importance of legitimate political opposition, the separation of powers, civil society, strengthening human rights and an inclusive political process. I [Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister of State for the Middle East and North Africa] raised these with Tunisian Foreign Minister Nabil Ammar on 4 May.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 24/05/2023 16:06:35 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	1137 label Biography information for Lord Patten

1626824

registered interest
date	10/05/2023
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	Tunisia: Development Aid
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government how much economic aid and technical assistance they are currently giving to Tunisia; and how this is monitored.
tabling member printed	Lord Patten
uin	HL7745
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/05/2023 answer text <p>In financial year 2023/24, the UK will provide £2 million to Tunisia through the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund programme. This includes: support to the Tunisian economic reforms, delivered through the World Bank; a contribution to the UN basket fund TARABOT, to support implementation of the Tunisian Government's Counter-Terrorism Strategy; and projects in the fields of education, gender equality and Open Societies. The UK provides technical assistance directly and through multilateral organisations such as the United Nations, the World Bank, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. We regularly monitor and evaluate the support the UK provides.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 24/05/2023 16:06:09 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	1137 label Biography information for Lord Patten

1626825

registered interest
date	10/05/2023
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	Tunisia
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the role of Tunisia in promoting security along the Mediterranean littoral of northern Africa.
tabling member printed	Lord Patten
uin	HL7746
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/05/2023 answer text <p>The UK is aware of the increasing numbers of irregular migrants crossing from Tunisia to Europe. We work with the Tunisian Government to help improve their border security, including through the provision of Royal Navy and Royal Marine instructors to assist the Tunisian National Guard Maritime section. More broadly, the UK Government actively pursues a 'whole of route' approach to addressing unmanaged migration from Africa to Europe, tackling the drivers of migration that encourage people to undertake the dangerous journey in the first place.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 24/05/2023 16:07:16 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	1137 label Biography information for Lord Patten

1626827

registered interest
date	10/05/2023
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	Tunisia: Development Aid
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to support educational aid and assistance to Tunisia.
tabling member printed	Lord Patten
uin	HL7748
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/05/2023 answer text <p>The UK is a global leader in education and we see education as a foundation for UK-Tunisian collaboration for the benefit of both the UK and Tunisians. We support education reform in Tunisia through the Global Partnership for Education fund, which recently granted Tunisia $2.3 million to develop their next five-year education strategy. We are also planning to develop a new secondary education project that builds on the achievements of 'Teaching for Success' which trained over 17,000 primary teachers and teaching advisors in improved teaching methods. To enable early school leavers to learn skills for the workplace, the UK funded four 'Second Chance' Education Centres in collaboration with UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 24/05/2023 16:08:10 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	1137 label Biography information for Lord Patten

1626205

registered interest
date	09/05/2023
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	Uzbekistan and Xinjiang: Forced Labour
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report of Dr Adrian Zenz, Coercive Labor in the Cotton Harvest in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region and Uzbekistan, published in the Journal of Communist and Post-Communist Studies by University of California Press.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL7671
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/05/2023 answer text <p>We are aware of Dr Zenz's recent report. To date, the UK Government has taken robust action in response to forced labour concerns. We have provided guidance to UK companies on the risks of doing business in Xinjiang, introduced enhanced export controls, and committed to introduce financial penalties for organisations that do not comply with modern slavery reporting requirements. Additionally, the Procurement Bill enables contracting authorities across the public sector to reject bids and terminate contracts with suppliers which are known to use forced labour themselves or anywhere in their supply chain. We continue to closely monitor the situation in Xinjiang and to keep our policy response under review.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon grouped question UIN HL7672 HL7673 question first answered 23/05/2023 15:53:51 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool