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1173986

registered interest
date	28/01/2020
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	Eritrea: 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 assessment he has made of the risks to Christian communities in Eritrea.
tabling member constituency	East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow
tabling member printed	Dr Lisa Cameron
uin	9063
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/02/2020 answer text <p>The Government of Eritrea permits and regulates the practice of three Christian religions: Orthodox, Catholic, and Lutheran, as well as Sunni Islam. The majority of worshippers from these permitted religions are able to practice their religion freely. I am concerned that those from minority unregistered religions, such as the Pentecostal Church and the Jehovah's Witnesses, face regular persecution and detention without trial, as well some practising permitted religions, who face occasional censorship.</p><p>We regularly raise our concerns about human rights in Eritrea with the Government, as my predecessor did with the Eritrean President's senior adviser when she saw him in July 2019. Our Ambassador in Asmara raised arbitrary detentions of members of the Christian community with the Eritrean Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 20 May 2019 and with the President's senior adviser on 14 August 2019. At the 41st session of the Human Rights Council in 2019 the UK reiterated calls for Eritrea to respect freedom of religion or belief. Eritrea remains a priority country for the FCO under our annual human rights reporting and we will continue to monitor the situation.</p> answering member constituency Pendle answering member printed Andrew Stephenson question first answered 04/02/2020 16:02:33 answering member 4044 label Biography information for Andrew Stephenson
tabling member	4412 label Biography information for Dr Lisa Cameron

1173440

registered interest
date	27/01/2020
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	Mexico: Migrants
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 his Mexican counterpart on the treatment of the caravan of Central American migrants that entered Mexico on 23 January 2020.
tabling member constituency	Manchester, Gorton
tabling member printed	Afzal Khan
uin	8469
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/02/2020 answer text <p>The British Government is aware of reports of a caravan of Central American migrants that first attempted to enter Mexico from Guatemala on 18 January. Our Embassy in Mexico City is monitoring the situation closely. British Embassy officials visit migration shelters on Mexico’s southern and northern borders, and remain in close contact with Mexican authorities. During her visit to Mexico in September 2019, Baroness Williams discussed migration and human rights with Interior Minister, Olga Sanchez Cordero.</p> answering member constituency Tamworth answering member printed Christopher Pincher question first answered 04/02/2020 11:04:49 answering member 4075 label Biography information for Christopher Pincher
tabling member	4671 label Biography information for Afzal Khan

1173441

registered interest
date	27/01/2020
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	Mexico: Migrants
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 accuracy of reports of violence by Mexican authorities against the caravan of Central American migrants that entered Mexico on 23 January 2020; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Manchester, Gorton
tabling member printed	Afzal Khan
uin	8470
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/02/2020 answer text <p>The British Government is aware of reports of a caravan of Central American migrants that first attempted to enter Mexico from Guatemala on 18 January. Our Embassy in Mexico City is monitoring the situation closely. British Embassy officials visit migration shelters on Mexico’s southern and northern borders, and remain in close contact with Mexican authorities. During her visit to Mexico in September 2019, Baroness Williams discussed migration and human rights with Interior Minister, Olga Sanchez Cordero.</p> answering member constituency Tamworth answering member printed Christopher Pincher question first answered 04/02/2020 11:07:09 answering member 4075 label Biography information for Christopher Pincher
tabling member	4671 label Biography information for Afzal Khan

1173584

registered interest
date	27/01/2020
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	Sudan: South Sudan
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 effectiveness of UN peacekeeping in the disputed Abyei region on the Sudan-South Sudan border.
tabling member constituency	West Worcestershire
tabling member printed	Harriett Baldwin
uin	8271
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/02/2020 answer text <p>The UK commends the vital role that the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) plays in the protection of civilians and assisting to bring stability to the region. However, we remain concerned that a final agreement on the situation in Abyei has not been reached and by ongoing impediments which prevent UN peacekeepers from fully implementing their mandate. The UN Security Council made clear in a press statement of 29 January that the Governments of Sudan and South Sudan must provide their full support to UNISFA, including by removing any obstacles that hinder UNIFSA’s work to protect civilians.</p><p>We are also concerned by increasing intercommunal tensions and by the attack on Kolom in Abyei on Wednesday 22 January. We offer sympathies to all those affected. We welcome the commitment of the Governments of Sudan and South Sudan to de-escalate tensions and jointly investigate and urge any investigation to be conducted swiftly and transparently. Our Minister of State for the Commonwealth, UN and South Asia reinforced this message with the Sudanese Ambassador on 28 January. We will also raise in New York the reports of UN peacekeepers’ failure to act in order to establish the facts of this tragic incident.</p> answering member constituency Pendle answering member printed Andrew Stephenson question first answered 04/02/2020 16:04:10 answering member 4044 label Biography information for Andrew Stephenson
tabling member	4107 label Biography information for Dame Harriett Baldwin

1173715

registered interest
date	27/01/2020
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	British Nationals Abroad: Coronavirus
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 his Department is taking to ensure the safety of British citizens abroad at risk of coming into contact with the coronavirus.
tabling member constituency	Romford
tabling member printed	Andrew Rosindell
uin	8181
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/02/2020 answer text <p>As the Foreign Secretary said on 30 January, the safety and security of British nationals will always be our top priority. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is in crisis mode to respond to those British Nationals effected by the outbreak of the Coronavirus. Our Embassy in Beijing and consular teams remain in close contact with British nationals in the region to ensure they have the latest information they need. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has also organised a repatriation flight for British Nationals and other entitled persons in Hubei Province which landed on 31 January at RAF Brize Norton.​</p> answering member constituency Pendle answering member printed Andrew Stephenson question first answered 04/02/2020 15:58:58 answering member 4044 label Biography information for Andrew Stephenson
tabling member	1447 label Biography information for Andrew Rosindell

1173718

registered interest
date	27/01/2020
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	Pakistan: Human Rights
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 Pakistani counterpart on (a) the human rights situation in Pakistan and (b) the arrest of Manzoor Ahmad Pashteen.
tabling member constituency	Romford
tabling member printed	Andrew Rosindell
uin	8184
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/02/2020 answer text <p>We remain concerned about the human rights situation across Pakistan, including on freedom of expression. We are aware of the arrest of Mr Pashteen on 27 January and are monitoring the case. We remain concerned by restrictions on the freedom of expression in Pakistan. The freedom to hold and express views without censorship, intimidation or unnecessary restriction is a cornerstone of democracy. We regularly raise at a senior level our concerns about the human rights situation with of the Government of Pakistan. The previous Foreign Secretary discussed the human rights situation in Pakistan with Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Qureshi during his visit to the UK in June 2019. The Minister for South Asia Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon raised our concerns about the human rights situation in Pakistan, including the protection of minority communities, with Pakistan’s Human Rights Minister in November 2019.</p> answering member constituency South Derbyshire answering member printed Mrs Heather Wheeler question first answered 04/02/2020 12:45:17 answering member 4053 label Biography information for Mrs Heather Wheeler
tabling member	1447 label Biography information for Andrew Rosindell

1173722

registered interest
date	27/01/2020
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	Nigeria: 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 recent assessment he has made of trends in the level of religious freedom and tolerance in Nigeria.
tabling member constituency	Romford
tabling member printed	Andrew Rosindell
uin	8188
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/02/2020 answer text <p>Nigeria is a secular state and the right to freedom of religion is protected by the Constitution. Communities of different religions live together peacefully across most of Nigeria. However, for many decades Nigeria has experienced episodes of serious religious conflict, including between Muslim and Christian communities. The drivers of violence are complex and rooted in ethnic and religious identities, politics and access to resources.</p><p>For more than a decade, Islamic insurgents including Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa (ISWA), have caused immense suffering to both Muslim and Christian populations in the North East of the country. The groups seek to undermine the right to freedom of religion by attacking indiscriminately those who do not subscribe to their extremist views. We are appalled by and condemn these attacks, including a recent increase in attacks on Christians in December 2019.</p><p>The UK is firmly committed to promoting and protecting the right to freedom of religion or belief around the world. We are a strong voice internationally in defence of this fundamental right. We have made clear to the Nigerian authorities, at the highest levels, the importance of protecting civilians, including ethnic and religious minorities, and human rights for all Nigerians.</p> answering member constituency Pendle answering member printed Andrew Stephenson question first answered 04/02/2020 16:00:23 answering member 4044 label Biography information for Andrew Stephenson
tabling member	1447 label Biography information for Andrew Rosindell

1175305

registered interest
date	27/01/2020
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	Syria: Armed Conflict
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) reports by Doctors Under Fire that more than 100 women and children have been killed in Russian and Syrian airstrikes in Idlib since 18 January; and (2) Doctors Under Fire's call for the imposition of a no-fly zone to deter helicopters using barrel bombs.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL776
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/02/2020 answer text <p>We are deeply concerned about the killing of civilians, including women and children, in Idlib, north-west Syria, during the ongoing offensive by the Syrian regime and Russia. We are using our position in the UN Security Council to call on Russia and the regime to respect previously agreed ceasefires in Idlib and their obligations under international humanitarian law. We are also continuing assistance to the White Helmets. We do not consider imposing a no fly-zone over Idlib to be a realistic option.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 04/02/2020 14:06:53 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1173075

registered interest
date	23/01/2020
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	International Seabed Authority
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, on how many occasions Ministers in his Department have met with Michael Lodge, Secretary General of the International Seabed Authority in the last four years.
tabling member constituency	Bristol East
tabling member printed	Kerry McCarthy
uin	7148
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/02/2020 answer text <p>​The Minister for the Commonwealth, UN and South Asia [Lord Ahmad] met Michael Lodge at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for an introductory call about the work of the International Seabed Authority in 2018. He also met him briefly in the margins of a workshop co-sponsored by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Royal Society in the same year.</p> answering member constituency South Derbyshire answering member printed Mrs Heather Wheeler question first answered 04/02/2020 09:34:47 answering member 4053 label Biography information for Mrs Heather Wheeler
tabling member	1491 label Biography information for Kerry McCarthy

1173076

registered interest
date	23/01/2020
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	International Seabed Authority
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how much funding has been (a) allocated to and (b) spent on promotional materials for the re-election of Michael Lodge, Secretary General of the International Seabed Authority.
tabling member constituency	Bristol East
tabling member printed	Kerry McCarthy
uin	7149
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/02/2020 answer text <p>​<em>No funding has been specifically allocated to the re-election of Michael Lodge, Secretary General of the International Seabed Authority. </em></p> answering member constituency South Derbyshire answering member printed Mrs Heather Wheeler question first answered 04/02/2020 09:36:25 answering member 4053 label Biography information for Mrs Heather Wheeler
tabling member	1491 label Biography information for Kerry McCarthy