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423133

registered interest
date	22/10/2015
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	North Korea: Capital Punishment
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they have taken to raise the case of any of the public executions in North Korea between 2010 and 2014 detailed in the latest report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in that country.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL2883
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/11/2015 answer text <p>We remain strongly opposed to the use of the death penalty in all circumstances.</p><p>The UK, working with the EU and Japan, has ensured that annual UN resolutions consistently call on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) to end its use of the death penalty. We also use our diplomatic relations to raise concerns directly with North Korean officials.</p><p>British diplomats raised specific concerns with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Pyongyang following the execution of Jang Song Thaek in December 2013.</p><p>In October, the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for East Devon (Mr Swire), met the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Prince Zeid, to discuss a coordinated approach to addressing human rights concerns across the globe, including the DPRK.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 04/11/2015 15:07:43 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

423134

registered interest
date	22/10/2015
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	North Korea: Human Rights
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the United Kingdom Embassy in Pyongyang and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office are utilising their resources to gather evidence that can be used in any possible future International Criminal Court trials of Kim Jong-un or other senior officials of North Korea; and, if so, how.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL2884
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/11/2015 answer text <p>Our Embassy in Pyongyang produces diplomatic reporting and analysis to inform policy on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). This includes human rights. However, neither our Embassy nor the Foreign and Commonwealth Office are trained nor tasked to gather evidence. Information gathering on reported human rights violations within the DPRK is now being undertaken by the UN Human Rights Office in Seoul which opened in June.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 04/11/2015 13:58:25 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

423135

registered interest
date	22/10/2015
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	North Korea: Television Channels
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, following the publication of the latest report by the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in North Korea, what assessment they have made of how many television channels in North Korea may be accessed by the North Korean population.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL2885
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/11/2015 answer text We are aware of three television channels which operate within the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea: Korean Central Television (KCTV) which broadcasts news, sport, dramas and films; Mansudae which focuses on culture; and Ryongnamsan which covers education. KCTV broadcasts nationwide while Mansudae and Ryongnamsan broadcast in Pyongyang only. We also understand there are reports that some North Korean citizens, including those living in Pyongyang, are able to access foreign television services. However, we have been unable to verify if these reports are accurate. answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 04/11/2015 13:59:57 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

423136

registered interest
date	22/10/2015
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: Family Planning
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they raised concerns about the impact of the one child policy in China on (1) human rights, (2) selective abortion of (a) female, and (b) disabled, unborn children, and (3) rates of forced abortions, infanticide and involuntary sterilisations, with President Xi Jinping during his visit to the United Kingdom.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL2886
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/11/2015 answer text <p>China’s ‘one child’ policy was not raised during his recent State Visit, though the Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), was very clear during his wide-ranging discussions with President Xi Jinping of the importance that the UK attaches to human rights as part of our wider relationship with China. Reforms announced by the Chinese government on 29 October which should allow every Chinese family to have a second child, are a significant step.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 05/11/2015 16:01:57 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

423137

registered interest
date	22/10/2015
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: Family Planning
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they discussed with President Xi Jinping, during his visit to the United Kingdom, the selective relaxation of the one child policy in China, and the impact of that revised policy on families who have more than two children.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL2887
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/11/2015 answer text <p>China’s ‘one child’ policy was not raised during the recent State Visit, though the Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), was very clear during his wide-ranging discussions with President Xi Jinping of the importance that the UK attaches to human rights as part of our wider relationship with China. Reforms announced by the Chinese Government on 29 October which should allow every Chinese family to have a second child, are a significant step.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 05/11/2015 15:54:27 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

423150

registered interest
date	22/10/2015
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	Saudi Arabia: Religious Freedom
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of steps taken by Saudi Arabia to revise textbooks, curricula, and teaching methods to remove content disparaging religions other than Islam.
tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of Coventry
uin	HL2900
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/10/2015 answer text <p>Freedom of religion or belief is severely restricted in Saudi Arabia. Public expression of any religion other than Islam is forbidden, non-Muslims are not permitted to worship openly or establish places of worship in Saudi Arabia although private worship is permitted.</p><p><br>We are aware that the Saudi Arabian authorities have introduced programmes focussed on removing material from text books that might be considered hateful or inciteful. We continue to support dialogue and opportunities for reform.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 30/10/2015 12:25:11 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	4266 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of Coventry

423157

registered interest
date	22/10/2015
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	Kurds
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, and to what extent, they are (1) engaged in diplomatic contacts with, and (2) providing support to, the Kurdish authorities and groups involved in the conflicts in Syria and Iraq.
tabling member printed	Lord Greaves
uin	HL2907
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/10/2015 answer text <p>The UK has a strong and well-established relationship with the Kurdistan Region of Northern Iraq. We maintain a Consulate General in Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region, and have regular contact with officials from the Kurdistan Regional Government. As part of our wider support to Iraq, we are providing significant military assistance to the Kurdish Peshmerga to help them degrade and defeat ISIL. In addition to air support, we have trained over 2,100 Peshmerga fighters in infantry fighting skills, weapons handling and Counter-Improvised Explosive Device procedures. We have also gifted weapons, non-lethal equipment and airlifted support provided by other partners in the Global Coalition to Counter ISIL.</p><p>In Syria the situation is more difficult. Kurdish groups are effective against ISIL, and have benefited from US airstrikes against ISIL. But we remain concerned that the Syrian Kurdish authorities maintain links with the Assad regime and the proscribed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), so we are not able to provide material support. UKofficials have discussed our concerns with the Democratic Union Party (PYD), the ruling Kurdish authority in Northern Syria and continue to do so.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 28/10/2015 16:42:29 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	2569 label Biography information for Lord Greaves

423169

registered interest
date	22/10/2015
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	Turkey: EU Accession
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of Turkey’s application to accede to the European Union, what assessment they have made of (1) freedom of the press and media, and (2) freedom of the judiciary, in that country.
tabling member printed	Lord Patten
uin	HL2919
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/10/2015 answer text As part of their EU accession process, we encourage Turkey to continue to work towards the full protection of fundamental rights, including the principles of freedom of expression, the separation of powers and an impartial judiciary. We welcome progress made thus far, and as the EU Commission has highlighted, further sustained work is needed to meet EU standards. answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 30/10/2015 12:48:56 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	1137 label Biography information for Lord Patten

423185

registered interest
date	22/10/2015
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	Aster Fissehatsion
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the authorities in Eritrea regarding the detention of Aster Fissehatsion.
tabling member printed	Lord Kennedy of Southwark
uin	HL2935
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/10/2015 answer text <p>I refer the Noble Lord to my response of 24 June 2015 (HL533). We continue to press the Government of Eritrea to fulfil its international human rights obligations. The UK made clear in our statement at the UN Human Rights Council on 23 June that this must include the release of all those arbitrarily detained, including Aster Fissehasion.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 30/10/2015 12:59:35 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	4153 label Biography information for Lord Kennedy of Southwark

423186

registered interest
date	22/10/2015
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	Mahmoud Hussein
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the authorities in Egypt regarding the detention of Mahmoud Hussein.
tabling member printed	Lord Kennedy of Southwark
uin	HL2936
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/10/2015 answer text <p>We are aware of the case of Mahmoud Hussein, who has been detained in Egypt since 25 January 2014. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers have asked the Egyptian authorities to take action to release journalists and political detainees who remain imprisoned, to review mass judicial decisions, and to remove restrictions on civil society.</p><p>In January this year, I personally raised concerns over reports of mistreatment of detainees and the importance of due process with the Egyptian Deputy Assistant Minister for Human Rights, Dr Mahy Abdel Latif. Our Ambassador and officials in Cairo, regularly raise these issues with the Egyptian authorities, most recently in September 2015.</p><p>During the UN Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review in November 2014, we expressed our concern on a number of issues relating to detainees, including the number of detainees in pre-trial detention and reports of mistreatment or torture. The UK also raised the issue of torture and inhumane treatment in detention in Egypt at the UN Human Rights Council in June 2015.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 30/10/2015 12:26:03 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	4153 label Biography information for Lord Kennedy of Southwark