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93554

registered interest
date	15/10/2014
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	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 discussions he or officials of his Department have had with Rabbi David Saperstein in his capacity as US Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom.
tabling member constituency	Belfast North
tabling member printed	Mr Nigel Dodds
uin	210721
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2014 answer text <p>Rabbi David Saperstein has yet to be confirmed in his appointment by the US Senate as US Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom. As such we have had no official meetings with him, although FCO staff have met him previously as a representative of the Reform Jewish Movement to Congress and the US Administration, and as the Director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism (RAC).</p> answering member constituency East Devon answering member printed Mr Hugo Swire question first answered 21/10/2014 14:48:32 answering member 1408 label Biography information for Lord Swire
tabling member	1388 label Biography information for Lord Dodds of Duncairn

90923

registered interest
date	08/09/2014
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	Religious Freedom
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that a willingness to uphold, and to give due priority to, Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is one of the criteria for the selection of the next United Nations Secretary-General.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL1849
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/09/2014 answer text <p>As the former Senior Minister of State Baroness Warsi said in the House on 22 July, Her Majesty’s Government does not put forward criteria for candidates. However, we would want to see a proven leader, fully committed to the values of the UN, with sufficient political authority and expertise to lead and manage such a large and complex organisation. The ultimate responsibility to uphold Article 18 lies with states, as it is states that have human rights obligations. However, as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is at the core of UN values we would expect any UN Secretary General to urge all states to uphold them.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 22/09/2014 10:45:38 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

91015

registered interest
date	08/09/2014
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	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 steps his Department has taken to tackle religious persecution internationally.
tabling member constituency	North Swindon
tabling member printed	Justin Tomlinson
uin	208594
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/09/2014 answer text <p>The promotion and protection of the right to freedom of religion or belief is one of the UK’s human rights priorities. We actively raise individual cases and work to combat discriminatory legislation and practices through multilateral systems and targeted project work. In the last month alone, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Ministers have expressed grave concern about persecution of individuals on the grounds of their religion or belief in Syria, Pakistan and Iraq.</p><p> </p><p>Most recently, at the Special Session of the UN Human Rights Council on Iraq on 1 September we and international partners sponsored a resolution which commits the Council to working with the government of Iraq “to foster religious freedom and pluralism by promoting the ability of members of all religious communities to manifest their religion and to contribute openly and on an equal footing to society, and to take appropriate measures to prevent attacks against persons on the basis of their religion or belief and to prosecute the perpetrators of such attacks.” We will work actively with the newly formed government of Iraq to support them in this aim.</p><p> </p><p>As a recent example of our project work, last week we also sponsored a conference to share best practice between human rights defenders and journalists working on freedom of religion or belief issues in South Asia.</p><p> </p><p>We will continue to be active bilaterally, multilaterally, through project work and in providing training to our staff to tackle religious persecution internationally.</p> answering member constituency Aylesbury answering member printed Mr David Lidington question first answered 11/09/2014 10:09:57 answering member 15 label Biography information for Sir David Lidington
tabling member	4105 label Biography information for Justin Tomlinson

79804

registered interest
date	30/07/2014
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	Religious Freedom
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the reply by Lord Wallace of Saltaire on 24 July (HL Deb, cols 1324–8) to the debate on Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, how many officials in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office are specifically focused on freedom of religion, and for what percentage of their time; and what resources are specifically allocated for the promotion of Article 18 through United Kingdom diplomatic services.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL1693
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/08/2014 answer text <p>Within the Human Rights and Democracy Department (HRDD), the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has one full time Desk Officer wholly dedicated to Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB), who works closely with the Team Leader in the Equalities and Non-Discrimination Team, who themselves spend approximately 50% of their time on FoRB. Additionally, the Head and the Deputy Head of HRDD spend approximately 5% and 20% respectively of their time on FoRB issues; one Human Rights Advisor spends 5% and one HRDD Communications Officer approximately 10%.</p><p>As FoRB is one of only six thematic human rights priorities for the FCO, a considerable number of other FCO officials in London and overseas are engaged directly on FoRB as part of their wider human rights work. Given that violations of FoRB can be closely associated with other threats to UK interests around the world, I cannot provide a precise figure for the total number of FCO officials working on FoRB, though the number is high and rising.</p><p>This year, seven FoRB projects around the world were approved and received total funding of £307,835.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 18/08/2014 10:01:08 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

79711

registered interest
date	28/07/2014
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	Religious Freedom
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they place any restrictions on the freedom to worship of those of all faiths from Brunei, Indonesia or Turkey visiting the United Kingdom.
tabling member printed	Lord Patten
uin	HL1603
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/08/2014 answer text <p>The UK does not place any restrictions on freedom to worship by those of all faiths from any country. Freedom of religion or belief and respect for religious diversity and pluralism is at the heart of British society.</p><p>Religious freedom is a valuable indicator of wider democratic principles and is often a test of other fundamental freedoms.</p><p>We stress that freedom of religion or belief and freedom of expression are interdependent, interrelated and mutually reinforcing.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Popat question first answered 11/08/2014 11:09:17 answering member 4173 label Biography information for Lord Popat
tabling member	1137 label Biography information for Lord Patten

78295

registered interest
date	16/07/2014
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	Religious Freedom
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they will take to persuade those governments whose states have laws penalising apostasy to repeal or amend them, in particular by ending death sentences.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL1185
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/07/2014 answer text <p>The right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, which includes the right to change one’s religion and to manifest it in teaching, practice, worship and observance is a key human rights priority for the government.</p><p>The UK regularly raises our concerns where apostasy laws exist, either in the context of bilateral meetings, together with EU partners or through multilateral organisations.</p><p>As an example, in the case of Meriam Ibrahim in Sudan, we have repeatedly urged the Government of Sudan to respect the right to freedom of religion or belief, including the right to follow a religion or belief of one’s choice.</p><p>We oppose the death penalty in all circumstances and in all countries. We have made this position clear to those who continue to execute, including the Government of Sudan.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Warsi question first answered 30/07/2014 16:31:41 answering member 3839 label Biography information for Baroness Warsi
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

76345

registered interest
date	08/07/2014
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	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 he is taking to emphasise adherence to fundamental freedoms of religion and association as part of the UK's foreign policy.
tabling member constituency	Belfast North
tabling member printed	Mr Nigel Dodds
uin	204616
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/07/2014 answer text <p>Promoting and protecting the freedom of religion or belief is a priority for UK foreign policy. We pursue it in our bilateral work and lobbying of other Governments, and through our human rights programme funding. We have also stepped up training in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) on the influence of faith, in many parts of the world, on governments, communities and individuals.</p><p>Our work is based on the full definition of freedom of religion or belief as set out in article 18 the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This includes the right to manifest your faith, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, through teaching, practice, worship and observance.</p><p>The FCO Minister responsible for freedom of religion or belief, the Senior Minister of State, my noble Friend the right hon. Baroness Warsi, has convened meetings of international leaders to generate support for practical steps to promote freedom of religion or belief and to fight religious intolerance. At the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict, Baroness Warsi chaired a dialogue between political and faith leaders, and supported a separate non-governmental organization (NGO)-led event, to explore the role faith groups play, and to enlist their support for the objectives of the summit.</p><p>Freedoms of association and peaceful assembly, enshrined in both the Universal Declaration and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, are fundamental for democratic societies, where people must be able to gather (formally or informally), to express themselves, and to have a meaningful say in issues that affect them. Though these rights are not among the FCO's six thematic human rights priorities, they feature prominently in our dialogue with individual countries and in international fora about governance, the rule of law and human rights in general.</p> answering member constituency Aylesbury answering member printed Mr David Lidington question first answered 14/07/2014 15:07:27 answering member 15 label Biography information for Sir David Lidington
tabling member	1388 label Biography information for Lord Dodds of Duncairn

64904

registered interest
date	01/07/2014
answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Religious Freedom
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what contact his officials have had with the European Parliament Working Group on Freedom of Religion or Belief in the last 12 months.
tabling member constituency	Belfast North
tabling member printed	Mr Nigel Dodds
uin	203396
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/07/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>My Department's Integration Team has not had any contact with the European Parliament Working Group on Freedom of Religion or Belief, although we recognise the important role of the Group in raising awareness about the issue. My noble Friend, (the rt. hon. Baroness Warsi), the Senior Minister for Faith and Communities, who is also a Minister at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, has made Freedom of Religion or Belief a priority and the government works in multilateral fora to ensure that it is afforded the international legal protection that it deserves. My noble Friend has also convened meetings of international leaders to generate practical steps to promote freedom of religion or belief and to fight religious intolerance within our societies. In the UK she chairs a Sub Group on Freedom of Religion or Belief, made up of human rights advocates, academics and civil society leaders, ensuring that government takes a well informed and inclusive approach to promoting and protecting this human right.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bristol West answering member printed Stephen Williams question first answered 09/07/2014 16:31:03 answering member 1492 label Biography information for Stephen Williams
tabling member	1388 label Biography information for Lord Dodds of Duncairn

63668

registered interest
date	24/06/2014
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	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 information his Department holds on which countries considers apostasy a crime and what sentence it carries.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Mr Jim Cunningham
uin	202046
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/06/2014 answer text <p>The Government's information on issues such as this comes from publicly available sources, such as the US State Department's Annual Report on International Religious Freedom and reporting by NGOs, supplemented by information from our network of Embassies and High Commissions. We maintain no central list of countries that consider apostasy a crime or what penalty is imposed. We formulate our response to the situation in individual countries on a case by case basis, taking into account which course of action is most likely to have a positive effect for individuals and communties in the country concerned.</p><p>Freedom of thought, conscience or belief, including the right of the individual to change his or her religion, is a fundamental human right enshrined in international law. We call on Governments that render apostasy a crime to uphold their international obligations on freedom of religion or belief.</p> answering member constituency Aylesbury answering member printed Mr David Lidington question first answered 30/06/2014 07:56:22 answering member 15 label Biography information for Sir David Lidington
tabling member	308 label Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham

57536

registered interest
date	04/06/2014
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	Religious Freedom
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of the resources for projects under the Human Rights and Democracy Programme were allocated to the area of freedom of religion and belief in 2013.
tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of Coventry
uin	HL9
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/06/2014 answer text <p>In the 2013-14 financial year the Human Rights and Democracy Programme (HRDP) received 218 proposals for funding. Seventeen of these proposals were for work associated with Freedom of Religion and Belief (FORB), representing 7.8% of proposals received. Six projects were ultimately funded, to the value of £214,029. This represents 3.3% of the total resource available.</p><p>The programme is keen to see more good quality project bids on this theme in future bidding rounds, and have actively encouraged more quality bids for the 2014-15 financial year.</p> answering member printed Baroness Warsi grouped question UIN HL10 HL11 question first answered 10/06/2014 13:30:45 answering member 3839 label Biography information for Baroness Warsi
tabling member	4266 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of Coventry