Asked by: Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to hold the President of Russia accountable for war crimes committed in Ukraine.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
The UK also joined 44 others in launching the OSCE Moscow Mechanism fact-finding mission. This investigated human rights violations and violations of international humanitarian law by Russia in Ukraine, covering the period 24 February to 1 April, and drew on reporting from open sources as well as interviews with civil society, journalists, refugees and other actors on the ground.
The report, published on 13 April, is the first independent expert report into these issues. It found credible evidence of Russian war crimes, from the torture, rape and killing of innocent civilians to the forced deportation of over 500,000. The UK is determined to hold to account those responsible for these atrocities so this can never happen again.
Asked by: Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what further representations they have made to President Xi Jinping regarding China's nuclear activity with Russia.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
The UK engages regularly with China on counter-proliferation issues and there is considerable scope for constructive engagement and cooperation. The UK encourages all States Party to the Treaty on the Non Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons to abide by their obligations and commitments under that treaty, and in particular for nuclear weapon states to take their special responsibilities seriously.
Asked by: Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Nigeria regarding Christian persecution in that country.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
The UK Government is concerned by insecurity across Nigeria; this violence is having a devastating impact on affected communities of all faiths and ethnicities. We assess that the principal causes of violence are complex and multifaceted and are often linked to criminality and competition over resources. We continue to urge and support the Nigerian Government to take action to implement long-term solutions that address the root causes of violence and ensure the right to Freedom of Religion or Belief for all.
The Minister for Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean regularly raises insecurity in Nigeria with the Nigerian Government, including during her visit to Nigeria in February, where she discussed this issue with Foreign Minister Onyeama. During her visit, the Minister held detailed discussions with regional governors, community leaders and religious leaders about the causes of violence. Additionally, on 1 February, the Minister also discussed insecurity with Nigerian National Security Adviser Monguno during the inaugural dialogue of the UK-Nigeria Security and Defence Partnership.
We will continue to make clear to the Nigerian authorities at the highest levels the importance of protecting civilians, including ethnic and religious minorities, and human rights for all.
Asked by: Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what further steps they will take to halt Russia's military action against the people of Ukraine.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
The UK is at the forefront of diplomatic, economic, humanitarian and defensive support to Ukraine, in response to Russia's unprovoked assault. As the Prime Minister has made clear, the UK will continue to provide Ukraine with the weapons it needs to defend its homeland. We, with our allies and partners, will continue to impose the most punishing sanctions to inflict maximum and lasting pain on Russia. And we will continue to employ every method - diplomatic, humanitarian and economic - until Russia fails in its disastrous venture.
Asked by: Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports of oppression of minority groups in the Xinjiang region in China.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
There are serious human rights violations occurring in Xinjiang, including the extra-judicial detention of over a million Uyghur Muslims and other minorities in "political re-education camps" since 2017, systematic restrictions on Uyghur culture and the practice of Islam, and extensive and invasive surveillance targeting minorities.
The UK Government is committed to working with our international partners to stand up for the rights of Uyghurs and other minorities in Xinjiang and to hold China to account for its serious human rights violations in the region.
Asked by: Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that the government of Iran has developed a system to create nuclear weapons.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Iran has been in non-compliance with its Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA) commitments since 2019. Its nuclear programme is now more advanced than ever before.
We are currently engaged in negotiations in Vienna aimed at restoring the JCPoA. Iran must now decide whether to conclude the fair and comprehensive deal on the table, for the benefit of the Iranian people and economy, or collapse the JCPoA. In this scenario, we would carefully consider all the options in partnership with our allies.
Asked by: Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how much money they owe to Iran; and when they expect to pay it.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
We discuss any money owed from the UK to Iran and vice versa and how we resolve this directly with Iran. The IMS debt, which has garnered public and parliamentary interest, is a longstanding issue and we have been consistently clear that we continue to explore options to resolve this 40-year old case.
Asked by: Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to defend the territorial integrity of Ukraine against Russian aggression.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Russia's build-up of military forces near the Ukrainian border and within illegally annexed Crimea indicates a troubling escalation in its ongoing campaign of aggression towards Ukraine and its militarisation of the illegally annexed peninsula.
On 12 April, the Foreign Ministers of the G7 issued a joint statement, in which they called on Russia to cease its provocations and reaffirmed our unwavering support for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. We have also raised our concerns about the increased Russian military activity on Ukraine's border at the OSCE.
There has been regular Ministerial and senior official level engagement with the Government of Ukraine and with our allies on this issue. The Foreign Secretary and the Defence Secretary spoke to their Ukrainian counterparts on 2 April and the Prime Minister had discussions with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine on 5 April to assure them of the UK's support.
As a fellow Permanent Member of the UN Security Council, we engage directly with Russia on matters of international peace and security, including Ukraine. We continue to raise our concerns with the Russian government at every opportunity. Our Ambassador in Moscow has spoken to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, mostly recently on 16 April, to express our deep concern about the build-up of Russian troops at the Ukrainian border, to reiterate our call for Russia to de-escalate, and to underline our support for Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity.
We will continue working closely with partners to monitor the situation, and consider all options.
Asked by: Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support the re-establishment of democracy in Myanmar.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
The UK has been at the forefront of the international response to the coup in Myanmar, and we continue to call for a return to democracy. On 10 March we secured a unanimous Presidential Statement at the UN Security Council which called for respect for the democratic transition and human rights and an end to violence. The Foreign Secretary and Minister for Asia have spoken to a wide range of counterparts, including the US, France, Germany and Japan. They have also engaged with partners in ASEAN, including with the ASEAN Secretary General, to seek a strong and coordinated response. We welcome ASEAN's Five Point Plan on Myanmar and agree with ASEAN Leaders that the violence must end immediately. We have provided a platform for pro-democracy voices at the UN Human Rights Council and UN Security Council.
We are also looking to exert direct pressure on the military and have sanctioned nine leaders and two of the key military conglomerates which fund the military's actions. We will continue to use all the tools at our disposal to encourage dialogue, find a peaceful resolution to the crisis, and restore democracy.