Asked by: Lord Pendry (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of Chinese diplomatic visits to both Damascus and Moscow, whether they are planning to meet a representative of the People's Republic of China with a view to finding a solution to the crisis in Syria.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
China abstained from the 8 October vote on the Franco-Spanish draft UN Security Council Resolution. China voted in favour of Russia's draft Resolution that day. This Russian text made no demand for an end to the aerial bombardment of Aleppo. On 18 October, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr. Ellwood) met Chinese Special Representative for Syria, Mr. Xie Xiaoyan. They discussed the recent Security Council vote on the Aleppo humanitarian resolution and future resolutions, including on the use of chemical weapons. Our diplomats in Beijing and New York continue to raise at the highest levels of the Chinese system the importance of UN unity in bringing an end first the bombing and then the civil war, in Syria.
Asked by: Lord Pendry (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anelay of St Johns on 27 June (HL744), what steps they plan to take if they find British businesses not complying with the UK National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights in countries like Colombia.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
International law does not require states to regulate the extraterritorial activities of their businesses. Individual states are responsible for protecting against and prosecuting human rights and other abuses that are committed within their borders. The United Kingdom is one of few jurisdictions globally where victims of human rights abuses allegedly committed overseas by a British domiciled company can bring a civil case to the UK courts.
Asked by: Lord Pendry (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to make representations to the President of Colombia during his state visit to the UK in November, about domestic laws that potentially conflict with international human rights obligations and the rights of indigenous and Afro-descendant peoples.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The State Visit presents an opportunity for us to continue our engagement with the Government of Colombia on a wide variety of themes.
We continue to raise the issue of human rights with the Colombian Government at the highest levels. In recent months the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Rt. Hon Friend, the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Rt. Hon Friend, the Member for East Devon (Mr Swire), and I have all urged President Santos to continue Colombia's efforts to address human rights concerns.
We support the peace process and hope that achieving a sustainable peace agreement will benefit all Colombian citizens, including indigenous and afro-descendant communities.
I am pleased to note that at the 46th session of the Organisation of American States and General Assembly, the Colombian Government supported the adoption of the instrument for the rights of indigenous peoples of the Americas and renewed its commitment to continue advancing respect for pluralism and ethnic and cultural diversity.
Asked by: Lord Pendry (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they are supporting British businesses in Colombia so that they do not contribute to the human rights violations against, in particular, the indigenous and Afro-descendant peoples.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
Encouraging businesses to respect human rights is a global priority for this Government. We recognise that communities such as indigenous and afro-descendant people and those in isolated rural areas are particularly vulnerable.
The UK National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights sets out how the Government is implementing the UN Guiding Principles. British firms are expected to uphold these principles in their overseas operations, as well as in the UK. It is for each country to implement a National Action Plan to ensure compliance with the Guiding Principles.
We worked closely with the Colombian authorities to develop their National Action Plan, published in December. All companies operating in Colombia, including British ones, should comply with the requirements and guidelines set out in that National Action Plan.
The Minister for Trade and Investment, my noble Friend, the Lord Price of Sturminster Newton, launched a campaign for British businesses to support peace, primarily through respect for human rights, during his visit to Colombia last month. Twenty of the largest British companies operating in Colombia subsequently agreed to align themselves to the Colombian National Action Plan for business and human rights.
Asked by: Lord Pendry (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what step they are taking to ensure that British businesses in Colombia do not contribute to human rights abuses there.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
Encouraging businesses to respect human rights is a global priority for this Government. We recognise that communities such as indigenous and afro-descendant people and those in isolated rural areas are particularly vulnerable.
The UK National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights sets out how the Government is implementing the UN Guiding Principles. British firms are expected to uphold these principles in their overseas operations, as well as in the UK. It is for each country to implement a National Action Plan to ensure compliance with the Guiding Principles.
We worked closely with the Colombian authorities to develop their National Action Plan, published in December. All companies operating in Colombia, including British ones, should comply with the requirements and guidelines set out in that National Action Plan.
The Minister for Trade and Investment, my noble Friend, the Lord Price of Sturminster Newton, launched a campaign for British businesses to support peace, primarily through respect for human rights, during his visit to Colombia last month. Twenty of the largest British companies operating in Colombia subsequently agreed to align themselves to the Colombian National Action Plan for business and human rights.