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Written Question
Human Rights and Environment Protection
Thursday 18th October 2018

Asked by: Roger Godsiff (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to help prevent the (a) mis-treatment, (b) imprisonment and (c) execution of (i) human rights defenders and (i) environmental defenders throughout the world; and if he will make a statement.

Answered by Mark Field

In 2017 the then Foreign Secretary issued a revised version of the UK Guidelines on Working with Human Rights Defenders to the diplomatic network. In addition, all Human Rights Priority Countries are required to have a Human Rights Strategy, that includes support for human rights defenders working on the range of human rights, including those related to the environment. Depending on the local context, this might involve making public statements, attending trials, or working privately with the host government. Funding for projects through the Magna Carta Fund, further supports the work of the diplomatic network in supporting human rights defenders. The UK also works through the multilateral system, to develop consensus among members for the protection of all human rights defenders, including protection against reprisals, arbitrary detention and violence. It is the long-standing policy of the UK, to oppose the death penalty in all circumstances, as a matter of principle.


Written Question
Slavery
Thursday 18th October 2018

Asked by: Roger Godsiff (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the Government's strategy to end modern slavery includes specific objectives on supporting human rights defenders.

Answered by Mark Field

​The UK’s support for Human Rights Defenders does not differentiate between the various aspects of rights they work on. The UK Guidelines on Working with Human Rights Defenders, ask all UK diplomatic missions to look for opportunities to work with and support human rights defenders across all aspects of their work, including Modern Slavery.


Written Question
Human Rights
Thursday 18th October 2018

Asked by: Roger Godsiff (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to help prevent the (a) mis-treatment, (b) imprisonment and (c) execution of (i) human rights defenders and (i) environmental defenders throughout the world; and if he will make a statement.

Answered by Mark Field

In 2017 the then Foreign Secretary issued a revised version of the UK Guidelines on Working with Human Rights Defenders to the diplomatic network. In addition, all Human Rights Priority Countries are required to have a Human Rights Strategy, that includes support for human rights defenders working on the range of human rights, including those related to the environment. Depending on the local context, this might involve making public statements, attending trials, or working privately with the host government. Funding for projects through the Magna Carta Fund, further supports the work of the diplomatic network in supporting human rights defenders. The UK also works through the multilateral system, to develop consensus among members for the protection of all human rights defenders, including protection against reprisals, arbitrary detention and violence. It is the long-standing policy of the UK, to oppose the death penalty in all circumstances, as a matter of principle.


Written Question
Pakistan: Blasphemy
Monday 15th October 2018

Asked by: Roger Godsiff (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to the Government of Pakistan on (a) the case of Asia Bibi and (b) concerns about blasphemy laws.

Answered by Mark Field

We remain deeply concerned by the misuse of the blasphemy laws in Pakistan, and the fact that religious minorities are disproportionately affected. The harsh penalties for blasphemy, including the death penalty, add to these concerns.

We regularly raise our human rights concerns with the Government of Pakistan at a senior level; and we have urged them to take steps to prevent the misuse of the blasphemy laws. The Minister for the Commonwealth and the UN discussed our concerns about Freedom of Religion or Belief and the protection of minority religious communities with Pakistan's Human Rights Minister, Dr Shireen Mazari, in September 2018. I raised discrimination against religious minorities with the Ministry of Human Rights during my visit to Pakistan in November 2017. We will continue to press the new Government of Pakistan to adhere to its international obligations and uphold the rule of law.

We remain deeply concerned about Ms Bibi's case. The British High Commission in Islamabad monitor developments in her case closely, including the decision of the Supreme Court to reserve its 8 October 2018 judgement.

The UK supported the EU statement of October 2014 expressing strong concern at the decision of the Lahore High Court to uphold the conviction against Ms Bibi. We will continue to work with our international partners to ensure our views are made clear to the Pakistani authorities.


Written Question
Israa al-Ghomgham
Monday 10th September 2018

Asked by: Roger Godsiff (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to his Saudi counterpart on the sentencing of human rights activist Israa al-Ghomgham.

Answered by Alistair Burt

​We are closely monitoring the case of Israa al-Ghomgham and other political activists. We will raise our concerns on human rights with the Saudi authorities in private.


Written Question
Saudi Arabia: Arms Trade
Thursday 6th September 2018

Asked by: Roger Godsiff (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make an estimate of the number of (a) Storm Shadow, (b) Brimstone and (c) Paveway weapons exported from the UK to Saudi Arabia that have been used (a) deliberately or (b) accidentally against civilian targets in Yemen.

Answered by Alistair Burt

The UK has issued export licences for a number of weapons systems and components for end use in Saudi Arabia, in accordance with the Consolidated Criteria. We are unable to provide precise figures for the number of weapons exported. Nor do the Coalition publish information on which weapons are used for specific air strikes. The UK is not a member of the Saudi-Led Coalition and we do not have any role in setting Coalition policy, or executing air strikes in Yemen. We will not issue an export licence for Saudi Arabia, or any other country, if we assess there is a clear risk the items might be used in the commission of a serious violation of International Humanitarian Law.


Written Question
Muhammed Shoban
Monday 23rd July 2018

Asked by: Roger Godsiff (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 13 July 2018 to Question 161195, whether the Government has made representations to the Government of Pakistan on the murder of Mr Muhammed Shoban on the 25 June 2018; and if he will make a statement.

Answered by Mark Field

​We regularly raise the importance of religious tolerance with the government of Pakistan. We raise few individual cases. We focus on urging the government of Pakistan to fulfil its duty to uphold the rights of all Pakistan's citizens irrespective of religious identity. This includes raising concerns about discrimination and violence against Ahmadiyya Muslims in Pakistan. I raised the treatment of religious minorities, including the Ahmadiyya Muslim community, with the Ministry of Human Rights during my visit to Pakistan in November 2017. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon discussed the issue of freedom of religion or belief, and the protection of religious minorities with Pakistan's Interior Minister in February 2018.

At the UN Periodic Review of Pakistan's human rights record in 2017, the UK urged Pakistan to strengthen protection of minorities, including by establishing an independent National Commission for Minorities. The UK Government is supporting projects in Pakistan to promote greater tolerance and religious freedom through our Magna Carta Fund.

The appointment of Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon as the Prime Minister's Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief affirms our commitment to stand up for this key global freedom.


Written Question
Syria: Overseas Aid
Thursday 12th July 2018

Asked by: Roger Godsiff (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to encourage countries neighbouring southern Syria to (a) open their borders to civilians fleeing violence and (b) permit the delivery of cross-border aid to Syria.

Answered by Alistair Burt

We are deeply concerned about the numbers of displaced people in Southern Syria and are supporting this population through our humanitarian programmes, working closely with the UN and the Jordanian authorities. We are continually assessing the impact of events on the ground, and engaging with the Jordanian authorities on options for ensuring the protection of civilians. We also welcome Jordan’s diplomatic efforts to end the on-going violence.


Written Question
Syria: Refugees
Thursday 12th July 2018

Asked by: Roger Godsiff (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what financial or other support the Government is providing to countries neighbouring Syria to help people displaced from Syria to those countries.

Answered by Alistair Burt

We are at the forefront of the humanitarian response to the Syria crisis, providing life-saving support to millions of Syrians, supporting refugees to remain in countries in the region, and enabling their host communities to accommodate them. Since 2012, across Syria and the region, UK support has delivered over 27 million food rations, 12 million medical consultations, 10 million relief packages, and 10 million vaccines. Since 2012 we have spent £426 million in Lebanon; £399 million in Jordan and £246 million in Turkey providing humanitarian assistance, basic services in areas housing Syrian refugees and improving education provision for children.


Written Question
USA: Undocumented Migrants
Monday 25th June 2018

Asked by: Roger Godsiff (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make urgent representations to the US Administration on the separation of children from their parents in immigration detention in that country.

Answered by Alan Duncan

​As the Prime Minister said on 20 June, the reports and pictures we have seen in the past couple of days are deeply disturbing and wrong. We do not apply similar measures here and will never do so. Later on 20 June, President Trump signed an Executive Order aimed at ending the separation policy.