Asked by: Barry Sheerman (Labour (Co-op) - Huddersfield)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the size of the UK's Diplomatic Staff in the context of increasing global multipolarity.
Answered by Gillian Keegan
The FCDO oversees one of the world's largest diplomatic networks, with 282 Posts covering 180 Countries and Territories. In the last decade, the UK's diplomatic network has expanded by over 10%, with over 16,000 staff around the world and in the UK. The FCDO is ensuring that we have the right people and skills to deliver the Integrated Review: though diplomatic, economic, development & security partnerships; prioritising Euro-Atlantic security and the Indo-Pacific Tilt; and recognising the need for a more agile workforce, prepared for future crises and able to deliver UK interests in a more contested and fragmented geopolitical context.
Asked by: Barry Sheerman (Labour (Co-op) - Huddersfield)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of the size of the UK's Diplomatic Staff in the context of its capability of fulfilling the requirements of the Integrated Review.
Answered by Gillian Keegan
The FCDO oversees one of the world's largest diplomatic networks, with 282 Posts covering 180 Countries and Territories. In the last decade, the UK's diplomatic network has expanded by over 10%, with over 16,000 staff around the world and in the UK. The FCDO is ensuring that we have the right people and skills to deliver the Integrated Review: though diplomatic, economic, development & security partnerships; prioritising Euro-Atlantic security and the Indo-Pacific Tilt; and recognising the need for a more agile workforce, prepared for future crises and able to deliver UK interests in a more contested and fragmented geopolitical context.
Asked by: Barry Sheerman (Labour (Co-op) - Huddersfield)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help promote human rights in Pakistan.
Answered by Leo Docherty
We regularly raise our concerns about human rights at a senior level with the Government of Pakistan. Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister for South Asia, did so most recently on 23 June, when he met Pakistan's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Hina Rabbani Khar. In February 2022, the British High Commissioner to Pakistan visited Balochistan, where he met the Chief Minister, Mir Abdul Quddus Bizenjo, and discussed the protection of human rights. He also discussed the issue of enforced disappearances in Balochistan with Pakistan's Human Rights Minister, Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada, on 17 June this year. We will continue to engage with the Government of Pakistan on the need to honour its international commitments and obligations throughout its territory.
Asked by: Barry Sheerman (Labour (Co-op) - Huddersfield)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many meetings she has had on human rights abuses in Balochistan, Pakistan in the last 12 months.
Answered by Leo Docherty
We regularly raise our concerns about human rights at a senior level with the Government of Pakistan. Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister for South Asia, did so most recently on 23 June, when he met Pakistan's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Hina Rabbani Khar. In February 2022, the British High Commissioner to Pakistan visited Balochistan, where he met the Chief Minister, Mir Abdul Quddus Bizenjo, and discussed the protection of human rights. He also discussed the issue of enforced disappearances in Balochistan with Pakistan's Human Rights Minister, Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada, on 17 June this year. We will continue to engage with the Government of Pakistan on the need to honour its international commitments and obligations throughout its territory.
Asked by: Barry Sheerman (Labour (Co-op) - Huddersfield)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to help raise the issue of human rights violations against people in Balochistan, Pakistan.
Answered by Leo Docherty
We regularly raise our concerns about human rights at a senior level with the Government of Pakistan. Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister for South Asia, did so most recently on 23 June, when he met Pakistan's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Hina Rabbani Khar. In February 2022, the British High Commissioner to Pakistan visited Balochistan, where he met the Chief Minister, Mir Abdul Quddus Bizenjo, and discussed the protection of human rights. He also discussed the issue of enforced disappearances in Balochistan with Pakistan's Human Rights Minister, Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada, on 17 June this year. We will continue to engage with the Government of Pakistan on the need to honour its international commitments and obligations throughout its territory.
Asked by: Barry Sheerman (Labour (Co-op) - Huddersfield)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the treatment of women in overseas factories producing clothes for the UK market.
Answered by Vicky Ford
The Government is clear that it expects all UK businesses to respect human rights throughout their operations, in line with the UN Guiding Principles and the UK National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights. This also applies to the fashion industry. Section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act places a requirement on businesses with a turnover of £36 million or more, to publish an annual modern slavery statement setting out the steps they have taken to prevent modern slavery in their operations and supply chains. Additionally, we announced in 2021 that financial penalties for non-compliance would be introduced. These measures will be included in the Modern Slavery Bill that was announced as part of the Queen's Speech in May 2022.
We know that women and girls are most at risk of modern slavery, making up approximately 70% of victims. Our work overseas seeks to support women and girls, including in the overseas garment sector. The "Work in Freedom" programme works to reduce vulnerability to trafficking and forced labour of women and girls who want to work in the care, textiles, clothing, leather and footwear sectors in South Asia and the Arab States. This programme has reached over 380,000 women and girls since 2018.
The UK's Presidency of the G7 in 2021 and the resulting commitments from G7 members to tackle forced labour in global supply chains, demonstrated our continued commitment to ending modern slavery.
Asked by: Barry Sheerman (Labour (Co-op) - Huddersfield)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to help ensure UK fashion brands are not complicit in exploitative labour practices in their overseas supply chain.
Answered by Vicky Ford
The Government is clear that it expects all UK businesses to respect human rights throughout their operations, in line with the UN Guiding Principles and the UK National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights. This also applies to the fashion industry. Section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act places a requirement on businesses with a turnover of £36 million or more, to publish an annual modern slavery statement setting out the steps they have taken to prevent modern slavery in their operations and supply chains. Additionally, we announced in 2021 that financial penalties for non-compliance would be introduced. These measures will be included in the Modern Slavery Bill that was announced as part of the Queen's Speech in May 2022.
We know that women and girls are most at risk of modern slavery, making up approximately 70% of victims. Our work overseas seeks to support women and girls, including in the overseas garment sector. The "Work in Freedom" programme works to reduce vulnerability to trafficking and forced labour of women and girls who want to work in the care, textiles, clothing, leather and footwear sectors in South Asia and the Arab States. This programme has reached over 380,000 women and girls since 2018.
The UK's Presidency of the G7 in 2021 and the resulting commitments from G7 members to tackle forced labour in global supply chains, demonstrated our continued commitment to ending modern slavery.