Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will take diplomatic steps to ensure that the dispute between Tibet and China is resolved in accordance with international law.
Answered by Catherine West
This Government stands firm on human rights, including China's repression of the people of Tibet. This includes concerns about the erosion of Tibetan cultural rights and traditions by the Chinese authorities.
We raise our concerns at the highest levels: the Prime Minister, Foreign Secretary, Chancellor, Energy Secretary and I all raised human rights recently with our Chinese counterparts. We also continue to work closely with our international partners to hold China to account for human rights violations. On July 2 the UK convened an event in the Human Rights Council to reaffirm the right to freedom of religious belief for all, including Tibetan Buddhists.
The Government recognises Tibet as part of the People's Republic of China. We view the appointment of the next Dalai Lama as a matter for the Tibetan Buddhist community to decide in line with freedom of religion and belief.
Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what his Department's policy is on (a) whether Tibet is a part of China and (b) whether Tibet has been part of China since ancient times.
Answered by Catherine West
This Government stands firm on human rights, including China's repression of the people of Tibet. This includes concerns about the erosion of Tibetan cultural rights and traditions by the Chinese authorities.
We raise our concerns at the highest levels: the Prime Minister, Foreign Secretary, Chancellor, Energy Secretary and I all raised human rights recently with our Chinese counterparts. We also continue to work closely with our international partners to hold China to account for human rights violations. On July 2 the UK convened an event in the Human Rights Council to reaffirm the right to freedom of religious belief for all, including Tibetan Buddhists.
The Government recognises Tibet as part of the People's Republic of China. We view the appointment of the next Dalai Lama as a matter for the Tibetan Buddhist community to decide in line with freedom of religion and belief.
Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will hold discussions with his Chinese counterpart on protecting the (a) cultural, (b) religious and (c) linguistic identity of the Tibetan people.
Answered by Catherine West
This Government stands firm on human rights, including China's repression of the people of Tibet. This includes concerns about the erosion of Tibetan cultural rights and traditions by the Chinese authorities.
We raise our concerns at the highest levels: the Prime Minister, Foreign Secretary, Chancellor, Energy Secretary and I all raised human rights recently with our Chinese counterparts. We also continue to work closely with our international partners to hold China to account for human rights violations. On July 2 the UK convened an event in the Human Rights Council to reaffirm the right to freedom of religious belief for all, including Tibetan Buddhists.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is taking action to limit the impact of foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI), which includes disinformation and propaganda, and working with international partners to forge a collective counter FIMI agenda.
We continue to encourage freedoms for religious and cultural expression in Tibet and across China.
Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Chinese counterpart on disinformation on Tibet.
Answered by Catherine West
This Government stands firm on human rights, including China's repression of the people of Tibet. This includes concerns about the erosion of Tibetan cultural rights and traditions by the Chinese authorities.
We raise our concerns at the highest levels: the Prime Minister, Foreign Secretary, Chancellor, Energy Secretary and I all raised human rights recently with our Chinese counterparts. We also continue to work closely with our international partners to hold China to account for human rights violations. On July 2 the UK convened an event in the Human Rights Council to reaffirm the right to freedom of religious belief for all, including Tibetan Buddhists.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is taking action to limit the impact of foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI), which includes disinformation and propaganda, and working with international partners to forge a collective counter FIMI agenda.
We continue to encourage freedoms for religious and cultural expression in Tibet and across China.
Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he has made to his Syrian counterpart on ensuring a (a) comprehensive and (b) unbiased transitional process.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I travelled to Damascus on 27 August, and raised the importance of accountability and transitional justice for a sustainable political transition, and offered UK support to Foreign Minister Al-Shaibani and Justice Minister Al-Waisi. During the Foreign Secretary's meeting with President al Sharaa in Damascus in July, he also raised this. We support the Syrian Government in establishing Syrian-led processes, such as the National Commissions on Transitional Justice and Missing Persons, and have urged them to engage collaboratively with civil society and the UN to ensure these are inclusive, comprehensive and transparent.
Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the Government's policy on the 2030 roadmap for UK-Israel bilateral relations.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
As the Foreign Secretary said in his statement to the house on 20 May, the UK will be reviewing our cooperation with Israel on the UK-Israel 2030 Bilateral roadmap. The continued actions of this Israeli Government mean that it is necessary for the UK Government to take this step. We have been clear that we need to see an immediate ceasefire in Gaza with the release of all hostages and significantly more aid consistently entering Gaza.
Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to encourage China to (a) ratify the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and (b) uphold commitments under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
Answered by Catherine West
As UN member states, both the UK and China have a responsibility to uphold core pillars of the UN, including universal human rights. We continue to encourage China to ratify the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and to uphold the various international obligations they have freely signed up to.
We raise our concerns at the highest levels: the Prime Minister, Foreign Secretary, Chancellor, Energy Secretary and I all raised human rights recently with our Chinese counterparts. We also continue to work closely with our international partners to hold China to account for human rights violations. For example, joining a statement led by Australia on Xinjiang and Tibet at the UN General Assembly in October.
Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department officially recognises the Tibetan people as having a distinct (a) religious, (b) cultural, (c) linguistic and (d) historical identity.
Answered by Catherine West
This Government stands firm on human rights, including China's repression of the people of Tibet, and the erosion of Tibetan language, history and culture.
We raise our concerns at the highest levels: the Prime Minister, Foreign Secretary, Chancellor, Energy Secretary and I all raised human rights recently with our Chinese counterparts. We also continue to work closely with our international partners to hold China to account for human rights violations. On July 2 the UK convened an event in the Human Rights Council to reaffirm the right to Freedom of Religion or Belief for all, including Tibetan Buddhists.
Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the Promoting a Resolution to the Tibet-China Dispute Act in the US.
Answered by Catherine West
This Government stands firm on human rights, including China's repression of the people of Tibet. This includes concerns about the erosion of Tibetan cultural rights and traditions by the Chinese authorities.
We raise our concerns at the highest levels: the Prime Minister, Foreign Secretary, Chancellor, Energy Secretary and I all raised human rights recently with our Chinese counterparts. We also continue to work closely with our international partners to hold China to account for human rights violations. For example, joining a statement led by Australia on Xinjiang and Tibet at the UN General Assembly in October.
Asked by: Chris Law (Scottish National Party - Dundee Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to provide (a) humanitarian assistance, (b) support to (i) local and (ii) regional responders and (c) food aid to people in Sudan.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
At the recent London Sudan Conference, the Foreign Secretary announced £120 million which will deliver life-saving services to more than 650,000 people. The majority of this funding will be delivered through key UN agencies, including the United Nations Children's Fund and the World Food Programme who will provide life-saving food and nutrition supplies as well as vital water, sanitation, maternal, and hygiene programmes. This uplift also provides support to local responders both through the Sudan Humanitarian Fund, which supports the Emergency Response Rooms (ERRs), and the Mercy Corps-led Cash Consortium for Sudan which provides direct cash assistance to Mutual Aid Groups and ERRs on the ground. Our funding will also support displaced people across Sudan and regional countries affected by conflict.