Asked by: Debbie Abrahams (Labour - Oldham East and Saddleworth)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions the Government has had with the Indian Prime Minister on Kashmir during his recent visit to the UK.
Answered by Lord Swire
The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron) and Indian Prime Minister Modi did not discuss Kashmir during the recent visit. The long standing position of the UK is that it is for India and Pakistan to find a lasting resolution to the situation in Kashmir, taking into account the wishes of the Kashmiri people.
Asked by: Debbie Abrahams (Labour - Oldham East and Saddleworth)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure the human rights of the Rohingya people in Burma are protected.
Answered by Lord Swire
We remain deeply concerned by the dire living conditions facing the Rohingya people in Rakhine State, which is leading thousands to flee by sea to other countries in the region. It is vital that Burma addresses the longer-term issues which lie at the root of the problem, including the persecution of the Rohingya. The UK is playing its part to resolve the situation in Rakhine State. Since 2012, the UK has been one of the largest bilateral humanitarian donors in Rakhine State, contributing over £18m in humanitarian aid there. We will continue raise the underlying political problems and human rights abuses both bilaterally and in international fora.
Asked by: Debbie Abrahams (Labour - Oldham East and Saddleworth)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent reports he has received on the situation in Rakine State, Burma.
Answered by Lord Swire
I refer the hon. Member to the answer of the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) on 1 June 2015 (PQ 292).
Asked by: Debbie Abrahams (Labour - Oldham East and Saddleworth)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent reports he has received on the human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir.
Answered by Lord Swire
We are concerned about the incidents that have taken place in recent weeks on both sides of the Line of Control and the International Border in Kashmir. We hope that both sides can take steps to reduce tensions.
Asked by: Debbie Abrahams (Labour - Oldham East and Saddleworth)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what plans he has to raise human rights issues in Kashmir with his international counterparts upon the occasion of the UN International Human Rights Day on 10 December 2014.
Answered by Lord Swire
We recognise that there are human rights concerns on both sides of the line of control in Kashmir. Any allegations of human rights abuses should be investigated thoroughly, promptly and transparently. We have dialogues with the governments of both India and Pakistan in which we make this position clear.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers will be involved in marking International Human Rights Day, not least through an event hosted by my right hon. and noble Friend, the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Baroness Anelay of St Johns, and a number of written pieces by Ministers on global human right issues.
Asked by: Debbie Abrahams (Labour - Oldham East and Saddleworth)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions his Department has had with (a) its Iranian counterparts and (b) others on the case of Ghoncheh Ghavami.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
The British Government has raised its concern over the detention and welfare of Ghonceh Ghavami with the Iranian authorities on many occasions, including most recently on 9 November. Both the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) discussed her case with President Rouhani and Foreign minister Zarif respectively in September. The FCO continues to provide consular assistance to Ms Ghavami’s family at this difficult time.