Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made any representations to his Pakistani counterpart on the killing of Mr Naseer Ahmad who was a member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community in Pakistan.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
The UK condemns discrimination and violence against religious communities in Pakistan, including against the Ahmadiyya Muslim community. Lord Ahmad publicly condemned the murders of Naseer Ahmad, in Rabwah, in August, and of Abdus Salam, in Punjab Province, in May. The British High Commissioner in Islamabad raised Mr. Salam's death with Pakistan's Human Rights Minister Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada. We continue to urge the Government of Pakistan at senior levels to guarantee the fundamental rights of all its citizens, regardless of their belief.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the potential threat of human rights violations against the Bahai community in Iran.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
The Baha'i community in Iran is systematically discriminated against, harassed, and is targeted by the authorities. Reports indicate that the Iranian government has this year redoubled repressive efforts against the Baha'i community, with expropriation and repossession of land, destruction of homes, and increasing detention of members of the community. As the FCDO Minister responsible for Human Rights and Freedom of Religion and Belief, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, said on 5 August: persecution of religious minorities is a serious human rights violation and cannot be tolerated in 2022. I reiterated our commitment to holding Iran to account at a Westminster Hall debate on 11 October.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has taken recent steps to help ensure the security of university and college lecturers in Afghanistan who (a) worked for the British Council and (b) made applications under the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
Under the third pathway of the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS), and in year one, the Government is considering eligible, at-risk British Council contractors for resettlement (as well as eligible at-risk Gardaworld contractors and Chevening alumni). In the first year, we will offer up to 1500 places to eligible at-risk British Council contractors, GardaWorld contractors, and Chevening alumni, including their eligible family members. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office are reviewing each Expression of Interest (EOI) to assess if the eligibility criteria have been met, and have started notifying individuals of the outcome. Expressions of Interest are being considered in the order they were received. Some are being prioritised because their role or the projects they worked on mean they are particularly at risk, or because there are exceptionally compelling circumstances.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has received any reports that university and college lecturers who worked for the British Council in Afghanistan and are still in the country have received letters from the Taliban requiring them to complete a detailed identity form which focuses on their experience working with foreign organisations.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
We are aware of reports that some British Council contractors who are in Afghanistan have received requests from the Taliban to provide detailed information on their circumstances. Eligible at-risk British Council contractors have been able to express interest in resettlement in the UK under the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) Pathway 3 through an online process. ACRS Pathway 3 provides a safe and legal route for up to 1500 eligible at-risk British Council contractors, Gardaworld contractors, Chevening alumni and their family members to come to the United Kingdom and rebuild their lives.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds Central)
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 implications for her policies of recent events in the autonomous republic of Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The UK is saddened by the loss of life that occurred during recent events in Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan. We understand that initially peaceful protests against plans to change Karakalpakstan's autonomous status within Uzbekistan developed into violent unrest with casualties among civilians and law enforcement personnel. The situation now seems calm. The Uzbek authorities have announced an official investigation, involving Parliament and civil society.
On 7 July, Lord Ahmad raised the unrest in Karakalpakstan with the Uzbek Deputy Foreign Minister and the British Ambassador and his team in Tashkent are also in contact with the Uzbek authorities. We have been clear in our communications that the right to peaceful protest and respect for media freedom should be protected. In discussion of these events in multilateral fora, we urged the Uzbek authorities to adhere to their international commitments and due process, as they seek to understand what happened. We will continue to monitor developments closely.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has made a recent assessment of the impact of violence in Darfur on the Massaleit community.
Answered by Vicky Ford
The ongoing violence and destruction in West Darfur is very troubling. We issued a statement on 25 April, setting out our concerns and the need for the Sudanese authorities to deliver their responsibilities to protect civilians. We underscored the importance of an independent investigation into the violence at the UN Security Council (UNSC) on 27 April and helped to secure a UNSC statement condemning the violence on 29 April. We are in working with the UN to provide humanitarian assistance to those affected and have urged the military to allow humanitarian aid to flow without hindrance. We have raised our concerns over violence in Darfur with the Sudanese authorities, most recently during a visit to Khartoum by the UK Special Representative for Sudan and South Sudan on 25-28 June. We will continue to raise these concerns, to press the Sudanese authorities to deliver their obligation to protect civilians, and push for accountability for any crimes committed.
The fragile security situation across Sudan has been exacerbated by the political crisis since the military coup on 25 October. We are therefore pushing all political actors to engage in dialogue and return to a civilian-led government. We are also calling for the implementation of the Juba Peace Agreement (JPA) and progress in wider peace talks.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations she has made to the Government of Iraq on the case of Jim Fitton, a retired geologist and British citizen, who has been arrested and charged with offences relating to artefacts.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Following the verdict, consular officials in Iraq and the UK are continuing to provide consular assistance to Mr Fitton and his family. The British Ambassador in Baghdad has and will continue to, raise our interest in Mr Fitton's case with the Iraqi Government. This included raising with the authorities the UK's strong opposition to the death penalty - both the possibility of it being applied in Mr Fitton's case and in all circumstances as a matter of principle. Whilst he is detained, we will continue to register our interest in Mr Fitton's case and that the conditions of the prison are in line with international standards. Mr Fitton's safety and welfare remain of the upmost importance.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has made representations to President Kais Saied of Tunisia on his decisions to (a) dissolve the Tunisian Assembly of Representatives and (b) put MPs on trial for participating in a virtual meeting of parliament.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The UK has expressed its views regarding the political situation in Tunisia, bilaterally and through statements on behalf of G7 Ambassadors. We engage regularly with representatives of the government in the country, most recently on 7 April when the British Ambassador to Tunisia met Foreign Minister Jerandi, and on 1 March when she called on Prime Minister Najla Bouden. The Minister for North Africa, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, also raised these issues during a meeting with the Tunisian Ambassador to London on 4 April.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will make representations to the Taliban leadership on allowing all girls to return to school immediately.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The Government has made clear its condemnation of the Taliban's decision not to re-open girls' secondary schools, including through statements from the G7+, female Foreign Ministers and the UN Security Council. Women in Afghanistan, and Afghan women in the UK diaspora, demand that girls' right to education be upheld, and we stand with them. As the Prime Minister has said several times, we are working to hold the Taliban to account to ensure that they live up to the promises they have made. With our international partners, we continue to press the Taliban to reverse this decision.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what her planned timetable is for the establishment of the TCA UK Domestic Advisory Group and Civil Society Forum.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The Civil Society obligations in the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement moved to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). FCDO ministers are currently finalising the UK Domestic Advisory Group membership list and the first meeting is expected shortly.
The Government is in discussions with the European Commission to set the date for the Civil Society Forum which will take place after the first meeting of the Domestic Advisory Group. The UK delegation to the Civil Society Forum will be announced once the guidelines which underpin the forum are agreed by the TCA Partnership Council.