Asked by: Julie Cooper (Labour - Burnley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Indian government on suppression of the press in Kashmir and Jammu.
Answered by Lord Sharma
The UK Government has not made any representation to the Government of India on freedom of press in Jammu and Kashmir. We recognise that there are broader human rights concerns in Kashmir. In November 2015, Indian Prime Minister Modi assured the former Prime Minister, my Rt hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron) of his commitment to and respect for India’s core values of tolerance and freedom.
Asked by: Julie Cooper (Labour - Burnley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the (a) extent of protection of human rights and (b) operation of the democratic process in Bangladesh.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
The Government are concerned about protection for human rights in Bangladesh. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has named Bangladesh as one of its 30 Human Rights Priority Countries. Where credible allegations of abuses are made, we regularly raise them with the Government of Bangladesh. In particular we condemn all forms of violence and excessive use of force, including
extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances and attacks against secularists and religious minorities. We make clear our opposition to the death penalty.
Asked by: Julie Cooper (Labour - Burnley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 10 March 2016 to Question 29629, if the Government will make it its policy to introduce targeted sanctions against individual members of the Maldivian government if the recommendations of the Commonwealth Action Group are not implemented in the next 12 months.
Answered by Lord Swire
Following its meeting on 20 April, the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) set a revised deadline of September for clear and measurable progress to be delivered in the six areas of concern, identified at their previous meeting in February. It will be for CMAG to assess what progress has been made by September and to decide what collective action may be required. If CMAG assesses sufficient steps have not been taken, the UK will carefully consider appropriate bilateral action to help support reform efforts in the Maldives.Asked by: Julie Cooper (Labour - Burnley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Indian government on recent protests and clashes in the Handwara and Kupwara districts in Kashmir.
Answered by Lord Swire
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 26 April to PQ 34371 and 34380.
Asked by: Julie Cooper (Labour - Burnley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many times he has attended public meetings of the Foreign Affairs Committee since his appointment.
Answered by David Lidington
Ministerial attendance at parliamentary committees is a matter of public record. The transcripts of appearances by the Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) are available on the Foreign Affairs Committee website.
http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/foreign-affairs-committee/formal-minutes/
Asked by: Julie Cooper (Labour - Burnley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the political situation in Kashmir.
Answered by Lord Swire
The British High Commission in Delhi is closely following the situation in Kashmir. I welcome the recent formation of a new State Government.
Asked by: Julie Cooper (Labour - Burnley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Indian government on the need to de-escalate tensions between the Indian army and protestors in Northern Kashmir.
Answered by Lord Swire
I was saddened to learn of the deaths of 5 civilians last week in Northern Kashmir, and I extend my condolences to their families. I have not discussed this issue with the Indian Government or with other Commonwealth Countries, but I am aware that the State Government and the Army are both looking into these incidents.Asked by: Julie Cooper (Labour - Burnley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with other Commonwealth countries on recent unrest in the Handwara and Kupwara districts of Kashmir.
Answered by Lord Swire
The British High Commission in Delhi is closely following the situation in Kashmir. I was saddened to learn of the deaths of 5 civilians last week and I extend my condolences to their families. I am aware that the State Government and the Army are both looking into these incidents. I have not recently discussed Kashmir with other Commonwealth countries.
Asked by: Julie Cooper (Labour - Burnley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has made to the Maldivian government about freedom of the press in that country.
Answered by Lord Swire
The Government has a number of concerns about human rights, including freedom of the press, in the Maldives. Most recently, on 4 April, I tweeted my concern over the arrest of 16 journalists who were protesting in Malé. I also raised human rights concerns, including restrictions on the freedom of expression, when I met representatives of the Maldives Government in London on 11 February, and when I met President Yameen and Foreign Minister Dunya during my visit to the Maldives on 17 and 18 January.