Asked by: Margaret Ferrier (Independent - Rutherglen and Hamilton West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she had with her Cabinet colleagues in advance of the United Nations pledging summit on Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis, about the UK’s ongoing response to the refugee crisis.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
Ahead of the UN Afghanistan Pledging Conference, UK officials held broad-ranging discussions, including on the impact of the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan on refugees, with UN donor partners, NGOs, financial institutions and other government departments.
The UK has supported over 3,700 individuals to leave Afghanistan since the end of Op PITTING. We'll continue to work to ensure those still in Afghanistan are able to depart the country safely. This includes holding the Taliban to their commitment to ensure safe passage.
Asked by: Margaret Ferrier (Independent - Rutherglen and Hamilton West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department held discussions with the Scottish Refugee Council in advance of the United Nations pledging summit on Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
UK officials regularly engage with NGOs, donor partners and financial institutions, including through round table discussions. Several NGOs were engaged in the run up to the UN Afghan Pledging Conference, particularly those working in humanitarian assistance and essential basic services in Afghanistan, however, this did not include the Scottish Refugee Council.
Asked by: Margaret Ferrier (Independent - Rutherglen and Hamilton West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has made an assessment of the extent to which conditions attached to the release of political activists (a) Loujain al-Hathloul, (b) Nouf Abdelaziz and (c) Mayaa al-Zahrani from prison in Saudi Arabia are consistent with international human rights standards.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
We welcome the release of remaining prominent female Women's Rights Defenders in June 2021. In the same month, British Embassy Riyadh raised concern about the conditions attached to the release of some of the women's rights defenders with the Saudi Human Rights Commission. We regularly raise human rights issues and individual cases with the Saudi authorities.
Asked by: Margaret Ferrier (Independent - Rutherglen and Hamilton West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has made an assessment of the implications for her policies of Saudi Arabian use of a Specialised Criminal Court for the prosecution of human rights defenders and political activists; and if she will make representations to her Saudi Arabian counterpart of the detention of (a) Israa al-Ghomghan, (b) Mousa al-Hashim, (c) Khaled al-Mahoush, (d) Mohammed al-Rabiah, (e) Khaled al-Omair and (f) Ali Mohsen Abu Lahoum in that country.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The UK remains concerned over the arrests and continued detention of a number of individuals, particularly those detained for expressing their political views. Lord Ahmad discussed referrals to the Specialised Criminal Court with the Saudi Justice Minister on 7 February 2022. We regularly raise human rights issues and individual cases with the Saudi authorities.