Asked by: Marion Fellows (Scottish National Party - Motherwell and Wishaw)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to protect religious minorities and religious expression around the world.
Answered by Mark Field
The Government is deeply concerned about the severity of violations of Freedom of Religion or Belief in many parts of the world. It is a universal human right for all people to be able to practise their faith or belief without fear or discrimination. Freedom of Religion or Belief is an important part of the work done by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. We regularly raise issues at ministerial and senior official levels where we have concerns, including the right of Freedom of Religion or Belief at the Human Rights Council.
Asked by: Marion Fellows (Scottish National Party - Motherwell and Wishaw)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to protect the religious expression of Christians around the world.
Answered by Mark Field
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is committed to using our influence to defend Freedom of Religion or Belief as a universal human right which should be enjoyed by everyone. The Government is deeply concerned about the severity of violations of Freedom of Religion or Belief in many parts of the world. In recent years we have seen reports of a particular rise in the persecution of Christians. The Foreign Secretary recently asked the Bishop of Truro to conduct an independent global review into the persecution of Christians. The review will provide recommendations on the additional practical steps the FCO can take to support persecuted Christians. The review will provide a report by the summer.
Asked by: Marion Fellows (Scottish National Party - Motherwell and Wishaw)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to his Spanish counterpart on an independence referendum for Catalonia.
Answered by Alan Duncan
The issue of Catalan independence is a matter for Spain.
Asked by: Marion Fellows (Scottish National Party - Motherwell and Wishaw)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what support is available to families to repatriate a family member who dies abroad and for whom they cannot afford the cost of repatriation.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin - Shadow Minister (Business and Trade)
The support available for families of British nationals who die overseas of is set out in the Guide for Bereaved Families. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office also produces country-specific bereavement packs, with practical information for bereaved families, including lists of local and international funeral directors and information on legal processes in other countries. If a bereaved family cannot repatriate the body of their deceased relative for any reason, consular staff can provide information on the cost of local burial or cremation and help transfer money from friends and relatives in the UK to pay any necessary costs. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is unable to pay any burial, cremation or repatriation expenses or settle any debts. Families should look, in the first instance, to insurers to cover the cost. If the deceased was not insured, then friends and family may be able to bear the cost.
Asked by: Marion Fellows (Scottish National Party - Motherwell and Wishaw)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to his Chinese counterpart on the treatment of human rights activists in that country.
Answered by Lord Sharma
We regularly raise human rights in interactions with Chinese counterparts. During my visit to China last week I raised the case of the ‘709’ lawyers with Assistant Foreign Minister Liu. We held the China-UK human rights dialogue last October and will be holding another such discussion in April this year.