Asked by: Paul Blomfield (Labour - Sheffield Central)
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 Thai counterpart on opportunities for Karen refugees in different parts of that country to meet each other .
Answered by Mark Field
We have not to date made representations to the Thai government about opportunities for Karen refugees in different parts of the country to meet each other. However, the Foreign Secretary discussed the urgent need to improve regional conditions for refugees from Burma with the Thai Foreign Minister on 20 June. Our Embassy in Bangkok is in contact with the UNHCR and receives updates from them on a number issues related to the treatment of refugees in Thailand. DFID provide support to at least 90,000 displaced as refugees in Thailand.
Asked by: Paul Blomfield (Labour - Sheffield Central)
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 Thai Government on the treatment of Karen refugees in that country.
Answered by Mark Field
The UK is deeply concerned by recent reports of renewed fighting in the Kachin, Shan and Karen regions of Burma, and the resulting displacement of thousands of civilians. Our Embassy in Bangkok is following developments along the border between Thailand and Burma. The Foreign Secretary discussed the urgent need to improve regional conditions for refugees from Burma with the Thai Foreign Minister on 20 June.
Refugees have been crossing from Burma into Thailand for nearly 30 years, and there are established camps and international support for them in Thailand. DFID provide support to at least 90,000 displaced as refugees in Thailand.
Asked by: Paul Blomfield (Labour - Sheffield Central)
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 Government of Myanmar on the militarisation of the Karen State and the treatment of the Karen people.
Answered by Mark Field
The UK has raised concerns about the treatment of minorities in Burma regularly at the Human Rights Council. Most recently, during the Interactive Dialogue on Burma at the Human Rights Council on 27 June 2018 where the Permanent Secretary of the Burmese Ministry of Foreign Affairs was present, the UK statement drew attention to the escalation of violence in Kachin, Shan, Karen/Kayin and other conflict affected States.
In a statement published on gov.uk on 11 May, I restated the UK's commitment to supporting the triple transition in Burma: from military rule to democratic civilian government, from conflict to peace, and from a closed economy to an open one.
Asked by: Paul Blomfield (Labour - Sheffield Central)
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 Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo on the (a) maintenance of human rights and (b) organisation of free and fair elections in that country.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
The British Government is deeply concerned about the human rights situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Following the violent clampdown on protestors on 31 December and 21 January, the UK released statements condemning the violence and calling for the perpetrators to be brought to justice.
We have called upon the DRC government, as a UN Human Rights Council member, to demonstrate its commitment to the highest human rights standards and take decisive action against human rights abuses and violations.
The UK is supporting a resolution at the Human Rights Council in July 2018 extending the mandate of an international investigation into the violence in the Kasai regions.
The UK regularly raises with the Government of DRC the need to hold elections in December 2018 in accordance with the DRC constitution.
I saw first-hand the impact of the conflict and insecurity upon the Congolese population when I visited in April. During my visit I called for the Government of DRC to hold free and fair elections in December 2018.
Asked by: Paul Blomfield (Labour - Sheffield Central)
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 his counterpart in the Azerbaijan Government on human rights in that country.
Answered by Alan Duncan
The Government monitors the human rights situation in Azerbaijan closely and regularly presses the government to meet its international obligations. I raised human rights with President Aliyev and Deputy Foreign Minister Khalafov during my visit to Azerbaijan in September. In recent months UK officials in Baku have raised concerns over a range of issues including the conviction of journalist Afghan Mukhtarli and pressure faced by Azerbaijan's human rights lawyers.
Asked by: Paul Blomfield (Labour - Sheffield Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has made an assessment he has made of the effect on human rights of the new security reform law in Mexico; and if he will make statement.
Answered by Alan Duncan
Mexico's Law on Internal Security (pending a Supreme Court ruling on constitutionality) seeks to provide a legal framework for the military's role in public security. It has yet to be enforced, so its impact remains unclear. We are concerned by certain aspects of the law, including its weaknesses in civilian oversight and accountability.
Asked by: Paul Blomfield (Labour - Sheffield Central)
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 Iranian counterpart on the persecution of Christians and other religious and ethnic minorities in that country.
Answered by Alistair Burt
I raised concerns about the persecution of religious and ethnic minorities, including the detention and treatment of Christians, with Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi during my visit to Tehran on 5 August.
Asked by: Paul Blomfield (Labour - Sheffield Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the effect on British citizens resident in Ascension Island of the delayed commencement of repair work to the Wideawake Airfield.
Answered by Alan Duncan
There has been no delay to the commencement of refurbishment of the runway at Wideawake Airfield which is due to start in 2018. The MOD continue to work with the US to agree the final design solution. Repairs are ongoing. In recent months the runway deteriorated far more quickly than had been anticipated. This made it unsafe for the heavier aircraft that had been flying regularly from the UK to land on Ascension. We recognise the impact this is having on those on the island and we are working hard to scope alternative air access options. The Minister for the Overseas Territories spoke to Ascension Island councillors to discuss this issue on Friday 7 July.
Asked by: Paul Blomfield (Labour - Sheffield Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his counterparts in Hungary on rules in that country banning institutions outside the EU from awarding Hungarian diplomas without an agreement between national governments.
Answered by Alan Duncan
I have not spoken to my counterparts in Hungary on this particular issue though we continue to monitor the situation closely. The British Embassy in Budapest is engaging with the Hungarian government as part of our regular discussions.
Asked by: Paul Blomfield (Labour - Sheffield Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 28 February 2017 to Question 64544, what discussions his Department held with the Department for Exiting the European Union on the drafting of the White Paper entitled The United Kingdom's exit from and new partnership with the European Union, Cm 9417, published in February 2017.
Answered by Alan Duncan
I refer the Hon. Member to my answerof 28 February (PQ 64544). We, and other Departments, are working closely with the Department for Exiting the European Union on all aspects of leaving the European Union.