Asked by: Rushanara Ali (Labour - Bethnal Green and Stepney)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the Government plans to review its support to the peace process in Myanmar in response to increased conflict in that country since that process began.
Answered by Nigel Adams
The UK is deeply concerned about ongoing conflict across Myanmar, including in Rakhine and Chin which pose challenges for Myanmar's formal peace process. In May we called a meeting at the UNSC to discuss the conflict and afterwards issued a national statement calling for a ceasefire. We continue to raise our concerns with the Government and call on all sides for a de-escalation of hostilities, a resumption of political dialogue and an inclusive process. We know that it will take time to secure peace and inclusive political settlement, but it is essential if the country is to consolidate its transition to a prosperous and democratic future. We remain committed to supporting Myanmar's Peace Process and democratic transition.
Asked by: Rushanara Ali (Labour - Bethnal Green and Stepney)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what plans his Department has for monitoring the forthcoming elections in Myanmar, both in the days before and after polling day and on election day itself, to ensure internationally accepted democratic norms are upheld and human rights are respected.
Answered by Nigel Adams
Independent election monitoring is vital for free and fair elections. Covid-19 prevented largescale international observation missions like those seen in 2015. This year, the UK Embassy will run a small in country observation mission.
We are funding domestic observation to ensure that there was some level of monitoring and oversight of the polling process. We have consistently raised the importance of domestic monitoring in country with both the UEC and the Government, to ensure transparency and oversight of the process.
Asked by: Rushanara Ali (Labour - Bethnal Green and Stepney)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he has made to Aung San Suu Kyi on the detention of almost 200 political prisoners in Myanmar; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Nigel Adams
The United Kingdom is deeply concerned that repressive laws have been used to violate people's civil liberties, including freedom of expression and religious belief in Myanmar. The UK regularly voices its concerns about democratic and religious freedoms in Myanmar and uses its communications with the Government to raise cases of those imprisoned for expressing their opinions on government policies. The UK is clear that freedom of expression and the rule of law are necessary components of a democratic system. We will continue to urge the Government of Myanmar to avoid the use of repressive legislation to clamp down on free speech and criticism.
Asked by: Rushanara Ali (Labour - Bethnal Green and Stepney)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Government has taken in response to the disenfranchisement of the Rohingya from the 2020 general election in Myanmar.
Answered by Nigel Adams
As we made clear in our statement on 9 November, the UK is very concerned that the Rohingya and other minority ethnic groups, were excluded from these elections. Universal suffrage for all people in Myanmar, including the Rohingya, and the right to stand as a candidate, is a key part of achieving effective democracy. We are clear that the 1982 Citizenship Law is deeply flawed and enables the exclusion of Rohingya and other minorities on spurious grounds. The Rohingya, who have lived in Myanmar for generations, should be granted full citizenship and the associated rights. They should not be excluded from Myanmar elections. We have made this clear to the Myanmar government. The Foreign Secretary raised these issues with the Minister for International Cooperation in advance of the election and I [Minister Adams] raised my concerns when I spoke to the same Minister in June. We continue to call for elections to be credible and inclusive, allowing individuals of all communities to participate.
Asked by: Rushanara Ali (Labour - Bethnal Green and Stepney)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he has taken to ensure that increased CDC investment in Myanmar does not benefit military companies.
Answered by Nigel Adams
Development Finance Institutions like CDC can bring investments in infrastructure, renewable energy and the financial sector to help support inclusive growth and tackle poverty. As part of the UK's enhanced private sector due diligence regime, the FCDO requires partners to review supply chains and remove military owned companies from their supply chains. This includes careful work to ensure CDC investment does not benefit the military. CDC's investments in Myanmar are subject to a rigorous assessment of business integrity risks; this assessment includes a review of a business's potential exposure to the military. CDC proactively manages this risk at three levels; through pre-investment due diligence, ongoing monitoring and engagement with investees, and requirements placed on investees. CDC continues to evolve its approach to learn lessons of how businesses can become exposed to the military and how to decrease and eliminate this exposure for its investees.
Asked by: Rushanara Ali (Labour - Bethnal Green and Stepney)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what plans he has to review the provision of support to the Union Election Commission in Myanmar in response to its decisions to prevent voting in parts of the country.
Answered by Nigel Adams
The UK provides technical assistance to the Union Election Commission through IFES and other partners. This is to help the UEC to implement reform to align with international and regional best practices, and to provide the training (e.g. on countering hate speech, women's political participation etc.) that will allow the UEC to work towards more fair, credible, open and inclusive elections.
We are not providing any direct financial support to the UEC. Support is aimed at building the principles of inclusion and impartiality. We will continue to watch and assess UEC conduct in relation to these values. Impartiality of the election commission is an essential part of a fair democratic process. Our Ambassador and Development Director regularly raise issues of concern with the UEC.
Asked by: Rushanara Ali (Labour - Bethnal Green and Stepney)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
What steps he is taking to ensure equitable access internationally to vaccines and medical equipment to tackle the covid-19 pandemic.
Answered by Wendy Morton - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Prime Minister recently announced up to £500 million to the COVAX Advanced Market Commitment to provide access to COVID-19 vaccines for 92 developing countries, contributing to the supply of one billion doses in 2021, and the vaccination of up to 500 million people. The FCDO is also using its international partnerships to support the delivery of the medical supplies and PPE.
Asked by: Rushanara Ali (Labour - Bethnal Green and Stepney)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the humanitarian needs of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon.
Answered by James Cleverly - Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government
Palestinian refugees are amongst the most vulnerable and marginalized communities in Lebanon. The deteriorating economic conditions have further increased the risk that limited job opportunities will push the most vulnerable, including women, girls and young people, into harmful survival strategies.
Managing the spread of coronavirus is a top priority, with currently over 230 recorded cases amongst Palestinian refugees and active transmission in the wider Lebanese population. UNRWA is working with partners to balance continuity of care with provision of support to education and primary health care facilities.
This financial year the UK has provided £34.5m to UNRWA in addition to the over £710 million of UK humanitarian, development and stability funding to Lebanon since 2011, including to Palestinian camps.
Asked by: Rushanara Ali (Labour - Bethnal Green and Stepney)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the report to the UN Human Rights Council of the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian Territory occupied since 1967, dated 15 July 2020, what representations he has made to the Government of Israel on ending all measures amounting to collective punishment of Palestinians including the closure of Gaza.
Answered by James Cleverly - Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government
We have serious concerns about the use of punitive acts against the families of Palestinians who have been accused of violent acts by Israel, including Israel's policy of demolitions to destroy the homes belonging to suspected Palestinian terrorists or their families. Such punishments, in all but the most exceptional of cases, are contrary to international humanitarian law. Officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv have registered concerns about this policy with Israeli authorities. The UK also remains deeply concerned about the situation in Gaza. We continue to stress to the Israeli authorities the damage that their restrictions are doing to the economy and to the living standards of ordinary Palestinians in Gaza. There remains an urgent need for all parties to reach an agreement that addresses the underlying causes of the conflict in Gaza.
Asked by: Rushanara Ali (Labour - Bethnal Green and Stepney)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the rate of (a) demolitions and (b) confiscations of (i) Palestinian homes and (ii) other structures by Israel in 2020 compared to the last five years.
Answered by James Cleverly - Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government
The UK is concerned by the demolition of Palestinian property by Israeli authorities. In all but the most exceptional of circumstances demolitions are contrary to International Humanitarian Law. We also remain concerned about Israeli confiscations of Palestinian homes and structures. These practices are harmful to the peace process. We continue to urge the Government of Israel to develop improved mechanisms for zoning, planning and permitting in Area C for the benefit of the Palestinian population, including by facilitating local Palestinian participation in such processes.