Asked by: Sarah Owen (Labour - Luton North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his international counterparts on protecting Hongkongers living in the UK from potential intimidation by the Chinese Government.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan
The UK engages with international partners on a range of issues in relation to Hong Kong.
We will not tolerate interference or intimidation in UK communities, including Hong Kong BN(O)s, from any foreign country.
This government is committed in its unwavering support for Hong Kongers that choose to settle in the UK.
Asked by: Sarah Owen (Labour - Luton North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much funding his Department plans to allocate to support the health needs of women in Pakistan in the next financial year.
Answered by Leo Docherty
UK aid in Pakistan is focused on the most vulnerable, including women and girls. Since 2012, UKAid has reached over 9.7 million family planning users and prevented 8,809 maternal deaths, over 8.08 million unwanted pregnancies, and 1.89 million unsafe abortions in Pakistan. Future Aid prioritisation decisions will be guided by the new UK International Development Strategy to ensure we continue to support women and girls, address increasing global challenges, deliver investment, get humanitarian assistance to those who need it most and continue our work on climate change, nature, and global health.
Asked by: Sarah Owen (Labour - Luton North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with her counterpart in India on the release of Jagtar Singh Johal.
Answered by Vicky Ford
The British Government has consistently raised its concerns about Mr Johal's case with the Government of India, including his allegations of torture and mistreatment and his right to a fair trial.
The Prime Minister raised the case with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi when they met in Delhi on 22 April 2022. The Foreign Secretary raised Mr Johal's detention with India's Minister of External Affairs, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, when they met in Delhi on 31 March 2022. The Foreign Secretary met Mr Johal's family and MP on 9 June 2022. Ministers and officials have raised Mr Johal's case on almost 100 occasions and will continue to do so.
Asked by: Sarah Owen (Labour - Luton North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment the Government has made on the current political unrest in Pakistan.
Answered by James Cleverly - Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government
The recent change in government is a domestic matter for Pakistan. We respect Pakistan's democratic system and do not interfere in its internal political affairs. We will continue to work with the Government of Pakistan to advance our shared priorities and interests, including the promotion of regional stability.
Asked by: Sarah Owen (Labour - Luton North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment the Government has made of the implications of the removal of Imran Khan as Prime Minister of Pakistan.
Answered by James Cleverly - Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government
The recent change in government is a domestic matter for Pakistan. We respect Pakistan's democratic system and do not interfere in its internal political affairs. We will continue to work with the Government of Pakistan to advance our shared priorities and interests, including the promotion of regional stability.
Asked by: Sarah Owen (Labour - Luton North)
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 the (a) arrest, (b) imprisonment and (c) sentencing of Yasin Malik under India's Public Safety Act.
Answered by Vicky Ford
We note that Yasin Malik was convicted and sentenced to two consecutive life sentences for a number of charges under Indian law. We expect all countries to respect and uphold their international obligations regarding the treatment of detainees and raise cases where necessary.
Asked by: Sarah Owen (Labour - Luton North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to ensure press freedoms are being upheld in the Middle East and across the world in the context of the recent killing of Al Jazeera journalist, Shireen Abu Akleh; and whether the Government plans to call for an independent inquiry into Shireen Abu Akleh's death.
Answered by Amanda Milling
On 11 May, I publicly expressed my sadness upon hearing news of the tragic death of veteran Palestinian Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Aqleh, and called for a thorough investigation. The Foreign Secretary also made this clear in a statement on 12 May. On 19 May, I also spoke to the Israeli Ambassador to the UK and reiterated the importance of a thorough, transparent and impartial investigation. The UK is committed to the protection of media freedom around the world. The safety of journalists across the globe is vital and they must be protected when carrying out their critical work. We continue to reiterate the importance of a free and open press, and freedom of expression to the Israeli Government and Palestinian Authority.