Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, in the context of the ongoing free trade agreement negotiations between the UK and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations and with reference to meetings between the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs and high-level representatives of the GCC on 20 December 2021, whether human rights were discussed during that meeting.

We never pursue trade to the exclusion of human rights. The UK has a strong history of protecting human rights and promoting our values globally and we continue to encourage all states, including our friends in the Gulf, to uphold international human rights obligations. A wide range of issues were discussed during the meetings with GCC representatives at Chevening House on 20 December 2021, including human rights.