Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 23 November 2017 to Question 115311, whether the UK Government has policies and procedures in place to ensure that UK aid is not spent on projects aimed at encouraging refugee returns to Myanmar that would breach the principle of non-refoulement in international refugee law.

The Burmese and Bangladeshi authorities are discussing a refugee return process. During the Secretary of State for International Development’s visit to Bangladesh 25-26 November 2017, she underlined to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina that any future returns from Bangladesh must be safe, voluntary, dignified and consistent with international standards. UNHCR has stated that these conditions are not yet being met in northern Rakhine State. We will continue to press the Governments of Bangladesh and Burma to work with the international community to identify acceptable solutions that protect and respect the rights and freedoms of refugees, and that include international monitoring.

Since August 2017, the UK has announced £59 million to support implementation of the international Humanitarian Response Plan to meet the needs of refugees in Bangladesh. The UK has provided £1 million to the Burma Red Cross and £2 million to the World Food Programme to meet humanitarian needs in northern Rakhine State, Burma. No UK funding will be made available to support a returns process that does not meet international standards.