Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department made an assessment of the human rights situation in Jammu and Kashmir before agreeing to attend the G20 Tourism Working Group meeting in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir.

The G20 Third Tourism Working Group Meeting in Srinagar was attended by a delegation of UK officials based in India. This decision was in line with the high priority the UK places on the G20 as a forum to address pressing global challenges. Prior to attending, all relevant factors were taken into account.

The UK Government's position is clear that any allegation of human rights abuses should be investigated thoroughly, promptly, and transparently. The UK's participation in this meeting does not change our longstanding position, which is that it is for India and Pakistan to find a lasting political resolution to the situation in Kashmir, considering the wishes of the Kashmiri people.