Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what diplomatic steps he is taking to protect women Rohingya refugees that are repatriated from gender-based violence; and if he will make a statement.

The UK is deeply concerned at Bangladesh and Burma's announcement that the repatriation of refugees will begin in mid-November. I have registered our concerns with ministers from both governments, and issued a statement expressing concerns on 14 November. The UK shares the UN High Commissioner for Refugees' assessment that the conditions for safe and dignified returns do not yet exist. The UK supports the UN High Commissioner's call for his agency to be given unfettered access to northern Rakhine, which would enable it to monitor the safety, including from gender-based violence, of any refugees that do return.