Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has received on whether ethnic cleansing is taking place against the Rohingya in Burma.

We are aware of allegations about the ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya in Burma. Though the lack of access makes facts hard to verify, we are deeply concerned by reports of human rights violations in Rakhine State. I have lobbied the Burmese Government for an investigation into allegations of human rights abuses, as has the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my noble Friend, the Rt Hon. Baroness Anelay of St Johns, when she visited from 9-12 November. The Government of Burma has committed to an independent investigation and we urge them to make rapid progress with this. We will continue to monitor the situation closely.