Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions her Department's (a) Ministers and (b) officials based overseas have had with the Government of Indonesia on the clearance of indigenous peoples’ rainforests for large-scale food estates in Merauke District in Indonesian New Guinea.

We are aware of the ongoing issues around the implementation of food estates in Papua, including in Merauke District.

The UK's Human Rights Ambassador, Eleanor Sanders, raised the importance of free, prior and informed consent for indigenous people and local communities with senior parliamentarians and government officials during her visit to Indonesia last August. I also visited Indonesia in February and raised the importance the UK attaches to human rights and raised Papua directly with Vice Foreign Minister Arif Havas Oegroseno.

The UK will continue to engage with Indonesia at senior levels on these important matters and encourage approaches that are consistent with international standards, long-term environmental protection, and the safeguarding of human rights.