Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the Overseas Security and Justice Assistance guidance in the prohibition of UK involvement in (a) torture and (b) the death penalty.

The Overseas Security and Justice Assistance (OSJA) assessment is an essential tool to ensure that the UK's overseas security and justice assistance meets our human rights and international humanitarian law (IHL) obligations, increases respect for the rule of law, and supports UK values.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is currently reviewing the Government's guidance for OSJA assessments so that it remains robust, effective and fit for purpose. As part of that review, we have engaged a range of stakeholders - including civil society organisations and Parliamentarians - through structured discussions. We are considering all the feedback received, including country examples that will help to inform the review process.

With countries whose practice raises questions about their compliance with international legal obligations, we ensure that our co-operation accords with our own international and domestic obligations; the UK unreservedly condemns the use of torture and is opposed to the death penalty in all circumstances as a matter of principle.