Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports of the widespread use of detention centres in Xinjiang, China; and whether they will make representations to the government of China to allow access to such centres by UN rapporteurs and the International Committee of the Red Cross.

We have serious concerns about the human rights situation in Xinjiang and reports of the Chinese Government’s deepening crackdown; including credible reports of re-education camps and widespread surveillance and restrictions targeted at ethnic minorities. The Minister of State for Asia and the Pacific, Mark Field, raised our concerns about Xinjiang with Vice Minister Guo Yezhou during his visit to China on 22 July 2018. The Foreign Secretary also raised our concerns about the region with Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his visit to China on 30 July 2018. The UK raised our concerns about Xinjiang in our Item 4 statement at the September UN Human Rights Council.