Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the merits of (1) calling for stronger provisions on legal liability and clear redress for victims, and (2) ensuring references to the right to a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment, in a United Nations binding treaty on business and human rights.

The UK Government is committed to supporting the UN Guiding Principles on business and human rights and in response produced a National Action Plan. The UK attended the 9th Session of the Open-Ended Intergovernmental Working Group on Transnational Corporations, which discussed the merits of introducing a new instrument or framework that could elaborate on business human rights responsibilities. The UK statement, which is available on the Working Group website, outlined suggestions on provisions of the draft instrument text, including the definition of victims. We seek flexibility in the construction of the instrument and in the negotiations process and will continue to engage in future Working Group Sessions.