Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of claims made by Human Rights Watch regarding the rape of women and girls in Darfur on 30 and 31 October 2014.

I refer the noble Baroness to the press statement I made on 13 February where I highlighted that “I am particularly concerned by the findings of the Human Rights Watch report published this week into accusations of mass rape by soldiers in Tabit, North Darfur between 30 October and 1 November 2014. These are extremely serious allegations. The report once again highlights the need for a full and open investigation into what happened and unhindered access for the African Union - United Nations Hybrid Mission in Darfur and humanitarian organisations. We continue to support the call for that investigation.”