Asked by: Baroness Deech (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask His Majesty's Government why the National Muslim War Memorial will not be situated in Westminster.
Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
On 6 March the Chancellor announced funding of up to £1million for a new war memorial to recognise the sacrifice and duty of Muslim soldiers who fought and died for this country in both world wars.
It will be a visible reminder of the important contributions of Muslims to British history, and will promote shared values amongst people of all backgrounds through building a better understanding of faith groups’ contribution to wider society. Further information will be provided in due course.
Asked by: Anneliese Dodds (Labour (Co-op) - Oxford East)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of adopting the APPG on British Muslims’ definition of Islamophobia.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
I refer the Hon Member to my answer to Questions UIN 10238 on 23 January 2024.
Asked by: Baroness Cox (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of India to cease the demolition of properties owned by Muslims suspected of involvement in communal violence in that country.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Any reports of discrimination against religious minorities are a matter for the Indian police and legal system. The British High Commission in New Delhi continues to monitor the situation in India.
We engage India on a range of human rights matters, working with Union and State Governments, and with civil society, to build capacity and share expertise to promote human rights for all. Where we have any issues, we raise them directly with the Government of India, including at Ministerial level.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether he has had recent discussions with his counterparts in EU member states on the potential impact of the Court of Justice of the European Union's ruling on religious symbols on (a) Sikhs, (b) Muslims, (c) Jews and (d) Christians.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
We note the recent Court of Justice of the European Union (EU) ruling on the prohibition of visible religious symbols in government offices.
This case is a matter for the EU and its Member States. We will continue, as part of our wider work on freedom of religion or belief, to monitor the situation of religious or belief communities, including where applicable, as this relates to British citizens working in the EU.
The UK Government is committed to defending freedom of religion or belief for all, and promoting mutual respect, here in the UK and internationally. Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) is a longstanding human rights priority for the UK.
Asked by: Stephen Timms (Labour - East Ham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he has made to the Government of India about recent attacks on (a) Christians in Manipur and (b) Muslims and Dalits elsewhere in India.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The British High Commission in New Delhi consistently monitors human rights across India including attacks on religious minorities and others. The UK Government has a broad and deep partnership with the Government of India, and we discuss all elements of our relationship, including human rights and Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB), and raise issues where we have them. Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister for South Asia, raised human rights and the situation in Manipur, with the Indian Government during his visit to India in May. He also met representatives of diverse faith groups.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to discuss (1) reports that Uyghur Muslims were banned from offering Eid prayers at mosques or in their homes during Eid al-Fitr, and (2) the reported persecution of people with religious beliefs, including Falun Gong, Buddhists and Christians in China, with the Vice-President of China, Han Zheng, during his visit to London for the Coronation.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign Secretary met Chinese Vice President Han Zheng on 5 May and set out the UK's views on Xinjiang, Hong Kong and Taiwan. The Government's approach is to engage constructively with China while steadfastly defending our national security and our values. We will continue to raise human rights issues directly with China. Similarly, we will continue to use our channels with the Chinese and Hong Kong authorities to make clear our strong opposition to the erosion of rights and freedoms in Hong Kong, the deliberate targeting of opposition voices and China's ongoing non-compliance with the Sino-British Joint Declaration. The UK's longstanding position on Taiwan has not changed. We consider the Taiwan issue one to be settled peacefully by the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait through constructive dialogue, without the threat or use of force or coercion.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to discuss the motion passed in the House of Commons on 22 April that declared events in Xinjiang against Uyghur Muslims to be a genocide with the Vice-President of China, Han Zheng, during his visit to London for the Coronation.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign Secretary met Chinese Vice President Han Zheng on 5 May and set out the UK's views on Xinjiang, Hong Kong and Taiwan. The Government's approach is to engage constructively with China while steadfastly defending our national security and our values. We will continue to raise human rights issues directly with China. Similarly, we will continue to use our channels with the Chinese and Hong Kong authorities to make clear our strong opposition to the erosion of rights and freedoms in Hong Kong, the deliberate targeting of opposition voices and China's ongoing non-compliance with the Sino-British Joint Declaration. The UK's longstanding position on Taiwan has not changed. We consider the Taiwan issue one to be settled peacefully by the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait through constructive dialogue, without the threat or use of force or coercion.
Asked by: Elliot Colburn (Conservative - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to monitor anti-Ahmadi rhetoric in (a) Punjab province and (b) Pakistan.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
Protecting and promoting Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) remains central to the UK Government's human rights engagement in Pakistan. Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister of State for South Asia and Minister responsible for Human Rights, raised the treatment of Ahmadi Muslims with Pakistan's Minister for Human Rights, Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada on 30 January. On 9 January, Minister of State for Development Andrew Mitchell raised the issue with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The British High Commission in Islamabad continues to engage at a senior level with government representatives and civil society, including on recent attacks on Ahmadi mosques.
Asked by: Elliot Colburn (Conservative - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with the Pakistani Government following a recent spate of violence against the Ahmadi community including the desecration of mosques.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
Protecting and promoting Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) remains central to the UK Government's human rights engagement in Pakistan. Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister of State for South Asia and Minister responsible for Human Rights, raised the treatment of Ahmadi Muslims with Pakistan's Minister for Human Rights, Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada on 30 January. On 9 January, Minister of State for Development Andrew Mitchell raised the issue with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The British High Commission in Islamabad continues to engage at a senior level with government representatives and civil society, including on recent attacks on Ahmadi mosques.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the implications of the destruction of an Ahmadi Mosque in Gujranwala in Pakistan on 8 December 2022.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
Protecting and promoting freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) remains central to the UK Government's human rights engagement in Pakistan. Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister of State for South Asia and Minister responsible for Human Rights, raised the treatment of Ahmadi Muslims with Pakistan's Minister for Human Rights, Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada on 30 January. On 9 January, Minister of State for Development Andrew Mitchell raised the issue with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The British High Commission in Islamabad continues to engage at a senior level with government representatives and civil society, including on recent attacks on Ahmadi mosques.