Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Saudi Arabia concerning the judicial treatment of Salma al Shehab and Noura al Qahtani; and concerning their treatment, and the treatment of other women, in Saudi prisons.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We have raised the continued detention of individuals for expressing their political views, including women and women's rights defenders, with the Saudi government. The FCDO is monitoring the cases of Salma al-Shehab and Noura al-Qahtani. I [Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon] most recently raised their cases with the President of the Saudi Human Rights Commission on 11 April. We will continue to raise human rights issues, including individual cases, with the Saudi authorities.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to encourage a dialogue between China and India on reducing the pollution of waterways by industrial antibiotic residues.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK engages with both China and India bilaterally together on global issues such as health and climate. For example, 'Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) has supported five projects directly relevant to anti-microbial resistance through the 'India-UK: Tackling antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the environment from antimicrobial manufacturing waste' call. Recognising that these are transnational issues, the UK continues to emphasise the need for countries to work together to find solutions.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, given their policy of not using UK export credits to fund fossil fuel projects, what (1) diplomatic, or (2) other activities, they are planning to ensure other countries do not offer this type of funding for the Falkland Islands.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
As the Falkland Islands Government is a self-governing Overseas Territory, hydrocarbons development in the Falkland Islands is a matter for the Falkland Islands Government, in accordance with all relevant laws. There is no change to His Majesty's Government's policy of not using UK export credits to fund fossil fuel projects and the financing of a future production phase is a commercial decision for the Falkland Islands Government and the companies involved. We continue to engage internationally in pursuit of global environmental targets.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to work with the government of the Falkland Islands to assess (1) the biodiversity, and (2) other environmental, risks of any fossil fuel development there.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
The UK Government regularly discusses development of a Falkland Islands hydrocarbons industry with the Falkland Islands Government and is working with the Falkland Islanders to ensure they can access UK expertise. Policy on hydrocarbons development in the Falkland Islands is a matter for the Falkland Islands Government. With UK Government support, the Falkland Islands Government is ensuring they are able to identify, assess and manage risks, including environmental risks.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to work with the government of the Falkland Islands to complete an emissions inventory for any potential future fossil fuel development there.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
As a self-governing Overseas Territory, economic development, including the development and exploitation of hydrocarbons, is a matter for the Falkland Islands Government, in accordance with all relevant laws. The UK Government supports the right of the Falkland Islanders to develop their natural resources for their own economic benefit. This is an integral part of their right of self-determination. The UK Government is working closely with the Falkland Islands Government to support their right to develop its hydrocarbons resources and we are ready to offer UK expertise on how to mitigate environmental impacts, including emissions.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they will make to the government of Saudi Arabia regarding the increased use of the death penalty in that country, particularly for non-lethal and political acts; and what plans they have, if any, to restrict the sale of arms and military technology in response.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Saudi Arabia remains a Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office human rights priority country, in part because of the increased use of the death penalty. I [Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon] regularly raise the death penalty with the Saudi authorities, most recently on 11 March and during my visit to Saudi Arabia in February.
The UK Government takes its strategic export control responsibilities very seriously. We will not grant export licences if to do so would be inconsistent with the Strategic Export Licensing Criteria, including respect for human rights and international humanitarian law. All licences are kept under careful and continual review as standard.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to their reduction in UK Overseas Development Assistance to 0.5 per cent of gross national income, how they intend to achieve their target of having 40 million girls in primary and secondary school in low and middle income countries by 2026.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
The FCDO is committed to ensuring 40 million more girls are in school and learning by 2026. Currently there is a global education crisis with 244 million children out of school. We therefore make significant investments through global funds to support delivery at scale to reach the 40 million target. We pledged £430 million to the Global Partnership for Education in 2021, and £80 million to Education Cannot Wait in February 2023. We run bilateral education programmes in 19 countries and our Girls' Education Challenge programme has given 1.6 million marginalised girls access to quality education.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of journalists and human rights workers refused entry to Rwanda in the past three years; and what representations they have made to the government of that country to secure access to the country for such individuals.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
We regularly discuss a range of issues with the Government of Rwanda through our High Commission in Kigali and at Ministerial level. The UK Government recognises the progress still to be made on human rights in Rwanda and continues both to help the country build a more open political space and to support longer-term stability.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to encourage a free, fair, and democratic general election in Thailand in May 2023.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government will monitor the lead up to the general election in Thailand in May. We are observing with interest the political campaign environment and engaging with the Election Commission of Thailand and across political parties contesting the election. The UK Government is funding election-monitoring organisations to provide training of election observers across Thailand and conducting a pre-election assessment of the current state of election management bodies and other actors.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Thailand regarding the treatment of child defendants, particularly with respect to trials under Section 112 of the Thai Criminal Code.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government continues to monitor use of lèse-majesté and other defamation-related laws in Thailand. We have raised issues about recent charges brought against protesters and critical voices, and the use of pre-trial detention, with the Thai authorities. We also regularly observe public court hearings involving those prosecuted for their political participation and expression to reinforce the importance of due process, and visibly supporting and promoting the work of local human rights defenders.