Asked by: Lord Ahmed (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the re-categorisation of Bangladesh by the Bertelsmann Stiftung Transformation Index as an autocracy rather than a democracy, what steps they will take to encourage neutral observers for the forthcoming general election in that country.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The British Government has been consistently clear that we wish to see a free, fair and pluralistic election in Bangladesh. The Minister for Asia and the Pacific, Mark Field, has repeatedly encouraged the Government of Bangladesh and opposition parties to engage in an effective dialogue to this end, and the power to deliver it lies with them. Through our High Commission in Dhaka we have been clear that the Election Commission should be allowed to continue its important work without interference. We have consistently made the case for international oversight of the election and the EU has agreed to send an Election Expert Mission. Through the Department for International Development funding, the UK will also support local observation of the general election. The Foreign Secretary raised his concerns regarding the next election in Bangladesh with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina when they met at the UN General Assembly in New York on 24 September. In a call on 1 November with State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Shahriar Alam, the Minister for Asia and the Pacific again made the case for a free, fair and participatory election. As did I when I spoke to him on 23 November.
Asked by: Lord Ahmed (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the British High Commission in Bangladesh will call for greater democracy in that country as the general election there approaches.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The British Government has been consistently clear that we wish to see a free, fair and pluralistic election in Bangladesh. The Minister for Asia and the Pacific, Mark Field, has repeatedly encouraged the Government of Bangladesh and opposition parties to engage in an effective dialogue to this end, and the power to deliver it lies with them. Through our High Commission in Dhaka we have been clear that the Election Commission should be allowed to continue its important work without interference. We have consistently made the case for international oversight of the election and the EU has agreed to send an Election Expert Mission. Through the Department for International Development funding, the UK will also support local observation of the general election. The Foreign Secretary raised his concerns regarding the next election in Bangladesh with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina when they met at the UN General Assembly in New York on 24 September. In a call on 1 November with State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Shahriar Alam, the Minister for Asia and the Pacific again made the case for a free, fair and participatory election. As did I when I spoke to him on 23 November.
Asked by: Lord Ahmed (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether the forthcoming general election in Bangladesh will be free and fair.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The British Government has been consistently clear that we wish to see a free, fair and pluralistic election in Bangladesh. The Minister for Asia and the Pacific, Mark Field, has repeatedly encouraged the Government of Bangladesh and opposition parties to engage in an effective dialogue to this end, and the power to deliver it lies with them. Through our High Commission in Dhaka we have been clear that the Election Commission should be allowed to continue its important work without interference. We have consistently made the case for international oversight of the election and the EU has agreed to send an Election Expert Mission. Through the Department for International Development funding, the UK will also support local observation of the general election. The Foreign Secretary raised his concerns regarding the next election in Bangladesh with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina when they met at the UN General Assembly in New York on 24 September. In a call on 1 November with State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Shahriar Alam, the Minister for Asia and the Pacific again made the case for a free, fair and participatory election. As did I when I spoke to him on 23 November.
Asked by: Lord Ahmed (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel regarding its access to, and development of, Gaza’s oil and gas reserves.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK strongly supports the development of the Gazan gas fields. Over recent years, we have had extensive discussions with the Palestinian authorities on the development of the gas fields for the benefit of the Palestinian economy. The UK is not backing Israeli control of the gas fields. We have, however, been in discussions with the Israeli authorities to encourage them to enable the exploitation of these fields.
Asked by: Lord Ahmed (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel regarding the safety of British humanitarian workers travelling to Gaza as part of the Freedom Flotilla; and what responses they have received to any such representations.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
On 30 July, officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv sought consular access from the Israeli authorities to a British national who was detained aboard the flotilla that was travelling to Gaza. This access was granted. Embassy officials also discussed the travelling flotilla with the Israeli authorities on 6 June. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office advises against all travel to Gaza (including the waters off Gaza).
Asked by: Lord Ahmed (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what support is available to any British citizen aboard the Freedom Flotilla.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office advises British nationals against all travel to Gaza and is unable to provide routine consular assistance. Any British nationals in Gaza who do require emergency assistance should contact the British Consulate General in Jerusalem.
Asked by: Lord Ahmed (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the concerns expressed by Archbishop of Delhi regarding minorities in India and the rise of extremist Hindutva supporters.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The British Government remains committed to promoting and defending freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for individuals of all faiths or beliefs, in India and elsewhere. We shall continue to engage with Indian contacts on a range of human rights issues, including minority representatives on religious freedoms.
The British High Commission in New Delhi and our network of Deputy High Commissions maintain an assessment of the human rights situation across India and run projects promoting minority rights, as well as working with Union and State Government to build capacity and share expertise.
Asked by: Lord Ahmed (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Denmark regarding integration minister Inger Stojberg's statement on Muslims fasting during the month of Ramadan.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The British Government is aware of these comments made by the Danish Minister for Immigration and Integration. The UK enjoys a close dialogue with the Danish government on Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB), most recently through the recent visit of Lord Ahmad to Denmark on 18 May. The protection of the right to FoRB is a priority of Her Majesty's Government's foreign policy and will continue to be so.
Asked by: Lord Ahmed (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of allegations of the brainwashing of Muslims in internment programmes in China.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are aware of reports of significant numbers of individuals being detained by the Chinese authorities in re-education camps in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. Our Embassy in Beijing has not been able to directly verify these reports: however my officials will continue to monitor the situation in Xinjiang closely.
We remain deeply concerned about restrictions on freedom of religion or belief in China, particularly in Xinjiang. We raised our concerns with the Chinese authorities at the last UK/China Human Rights Dialogue, which took place in Beijing in June 2017. We will seek to raise them again at the next UK/China Human Rights Dialogue, which is due to take place later this year.
Asked by: Lord Ahmed (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of human rights and religious rights in China.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We have concerns about restrictions on civil and political freedoms in China, particularly around ethnic minority rights; the death penalty; and freedom of expression, association and assembly. We also remain concerned about restrictions on freedom of religion or belief. We are aware of reports of the closure or demolition of places of worship, of the removal of religious symbols, and that individuals are being harassed or detained for their beliefs across China.
The Prime Minister raised human rights when she visited China in February 2018. We raise the full range of our human rights concerns in China at the UK/China human rights dialogue, which last took place in Beijing in June 2017.