Qatar: Migrant Workers

Lord Bach Excerpts

Thursday 24th July 2014 Lords Chamber

[Lord Wallace of Saltaire]

My Lords, the noble Baroness makes a very fair point.

[Lord Bach (Lab)]

My Lords, what discussions have the Government had—and this follows on from what the Minister said to my noble friend Lord Monks—with FIFA and with the British Football Association regarding migrant workers in Qatar and the 2022 World Cup?

[Lord Wallace of Saltaire]

My Lords, I am looking round to see whether the noble Lord, Lord Triesman, whose subject this is, is here. FIFA has had a great deal of conversations with the Government of Qatar and others. I have before me a workers charter agreed by FIFA and Qatar—

[Lord Bach]

I am sorry to interrupt the Minister. What discussions have the British Government had?

[Lord Wallace of Saltaire]

The British Government of course have discussions with FIFA, but, like the International Olympic Committee, this is an autonomous body with which we have a dialogue, but we are unable to give instructions. We support everything that FIFA is doing to try to improve construction issues in relation to the World Cup 2022 and of course we have many other issues relating to the necessary reform of FIFA.