Asked by: Alistair Carmichael (Liberal Democrat - Orkney and Shetland)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, which bodies are represented on the Domestic Advisory Group under the EU–UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement.
Answered by Leo Docherty
The membership of the Domestic Advisory Group (DAG) consists of business organisations, trade unions, charities and voluntary organisations. The full list of Members is published on: UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement Domestic Advisory Group - Members
https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/uk-eu-trade-and-cooperation-agreement-domestic-advisory-group#current-dag-members-are
Asked by: Alistair Carmichael (Liberal Democrat - Orkney and Shetland)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs with reference to the joint-letter from 15 leading NGOs including Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy on imprisoned human rights activist and academic Dr Abduljalil AlSingace, if he will make it his policy to implement the actions in that letter.
Answered by Gillian Keegan
We continue to follow and discuss the case of Dr Abduljalil al-Singace, and others as necessary, with the Bahraini Government as well as with the independent oversight bodies. This was done most recently in September 2022. We welcome the clarification provided by the Bahrain Embassy in its release of 23 August, and its post on Twitter on 28 September.
Asked by: Alistair Carmichael (Liberal Democrat - Orkney and Shetland)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the report of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention to the fifty-first session of the Human Rights Council, published on 21 July 2022, whether he has made recent representations to his Bahraini counterpart on the release of Sayed Nizar Alwadaei.
Answered by Gillian Keegan
We have noted this report and continue to follow and discuss the cases of Abdulhadi Al Khawaja, Abduljali Al Singace and Hasan Mushaima, amongst others, with the Bahraini Government as well as with the independent human rights oversight bodies. We encourage those with concerns about their detention to raise them as necessary with the relevant oversight bodies.
Asked by: Alistair Carmichael (Liberal Democrat - Orkney and Shetland)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the report of the United Nations Secretary General, published on 14 September 2022, which names individuals Bahrain has subjected to reprisals, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of that reprisals' report; and what representations he plans to make to his counterparts in the government of Bahrain on (a) the individuals mentioned in that report to be provided with redress and (b) the immediate and unconditional release of (i) Abdulhadi AlKhawaja, (ii) Abduljali AlSingace and (iii) Hassan Mushaima and (c) restoration of citizenship to Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei and the release of his brother in law Sayed Nizar.
Answered by Gillian Keegan
We have noted this report and continue to follow and discuss the cases of Abdulhadi Al Khawaja, Abduljali Al Singace and Hasan Mushaima, amongst others, with the Bahraini Government as well as with the independent human rights oversight bodies. We encourage those with concerns about their detention to raise them as necessary with the relevant oversight bodies.
Asked by: Alistair Carmichael (Liberal Democrat - Orkney and Shetland)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if the British Ambassador will attend the trial on 3 April 2022 in Bahrain of Duaa Alwadaei, the British-Bahraini wife of human rights defender, Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei.
Answered by Amanda Milling
Our Embassy in Bahrain is aware of Mrs Alwadaei's case and is following the situation closely. We have given her family details of the consular assistance available.
Asked by: Alistair Carmichael (Liberal Democrat - Orkney and Shetland)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 3 March 2022 to Question 128203, on Uyghur Tribunal, whether the Government declined to provide evidence to the Uyghur Tribunal.
Answered by Amanda Milling
FCDO Ministers and officials engaged extensively with Sir Geoffrey Nice over the last year to discuss the panel's work. This included highlighting extensive relevant open source research on the situation in Xinjiang.
Asked by: Alistair Carmichael (Liberal Democrat - Orkney and Shetland)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the Government declined to provide evidence to the Uyghur Tribunal.
Answered by Amanda Milling
We welcome the contribution the panel chaired by Sir Geoffrey Nice has made to building international awareness and understanding of the human rights violations in Xinjiang. The findings add to our serious and well-known concerns about the severity of the human rights violations being perpetrated against Uyghur Muslims and other ethnic minorities in Xinjiang. FCDO Ministers and officials engaged extensively with Sir Geoffrey over the last year to discuss the panel's work. We also followed its work closely, and FCDO officials observed virtually the panel's hearings and concluding session.
Asked by: Alistair Carmichael (Liberal Democrat - Orkney and Shetland)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent representations officials in her Department have made to their Chinese counterparts on the (a) whereabouts and (b) health of professional tennis player Peng Shui.
Answered by Amanda Milling
The Government has called on the Chinese authorities to assure the safety of Peng Shuai and we continue to follow her case closely. We have also raised the issue with the Chinese Ambassador in London, and the authorities in Beijing.
Everyone should be allowed to speak out without fear of repercussions. All reports of sexual assault, anywhere in the world, should be investigated.
Asked by: Alistair Carmichael (Liberal Democrat - Orkney and Shetland)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many investigations have been opened by Israeli authorities into potential serious violations of international law by its forces during its May 2021 offensive on Gaza.
Answered by James Cleverly - Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government
The UK welcomed the announcement of a ceasefire in Israel and Gaza on 20 May. Following the ceasefire announcement, the former Foreign Secretary visited Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and made clear that the UK would continue to work with the parties, and other actors, to encourage a durable ceasefire and to urge them to address the drivers of conflict. Israel has a legitimate right to self-defence. In exercising this right, it is vital that all actions are proportionate and in line with International Humanitarian Law.
Asked by: Alistair Carmichael (Liberal Democrat - Orkney and Shetland)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the accuracy of reports that subsidiaries of BGI Group companies conducted genetic analyses of China’s minority Uighurs; and if she will take steps to backlist those companies.
Answered by Amanda Milling
We are aware of reports that subsidiaries of Chinese headquartered genome sequencing company BGI Group cooperated with the Chinese government on the collection of genetic information in Xinjiang.
On 12 January 2021, the UK Government announced a series of robust measures in respect of UK supply chains to help ensure that no British organisations - government or private sector, deliberately or inadvertently - are profiting from or contributing to human rights violations against the Uyghurs or other minorities in Xinjiang. These measures include a review of export controls as they apply to Xinjiang, the introduction of financial penalties for organisations that fail to comply with their obligations under the Modern Slavery Act, and new, robust guidance to UK businesses on the specific risks faced by companies with links to the region.