Asked by: Brendan O'Hara (Scottish National Party - Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with her international counterparts on the reported attacks by the Armenian government against the Armenian Apostolic Church; and what diplomatic steps she is taking to ensure its protection.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is monitoring the situation between the Armenian Government and the Armenian Apostolic Church. We expect all actions to comply with Armenia's constitutional and legal framework, allowing due process to take its course and ensuring that all individuals are treated fairly under the law, with judicial proceedings remaining transparent and impartial. The UK Government remains firmly committed to promoting and protecting the right to freedom of religion or belief worldwide.
Asked by: Brendan O'Hara (Scottish National Party - Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many meetings the UK has participated in under the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons framework on lethal autonomous weapons systems; what the financial cost of that participation has been; and what progress has been made towards delivering her Department's objectives in those discussions.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) and its Group of Government Experts (GGE) is the appropriate forum to consider the issue of emerging technologies in the area of Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems (LAWS). It is inclusive, expert and consensus based which means that as a forum its conclusions will have the most meaningful impact. The UK is an authoritative voice in the GGE, aiming to increase understanding of the related issues and encourage agreement on appropriate norms and standards. We continue to support the fulfilment of the 2023 consensus mandate of the GGE to 'formulate, by consensus, a set of elements of an instrument, without prejudging its nature, and other possible measures to address emerging technologies in the area of LAWS'. The LAWS GGE has made progress in articulating the key aspects of the issue and its current mandate provides a positive basis for progress.
Asked by: Brendan O'Hara (Scottish National Party - Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the her Department's objectives are in its engagement with the UN Group of Governmental Experts on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) and its Group of Government Experts (GGE) is the appropriate forum to consider the issue of emerging technologies in the area of Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems (LAWS). It is inclusive, expert and consensus based which means that as a forum its conclusions will have the most meaningful impact. The UK is an authoritative voice in the GGE, aiming to increase understanding of the related issues and encourage agreement on appropriate norms and standards. We continue to support the fulfilment of the 2023 consensus mandate of the GGE to 'formulate, by consensus, a set of elements of an instrument, without prejudging its nature, and other possible measures to address emerging technologies in the area of LAWS'. The LAWS GGE has made progress in articulating the key aspects of the issue and its current mandate provides a positive basis for progress.
Asked by: Brendan O'Hara (Scottish National Party - Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department supports negotiations for a treaty on lethal autonomous weapons systems in 2027.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) and its Group of Government Experts (GGE) is the appropriate forum to consider the issue of emerging technologies in the area of Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems (LAWS). It is inclusive, expert and consensus based which means that as a forum its conclusions will have the most meaningful impact. The UK is an authoritative voice in the GGE, aiming to increase understanding of the related issues and encourage agreement on appropriate norms and standards. We continue to support the fulfilment of the 2023 consensus mandate of the GGE to 'formulate, by consensus, a set of elements of an instrument, without prejudging its nature, and other possible measures to address emerging technologies in the area of LAWS'. The LAWS GGE has made progress in articulating the key aspects of the issue and its current mandate provides a positive basis for progress.
Asked by: Brendan O'Hara (Scottish National Party - Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of reports of (a) torture and (b) other human rights violations by Tô Lâm .
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government continues to monitor reports of human rights concerns in Vietnam. We regularly raise these issues with the Vietnamese authorities - including at the highest levels - through bilateral engagement and in multilateral forums such as the UN Human Rights Council. Our Embassy in Bangkok is following the arrests of Montagnard Protestants in Thailand. This includes liaising with the relevant authorities to understand potential next steps. We continue to urge all governments to uphold their international human rights obligations, including the non-refoulement principle.
Asked by: Brendan O'Hara (Scottish National Party - Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications of her policies of the recent detention of 70 Vietnamese refugees in Thailand.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government continues to monitor reports of human rights concerns in Vietnam. We regularly raise these issues with the Vietnamese authorities - including at the highest levels - through bilateral engagement and in multilateral forums such as the UN Human Rights Council. Our Embassy in Bangkok is following the arrests of Montagnard Protestants in Thailand. This includes liaising with the relevant authorities to understand potential next steps. We continue to urge all governments to uphold their international human rights obligations, including the non-refoulement principle.
Asked by: Brendan O'Hara (Scottish National Party - Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department gave Special Mission Immunity to Mr Tô Lâm to allow him to travel to the UK in October 2025.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
No special immunity was given in this case.
Asked by: Brendan O'Hara (Scottish National Party - Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with her Iranian counterpart on the arrest of (a) Negar Misaghian and (b) Shakib Farzan; and what diplomatic steps she is taking to help ensure their release.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 18 September to question 74935.
Asked by: Brendan O'Hara (Scottish National Party - Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with her counterpart in China on the recent detention of members of Zion Church; and what diplomatic steps she is taking to help ensure their release.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government is aware of reports concerning the detention of Zion Church members in China. We continue to follow developments closely and regularly raise human rights concerns with the Chinese authorities. The UK remains committed to promoting human rights and the rule of law globally.
Asked by: Brendan O'Hara (Scottish National Party - Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with her Chinese counterpart on the re-sentencing of Zhang Zhan; and what diplomatic steps she is taking to help ensure her release.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government regularly raises its concerns about media freedom with the Chinese authorities, including the case of Zhang Zhan, and the Prime Minister and Cabinet colleagues have all raised human rights with their Chinese counterparts.
British diplomats attempted to attend Zhang Zhan's trial on 19 September but were declined entry to court. On 13 October, the Media Freedom Coalition issued a joint statement expressing our strong concern about the detention of Zhang Zhan and calling for her release.