Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many meetings (a) he, (b) Ministers in his Department and (c) officials in his Department have had with officials of EU Commission officials on implementation of the Windsor Framework since it was announced.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
Following the announcement of the Windsor Framework in February, the Foreign Secretary and European Commission Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič convened a formal meeting of the UK-EU Joint Committee on 24 March to formally adopt the new arrangements set out in the Framework. Officials remain in ongoing contact with the Commission to discuss the implementation of the Framework, and will continue to make use of the formal meeting structures under the Framework (including the Specialised Committee and the Joint Consultative Working Group) to advance this work.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the budget is for the visit of the US President to Northern Ireland.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
We do not yet have the costs borne by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office for the 2023 Guest of Government Visit by the President of the United States to Northern Ireland. These will be published on the gov.uk website once available.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support Christians in Laos.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is committed to promoting and defending Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB), as demonstrated by our hosting the 'International Ministerial Conference on Freedom of Religion or Belief' in July 2022. The biennial UK-Laos Political Dialogue includes protection of human rights, which were raised by the former Minister for Asia Pacific (Minister Milling MP) during the Dialogue held in April 2022. We also work through the UN to promote and protect these rights. Our Ambassador regularly calls on the Laos authorities to uphold rights and also promotes human rights, including religious freedom, in public fora.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent steps his Department has taken to (a) support persecuted Christians in Iran, and (b) combat gender specific persecution of women in that country.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK supports the fundamental rights of women, and religious minority groups, including Christians, in Iran by ensuring the Iranian regime is held to account. We do this in part through our sanctions designations: HMG has announced seven rounds of Iran human rights sanctions since October 2022. We also work with our international partners in multilateral fora, for example by removing Iran from the UN Commission on the Status of Women. We also raise human rights directly with the Iranian authorities at all appropriate opportunities, including through our Ambassador in Tehran, to ensure the regime is in no doubt about the political price it is paying for its actions.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to help tackle persecution of Christians in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The UK is committed to supporting Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB), tackling persecution and promoting respect between different religious and non-religious groups in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Promoting human rights in the DRC is a priority for the UK. We demonstrated the depth of our commitment to promote FoRB globally by hosting an 'International Ministerial Conference on Freedom of Religion or Belief' in July 2022. We continue to work through the UN General Assembly Third Committee, UN Security Council and UN Human Rights Council to promote and protect these rights in the DRC.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of to Question 141646, how many visits to the UK have been recorded by a (a) Head of State (b) Head of Government and (c) Foreign Minister of the Irish Republic in each of the last three years.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
We do not keep a record of all visits to the UK by representatives of other Governments. However, the FCDO maintains records of State and Guest of Government visits by a Head of State, Head of Government or Foreign Minister travelling to the UK at our invitation. Details of these visits, up to and including October 2022, can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/costs-relating-to-state-and-guest-of-government-visits.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether Ministers of foreign governments notify the Government of their intention to visit the UK, and whether records are kept of such visits.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The FCDO maintains records of State and Guest of Government visits by a Head of State, Head of Government or Foreign Minister travelling to the UK at our invitation.
The FCDO is also notified of official, working and on occasion private visits of Ministers of foreign governments although this is not a requirement. We engage with Missions on these visits to offer guidance and to gather information for immigration purposes for UK Border Force.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with the Government of India on (a) attacks against Christians in Chhattisgarh and (b) promoting freedom of religious belief in that country.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is committed to defending freedom of religion or belief for all, and to the promotion of respect and tolerance between communities. We condemn any instances of discrimination, regardless of the country or faith involved. We continue to monitor reports of violence against religious minorities in India, including Christians in Chattisgarh, raising concerns directly with the Government of India when we have them. Our High Commissioner regularly meets religious representatives, including Christian communities. Lord (Tariq) Ahmad, Minister for South Asia, regularly speaks to the High Commissioner of India and freedom of religion or belief forms part of that dialogue.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made representations to the Government in India on (a) promotion freedom of religious belief and (b) anti-conversion laws.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The UK is committed to defending freedom of religion or belief for all and promoting respect and tolerance between communities. We condemn any instances of discrimination because of religion or belief, regardless of the country or faith involved. Reports of violence against religious minorities are a matter for the Indian police and legal system. The British High Commission in New Delhi and our Deputy High Commissions across India regularly meet with religious representatives and official figures. Lord (Tariq) Ahmad, Minister for South Asia, also regularly speaks with the High Commissioner of India, and freedom of religion or belief forms part of that dialogue.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he is taking steps to help protect and promote freedom of religion in Vietnam.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Promoting the right to freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all is one of the UK's longstanding human rights priorities. On 22 August the UK joined six other diplomatic missions in Vietnam in a statement marking the International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief. The UK-Vietnam Strategic Partnership Agreement commits to cooperation on human rights, and at the annual Ministerial Strategic Dialogue we discuss concerns related to FoRB. We look forward to working together with Vietnam to promote human rights around the world as they join the Human Rights Council in 2023.