Oral Answers to Questions

Chris Williamson Excerpts

Wednesday 9th April 2014 Commons Chamber

[Justine Greening]

It is 20 years since the Rwandan genocide—my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary was in Rwanda over recent days to commemorate that terrible event—but since then, Rwanda has taken huge steps forward in development. It is one of the beacons showing how countries can develop rapidly when there are the resources and the political will. We will continue our work with Rwanda.

[Chris Williamson (Derby North) (Lab)]

T4. I have just returned from a fact-finding mission to Qatar with the construction workers union, the Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians, to look at the terrible plight of migrant workers in Qatar. I was reassured by some of the Secretary of State’s comments in reply to the question from my right hon. Friend the Member for East Renfrewshire (Mr Murphy). Will she, however, give the House an assurance that she will make representations to the Qatari authorities to end the kafala system, which is effectively bonded labour, and to stop the appalling circumstances of migrant workers living in abject squalor? Some 1,200 have been killed on construction sites already, and if some action is not taken, 4,000 will be dead before the World cup starts.

[Justine Greening]

The hon. Gentleman is right to raise those issues, and I assure him that we are raising them with the Qatari authorities. I will also do that.