Oral Answers to Questions

Emma Lewell-Buck Excerpts

Tuesday 2nd April 2019 Commons Chamber

[Sir Alan Duncan]

Yes, I certainly will, because preventing sexual violence against women is one of the UK’s human rights priorities in Colombia. Indeed, Foreign Office officials recently met the hon. Member for Bishop Auckland (Helen Goodman) to discuss that. I hope that illustrates once again the extent to which we are really working together across the House to tackle these vexed problems at all levels, in every way we can.

[Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck (South Shields) (Lab)]

7. What recent assessment he has made of the strength of the UK’s diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia.

[The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr Jeremy Hunt)]

I visited Saudi Arabia most recently on 2 March. We have a long history of close co-operation in support of regional stability, alongside frank conversations on areas of concern, including human rights.

[Mrs Lewell-Buck]

I thank the Foreign Secretary for that answer. A UN human rights expert has said that the court proceedings relating to the murder of Jamal Khashoggi have been secret and fall short of international standards, and it was reported only today that Saudi Arabia is paying his family so that they continue to show restraint in their public statements. Can the Foreign Secretary update us on any conclusions that he has reached from the promised credible investigation into the murder?

[Mr Hunt]

I can assure the hon. Lady that we have been clear from the outset that what happened to Khashoggi was fundamentally against our values, and that there has to be full accountability and a transparent judicial process that meets international standards. That process has started and we continue to monitor it; we are sending observers to see what happens in the trial process. We continue to exercise our strong views on the issue, in private and in public.