Asked by: Fiona Mactaggart (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has held with his counterparts in China on that country's organ transplant programme; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Lord Sharma - COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
We continue to engage the Chinese authorities on our concerns surrounding their organ transplant programme. I opened the UK-China Human Rights Dialogue on 27 October, where my officials raised these concerns, and also allegations of forced organ removals, with the Chinese delegation. My officials have raised the issue separately with the Chinese Embassy and our Embassy in Beijing has received information from the National Health and Family Planning Commission in China about their handling of organ transplants.
As my Rt Hon Friend the Member for Rutland and Melton (Sir Alan Duncan MP), the Minister for Europe and the Americas, stated in a Westminster Hall debate on 11 October 2016: "Although I do not doubt the need to maintain close scrutiny of organ transplant practices in China, we believe that the evidence base is not sufficiently strong to substantiate claims about the systematic harvesting of organs from minority groups. Indeed, based on all the evidence available to us, we cannot conclude that this practice of "organ harvesting" is definitely happening in China."
Asked by: Fiona Mactaggart (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he plans to raise the human rights of ethnic and religious minorities in India during the visit of Prime Minister Modi to the UK in November 2015; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Lord Swire
India and the UK have a rich, wide-ranging and mature bilateral relationship. We will discuss a broad spectrum of issues during Prime Minister Modi's visit.
The UK raises a range of human rights matters with India, including religious freedom and the treatment of ethnic minorities, both bilaterally and through the EU. This includes meeting Union and State level government institutions, such as the Indian National Commission for Minorities, which the British High Commission in New Delhi met earlier this month. The High Commission also stays in regular contact with civil society organisations and senior faith leaders working on religious freedom across India.
Asked by: Fiona Mactaggart (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many women have been repatriated after seeking help from the risk of forced marriage from the Forced Marriage Unit or a British Post overseas in the last 12 months for which figures are available.
Answered by Grant Shapps
The Forced Marriage Unit provides a range of support and assistance to both women and men who are at risk of forced marriage. In 2014 the Forced Marriage Unit gave advice or support, related to a possible forced marriage, in 1267 cases. To provide more information on the nature of the assistance provided, including repatriation, would involve a disproportionate cost.Asked by: Fiona Mactaggart (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the Indian government on the use of torture on terror suspects; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Lord Swire
The Government stands firmly against torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. We recommended that the Indian government expedite ratification of the UN Convention Against Torture (UNCAT) during India’s Universal Periodic Review in May 2012. The issue was also raised at the EU-Indian Human Rights Dialogue in December 2013. We will continue to encourage India and all countries to sign and ratify UNCAT and its Optional Protocol.
Asked by: Fiona Mactaggart (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions Ministers and officials of his Department have had with their Belgian counterparts on developing a common European response to Israeli demolition of EU-funded development projects in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
We have serious concerns about demolitions of Palestinian property by the Israeli authorities. We are currently engaged in discussions with EU partners, including Belgium, on what the EU response should be if EU-funded structures in the Occupied Palestinian Territories are demolished.
Asked by: Fiona Mactaggart (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 17 October 2014 to Question 209872, and with reference to the Israeli government's recent announcement of an extra 1,060 settlement units in East Jerusalem, if he will accelerate the timetable of his discussion with EU partners on what further steps can be taken to discourage Israeli settlement activity.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
Discussions are already underway in Brussels on what further measures the EU could take to discourage further settlement expansion. As the FAC conclusions of 17 November made clear, the UK and other Member States are deeply concerned by recent developments, are closely monitoring the situation and its broader implications, and remain ready to take further action in order to protect the viability of the two state solution.
Asked by: Fiona Mactaggart (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what response the Israeli government has made to (a) him and (b) his EU counterparts to their condemnations of the recent expropriation of land near Etzion and Bethlehem in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
During my visit to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories between 5-8 October, on 6 October I discussed with the Israeli Justice Minister my strong concerns about the recent land expopriation, she noted my concerns.
Asked by: Fiona Mactaggart (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what progress has been made to date on lifting the blockade of Gaza.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
During my visit to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories between 5-8 October, I was informed by the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs that Israel is letting around 400 trucks of humanitarian aid from Israel into Gaza every day. The number of businessmen being allowed from Gaza to the West Bank is up to 200 per day. 1,500 Gazans had travelled to the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Israel for Eid this week. Fishing goods and agricultural goods were now being transferred for sale in the West Bank. While this is a start to the progress of lifting the restrictions, the current ceasefire provides a critical window of opportunity for reaching a comprehensive agreement that tackles the underlying causes of the conflict, which should ensure that Israel lifts its restrictions fully as we have been calling Israel to do.
Asked by: Fiona Mactaggart (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Israeli authorities on plans to transfer 12,500 Jahalin, Kaabneh and Rashaida Palestinian Bedouin from Area C East of Jerusalem to a new urban extension of Jericho.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
I raised strong concerns over the plans to move the Bedouin population from Area C with the Israeli Justice Minister on 6 October during my visit to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories between 5-8 October.
Asked by: Fiona Mactaggart (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he plans to take either unilaterally or with other EU states in response to the refusal of the Israeli government to reverse its most recent expropriation of land near Etzion and Bethlehem.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
The UK deplores Israel’s decision to expropriate 988 acres of land near Etzion and Bethlehem. The UK, along with a number of EU counterparts, and the European External Action Service, continues to urge the Israeli authorities to reverse this decision. Discussions are continuing with EU partners about what more can be done to discourage Israeli settlement activity.