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Written Question
Pakistan: Human Rights and Security
Wednesday 6th September 2023

Asked by: Jessica Morden (Labour - Newport East)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Pakistani counterpart regarding (a) security and (b) human rights in Pakistan.

Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

We continue to monitor the human rights situation in Pakistan closely and regularly raise the issue at a senior level with the Government of Pakistan. Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister for South Asia, spoke with the Minister for Human Rights, Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada on 27 June to emphasise the importance of peaceful democratic processes, human rights and adherence to the rule of law. He spoke with the APPG (All Party Parliamentary Group) for Pakistani minorities on 5 September. In a letter to caretaker Foreign Minister Jilani on 21 August, Lord Ahmad emphasised the need for Pakistan's citizens to be able to exercise their democratic rights and participate in peaceful, inclusive, credible elections.


Written Question
Afghanistan: Refugees
Thursday 13th July 2023

Asked by: Jessica Morden (Labour - Newport East)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many Afghan nationals have been relocated from bridging hotels in Pakistan to the UK in 2023.

Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

As of 6 July, 45 individuals eligible under Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) and Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS) have been relocated from Pakistan to the UK in 2023.


Written Question
Afghanistan: Refugees
Monday 10th July 2023

Asked by: Jessica Morden (Labour - Newport East)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the total cost of accommodation and meals was for (a) Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy and (b) Afghan citizens resettlement scheme cases in Pakistan between April 2022 and July 2023.

Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

The cost incurred by HMG in providing accommodation and meals in Pakistan, between April 2022 and June 2023, to individuals eligible under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy was approximately £21.4 million, and under the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme Pathway 3 was approximately £690,000.


Written Question
Sudan: Refugees
Monday 19th June 2023

Asked by: Jessica Morden (Labour - Newport East)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department are taking to provide consular support to people who have been trafficked to Libya whilst fleeing Sudan.

Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)

Consular support is severely limited in Libya and the British Embassy in Tripoli does not provide consular services. To date, the FCDO has not received any requests for consular assistance in Libya from British nationals who have been smuggled from Sudan. Should we be approached, the British Embassy in Tunis stands ready to provide consular support to British nationals where possible, but this is severely limited.


Written Question
Sudan: Refugees
Monday 19th June 2023

Asked by: Jessica Morden (Labour - Newport East)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what estimate he has made of (a) how many people were trafficked to Libya while fleeing Sudan and (b) how many such people were awaiting a visa decision on resettlement to the UK.

Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)

As of 14 June, over 500,000 people are estimated to have fled Sudan to neighbouring countries since fighting broke out, with an estimated 1,318 having fled to Libya. This UN figure relates to the number of people who have crossed neighbouring borders, rather than those who have been trafficked. In total, there were 9,812 UK visa applications from Sudanese Nationals between March 2022/23. The Home Office are monitoring the situation in Sudan closely to ensure that we are able to respond appropriately. The UK's current resettlement schemes allow us to support the most vulnerable refugees direct from regions of conflict and instability.


Written Question
Afghanistan: Refugees
Monday 12th June 2023

Asked by: Jessica Morden (Labour - Newport East)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many (a) principals and (b) dependents with confirmed eligibility for relocation to the UK from the (i) Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy and (ii) Afghan Citizen Resettlement Scheme are housed in hotel accommodation in (A) Pakistan and (B) other third countries.

Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

As of 6 June, there are approximately 257 principals and 1,206 dependents being supported in Pakistan and 10 principals and 30 dependents being supported in other third countries eligible under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy. There are approximately 109 principals and 381 dependents being supported in Pakistan and 16 principals and 55 dependents being supported in other third countries eligible under the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme Pathway 3.


Written Question
Afghanistan: Refugees
Monday 12th June 2023

Asked by: Jessica Morden (Labour - Newport East)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the cost of (a) accommodation and (b) meals was for (i) Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy and (ii) Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme cases in Pakistan between 1 April 2022 and 30 May 2023.

Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

The cost incurred by HMG in providing accommodation and meals, between April 2022 and May 2023, to individuals eligible under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy was approximately £18.7 million, and under the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme Pathway 3 was approximately £480,000.


Written Question
Afghanistan: Refugees
Thursday 8th June 2023

Asked by: Jessica Morden (Labour - Newport East)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy scheme (a) principals and (b) dependents are housed in UK-funded hotel accommodation in (i) Pakistan and (ii) other countries.

Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

As of 05 June, there are approximately (i) 257 principals and 1,231 dependents in Pakistan and (ii) 10 principals and 30 dependents in other third countries assessed as eligible under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy scheme and in UK-funded accommodation.


Written Question
Iran: Capital Punishment
Thursday 25th May 2023

Asked by: Jessica Morden (Labour - Newport East)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with Iranian counterparts on the execution of prisoners in that country; and if he will make representations to (a) his Iranian counterparts and (b) other international counterparts on the alleged torture, and execution of Saleh Mirhashmi, Majid Kazemi and Saeed Yaqoubi on Friday 19 May 2023.

Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK Government is firmly opposed to the death penalty in all circumstances and every country, especially Iran. We raise human rights issues at all appropriate opportunities, including with the Iranian Embassy in London and through our Ambassador in Tehran. We last raised our objections to the death penalty on 17 May. On 9 January and 8 December, the Foreign Secretary ordered the summoning of Iran's most senior diplomat in the UK, to protest Iran's continued imposition of the death penalty on protesters. We will continue to work closely with our international partners to ensure Iran is held to account on the world stage, including through the establishment of a UN Fact Finding Mission.


Written Question
Pakistan: Oppression
Monday 15th May 2023

Asked by: Jessica Morden (Labour - Newport East)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with Pakistani counterparts on the persecution of (a) Ahmadi Muslims and (b) Christians in that country.

Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

Protecting freedom of religion or belief (FoRB), including for minority communities, remains central to the UK Government's human rights engagement in Pakistan. On 30 January, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister of State for South Asia and Minister responsible for Human Rights, raised the treatment of Ahmadi Muslims and the need to safeguard the rights of religious minorities with Pakistan's Minister for Human Rights, Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada. Lord Ahmad also discussed the importance of promoting respect for all religions during his meeting with Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on 14 December 2022.