Business of the House
Jim Shannon Excerpts(6 days, 2 hours ago)
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Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)
Happy Christmas to you, Madam Deputy Speaker, and to everybody in the House. I shall probably say that again later, in the Adjournment debate.
On 8 December, in the Partapur area of Meerut district in Uttar Pradesh, the police uncovered a so-called religious conversion meeting, where approximately 50 Hindus were found participating peacefully in a Bible reading session. There was nothing sinister and nothing subversive going on. Pastor Vineet, along with 14 associates, was arrested under sections 3 and 5 of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act. Prior to his arrest, Pastor Vineet, who converted to Christianity a decade ago, had been organising similar prayer meetings in various locations. Will the Leader of the House join me in condemning such violations of freedom of religion or belief, and will she ask the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to raise this issue with its counterparts in India?
Lucy Powell
May I take this opportunity to wish the hon. Gentleman a merry Christmas? I shall miss him over the next two or three weeks, as we will not be having business questions. He is nothing if not consistent, because yet again he raises another important issue relating to the freedom of religion or belief. He will know that FCDO Ministers recently held a roundtable meeting with a range of faith leaders in Delhi to discuss many of these issues, and we will continue to raise concerns with the Indian Government.
Business of the House
Jim Shannon Excerpts(1 week, 6 days ago)
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Lucy Powell
It is a refreshing change in these sessions to hear about a banking hub opening and providing greater access to cash in a local community, such as that in his constituency, instead of hearing about its closure. I very much join my hon. Friend in congratulating and thanking the hard-working staff involved.
Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)
I would very much like to congratulate the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary on their decision to appoint a new special envoy for freedom of religion or belief. The right hon. Lady knows that, after numerous attempts, we finally have one—the hon. Member for North Northumberland (David Smith). However, can she outline the specific objectives and expected outcomes of this appointment, whether the position is enshrined in law and how the position will contribute to advancing the Government’s priorities on both a national and international level? I am ever mindful of Proverbs 31: 8-9:
“Open your mouth for the voiceless, for the rights of all who are destitute.
Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.”
I know that the hon. Member for North Northumberland will do just that.
Lucy Powell
I thank the hon. Gentleman for welcoming the appointment of my hon. Friend the Member for North Northumberland (David Smith) as the UK special envoy for freedom of religion or belief. I am only sorry that it was not the hon. Gentleman himself, but I know that he will play a keen and active role in ensuring that my hon. Friend carries out his advocacy role properly, and that the many issues that the hon. Gentleman raises in this House, week after week, are taken up by the Government.
Business of the House
Jim Shannon Excerpts(3 weeks, 6 days ago)
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Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)
I thank the Leader of the House again for this opportunity to raise an issue of urgent concern. Earlier this week, on Tuesday past, I had the privilege of meeting Pastor Youssef Ourahmane, who shared troubling cases in Algeria. Pastor Youssef has been convicted of so-called “illegal worship” for leading his church. He faces a prison sentence and heavy fines, despite a lack of evidence of any wrongdoing. His case is one of approximately 50 spurious cases against Christians in Algeria in recent years, amid a systematic campaign of forced church closures. Will the Leader of the House urge her Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office colleagues to make a statement on what steps the UK Government can take, in collaboration with international partners, to advocate for the reopening of all evangelical churches in Algeria and to support religious freedom globally, including raising this issue with Algerian authorities at the very earliest opportunity?
Lucy Powell
Yet again, the hon. Gentleman has raised a serious issue relating to religious freedom. We regularly monitor the situation in Algeria, and we are aware that some groups have found it difficult to obtain the permissions that they need in order to operate. We will continue to raise these matters with the Algerian authorities. I note that the hon. Gentleman has been successful in obtaining a Backbench Business debate this afternoon on freedom of religion in Pakistan; I am sure he will continue to proffer considerable numbers of applications to the Backbench Business Committee, and this too might be a good topic for a debate.
Business of the House
Jim Shannon Excerpts(1 month ago)
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Lucy Powell
My hon. Friend is absolutely right to raise the issues facing Felixstowe in her constituency, and she is spot on when she mentions linking our ports with our rail and road infrastructure, so that we can take advantage of our unique aspects as a trading, island nation. I will make sure that the Secretary of State responds to her letter forthwith.
Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)
Those who follow international violations of freedom of religion or belief will note the tragic death last week of Shahriar Rakeen, a 16-year-old Bangladeshi who was brutally assaulted during extremist attacks on Ahmadiyya Muslims on 5 August. During those attacks, Rakeen was beaten on the head with lethal weapons. In efforts to save his life, he was treated in several hospitals, but he passed away on 8 November. This heartbreaking case illustrates the importance of impressing on the Government of Bangladesh their responsibility to provide effective protection and freedom of religious practice to Ahmadis and other persecuted religious minorities. Will the Leader of the House join me in raising concern about such egregious violations of the freedom of religion or belief, and will she ask the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to revisit this issue with counterparts in Bangladesh?
Lucy Powell
I am really saddened to hear about the death of Shahriar Rakeen in Bangladesh. The hon. Gentleman highlights a devastating case; he highlights a different case every week. The British Government are supporting the interim Government in Bangladesh as they work to restore peace and order to the country. We will work closely with them to ensure a peaceful pathway to an inclusive and democratic future. I am glad to see that the hon. Gentleman has been so successful in getting debates on these important matters, through the Backbench Business Committee and elsewhere.
Business of the House
Jim Shannon Excerpts(1 month, 1 week ago)
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Lucy Powell
This is a huge issue in my constituency as well, and my hon. Friend is right to raise it. Leaseholders really are the poor relations when it comes to housing tenure. They face increasing costs from insurance, but also from managing agents, building safety mediation and so on, making their homes unaffordable and, in some cases, unsellable. That is why we are bringing forward the leasehold reform draft legislation next year.
Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)
It is a pleasure and a privilege to ask the Leader of the House a question. I would like to turn the House’s attention to the Netherlands. Since the 7 October attack on Israel, the wave of antisemitic attacks and abuse has increased worldwide, including in our continent of Europe. The violent attacks on Jewish individuals in Amsterdam, and the recent arrests in Antwerp for a planned “Jew hunt”, signify the spread of hateful terms such as “jodenjacht” on social media. Israel’s National Security Council has advised its citizens to exercise caution in countries such as Britain, Belgium and the Netherlands. What would the Government do if such attacks took place against our Jewish community in Britain? Will she ask Ministers in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to raise this issue with their counterparts in Belgium and the Netherlands?
Lucy Powell
Like the hon. Gentleman, I was utterly horrified by the antisemitic attacks on Israeli citizens in Amsterdam recently, and our thoughts are with all those affected by those awful events. I condemn abhorrent acts of violence wherever they occur, including in this country and Amsterdam. The Government take antisemitism very seriously and have a zero-tolerance approach to it. I am pleased to see that the hon. Gentleman has been so successful in the early draws for Backbench Business debates, because he is a stalwart of this place and deserves to be at the front of the queue for many more debates to come.
Business of the House
Jim Shannon Excerpts(1 month, 3 weeks ago)
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Lucy Powell
I congratulate White Rose business park, in my hon. Friend’s constituency, on its excellent work. This Government will ensure that we have a skilled workforce for the future. We are pursuing a range of measures, such as setting up Skills England, as announced in yesterday’s Budget. There is more money for further education, which is vital, and we are reforming the apprenticeship levy. As he describes, devolving these areas to local councils and mayors will ensure that local skills provision is available for all.
Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)
Father Marcelo Pérez, a priest and prominent figure in Mexico’s Chiapas state, was killed while travelling to his parish. Father Marcelo was deeply respected for his lifelong dedication to advocating for peace, justice and indigenous rights in a region heavily impacted by organised crime and violence. His loss has deeply shaken his community and underscores the dangers faced by those who challenge violence and defend human dignity in Mexico. Will the Leader of the House join me in condemning such violations of the freedom of religion or belief, and will she ask the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to raise this issue with its counterparts in Mexico?
Lucy Powell
The hon. Gentleman raises another important issue, as he does every single week, this time concerning the freedom of religion or belief in Mexico. I will miss him next week, when we are not here for business questions. He is a doughty campaigner on these matters, and I look forward to him being a regular attender, and raising many similar issues, in the forthcoming Backbench Business debates.
Business of the House
Jim Shannon Excerpts(2 months ago)
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Lucy Powell
I am really sorry to hear about my hon. Friend’s constituent. The Government are committed to introducing an extra 40,000 appointments per week by the end of this Parliament. That work, led by the Health Secretary, is already under way, and I hope it means that such a situation will not happen again.
Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)
It is common for us to believe that freedom of religion or belief violations do not occur in the west, but they do. Recently, the Breccia di Roma, an evangelical church in Italy, has been embroiled in a legal battle regarding its place of worship. The Italian tax agency denied the church tax exemptions granted to other religious institutions on the grounds that its place of worship did not exhibit sufficiently religious architectural features. Despite favourable rulings from lower courts, the Italian supreme court ruled against the church, claiming that it was liable for commercial taxes. The church, represented by Alliance Defending Freedom International, has now taken its case to the European Court of Human Rights. This case is discriminatory, so will the Leader of the House join me in raising concerns about that violation of freedom of religion or belief, and will she ask the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to raise the matter with its counterparts in Italy?
Lucy Powell
Yet again, the hon. Gentleman raises the important matter of freedom of religion or belief in business questions. I will certainly get him answers to his question. He has asked me previously about the case of Jimmy Lai, so he might like to know that the Foreign Secretary raised that on his trip to China last week.
Voting by Proxy
Jim Shannon Excerpts(2 months ago)
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Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)
I shall not detain the House for long.
I welcome the motion. The House proved itself when Members were experiencing adverse circumstances because of covid and all the associated problems: it stepped up and made sure that Members had the opportunity that they ought to have to use their franchise. It is only right that, in a new Session, this arrangement should be extended for a five-year period. I think we should be demonstrating that ours is a kind workplace, and I think what the Leader of the House said has shown that it is. Some of us are bound to be under pressure sometimes, whatever that pressure may be, and it is good to know that we can go and have a chat with someone who can help us to get through the process. The House enables us to do that, and I commend what the Leader of the House has done.
Business of the House
Jim Shannon Excerpts(2 months, 1 week ago)
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Lucy Powell
I, too, was delighted that this Government took quick action to deliver their manifesto commitment to ensuring that veterans’ cards could be used as voter ID, and I am pleased to hear of my hon. Friend’s reaction to that. As he will be aware, this Government are committed to an armed forces commissioner Bill. I can tell him today that that Bill is fairly imminent, and I am sure that we can debate some of these issues as we approach Remembrance Sunday, too.
Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)
Tsering Tso, a Tibetan human rights defender and tour guide, has repeatedly faced arbitrary detention and harassment by Chinese authorities for advocating for the rights of Tibetans to freedom of movement and equal treatment under Chinese law. Her most recent detention occurred in June 2024, following her public criticism of local authorities’ discriminatory practices against Tibetan monks. Tsering has been subjected to administrative detention on multiple occasions, having raised concerns about racial discrimination and the unlawful detention of Tibetans—two monks were arrested while on a pilgrimage. What representations can His Majesty’s Government make to the Chinese authorities on the detention and repeated harassment of Tsering Tso?
Lucy Powell
This Government stand firm on human rights, including China’s repression of the people of Tibet. The hon. Gentleman will be aware that the Foreign Secretary is to make a diplomatic visit to China; I know that he will raise these matters in his conversations. I will ensure that he comes to this House to give an update on how that visit goes.
Business of the House
Jim Shannon Excerpts(2 months, 2 weeks ago)
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Lucy Powell
Postmasters have had a very difficult time in recent years, and there are still many questions facing the Post Office about the support, recruitment and remuneration of postmasters. I am sure that would make an extremely good topic for a debate in this House.
Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)
Happy birthday, Leader of the House! To make quite a simple point, do not count the years—instead, make the years count. That is the important thing to do.
On the minds of Members who care about protecting freedom of religion or belief is a man of great importance, Jimmy Lai. British citizen Jimmy Lai, who will turn 77 at the end of this year, has been detained in solitary confinement in a maximum security prison in Hong Kong for nearly four years since December 2020. Confined to a cell for 23 hours of the day, his Catholic faith is a source of strength. What steps can the Government take to raise the case of Mr Lai with the Hong Kong authorities, and will representations be made concerning reports that Mr Lai—a practising Roman Catholic—has been denied access to the Eucharist, aggravating that inhumane treatment even more and impinging on his freedom of religion?
Lucy Powell
What better birthday present than a question from the hon. Gentleman, and some pearls of wisdom to go with it! I will take his words on board.
As ever, the hon. Gentleman raises a very important case. Mr Lai’s case is a priority for this Government; the Foreign Secretary has already raised it with China’s Foreign Minister, and we continue to call on the Hong Kong authorities to end their politically motivated prosecution and to release him immediately.