Business of the House

Jim Shannon Excerpts

Thursday 26th May 2022 Commons Chamber

[Mark Spencer]

I should be delighted to join the hon. Lady in congratulating the school on creating its wonderful curry. I am sure that Members on both sides of the House will want to go and share it. Colleagues across the House enjoy a good curry evening. I wish the school well in all that it is doing.

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

This week, the Emir of Qatar visited the UK. The United Nations special rapporteur, Ahmed Shaheed, recently reported on discrimination facing Bahaʼis in Qatar, including forced deportations, arbitrary arrests, and blacklisting from the labour market. In the run-up to the World cup, will the Leader of the House join me, and others, in urging the Emir to investigate those reports and guarantee Bahaʼis the rights to which they are entitled under the Qatari constitution?

[Mark Spencer]

May I thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker, for saving the hon. Gentleman up until the end, so that he has an audience worthy of his question? He is a great campaigner on religious rights across the world. I think that the Qatar World cup will provide an opportunity for the world to look at Qatar and all that it does, and I hope we will take that opportunity to improve human rights and religious freedom there.

Business of the House

Jim Shannon Excerpts

Thursday 19th May 2022 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Finally, I call the one and only Jim Shannon.

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

Thank you, Mr Speaker. It is always a pleasure to ask any question of the Leader of the House. Last Thursday, in this House at this time, we debated the arrest of Cardinal Zen and the other trustees of the 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund in Hong Kong. A Nigerian student, Deborah Samuel, was murdered after being accused falsely of blasphemy in Nigeria. Deborah’s life was cruelly taken away far too early. My thoughts and prayers, and those of many in this House, are with Deborah Samuel’s family. Will the Leader of the House make time for a debate on the use of blasphemy laws in Commonwealth countries and their impact on religious minorities, freedom of speech and the rule of law?

[Mark Spencer]

I thank the hon. Gentleman for his question. If I can assist him in any way in continuing to raise the profile of religious persecution around the world, I will of course do that. Certainly, freedom of speech is something the Government take very seriously. I know that he is a huge campaigner for that as well and that he will continue to hold the Foreign Office to account in trying to achieve the things that he wants to achieve around the world. We will continue to spread the UK Government’s freedom of speech narrative wherever we can.

Business Question

Jim Shannon Excerpts

Thursday 12th May 2022 Commons Chamber

[Mark Spencer]

I join the hon. Lady in that celebration; I was not aware of the Livingstone museum but it sounds interesting and I am sure tourists up and down the country will be making their way to her constituency to enjoy the exhibition. I join her, too, in celebrating all tourist attractions and museums; that is worthy of a debate and I am sure that if she were to apply for a Westminster Hall debate, many colleagues would want to participate.

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

I thank the Leader of the House for all the time he gives to answering all our difficult question; they are sometimes more difficult than others, but I hope he will agree with mine. In Ethiopia recent violent clashes between Muslims and Orthodox Christians have left at least 30 people dead and more than 100 injured. Will he join me in condemning the attacks and ask the relevant Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Minister to make a statement calling on the local authorities in Ethiopia to carry out timely, independent and transparent investigations into the attacks?

[Mark Spencer]

I thank the hon. Gentleman, whom Mr Speaker always saves till last. I do not know why he does that—it feels a little bit like the good news story at the end of the ITN news. I saw that he was present for the urgent question to the Foreign Office Minister, when he also asked about religious oppression around the world. He is an assiduous campaigner on this topic and, at the end of his career—I think that is a long way away—we will all be able to reflect on the positive impact that he has had around the world on religious freedom. I know that he will continue to pursue those aims.

Business of the House

Jim Shannon Excerpts

Thursday 31st March 2022 Commons Chamber

[Mark Spencer]

I wish everyone who is participating in the Putney boat race this weekend well. I encourage the hon. Lady to continue to highlight the challenges of Hammersmith bridge and put pressure both on Hammersmith’s council and the Mayor of London to try to help resolve these challenges, and to make sure that the situation her constituents find themselves in is resolved as soon as possible.

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

In Algeria, 16 churches have been forced to shut down and a further eight have had legal proceedings started against them in efforts to have them closed. The Leader of the House always responds, but will he arrange for a statement on what assessment Her Majesty’s Government have made of this trend? Will he make representations to counterparts through the office of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in Algeria about protecting the freedom of religion or belief of minority groups in that country, where the situation is very worrying?

[Mark Spencer]

I am sorry to hear about the situation in Algeria and that those from minority religions there are feeling oppressed and disenfranchised. I will make sure that the Foreign Office is aware of the matters the hon. Gentleman has raised today. He continues to be an advocate for religious freedom around the world on a weekly basis.

Business of the House

Jim Shannon Excerpts

Thursday 24th March 2022 Commons Chamber

[Mark Spencer]

I congratulate my hon. Friend on her tireless campaigning. It is vital that the Bill becomes law very soon. As so often with hidden crimes, raising awareness will be a key part of the implementation activities for her Bill. I encourage her to apply for a Westminster Hall or Backbench Business debate to highlight that.

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

May I thank the Leader of the House for all the help he gives right hon. and hon. Members to secure helpful debates and statements?

Last month church leaders in Sudan were detained and their church building closed and locked by Islamic extremists. Will the Leader of the House provide a statement of solidarity with Christian churches in Sudan and oppose the land grabs and arbitrary arrests enacted against the Christian community? I believe that they need help, and this House can do that.

[Mark Spencer]

I am more than happy to pledge from this Dispatch Box my solidarity with those people who are fighting the closure of their churches. The hon. Gentleman is a huge champion in this House of religious freedom around the world, and I know that he will continue to be. He should be commended for the work he does not only in this place but around the world on the promotion of religious freedom.

Business of the House

Jim Shannon Excerpts

Thursday 17th March 2022 Commons Chamber

[Mark Spencer]

I thank the hon. Lady for her question. She is right to draw attention to the thousands of tenants and residents associations up and down the country. There are many very active groups in my own constituency that contribute a great deal not only to the place in which they live, but to the community with which they engage. I join her in congratulating her constituents on their 30th anniversary, and I wish them all the best for the future.

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

May I wish you, Mr Speaker, and everyone in the House—right hon. and hon. Members—a very happy St Patrick’s Day? It is said that if, on St Patrick’s Day, St Patrick turns the stone over, it means that the sun will shine for 30 days. I am sure that we are all looking forward to 30 days of good weather—certainly, that is my hope.

Just this morning, ISIS-DRC claimed the killing of more than 50 Christians in a raid on villages in Ituri province, in the north-east of Democratic Republic of Congo. This is just the latest in an increase in attacks by ISIS affiliates on religious minorities. The Leader of the House is always very responsive, so will he ensure that there is a statement from the relevant Minister of Her Majesty’s Government on the re-emergence of ISIS and the potential threat to religious minority communities in DRC?

[Mark Spencer]

I thank the hon. Gentleman for his question. He always brings a little sunshine into this Chamber whenever he contributes. That is why Mr Speaker saves him up to the end to bring that enthusiasm. The hon. Gentleman will be aware that there is a Westminster Hall debate this afternoon on some of these challenges, which he has called. I am sure that he will be there to lead it. He is right to draw attention to this matter. He is a tenacious campaigner on religious rights around the world, and I pay tribute to him for the work that he is doing in highlighting this terrible crime.

Business of the House

Jim Shannon Excerpts

Thursday 10th March 2022 Commons Chamber

[Mark Spencer]

The Government recognise the importance of a reliable post service to local communities across the UK. Ofcom, as the independent regulator responsible for the delivery of the universal postal service, monitors Royal Mail’s performance and has powers to investigate and take enforcement action if Royal Mail fails to achieve its service delivery targets. I know that Royal Mail pays close attention to Members’ questions in this Chamber, and I encourage it to take inspiration from my hon. Friend’s short time in this House and keep delivering for the people of Southend.

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

As everyone knows, this week we had International Women’s Day. In my work as chair of the all-party group for international freedom of religion or belief, I repeatedly hear of the double trauma that women and girls face if their religious or belief group suffers persecution—it is rampant across the world. In response to a recent article by Open Doors printed in Christian Today, I wonder whether the Leader of the House will provide time for a statement on what more could be done to better address the needs of vulnerable Christian women left behind in Syria, who could not flee the war and continue to live without full realisation of their human dignity.

[Mark Spencer]

The hon. Gentleman is right to highlight this issue, and I pay tribute to his work; he is a long-standing campaigner on these issues of religious freedom and those who are persecuted around the world. I would give him advice on how to be heard in this Chamber, but he is the master of getting across his message in this Chamber, and I wish him well in continuing to deliver.

Business of the House

Jim Shannon Excerpts

Thursday 3rd March 2022 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

Let us hear the weather from Northern Ireland. I call Jim Shannon.

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

You have a lovely tie, by the way, Mr Speaker. I was encouraged that this week the Islamabad High Court judge Justice Babar Sattar issued a verdict barring girls under the age of 18 from getting married, even of their own free will, and prohibiting parents from marrying off girls who are under 18. It is welcome news and a giant step in the right direction. It is a crucial step forward in ending forced conversion and forced marriage in Pakistan. Will the Leader of the House provide time for a debate or statement on that important topic, and on what more must be done to ensure that no girls anywhere in the world, and especially in Pakistan, face the fear of forced marriage?

[Mark Spencer]

The hon. Member is right to draw attention to what I would call the crime—I think in effect it is a crime—of forcing girls into marriage. My hon. Friend the Member for Mid Derbyshire (Mrs Latham) has a private Member’s Bill on this matter. I am sure that he will be able to link up with her to work together to end that barbaric practice across the world.

Business of the House

Jim Shannon Excerpts

Monday 28th February 2022 Commons Chamber

[Mark Spencer]

The hon. Gentleman will have to wait for the Bill. This is a further step on the way to sanctioning Russia. This is part of a suite of measures which are being brought forward. We did a substantial amount last week. We are doing more tomorrow. I am sure if he is here on Thursday for the business statement, there will be more in the statement on Thursday.

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

I very much welcome the commitment from the Leader of the House to the sanctions Bill tomorrow. It is very important that we have the correct amount of time set aside to make our contributions on that as well as on the two SIs, which are equally important. Will extra time be set aside for the sanctions Bill and the SIs, so that we can all debate these things fully and comprehensively?

[Mark Spencer]

Just to be clear, the SIs are being debated tomorrow. They will be allowed three hours, subject to the business motion being supported by the House, and there will then be a further update on the timetabling for any future legislation in the usual way on Thursday.

Business of the House

Jim Shannon Excerpts

Thursday 24th February 2022 Commons Chamber

[Mark Spencer]

The hon. Member is right to highlight that. We often do not understand or appreciate the impact of loneliness until we meet or know someone suffering from a lack of contact with others. The work that she and other Members across the House are doing to build that resilience in our communities is worthy of praise. I congratulate her on her work.

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

There have been many debates and statements on the genocide against Rohingya and other minority groups, but that has not stopped the Myanmar military from carrying out atrocities. Will the Leader of the House encourage a Minister or Secretary of State to make a statement about the International Court of Justice case assessing whether Myanmar’s military carried out genocide against Rohingya and other minority groups?

[Mark Spencer]

The hon. Member will have the opportunity at Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office questions on 8 March to put that to the Foreign Secretary. I know that he is a long-time campaigner on the rights of many suppressed communities across the world as well as an experienced parliamentarian, so he will know of many other routes by which he can raise the matter, and I suspect that he will do so.