Asked by: Mohammad Yasin (Labour - Bedford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, if he will make an assessment of trends in the number of British citizens who have reported being victims of sex crimes in foreign countries over the last five years; and what support his Department provides to those people (a) in situ and (b) on their return to the UK.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
FCDO data for the past five years on the number of rape and sexual assault cases where consular assistance was provided to British nationals is presented in the table below.
The FCDO takes all reports of rape and sexual assault seriously. Consular staff are available to provide immediate support by telephone 24/7 and will try to see a victim to provide in person assistance as soon as possible, depending on location and timing. The FCDO's public guide "Support for British National Abroad" outlines the support available, including through organisations funded by FCDO to support victims on their return to the UK, where the FCDO can continue to support victims in relation to any ongoing investigation abroad.
Calendar Year | Number of Rape and Sexual Assault Cases where consular assistance was provided to British nationals (Total) |
2019 | 365 |
2020 | 137 |
2021 | 138 |
2022 | 343 |
2023 | 388* |
* Figures from 16 October 2023 are subject to a different reporting methodology due to a change in case management system.
Asked by: Mohammad Yasin (Labour - Bedford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of (a) the report entitled A/HRC/55/80: Situation of human rights in Afghanistan - Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, published by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on 29 February 2024 and (b) allegations of human rights abuses against Shia Muslim (i) women and (ii) girls of Hazara ethnicity.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government notes the recommendations in the UN Special Rapporteur's latest report and will continue working closely with the international community, including the G7, G20 and through the UN, to promote and protect the human rights of all Afghans, including women and girls, and to coordinate a consistent international response. More broadly, officials from the UK Mission to Afghanistan regularly press Taliban acting ministers to protect religious and ethnic minorities, including Shia Muslims and Hazara communities.
Asked by: Mohammad Yasin (Labour - Bedford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to secure the release of British people detained abroad.
Answered by Rehman Chishti
Consular staff work tirelessly and tenaciously to give support to British nationals overseas and their families. This includes around 5,000 individuals who are arrested or detained each year. Our support is tailored to the needs of the individual and their situation, doing more for those who need more help.
Asked by: Mohammad Yasin (Labour - Bedford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the legality of the continued detention of Saudi political detainees, including Prince Turki Bin Abdullah.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The UK assessment is clear. All political detainees should be released. We publicly supported a statement at the September 2020 UN Human Rights Council, which reiterated this point and raised concerns about the use of arbitrary detention.
Asked by: Mohammad Yasin (Labour - Bedford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Office, if the Government will take steps to ensure that (a) female human rights defenders, (b) male human rights defenders and (c) the organisations that represent them are consulted as part of the Government's Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy is the deepest review of the UK's foreign, defence, security and development policy since the end of the Cold War. We will utilise expertise from both inside and outside Government for the review, ensuring the best minds are feeding into its conclusions and challenging traditional Whitehall assumptions and thinking as needed.
The Review will include external consultation with experts and international partners across relevant disciplines.
Asked by: Mohammad Yasin (Labour - Bedford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has made representations to the Turkish Government on recent civilian deaths in Afrin district, northern Syria; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Alan Duncan
The Foreign Secretary has been in contact with Turkish Foreign Minister Çavuşoğlu about the situation in Afrin. We have urged Turkey to avoid any escalation in violence and stressed the need to protect civilians. We have also stressed the importance of ensuring that humanitarian assistance can reach the area. Turkey has a legitimate interest in the security of its borders. It remains in our shared interest to focus on achieving a political settlement that ends the war and suffering, and provides stability for all Syrians and the wider region.
Asked by: Mohammad Yasin (Labour - Bedford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to monitor the use of military equipment provided by the UK to Turkey; and what information he holds on whether such military equipment is being used as part of that country's assault on Afrin.
Answered by Alan Duncan
We are closely following the latest developments in Afrin. Arms exports to Turkey, like all other countries, are subject to export controls. Applications are considered on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria, known as the Consolidated Criteria. Decisions are based on the most up-to-date information and analysis available, including reports from our overseas network and military contacts. The Consolidated Criteria provide a thorough risk assessment framework and require us to consider the impact of providing equipment and its capabilities. We do not issue export licences where, for example, we assess there is a clear risk that the goods might be used for internal repression or used aggressively against another country. We keep our approach to all countries under continual review.