International Freedom of Religion or Belief Bill

Roger Gale Excerpts

2nd reading
Friday 26th January 2024 Commons Chamber

[Jack Brereton (Stoke-on-Trent South) (Con)]

It is a pleasure to follow the hon. Member for Belfast East (Gavin Robinson). I commend my hon. Friend the Member for Congleton (Fiona Bruce) for introducing this excellent Bill and for her fantastic opening speech. I can think of no one better in Parliament to bring forward this important Bill, given the outstanding work that she has been doing as the Prime Minister’s special envoy for freedom of religion or belief. I particularly commend my hon. Friend for the work she did in July 2022, with the UK hosting the international ministerial conference on freedom of religion or belief, and for her work in chairing the International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance.

Freedom of religion or belief should be a fundamental human right, but all too often, and increasingly so around the world today, we see people’s freedoms challenged and worrying increases in the persecution of minority groups due to their faith. As my hon. Friend said, the Open Doors world watch list notes that 365 million Christians were subjected to high levels of persecution and discrimination last year—a rise of 25 million people since 2021. The Pew Research Centre has found that of 198 countries surveyed, Government or societal harassment was present in 155 against Christians, in 145 against Muslims and in 94 against Jews. In recent months, here in the UK we have seen a worrying number of incidents of antisemitic and Islamophobic hate.

I know that the Government, with my hon. Friend the Member for Congleton, have been making huge efforts at home and abroad to tackle these worrying increases in suppression of religious freedoms. The conference held in London two years ago resulted in 35 countries signing statements on freedom of religion or belief, which I think is a testament to the interest and support around the world for these issues and the work that the UK and my hon. Friend have led. I know also from the Westminster Hall debate in September led by my hon. Friend of the significant interest across the House, and the significant work under way in which the UK is taking a leadership role internationally. We are bringing together some of our key partners and allies right around the world to highlight the injustices and persecution of minority groups, and with them to take action to address some of these concerns.

Although the focus is increasing on the issues of freedom of religion or belief, my hon. Friend is right to bring forward this important Bill. Making her role as special envoy for freedom of religion or belief a permanent one in statute is of major significance. As she said, it follows recommendation 6 of the Bishop of Truro’s review, which was to establish the position of special envoy for freedom of religion or belief, which I believe was intended to mean “establish in law”. Recommendation 6 states specifically that the Foreign Secretary should

“Establish suitable instruments / roles to monitor and implement such an approach, taking into consideration other international approaches, and specifically establishing permanently, and in perpetuity, the role of Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief with appropriate resources and authority to work across FCO departments supported by a Director General-level champion for FoRB.”

The Government support that. The Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary have expressed support for the Bill’s intent, and the Conservative party manifesto committed to full implementation of the Truro review.

Most important, given that abuse of these vital freedoms is increasing around the world, the Bill sends a clear and strong message to countries where serious abuses are taking place—especially the 13 countries mentioned previously that are of particular concern—that we in the UK stand with all those minority groups and individual members of minority religions who are being persecuted. It demonstrates to the world the UK’s full support and commitment to stand by those who are being oppressed and whose religious freedom is being restricted, right around the world. The Bill is crucial to promoting and protecting freedom of religion or belief, and the UK Government have stated that that is high priority for them.

Freedom of religion or belief is a key element of the UN declaration, article 18 of which sets out as an important pillar not only freedom of religion or belief, but freedom of thought, which I think is particularly important. It is vital that the UK, with its leading role in the UN Security Council, also takes a leading role both at home and abroad in promoting freedom of religion and belief right around the world. We need to bring to task those countries that oppress minority groups and have a total disregard for some of those freedoms, and make it clear that we will always highlight where we think wrongs need to be addressed. By putting that role into statute, as my hon. Friend the Member for Congleton said, shows that we are in this for the long term. We will not cease raising these concerns and highlighting them internationally. We will continue to stand by those religious minorities and oppressed groups right around the world, and continue to support them. I fully support the Bill and wish my hon. Friend well with its passage through this House and the other place.

[Mr Deputy Speaker (Sir Roger Gale)]

I call the shadow Minister.

--- Later in debate ---

[The Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Mr Andrew Mitchell)]

I start by thanking the Prime Minister’s special envoy for freedom of religion or belief, my hon. Friend the Member for Congleton (Fiona Bruce), for introducing the International Freedom of Religion or Belief Bill.

I also take this moment to express my gratitude to my hon. Friend for her tireless devotion to promoting and protecting FORB for everybody. My thanks also go to her deputy, David Burrowes, for his commitment to this important work.

Freedom of religion or belief remains a human rights priority for the British Government. The work of the special envoy, especially through the International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance, and the efforts across the Foreign Office network are making a difference around the world. The Bill seeks further to cement Britain’s commitment to FORB by making statutory the role of the special envoy. The Bill states:

“The duties of the Special Envoy are to work to promote and protect international freedom of religion or belief…; raise awareness of cases of concern…and advocate for the rights of people…who are discriminated against or persecuted for their faith or belief; work with representatives of other governments, including other Special Envoys, to promote freedom of religion or belief around the world.”

That has very much been the sense of the excellent speeches we have heard today.

The Bill covers the reporting requirements for the special envoy and how the terms and conditions of the role should be determined. Additionally, the Bill will establish an office of the special envoy:

“The principal duty of the Office is to support the work of the Special Envoy.

In establishing the Office, the Prime Minister must provide the Special Envoy with such staff, and such accommodation, equipment and other facilities, as the Prime Minister considers necessary for the carrying out of the Special Envoy’s functions.”

The Government’s commitment to the role of special envoy is clear. Indeed, we have had three special envoys to date. I make it clear that the Bill does not establish a precedent for other similar roles. Uniquely, legislating for this post follows an independent report recommendation and a most important manifesto commitment. Today the Government deliver on that commitment, which is especially important given the internationally recognised leadership that my hon. Friend the Member for Congleton has provided.

The Bill underlines our commitment to FORB, and, importantly, supports the implementation of recommendation 6 of the Bishop of Truro’s 2019 review of the FCDO’s work on FORB, which recommended that the role of special envoy for FORB be established “permanently, and in perpetuity”. Implementation of the bishop’s recommendations was, as I have said, a manifesto commitment, and we thank him very much for his work. As was mentioned by the hon. Member for Hornsey and Wood Green (Catherine West), there will be opportunities during the Bill’s passage to consider any possible amendments to improve it, and my officials and I will work with my hon. Friend the Member for Congleton in that regard; but the Government will support the Bill today.

The current special envoy’s terms of reference state that she will

“work with the Minister for Human Rights”

—my noble Friend Lord Ahmad—and

“through the Foreign Secretary, to the Prime Minister. The Envoy is asked to report twice yearly to the Prime Minister on progress, in addition to providing ad hoc reports on important issues arising, or following overseas visits as Special Envoy”.

That is in line with what the Bill proposes.

Let me take this opportunity to congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Congleton on her work and accomplishments as chair of the International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance, and on having been asked last year to continue her role for a second year. That was the first time such a request had been made in the organisation’s history. Most notable is the expansion of the IRFBA’s membership, with, now, 42 nations coming together to highlight violations and abuses of FORB and advocate for those who are being persecuted. The IRFBA-issued joint statements and campaigns that my hon. Friend has initiated underline the impact that we can have when we speak with one voice. The statements on countering antisemitism and the persecution of Christians were widely supported, with 16 countries supporting the statement of antisemitism and 22 countries supporting the statement on the persecution of Christians. The statements underline the ongoing concerns to the international community, and set out how to address and tackle those issues.

The monthly advocacy that the hon. Friend has initiated of highlighting individual cases of religious prisoners of conscience is another important and valuable piece of work that the IRFBA has initiated under her chairmanship. I was delighted to learn that of the people whose cases she publicly supported in 2022, two were released last year: Hannah Abdimalik, a Christian in Somaliland, and Shamil Khakimov, a Jehovah’s Witness in Tajikistan. I also congratulate my hon. Friend on her efforts on the planning and implementation of a virtual global youth summit last October. It was quite an achievement to bring together 510 participants from 77 countries to fulfil a key priority following the international ministerial conference on FORB, held in London in 2022, which set out the need to inspire a new generation of FORB advocates.

At that conference we brought together more than 800 faith and belief leaders, human rights actors, and 100 Government delegations to agree on action to promote and protect FORB. My noble Friend Lord Ahmad announced new UK funding to support FORB defenders, including those persecuted because of their activism, as well as funding and expertise for countries prepared to make legislative changes to protect FORB. As a result of the conference, 47 Governments, international organisations and other entities made pledges to take action in support of FORB, and since the conference we have built on the momentum in a number of ways.

My hon. Friend the Member for Congleton has also continued to raise awareness of restrictions on the right to FORB across the world. She does that in many ways, including calling debates in the House, as she did yesterday in initiating a Westminster Hall debate on the Open Doors world watch list report. She has also brought civil society experts together with FCDO officials in a series of country-specific roundtables, including, but not limited to, Iraq, Myanmar, Nigeria, Ukraine and Pakistan. Such debates and roundtables are vital to ensuring that these issues can be addressed and resolved. The British high commission in Islamabad, for example, is engaging with senior Government officials and civil society on the need to ensure the safety of the Christian community at this troubling time, and we want to see that work continued in every possible way.

All this demonstrates how committed the Government are to freedom of religion and belief, and how we continue to engage closely with my hon. Friend the Member for Congleton in all the brilliant work that she does. Let me end by reiterating the Government’s support for the role of special envoy for FORB and our support for the Bill, and congratulate my hon. Friend on her commitment and perseverance in bringing forward the Bill.

[Mr Deputy Speaker (Sir Roger Gale)]

With the leave of the House, I call Fiona Bruce.