Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the report by the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Select Committee, entitled Uyghur forced labour in Xinjiang and UK value chains, HC 1272, published on 17 March 2021, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on supporting the recommendation in that report for the Government to publish lists of companies that (a) can and (b) cannot offer supply chain transparency.

Evidence of forced Uyghur labour, within Xinjiang and in other parts of China, is credible and growing. We have consistently made clear our view that all businesses involved in investing in Xinjiang, or with parts of their supply chains in Xinjiang, should conduct appropriate due diligence to satisfy themselves that their activities do not support, or risk being seen to support, any human rights violations or abuses. Our message to UK business is clear. It is time to act without delay to ensure our supply chains are free from forced labour and that they are not complicit in these gross violations of human rights. The Government will formally respond to the report and its recommendations by the deadline. Policy responsibility for forced labour and supply chains is split across several Government departments. Officials from BEIS, the FCDO and across Government are co-ordinating closely, including on issues raised by the Committee.