Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Government of Burma on ensuring that no Rohingya refugees are returned to Burma without guarantees about their (a) safety, (b) citizenship and (c) land.

The UK proposed and secured unanimous support for a UN Security Council Presidential Statement on 6 November which urged the Government of Burma to ensure the voluntary return of all refugees in conditions of safety and dignity to their homes, and to allow equal access to full citizenship for all individuals.

In his phone call to State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi on 21 October, the Foreign Secretary called on her to implement her commitment to ensure the return of refugees.

I underlined this call in his meetings with Burma's Minister of Defence, the Deputy Foreign Minister, and Aung Sun Suu Kyi's Chief of Staff on 20 and 21 November. I​stressed the need to ensure security for returnees.

The Governments of Burma and Bangladesh signed a Memorandum of Understanding on 23 November for the repatriation of Rohingya refugees. The UK Government will press for quick progress on implementation of this bilateral agreement. We will be clear that any returns must be safe, voluntary and dignified, and that there must be appropriate international oversight.