Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to Answer of 25 March 2021 to Question 173113 on Turkey: Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence, whether the UK Government plans to take further steps to urge Turkey to (a) reconsider its decision to withdraw from and (b) commit to ratifying the Istanbul Convention on Women's Rights.

In addition to the actions set out in my answer to PQ 173113, I also raised our concerns with the Turkish Ambassador on 30 March. We will continue to engage with Turkey on this important issue and to encourage Turkey to reconsider its decision. I reiterate that the UK is committed to ending violence against women and girls and also remains committed to ratifying the Convention.