Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential implications of the Human Rights Watch report on exploitation of construction workers building football stadiums in Russia on his policies towards that country; and if he will make a statement.

We regularly raise our concerns with the Russian authorities on their human rights record and we expect FIFA to do the same with regard to projects releated to the World Cup.

Tackling modern slavery is a priority for the British Government and the treatment of migrant workers in Russia, including those involved in the construction of World Cup sites, is a matter of concern. The British Embassy in Moscow is funding an International Organization for Migration project to improve the understanding and skills of social workers in Russia so they can better support the victims of modern slavery. This should also raise awareness of the problem within Russian society.