Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with her Kuwaiti counterpart on (a) the rights of Shia Muslims in Kuwait and (b) the Government's assessment of the legality of sentences against Shia figures in Kuwait; and if she will make a statement.

We have a close relationship with Kuwait and regularly discuss a wide range of issues including the importance of rights for all religious groups in Kuwait. Kuwait has independent courts and an independent legal system. I visited Kuwait in May for our regular Ministerial Dialogue where I discussed a wide range of topics with the Foreign Minister and Deputy Foreign Minister, as well as meeting with civil society representatives.