Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what diplomatic assessment he has made of relations between the Philippines and the UK since the appointment of President Rodrigo Duterte in June 2016.

This year marks the 70^th anniversary of UK-Philippine diplomatic relations, and the Philippines will continue to remain an important partner for the UK in South East Asia. Our bilateral relationship is strong, and based on areas of shared interest such as regional and global security, trade and investment, science and innovation and education.

The UK Government's view on the importance of human rights and the rule of law is clear, consistent and well known, including in the Philippines. Our Ambassador has repeatedly raised UK concerns over the rising death toll associated with the Philippine Administration's war on illegal drugs with the Government of the Philippines and others. We are also concerned by President Duterte's stated desire to reinstate the death penalty. The UK raised these concerns at the September session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, and will continue to raise these issues with the Philippine Administration.