Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received on violence against Rohingya Muslims in Burma.

We are concerned by a number of disturbing reports of human rights violations and violence against Rohingya Muslims by security forces in Rakhine State. We have made several representations to the Government of Burma and called for humanitarian access both through our ambassador and also through Ministerial contacts. The Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my noble Friend, the Rt Hon. Baroness Anelay of St Johns, visited Burma from 9-12 November and urged Burmese Government Ministers to ensure the full resumption of humanitarian aid and to set up an independent investigation into allegations of human rights violations. I also raised this in person with the Burmese Minister of Construction, when he visited London on 29 November. We will continue to monitor developments closely and to raise our concerns at every suitable opportunity.