Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Baroness Chapman of Darlington on 26 March (HL Deb col 1610) that "we are opposed to item 7 in the Human Rights Council", and the speech by the UK Human Rights Ambassador on 31 March in which she stated that there had been a change in the UK voting position, what is their current position on item 7; why they changed their voting position; and whether they have responded to the objections raised by the Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Jewish Leadership Council.

The UK's longstanding and principled objection to Item 7 remains unchanged. Item 7 unfairly and uniquely singles out the State of Israel in comparison to other countries. The UK will continue to argue for the removal of Item 7 and to push for issues related to Israel-Palestine to be discussed under alternative agenda items.

We believe that engaging in negotiations, including abstaining where we judge appropriate, while making clear our principled opposition to Item 7, is more likely to secure UK influence over the texts. This is the approach that the UK maintained between 2006 and 2018 and is in line with the approach taken by many European partners.

UK Ministers regularly engage with the Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Jewish Leadership Council, to discuss a wide range of issues of mutual interest and concern.