Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Ghana concerning its Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill 2021, which criminalises homosexuality; and what assessment they have made of Ghana's continued membership of the Commonwealth in the light of that Bill.

The UK is deeply concerned that Ghana's Parliament passed the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill. The UK routinely encourages Ghana to confirm its opposition to all forms of discrimination and uphold the human rights provisions enshrined in Ghana's Constitution, the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the African Charter and the values and principles of the Commonwealth. The Foreign Secretary, Ministers and senior officials have expressed these concerns, including during Deputy Foreign Secretary Andrew Mitchell's visit to Ghana in February 2024 and his meeting with the Ghanaian High Commissioner to the UK in March. We are working through our options for responding should the Bill become law. Issues around membership and the Commonwealth Charter are addressed by the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG). The UK is not currently a member of CMAG.