Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have raised with the government of Saudi Arabia the question of the continued detention of women who campaigned against the ban on female drivers in Saudi Arabia; and if so, what response they received.

The UK is very concerned about the arrests and detentions of the women's rights activists in Saudi Arabia. The Prime Minister, the former Foreign Secretary and the Chancellor have raised our concerns with the Saudi authorities. We continue to raise our concerns at all levels, most recently in July. The Minister for the Middle East and North Africa also raised our concerns during his recent visit to Saudi Arabia on 16 July.