Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have provided any funds to support the Union Election Commission in Myanmar; if so, why; and what assessment they have made of reports that it has forbidden Rohingya people from standing as candidates.

The UK is not providing any direct financial support to the Union Election Commission (UEC). We are very concerned at the exclusion of candidates on spurious citizenship grounds, this includes Rohingya and Muslim candidates. The right to stand as a candidate for all people in Myanmar is a key part of achieving effective democracy. Decisions made by the election commission must be transparent and clearly communicated. We are clear that the Rohingya, who have lived in Myanmar for generations, should be granted full citizenship and the associated rights. The Rohingya should not be excluded from Myanmar's elections. The Minister for Asia raised this issue with the Myanmar Minister for International Cooperation in June. We also raised this at the UN Security Council in September.