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Written Question
Adoption
Wednesday 27th March 2024

Asked by: Darren Jones (Labour - Bristol North West)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made a recent assessment of the potential merits of providing a formal apology to unmarried women and their children who were forcibly separated between 1949 and 1976.

Answered by David Johnston - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The government agreed that the Joint Committee on Human Rights (JCHR) raised some important issues regarding historical adoption practices. Whilst a formal apology has not been issued, as the government did not actively support these practices, the government has publicly said sorry on behalf of society to all those affected by these practices during this period.

As the government response said at the time, successive governments have made significant changes to adoption legislation and practice to ensure that the practices reported are never repeated.

Furthermore, following the JCHR report, the department has already amended regulations to make it easier for adults to access adoption support. In addition, the department has written to local authorities, encouraging them to retain historical adoption records for 100 years instead of 75, to make access to records easier, and asking them to support access without undue delay to such records.


Written Question
Saudi Arabia: Women
Wednesday 27th March 2024

Asked by: Baroness Cox (Crossbench - Life peer)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Saudi Arabia regarding the release of imprisoned women activists in that country, particularly (1) Manahel al-Otaibi, and (2) Salma al-Shehab.

Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We have raised the continued detention of individuals for expressing their political views, including women and women's rights defenders, with the Saudi government. The FCDO is closely monitoring both Manahel al-Otaibi and Salma al-Shehab's cases, and the British Embassy in Riyadh will continue to attempt to attend trials where possible. I, Minister for the Middle East, regularly raise individual freedom of expression cases with the Saudi authorities, including as recently as 31 January with the President of the Saudi Human Rights Commission. Saudi Arabia remains a FCDO human rights priority country, in part due to continued restrictions on freedom of expression.


Written Question
Luis Carlos Pineda
Tuesday 26th March 2024

Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool, Riverside)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the murder of Luis Carlos Pineda in Caquetá on 9 March 2024.

Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

During my visit to Colombia earlier this month, I [Minister Rutley] raised the human rights situation with Vice Foreign Minister Coy. At the UN Security Council on 11 January and during the visit of the UN Security Council in February, we stressed the importance of security guarantees for former combatants and reiterated our commitment to supporting efforts to tackle the root causes of violence in Colombia. We will continue to support the Colombian Government in its commitment to implement the 2016 Peace Agreement and ensure the protection and safety of signatories of the Agreement.


Written Question
Equality and Human Rights Commission
Monday 25th March 2024

Asked by: Baroness Barker (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)

Question

To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions the Minister for Women and Equalities, or her officials or advisers, have had with Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) about the EHRC's investigation of Baroness Falkner of Margravine; and what assessment they have made of the conduct of that investigation, including the EHRC's decisions to suspend and later to terminate it.

Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

As has been the case under successive administrations, the Government does not publish granular details of Ministerial meetings or discussions.

As an executive non departmental public body, the EHRC is operationally independent of Government. Any decisions related to the investigation are a matter for the EHRC to handle under its rules and procedures.


Written Question
Equality and Human Rights Commission
Monday 25th March 2024

Asked by: Baroness Barker (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)

Question

To ask His Majesty's Government on which dates since 24 July 2018 the Minister for Women and Equalities contacted officers or board members of the Equality and Human Rights Commission and discussed the Commission’s operational matters; in each case, what operational matters were discussed, and what were the outcomes of those discussions.

Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

As has been the case under successive administrations, the Government does not publish granular details of Ministerial meetings or discussions.


Written Question
Shein: London Stock Exchange
Monday 25th March 2024

Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government, following reporting that Shein is considering listing on the London Stock Exchange, what steps they are taking to ensure that such listings do not violate the UK’s commitments to uphold the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and International Labour Organization Conventions.

Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government does not comment on individual companies. Furthermore, a decision to apply for a listing is for an individual firm to make. It is then for the independent regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority, to decide whether a firm meets the requirements of the UK listings rules.


Written Question
Ludivia Galindez
Monday 25th March 2024

Asked by: Anna McMorrin (Labour - Cardiff North)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of reports of the murder of women’s rights and peace activist Ludivia Galindez in Colombia on 23 February 2024.

Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Colombia is a Human Rights Priority Country for the UK and the British Government remains concerned at the worrying rate of murders of, and threats against, human rights defenders and social leaders in Colombia. We will continue to support the Colombian Government in its commitment to implement the 2016 Peace Agreement and ensure the protection and safety of peace activists and women's rights campaigners. During my visit to Colombia earlier this month, I [Minister Rutley] raised the human rights situation with Vice Foreign Minister Coy. At the UN Security Council on 11 January, we set out our concern over attacks on human rights defenders, communities, women and social leaders, and reiterated our commitment to supporting efforts to tackle the root causes of violence in Colombia.


Written Question
Nagorno Karabakh: Cultural Heritage
Monday 25th March 2024

Asked by: Andrew Bridgen (Independent - North West Leicestershire)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, if he will hold discussions with his Armenian counterpart on the protection of Armenian Christian cultural heritage sites in Nagorno-Karabakh; and whether he has made an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the inclusion of Nagorno-Karabakh in Open Door UK’s World Watch List, published on17 January 2024.

Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

We are clear that the preservation of religious and cultural sites in the region is an important issue and we take seriously reports of the destruction of churches and other sites of religious significance in both Armenia and Azerbaijan as a result of their long-running conflict. Ministers and the British Embassies in Yerevan and Baku have raised the need to protect such sites with the Armenian and Azerbaijani Governments consistently and at the most senior levels. Open Door UK's World Watch List provides a sobering account of the extreme difficulties faced by many Christians around the world. We note the report's comments regarding Azerbaijan and regularly raise human rights issues with the Azerbaijani Government.


Written Question
Peru: Forests
Monday 25th March 2024

Asked by: Alex Sobel (Labour (Co-op) - Leeds North West)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what discussions he has had with his Peruvian counterpart on the potential impact of that country's Forestry Law on (a) deforestation and (b) human rights.

Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I [Minister Rutley] visited Peru in October 2023 and held discussions with senior representatives of the Peruvian Government on a range of priorities, such as the importance of protecting human rights and the environment. We are working with the Peruvian Government to drive sustainable development that protects human rights and delivers climate objectives. Our Embassy in Lima has regularly discussed with the Peruvian Government the potential impacts of changes to the Forestry and Wildlife Law and raised concerns about how these could affect achievement of Peru's international commitments.


Written Question
Rached Ghannouchi
Monday 25th March 2024

Asked by: Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have made any representations to the government of Tunisia concerning the case of Rached Ghannouchi, the former Speaker of the Assembly of the Representatives of the People, who has been detained in Mornaguia civil prison since his arrest in April 2023.

Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We monitor the political and human rights situation in Tunisia closely. On 18 April 2023, I [Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon] made clear the UK's view that the wave of arrests, including of Rached Ghannouchi and restrictions on political opposition in Tunisia were eroding the space for plurality. I reiterated this message during my meeting with the Tunisian Foreign Minister on 12 October 2023. The Association Council was also an opportunity for the UK to discuss the principles and benefits of an open and democratic society, of legitimate political opposition, the separation of powers, civil society and an inclusive political process.