Asked by: David Mundell (Conservative - Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the proposals for a bill restricting LGBT+ rights in Ghana; and whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of placing sanctions on people promoting this bill.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The UK continues to monitor the Private Members Bill [on the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values], which would further criminalise consensual same-sex relationships and undermine the human rights and freedoms of LGBT+ people and allies.
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, and the principles of both the African and Commonwealth Charters. I [Andrew Mitchell] raised the Bill with partners in June 2023. We continue to consider options in the event the Bill is approved by Parliament and granted assent.
Asked by: Conor Burns (Conservative - Bournemouth West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what support his Department's High Commission in Uganda has provided to the LGBT+ community in that country since the adoption of the Anti-Homosexuality Act 2023.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
I [Andrew Mitchell] issued a statement on 29 May strongly condemning the Government of Uganda's decision to sign the deeply discriminatory Anti-Homosexuality Act 2023 into law. I met with the Ugandan Foreign Minister on 14 March and 4 May 2023, and the Ugandan High Commissioner on 1 June 2023, to underline the strength of our opposition to the Act and highlight its impacts on the safety of LGBT+ people in Uganda. The Prime Minister has also spoken with the Foreign Minister, as has the Foreign Secretary with the High Commissioner. The British High Commission in Uganda has made the strength of the UK's opposition to this Act clear across its engagements with the Ugandan Government, and is engaging with the LGBT+ community and human rights defenders to understand the impact of the Act on the safety of LGBT+ people and support their efforts to protect the rights of vulnerable communities.
Asked by: Conor Burns (Conservative - Bournemouth West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions (a) he and (b) the Prime Minister's Special Envoy on LGBT+ Rights has had with the Ugandan Government on that country's Anti-Homosexuality Act 2023.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
I [Andrew Mitchell] issued a statement on 29 May strongly condemning the Government of Uganda's decision to sign the deeply discriminatory Anti-Homosexuality Act 2023 into law. I met with the Ugandan Foreign Minister on 14 March and 4 May 2023, and the Ugandan High Commissioner on 1 June 2023, to underline the strength of our opposition to the Act and highlight its impacts on the safety of LGBT+ people in Uganda. The Prime Minister has also spoken with the Foreign Minister, as has the Foreign Secretary with the High Commissioner. The British High Commission in Uganda has made the strength of the UK's opposition to this Act clear across its engagements with the Ugandan Government, and is engaging with the LGBT+ community and human rights defenders to understand the impact of the Act on the safety of LGBT+ people and support their efforts to protect the rights of vulnerable communities.
Asked by: Dan Carden (Labour - Liverpool, Walton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his counterpart in Uganda on the safety of LGBT+ human rights activists in Uganda.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
I [Andrew Mitchell] issued a statement on 29 May strongly condemning the Government of Uganda's decision to sign the Anti-Homosexuality Act 2023 into law. I spoke to the Ugandan Foreign Minister on 14 March and 4 May 2023 to underline the strength of our opposition to the Act and highlight its impacts on the safety of LGBT+ people in Uganda. The Prime Minister has also spoken to the Ugandan Foreign Minister, as has the Foreign Secretary to the Ugandan High Commissioner to the UK. The UK has met with members of the LGBT+ community and human rights defenders to understand the impact of the Act on their safety and support their efforts to protect the rights of vulnerable communities.
Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the treatment of LGBT+ people in Afghanistan by (a) the Taliban Government, (b) religious authorities and (c) Afghan society since August 2021.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The FCDO continues to monitor the human rights situation in Afghanistan closely, including the situation of the LGBT+ community. On 7 October 2022, we co-sponsored a Human Rights Council resolution to extend the UN Special Rapporteur's mandate to monitor human rights in Afghanistan. As the UN Special Rapporteur Richard Bennett has since reported, LGBT+ people face discrimination, threats and violence in Afghanistan. FCDO officials continue to call on the Taliban to protect all minority communities.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will grant indefinite leave to remain to (a) Ahmad Abdul Tawfiq and (b) other Afghan Chevening scholars studying in the UK.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The UK made an ambitious and generous commitment to help resettle those fleeing persecution and those who served the UK. Since June 2021, we have brought 24,600 people to safety to the UK. This includes British Nationals and their families, Afghans who loyally served the UK and others identified as particularly at-risk, such as campaigners for women’s rights, human rights defenders, Chevening scholars, journalists, judges and members of the LGBT+ community.
Whilst I cannot comment on individual cases, under Pathway 1, vulnerable and at-risk individuals who arrived in the UK under the Afghan evacuation programme have been the first to be settled under the Afghan Citizen Resettlement Scheme (ACRS). This includes those Chevening scholars who were evacuated, and those who were notified by the UK Government that they had been called forward or specifically authorised for evacuation but were not able to board flights and have subsequently arrived in the UK.
Individuals on the 2020/21 and 2021/22 Chevening programmes who were in the UK and did not meet the eligibility requirements for ACRS Pathway 3, which includes Chevening alumni at risk, were granted Indefinite Leave to Remain outside of the Rules, alongside their immediate family members who were also already in the UK.
Chevening awards were offered to Afghans resident in safe third countries for the academic year 2022-23. It was made clear to applicants that the scholarship is not an offer of resettlement and that the usual Chevening policy would apply, including the requirement to leave the UK at the end of their scholarship.
Asked by: Sarah Owen (Labour - Luton North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department plans to take to protect overseas families of UK asylum seekers who have fled persecution due to their sexuality.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The UK is committed to promoting the human rights of LGBT+ people around the world and ensuring that no one faces violence or discrimination for being LGBT+. Our Refugee Family Reunion visa scheme allows eligible family members of those granted refugee status or humanitarian protection, including LGBT+ refugees, to reunite with them in the UK. Additionally, through our international programmes and diplomatic engagement, we bring communities and governments together to strengthen rights and freedoms. Since 2018, we have provided over £13.5 million of UK-funded projects to empower and build the capacity of grassroots LGBT+ organisations and human rights defenders worldwide.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 17 April to Question 176822 on Uganda: LGBT+ People, what recent representations he has made (a) to the Ugandan Government and (b) in UN fora on the issue of anti LGBTQ+ legislation.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
In my meeting with the Ugandan Foreign Minister on 4 May 2023 and High Commissioner on 1 June 2023, I argued strongly against the passage of this Bill. The Prime Minister has also spoken with the Foreign Minister, as has the Foreign Secretary with the High Commissioner. The UK firmly condemns the introduction of the death penalty for 'aggravated homosexuality'.
Through the Equal Rights Coalition (ERC), the UK and likeminded partners have engaged in constructive conversations with UN Agencies, including the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. The ERC issued a collective statement following the legislation's adoption, calling on the Government of Uganda to recognise the protections and freedoms of all Ugandans, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Asked by: Baroness Mobarik (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports of (1) torture, (2) mistreatment, and (3) disappearances, of LGBT individuals in Tanzania; and what steps they are taking in response.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
The rights of LGBT+ individuals in Tanzania are coming under increasing pressure. The UK Government is clear that there needs to be an end to violence and discrimination against LGBT+ people in Tanzania and around the world. The British High Commission in Dar es Salaam is in regular contact with the LGBT+ community and human rights defenders to ensure we have a full understanding of the situation. Mindful that overt western interventions can exacerbate the situation, our responses are always informed by the LGBT+ community's perspective on what will best assure their safety.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the safety of LGBTI people in Kenya; and whether his Department is taking steps to help ensure the safety of those people.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
LGBT+ rights are fundamental human rights. The UK is aware that the Family Protection Bill will increase criminalisation of LGBT+ persons in Kenya, which threatens minority rights and risks persecution and discrimination of people across Kenya. Through our High Commission in Nairobi, we make regular representations to the Government of Kenya and other relevant stakeholders calling for the human rights of LGBT+ people to be upheld. The UK will continue to encourage diversity and tolerance and stands in solidarity with the LGBT+ community in Kenya and all those working to defend and protect their rights. The UK Government is firmly opposed to the death penalty in all circumstances and in every country.