What recent reports he has received on the situation of Baha'is in Iran; and if he will make a statement.

When I raised with the Iranian ambassador to London the UK's great concerns about reports of maltreatment of adherents of the Baha'i faith in Iran, he told me that Baha'ism is not officially recognised as a religion in Iran. We receive reports that Iranian Baha'is face routine discrimination and harassment on the grounds of their faith, and the informal Baha'i leadership has been detained for more than a month now. We remain deeply concerned by the situation of the Baha'is in Iran and will continue to raise our concerns with the Iranian authorities.

I thank the Minister for his response. He will be aware of reports from Iran that a new penal code is being drafted, which will be considered by the Iranian Parliament, that would introduce a mandatory death sentence for apostasy. The code would have extra-territorial jurisdiction and could lead to a fundamental attack on the human rights of Christians and Baha'is, particularly those with one Muslim parent, who could, under the new law, be considered apostates. Will the Minister confirm what action the Government are taking on the issue, in particular with the international community, to remind Iran of its responsibilities under international law, in particular article 18 of the international covenant on civil and political rights?

Yes, I can confirm that the new draft penal code is currently being considered by a judicial committee in the Iranian Parliament, but it has not yet been debated or voted on in plenary. We are very concerned that the draft code makes apostasy punishable by death and that the provisions contravene the principle of religious freedom. We are worried about the impact that they would have on religious minorities in Iran, including Christians, as the hon. Gentleman said, and the Baha'i community.

We have certainly made representations to the Iranian Government about the matter. The EU issued a statement of concern on 25 February and raised its concerns with Iranian officials in Tehran on 4 March. I called in the Iranian ambassador to express the UK's concerns on 1 April. We are keeping a close watch on the issue, and I very much hope that our concern will help to galvanise international opinion against this barbaric proposal.

As an officer of the all-party friends of the Baha'i faith group, may I thank the Minister for the representations that he and others have made to the Government of Iran about the situation of individual Baha'is whose cases we have drawn to his attention? Will he also make representations to the Government of Iran about the denial of access to higher education of young Baha'is in that country? Of some 200 Baha'is who began university courses in autumn 2006, about 130 have since been expelled on the grounds of their religious faith. Will the Minister raise that point with the Government of Iran, too?

Yes, we will certainly raise it with the Government of Iran. That is one example of the way in which Baha'is in Iran are being marginalised because of their beliefs. That is wholly without justice and is a very worrying development.

The Minister will know that not only Baha'is, but Christians and indeed homosexuals often face torture and sometimes even death in Iran. Does he therefore share my concern about the recent alleged comments made by the Home Secretary when asked about failed asylum seekers who are openly homosexual, that they should return to Iran and be discreet in their sexuality? Given that there is no discretion, with the eyes of the state constantly on the gay community in Tehran and Iran more widely, does the Minister want to put it on record that he perhaps has a different view?

I am completely unaware of the alleged statements made by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary, but I am only too willing to put it on record that people should not be punished in any way for the way in which their sexuality guides them. They should certainly not be tortured, imprisoned and hanged, as they have been in Iran.