My hon. Friend is making an excellent speech, and she is absolutely right to ask why the UK abstained in the vote at the United Nations. She makes the point that we can never find out what arms exports have left this country and gone to Israel. Is it not time we had transparency in the arms trade?
Just a brief point, if I may. I fundamentally agree that the national strategy would move the situation forward, but we also need to internationalise this process. We need to at least bring together like-minded nations who would be prepared to buy in to exactly the same framework.
I begin by thanking the hon. Members for Glasgow North (Patrick Grady) and for Argyll and Bute (Brendan O’Hara) for their comments about the reception two days ago, which was actually hosted by IPU, the chair of which is with us today— the right hon. Member for Staffordshire Moorlands (Karen Bradley)—and myself as chair of the APPG on human rights. I want to make a quick reflection. I...
I beg to move, That this House has considered the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the UN Convention on Genocide. It is a pleasure, as ever, to serve with you as Chair of the proceedings, Ms McDonagh. It is a long time since I have engaged in this art form. I will begin by expressing my regret that the hon. Member for Henley (John Howell) cannot be with us...
I will pass the Minister’s words on to the hon. Member; I think we would all agree on that. On a happier note, we meet today to celebrate the fact that it is now some 75 years since two important universal documents appeared. The universal declaration of human rights was brought into being on 10 December 1948, and, of course, there was the equivalent declaration on genocide. I shall not...
Some identical twins differ more than others; that is all I will say. Nevertheless, he will speak on that declaration with great knowledge. The only thing that I will say about the genocide declaration is that it is sometimes very narrowly interpreted as being concerned solely with the partial extermination—the killing—of populations when, in fact, it is much broader than that. It is very...
I have also visited Rwanda and met the same President the Minister will have spoken to. I recognise where Rwanda has come from, but I also recognise that in any journey we expect progress. The US Department of State’s critique is real and we ought to take it into consideration, in particular when we seek, by statute, to declare Rwanda to be a “safe” country. We can argue about the...
Well, I am a Mancunian and we have different views on these things. I shall be leaving London sometime this evening, and not to go to Kigali. What we must acknowledge is that a debate is taking place in the Minister’s party about the relevance of international law. I hope it will conclude that, as a nation, we are better protected when we are a part of collective security and collective...
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what steps his Department is taking to (a) engage with the Zimbabwean authorities on a political settlement, (b) share lessons learnt from other peace processes and (c) support civil society engagement.
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what steps he is taking in the UN Security Council to (a) encourage international support for a political settlement in Zimbabwe and (b) help ensure civil society organisations can participate effectively in steps towards a settlement.
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what steps he is taking to encourage Organ on Politics, Defence and Security of the South African Development Community to support a political settlement in Zimbabwe.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her Department's aims, purpose and forward plans are for the Overseas Domestic Worker Advisory Group; on what date that group last met; and when the group's next scheduled meeting is.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent representations he has made to his Pakistani counterpart on forced disappearances in that country.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of allegations of involvement of the Pakistani (a) intelligence services and (b) military in (i) enforced disappearances and (ii) secret detention in that country.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the of the implications for his policies of the political situation in Pakistan.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made representations to his (a) Pakistani and (b) Indian counterparts about reports of involvement by their officials in repression in the UK.
