Eritrea

House of Lords written question – answered at on 11 March 2014.

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Photo of Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead Labour

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Warsi on 11 March 2013 (WA 14), what is their assessment of the evidence provided by the Eritrean community in the United Kingdom of the levying of a tax on them by the government of Eritrea; whether they have received any response to the concerns they raised on 20 December 2012 with the Eritrean Ambassador; and whether they have given consideration to expelling the Eritrean Ambassador if the practice continues.

Photo of Baroness Warsi Baroness Warsi Senior Minister of State (Foreign and Commonwealth Office) (Jointly with the Department for Communities and Local Government), Senior Minister of State (Department for Communities and Local Government) (Faith and Communities) (also in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office)

In October 2013, Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials reminded the Eritrean Ambassador of the concerns about the diaspora tax raised on 20 December 2012. On 8 November 2013 we held a meeting with members of the Eritrean Diaspora, urging them to report any coercion to the police. We are not aware of the evidence to which the noble Baroness refers.

The Eritrean government maintains that collection of the tax is legitimate.

We have no plans to expel the Eritrean Ambassador.

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