David Anderson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Anderson on 2014-04-29.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer to the hon. Member for Islington of 2 September 2013, Official Report, columns 294-5W, on Israel, what recent steps he has taken to raise allegations of corporate complicity in human rights abuses and international law violations by G4S in Israeli prisons with G4S.

Hugh Robertson

International law does not impose direct obligations on corporations. However, the British Government encourages British companies to show respect for human rights in their operations in the UK and internationally. This is why in September 2013, we launched the UK Action Plan based on the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

Through the Overseas Business Risk Service we provide online advice to raise awareness of the key security and political risks which British businesses may face when operating abroad, including in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.