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  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2016-06-06.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the UN High Commissioner for Refugees has access to North Korean refugees in China; and what steps they have taken to address the specific matter of China’s responsibilities to aid North Korean refugees fleeing North Korea.

    Baroness Verma

    The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees does not have access to the North Koreans at the border area in China.

    We raise our concerns around refoulement – the forcible return of refugees or asylum seekers to a country where they are liable to be subjected to persecution – regularly through our Embassy in Beijing and at the annual UK-China Human Rights Dialogue.

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2016-06-06.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the number of stateless children living in China with one North Korean parent.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The Government has not made an assessment of the number of stateless children living in China with one North Korean parent.

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2016-06-06.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of reports that North Korean workers are producing garments for Burberry Group Inc.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    We have made no such assessment.

    The Modern Slavery Act, enacted last year, includes a demanding transparency in supply chains disclosure provision. This provision requires businesses operating in the UK, with an annual turnover of more than £36 million, to produce a slavery and human trafficking statement setting out the steps they have taken during the financial year to ensure that slavery and human trafficking is not taking place in any of its supply chains or its own business.

    The provision obliges eligible companies to publish this information on their website, with a conspicuous link from their homepage, so that consumers, investors and the general public know what steps businesses are taking in this regard.

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2016-06-06.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of North Korea on reports of widespread rape committed by its military; and whether the UK defence attaché to North Korea will raise this issue with their counterpart.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We are aware of the disturbing reports of sexual violence within the Korean People’s Army. We consistently raise our concerns about the appalling human rights situation in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) directly with the regime. In June, our Ambassador to North Korea made clear the UK’s position on human rights in a speech in Pyongyang attended by DPRK senior officials. We regularly raise North Korean human rights issues in multilateral fora such as the UN Security Council and the Human Rights Council, and will continue to do so.

  • Lord Ahmed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Ahmed – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Ahmed on 2016-06-06.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of measures to improve relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We have continued to make progress on our relationship with Iran since we reopened our Embassies in August 2015, including through reciprocal ministerial visits and the reopening of our visa services.

  • Amanda Milling – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Amanda Milling – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Amanda Milling on 2016-06-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps the Government is taking to promote joint working between police forces and fire services to improve the service they provide to the public.

    Mrs Theresa May

    I, and the Minister for Policing, Fire and Criminal Justice and Victims, hold regular bilateral meetings with the Mayor of London, and the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime. These meetings cover a range of issues that are salient at the time of the meeting.

  • Tom Pursglove – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Tom Pursglove – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Pursglove on 2016-06-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of General Policy Recommendation No.16, by the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance, adopted on 16 March 2016, that doctors, teachers, landlords and other social service providers should not be obliged to report illegal immigrants.

    James Brokenshire

    Access to social services, benefits, social housing, NHS secondary care services, employment and private rented accommodation is subject to eligibility rules and immigration status checks by providers. The Government would not accept or support any recommendation which would bar public officials or private service providers from reporting illegal immigrants to the Home Office.

  • Christopher Pincher – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Christopher Pincher – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Pincher on 2016-06-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Modern Slavery Act 2015.

    Karen Bradley

    The Act is already having a significant impact. All victims of modern slavery can now access the support they need. In 2015 alone, the police and CPS prosecuted 12 defendants using the new modern slavery offences and used Slavery and Trafficking Prevention and Risk Orders on at least 12 occasions. Over 100 businesses have published slavery and human trafficking statements. And the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner is spreading best practice and helped to secure the UN’s first ever Goal to end modern slavery.

  • Joan Ryan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Joan Ryan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Joan Ryan on 2016-06-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what meetings she plans to hold with the Mayor of London and the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime to discuss the policing structure in London.

    Mrs Theresa May

    I, and the Minister for Policing, Fire and Criminal Justice and Victims, hold regular bilateral meetings with the Mayor of London, and the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime. These meetings cover a range of issues that are salient at the time of the meeting.

  • Carol Monaghan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Carol Monaghan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Carol Monaghan on 2016-06-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effect of the Immigration Rules on facilitating family reunification.

    Richard Harrington

    The Immigration Rules support the principle of family unity and allow the spouse or partner and children of those granted refugee status or humanitarian protection in the UK to reunite with them here, if they were part of the family unit before their sponsor fled their country. Under this policy we have reunited around 22,000 refugees with their immediate family over the past five years and will continue to do so.