Letter to the Head, Parliamentary Relations
and Devolution Team, Foreign and Commonwealth Office from the
Committee Specialist
The Committee thanks Lord Malloch-Brown for
giving evidence to its inquiry into the FCO's Annual Human
Rights Report 2007. Due to time constraints, there were a
number of questions that the Committee was unable to put to the
Minister orally. I would therefore be grateful if the FCO could
provide brief written answers to the questions set out below:
1. Does the Government accept that the Convention
Against Torture obligation of non-refoulement is absolute
and that there should never be a balancing exercise with national
security when there is a risk of torture?
2. Does the Government accept the claim
that UK is not providing equipment needed for the UN-AU hybrid
mission in Darfur to deploy as quickly and effectively as possible?
3. Why are issues relating to women's human
rights not explicitly included in the FCO's policy goals?
4. Does the Government support the introduction
of mandatory mechanisms to ensure international businesses protect
human rights?
Lord Malloch-Brown has undertaken to write to
the Committee on a number of issues related to his evidence. I
would be grateful if the FCO could also respond to the following
questions that relate to his evidence:
5. What legal advice has the Government
taken with regard to its obligations in relation to flights that
may be on the way to, or from, a rendition but without a detainee
on board? Please could the Committee be provided with this advice?
6. Does the M85 sub-munition fall outside
the Government's definition of "dumb" cluster munitions
given its self-destruct mechanism?
7. Lord Malloch-Brown told the Committee
the Government supports the work of the UNHCR in Syria and Jordan
in aiding Iraqi refugees. In its response to the Committee's Report
on Global Security: The Middle East, the Government noted the
UK contributed US$52 million to support the work of UNHCR worldwide
in 2006. How much money did the Government earmark specifically
for UNHCR's work in Syria and Jordan in 2006 and 2007?
I would be grateful if the Committee could receive
a response to these questions by Thursday 29 May 2008. 1
12 May 2007
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