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The Government constantly monitor the human rights, situation in Belarus; Belarus continues to feature as a 'country of concern' in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's (FCO) annual Human Rights Report. In a FCO statement on 26 September, we expressed disappointment with the conduct of the elections, called on the Government of Belarus to work constructively with the OSCE on electoral reform, and called again for the release and rehabilitation of political prisoners. We make regular representations to the Belarusian authorities in Minsk and London about the human rights situation, in particular about the political prisoners. A senior FCO official raised the case of Andrzey Poczobut with the Belarusian ambassador to London on 20 July.

The UK strongly supported the establishment of a UN Human Rights Council Special Rapporteur on Belarus. I issued a statement on 5 July urging the Government of Belarus to co-operate fully with this new mechanism. Miklos Haraszti took up the mandate on 1 November and immediately wrote to the Belarusian Government requesting that they enter into an open dialogue with him and civil society. As yet, he has not received a reply.

The UK continues to work with EU, US and other international partners and groupings to maintain political pressure on the Belarusian authorities. The EU Foreign Affairs Council discussed Belarus on 15 October and agreed to roll over the existing sanctions regime for a further year. The UK discusses Belarus bilaterally with key EU partners on a regular basis. Most recently, I discussed Belarus with Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt on 2 October, and the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), discussed Belarus with Polish Foreign Secretary, Mr Sikorski, in Warsaw on 19 October. In addition there are regular UK/US exchanges of views on human rights issues, including in relation to Belarus.

The UK regularly contributes to EU discussions and statements on Belarus in the OSCE Permanent Council, such as the 15 October EU statement of concerns about the conduct of the elections, and will be prepared to discuss Belarus at the OSCE Ministerial Council due to take place in Dublin on 6-7 December. The UK contributed both funds and personnel to the OSCE/ODHIR mission that observed September's parliamentary elections in Belarus.

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the current (a) visa entry requirements, (b) restrictions and (c) costs applied by his Department's consulate at the British Embassy in Minsk to Belarusian nationals seeking to travel to the UK for the purpose of work or tourism; if he will establish a review of these arrangements; and if he will make a statement. [130109]

Mr Harper: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Home Department.

Application costs and requirements are determined by the immigration rules and fees regulations, whose parameters apply globally. The Government have no current plans to change visa entry requirements for Belarusian nationals wishing to travel to the UK for the purpose of work or tourism. Visa fees were last updated in April 2012. They are reviewed annually.