Tuesday Volume 631 21 November 2017 No. 54 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Tuesday 21 November 2017 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2017 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 835 21 NOVEMBER 2017 836 Secretary take this opportunity to reiterate our House of Commons Government’s position that the Sri Lankan Government must ratify the Rome statute of the International Criminal Court and that international judges and prosecutors are Tuesday 21 November 2017 involved in the prosecution of historical war crimes in Sri Lanka in order to build confidence that war crimes The House met at half-past Eleven o’clock will be properly investigated and prosecuted? Boris Johnson: I have indeed raised those questions PRAYERS with my opposite number and with the Sri Lankan Government. We believe that they are making progress, but we will continue to insist that more needs to be [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] done. 23. [901963] Daniel Kawczynski (Shrewsbury and Atcham) Oral Answers to Questions (Con): One sees the huge economic growth of some Commonwealth countries, so does the Secretary of State agree that it is important to use the Commonwealth summit as an opportunity for us to start talking about FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE how we are going to recalibrate our exports policy to focus on the Commonwealth? The Secretary of State was asked— Boris Johnson: With 2.4 billion people and some of the fastest growing economies in the world, my hon. Mr Speaker: I call Mr Chris Bryant. Not here. Friend is entirely right that the 52 countries of the Commonwealth represent a superb opportunity for this Commonwealth Summit: London country to do free trade deals. However, that does not mean that we will necessarily be in any way relaxing our 2. Derek Thomas (St Ives) (Con): What progress he desire to do a fantastic free trade deal with our European has made on preparations for the Commonwealth summit friends and partners. We believe that this can be a in London in April 2018. [901941] win-win. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Patrick Grady (Glasgow North) (SNP): I wonder Affairs (Boris Johnson): We are delighted to be hosting whether the Commonwealth summit will be discussing next year’sCommonwealth Heads of Government meeting, the welcome appointment of an Indian judge to the which will be one of the biggest summits that the UK International Court of Justice at the expense of a judge has ever hosted. All the venues have been agreed, all from the United Kingdom. Perhaps the summit will member states have confirmed that they will be sending therefore also discuss how that is another sign of the high-level delegations, and we are discussing an ambitious sun setting on “Empire 2.0” before it has even risen. agenda. Wewant a great celebration for the Commonwealth that is underpinned by real substance, and we are working closely with young people from across the Commonwealth Boris Johnson: On the contrary, I am sure that the to put youth at the heart of the summit. whole House will join me in congratulating the Indian judge on his election. I am sure that the House will also Derek Thomas: I thank the Foreign Secretary for that agree that it is a fine thing that another common-law response. The summit provides a real opportunity for judge has joined the International Court of Justice. young people. Given that 40% of the world’s young people live in the Commonwealth, what more can the Sir Hugo Swire (East Devon) (Con): I refer the House Department do to nurture aspiration and create opportunity to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial in the interests of prosperity, democracy and peace Interests as the deputy chairman of the Commonwealth across our Commonwealth partners? Enterprise and Investment Council. Does my right hon. Friend agree that a positive way of showing how a Boris Johnson: I thank my hon. Friend for putting his post-Mugabe Zimbabwe could be rehabilitated into the finger on the huge opportunity to focus on young international community would be for it to attend the people that the Commonwealth summit provides. We next Commonwealth summit as a rejoined member? To should focus in particular on the education of young that end, will the Foreign Secretary begin to have discussions women and girls. That presents an opportunity to change with his partners in the Commonwealth and with the lives most dramatically across all Commonwealth countries, Commonwealth secretary-general to ensure that there and indeed across the world, and to promote the objectives is a path to new membership for a post-Mugabe Zimbabwe? of freedom, opportunity, democracy and peace to which he rightly subscribes. Boris Johnson: My right hon. Friend rightly sets out what would be a fine and noble aspiration both for the Wes Streeting (Ilford North) (Lab): I am delighted Commonwealth and for Zimbabwe, but I must caution that we are hosting the Commonwealth summit next him that several steps need to be gone through before year. Following the most recent meeting of the United that can happen. There must be free and fair elections Nations Human Rights Council and in relation to our next year, and it then falls to Zimbabwe to apply to the bilateral relationship with Sri Lanka, will the Foreign Commonwealth secretariat and to make it clear to the 837 Oral Answers 21 NOVEMBER 2017 Oral Answers 838 Commonwealth and the world that Zimbabwe fulfils 16. [901955] Mike Wood (Dudley South) (Con): The UN the criteria on human rights, rule of law and democracy has made it clear that Muslims in Rakhine state should that are necessary for Commonwealth membership. receive a legal status that allows them to lead a normal life and, in time, be granted full nationality, with freedom Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP): Will the Secretary of movement and access to labour markets, education of State further outline the discussions he has had with and health services. Will my right hon. Friend continue the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union to press those demands through the United Nations on the need for a solidified trade deal between the and directly with the Burmese authorities? 52 Commonwealth countries, including Pakistan, India, Australia and New Zealand as four examples? Does he Boris Johnson: My hon. Friend is absolutely right agree that must be a priority for London 2018? that that is critical. If those 608,000 people are to have any confidence about the prospect of their return, they Boris Johnson: I fully support the hon. Gentleman’s must have clarity about their citizenship and their treatment aspiration. Free trade deals and the prospect of increased when they come back to Burma and Rakhine. That is trade with our Commonwealth friends and partners why the Annan plan makes it absolutely clear that there will, indeed, be at the heart of the summit next year. must be citizenship rights and investment in the development of equal treatment for all of Rakhine’s ethnic groups. James Duddridge (Rochford and Southend East) (Con): Prior to the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting, parliamentarians from across the Commonwealth 21. [901960] Tracy Brabin (Batley and Spen) (Lab/Co-op): will meet in February, organised by the Commonwealth This morning Amnesty International released a report Parliamentary Association. Will the Foreign Secretary highlighting repression of and rights violations against consider hosting a reception for those 150 parliamentarians, the Rohingya people every single day.Amnesty compares either at the Foreign Office or maybe even in No. 10 Myanmar to an open-air prison. Can the Minister tell Downing Street? us whether the Government will support sanctions against Myanmar? What discussions has he had about that Boris Johnson: I am always grateful to my hon. Friend, with other member states? who is full of knowledge on these matters. I will certainly consider the possibility of holding just such a reception, Boris Johnson: In answer to the hon. Member for and I can think of all sorts of suitable venues. Newport East (Jessica Morden), I detailed what we have been doing with our EU friends and partners. We Rohingya People have secured agreement to suspend military visits, and we will review matters with our friends and partners as 3. Jessica Morden (Newport East) (Lab): What recent things develop. representations he has made to his counterpart in Myanmar on the treatment of the Rohingya people in that country. Mr Speaker: I would have called the hon. Member for [901942] Cheadle (Mary Robinson) if she had been standing, but she was not, so I did not, but now she is, so I will. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Boris Johnson): I have made repeated representations, as the hon. Lady can imagine, to the 17. [901956] Mary Robinson (Cheadle) (Con): Thank you, Government of Burma, and particularly to Aung San Mr Speaker. Since the outbreak of the recent shocking Suu Kyi—I have now spoken to her three times—to violence in Rakhine more than 600,000 Rohingya refugees urge the return of the refugees. We secured the first UN have crossed the border into neighbouring Bangladesh, Security Council statement on Burma in a decade, and I where there is an urgent need for additional land for know that is a subject in which you take a particular shelters to provide life-saving services and aid. In the interest, Mr Speaker. Burma must heed these calls from light of the desperate situation, what support are the the international community and take the necessary Government offering to the Bangladeshi Government steps that we have set out.