Asked by Baroness Barker To ask Her Majesty’s Government,
what specific activities they expect to support under new funding
announced by the Home Office to support proposals to repeal
discriminatory legislation in Commonwealth countries. Baroness
Barker (LD) I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my
name on the Order Paper. In so doing, I draw...Request free trial
Asked by
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To ask Her Majesty’s Government, what specific activities
they expect to support under new funding announced by the
Home Office to support proposals to repeal discriminatory
legislation in Commonwealth countries.
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(LD)
I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the
Order Paper. In so doing, I draw attention to my interests
in the register.
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The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office
(Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon) (Con)
My Lords, the Prime Minister has committed to supporting
Commonwealth countries that want to reform their outdated
legislation. The new £5.6 million of funding will support
civil society to accelerate social and legislative change,
provide legal policy research tools and expertise and
convene regional dialogues to strengthen co-operation,
understanding and policy exchange. The aim of the programme
is to advance the legal equality and rights of all
Commonwealth citizens, regardless of gender, sex, sexual
orientation or gender identity.
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I thank the Minister for his Answer. Thirty years ago,
under Section 28, this Parliament gave the world a
blueprint on how to discriminate against LGBT people, so it
was extremely welcome to listen to the Prime Minister’s
proposal during CHOGM. What is the funding supposed to
support? What activities do the Government envisage will be
carried out under this programme? Does the Minister agree
that those religions that have colluded to harm LGBT people
around the world should perhaps offer restitution by
supporting this initiative?
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On the noble Baroness’s second point, as we promote LGBT
rights, it is important to discuss this issue with
religious leaders and approach it with sensitivity—I fully
accept that—but it is also important to look at this as
being about the equality of all citizens. Issues of justice
and equality for all resonate with all faiths. On the
specific point about funding, the noble Baroness is right
to point out that our Prime Minister, Mrs May, was very
clear at the Commonwealth summit plenary session about
where Her Majesty’s Government stand on this. The funding
that was announced has been allocated specifically to look
at these issue across the Commonwealth. I welcome practical
suggestions from the noble Baroness—I know that she leads
on this subject and has wide insight into it—because this
money is to be allocated primarily to civil society
organisations.
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(Lab)
My Lords, I welcome the £5.6 million fund and the commitment
of the Prime Minister to address the discrimination faced
within the Commonwealth. Does the Minister agree that, vital
though it is to work with Stonewall, the Kaleidoscope Trust
and others, it is imperative that we work with NGOs and
individuals in those countries so that there is no suggestion
of neocolonialism or imposition from outside?
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I have a short answer for the noble Lord: yes.
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(Lab)
My Lords, as the Minister knows, we had discussions at CHOGM
about this issue and he is absolutely right about the need to
support and engage with civil society. That includes churches
as well as civil society groups such as trade unions, which
can actually promote equality and non-discrimination policies
at work and, in doing so, ensure that LGBT rights become a
workplace issue—not simply one that brings us into conflict
with faith groups and others but a much more practical issue.
Has the Minister had the opportunity to meet trade unions to
discuss how he can approach this issue?
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I know the noble Lord had a very productive event that he
attended during the Commonwealth summit engaging with trade
unions directly. As the noble Lord knows, we are meeting very
shortly—although I have invited everyone in for a cup of tea
in the middle of Ramadan, so I am not sure how I will
partake—to hear practical suggestions about the groups and
individuals we should be engaging with to ensure that this
funding that has been allocated is allocated appropriately
and where it can be used to best effect.
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(LD)
My Lords, while I welcome the Minister’s response, I remind
the House that the Commonwealth charter was adopted
unanimously more than five years ago, declaring an implacable
opposition to all forms of discrimination. It is a sad fact
that, still today, 37 out of 53 Commonwealth states
criminalise same-sex relationships under 19th-century laws.
They may have been our laws, but we are talking about
Commonwealth laws now and, in that respect, despite the
benefits of a Commonwealth common legal system, we still seem
to be dragging our feet. What progress do the Government
anticipate making in tackling discrimination while
Commonwealth chair-in-office? What support will they provide
in this to the Commonwealth Secretariat, the Royal
Commonwealth Society and the Commonwealth Human Rights
Initiative, all based here in London?
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My Lords, the Government’s view is very clear. I quote the
Prime Minister when she addressed the plenary session:
“the UK stands ready to support any Commonwealth member
wanting to reform outdated legislation that permits
discrimination, including against same-sex relations”.
The funding is to be allocated to help countries build up
their legal systems. I assure the noble Lord further that, in
our bilateral exchanges with Commonwealth partners, we also
ensure that issues of equality have a primary focus. It is
about working in partnership, taking communities and
societies together, and that is the approach we are taking.
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(CB)
My Lords, when the noble Lord is looking at outdated laws in
the Commonwealth, will he reflect on the meeting that he
kindly attended last week that considered blasphemy laws,
particularly those that operate in countries such as
Pakistan, and also the Pakistan penal code, which
specifically requires the country’s significant Ahmadi
minority, some 5 million people, to register as non-Muslims
in order to be able to qualify to vote, thus disqualifying
them from the franchise? Surely this is a law that needs to
be overhauled.
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First, I thank the noble Lord for chairing that meeting, all
three APPGs which convened the meeting and all who attended.
When we look at blasphemy laws around the world, they were in
many ways a legacy of the days of Empire. It is important
that we take a lead responsibility in ensuring that those who
are now using laws that were intended to protect religions to
discriminate against minority communities, such as the Ahmadi
Muslim community and Christian communities, are met on the
front foot and that we deal with it directly and bilaterally.
Equally, when those laws are used to discriminate on
important issues such as excluding people from elections, as
they are in Pakistan, they should also be called out for what
they are: they are straightforwardly discriminatory and
should be eliminated and eradicated.
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(Con)
My Lords, one minute we are being told that we should beware
of the ills of neo-colonialism, and the next moment we are
telling sovereign Governments in the Commonwealth how to
conduct their affairs.
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All I will say to my noble friend, whom I listen to
attentively on every occasion, is that I used and stressed
the words “in partnership with”.
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