Extracts from Lords debate on Human Rights: Future Trade - Oct 3
Friday, 4 October 2019 07:56
Lord Harries of Pentregarth (CB):...In this House, it is right that
different Members focus on different rights or different parts of
the world where they have particular concerns. I will take this
opportunity to mention very briefly four of my continuing concerns.
One is India which has an exemplary constitution,
written by that great man Dr Ambedkar, who deserves to be as well
known as Gandhi or Nehru. According to India’s constitution,
everyone is to be treated equally—but...Request free trial
(CB):...In
this House, it is right that different Members focus on different
rights or different parts of the world where they have particular
concerns. I will take this opportunity to mention very briefly four
of my continuing concerns. One is India which has an exemplary constitution,
written by that great man Dr Ambedkar, who deserves to be as well
known as Gandhi or Nehru. According to India’s constitution,
everyone is to be treated equally—but sadly in practice this is far
from being the case. Minorities, in particular the Dalits—the
former Untouchables—and tribal peoples suffer by every indicator,
not least when they try to obtain access to justice when yet
another atrocity has been perpetrated against their
community. India used to be a model democracy and it
is tragic that in recent years under the Modi Government minority
communities such as Muslims and Dalits are experiencing increasing
marginalisation. NGOs there find it increasingly difficult to get
visas. This is totally unacceptable, and in our great desire to do
more trade with India we must not drop our concern
that India must live up to its great
constitution...
(Con):...Noble Lords have
raised a number of interesting points. To begin with the noble and
right reverend Lord, Lord Harries, I should point out, as he
outlined correctly, that free trade agreements will be scrutinised
by Parliament. There will be opportunities for that going forward,
and these matters are being brought closer to home. On the concerns
he outlined in relation to India and Indonesia, he will see that
they are within the GSP, the current EU system, which, when we exit
the EU, will be in UK law. Therefore, the opportunities to make
those representations will be there. We
will not grow weary; no one will be growing
weary in relation to human rights and trade agreements,
particularly because I expect that your Lordships’ House will be
acting like hawks on us. I am grateful to my noble friend Lady
Bottomley for drawing attention to the modern slavery issue and how
businesses now have to report, and for paying tribute to the work
of the former Prime Minister...
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