Extract from oral answer
(Lords) on China
(LD) [V]: My Lords, the
Minister is aware that, according to Amnesty International, more
executions are carried out in China than in the rest of the world.
Areas of concern identified by human rights groups include the
death penalty, the legal status of Tibet, freedom of the press, and
a lack of legal recognition of human rights. Is the Minister also
aware of the skirmishes that took place, according to breaking
news, at the border between Indiaand China? What
is being done to make representations, so that peace will prevail
in this area? Perhaps the Minister can place a copy of his reply in
the Library, so that we can read about what is happening in the
areas I have mentioned.
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office and
Department for International Development () (Con): My Lords, I
am aware of the concerning situation on what is one of the
largest borders. We call upon both sides to de-escalate. If there
are other matters in relation to this on which I need to update
the House, I will of course do as the noble Lord suggests.
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Extract from end of day
adjournment debate (Commons) on Covid-19: Asylum Seeker
Services in Glasgow
(Glasgow South West)
(SNP):...On the acute risk of covid-19 and severe illness and death
for BAME communities, I turn briefly to a critical matter touched
on earlier that is of the utmost public interest. As the evidence
is now overwhelming that BAME communities living in areas of
deprivation and often higher population density are at an acutely
high risk of contracting covid-19 or of dying from it, this already
high risk will escalate if BAME communities are made homelessness.
The asylum seekers are from BAME groups, with people from
Bangladesh, Pakistan, India Nigeria, Sudan,
Afghanistan, and China, among many others. They are at a higher
risk of dying from covid-19. Surely given that, the Minister must
not end, but extend, the ban on asylum support cessation and
evictions. It would be even more irresponsible in public health and
safety terms to restart business as usual. Given the evidence about
those who are homeless catching covid-19 and, for BAME communities,
of dying from it, will the Minister urgently extend the ban on
asylum support cessation and evictions, and set out how he is
paying due regard to this public sector equality duty in deciding
to end the current pause on cessation and evictions?
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