Asked by
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of
preparations for the 2022 Qatar World Cup and their compatibility
with (1) human rights, and (2) journalistic freedoms.
(Con)
My Lords, we continue to work with Qatar to support its delivery
of a safe and secure World Cup. As with all tournaments, we will
work closely with host authorities on the safety of British
nationals attending, including fans, journalists and players. Our
close ties with Qatar allow us to engage on a range of topics and
we raise human rights issues whenever required, which includes in
the context of the World Cup.
(Lab)
My Lords, eight years ago, the International Trade Union
Confederation warned of Qatar’s failure to collect statistics
relating to deaths and injuries of migrant workers. It is a
scandal that Qatar continues to hide the true picture. In its
report published 10 days ago, the ILO identified gaps in the
collection of data on work-related deaths and injuries and called
for improvement, stressing that we must move with urgency as
behind each statistic there is a worker and their family. What
representations have the Government made to Qatar on the ILO
report? Will the noble Lord come back to the House on progress
made on its implementation, so that further injuries or deaths
are prevented and the families of those killed or injured receive
proper compensation?
(Con)
Everyone deserves the right to work safely and securely, whether
that be in Qatar, the UK or elsewhere. Having engaged with the
Qatari authorities, the International Labour Organization, as the
noble Lord has just noted, published this month a comprehensive
report containing recommendations for improving data collection
and analysis on occupational injuries and fatalities. This is an
important step, and we welcome that. It is also one of the key
elements of Qatar’s national policy on occupational safety and
health. We therefore expect close collaboration between the
Government of Qatar and the ILO during the second phase of their
technical co-operation programme, which will run until the end of
2023. We also encourage continued co-operation with entities such
as international trade unions. As the noble Lord has noted, the
ILO report notes that it is not currently possible to safely
present a categorical figure on the number of occupational
injuries and fatalities in Qatar.
(CB)
I hear what the Minister has to say about the relationship
between this Government and the Qatari Government. Recently,
however, two western journalists covering the run-up to the World
Cup in Qatar were arrested for filming a migrant camp. What
assurances does the Minister have from the Qatari Government that
the same fate will not befall other foreign journalists covering
the World Cup who decide to report on controversial and sensitive
issues in the emirate?
(Con)
We are aware of these cases and are closely monitoring
developments. We understand that Qatari and Norwegian
authorities, to whom the noble Lord refers, are in communication.
The UK remains committed to media freedom and to the global media
freedom campaign, launched in 2018. Obviously, a large cohort
from the British press is expected to attend next year’s
tournament. As part of the FCDO’s preparations, we will be
working closely with the press community, providing advice on
local laws and seeking assurances from FIFA and the Qatari
authorities as required.
(LD)
My Lords, I cannot be the only person who received an assurance
from the embassy of Qatar, saying that things have improved
dramatically, including the introduction of a minimum wage and
the banning of exit visas. Can the Government use their
authority, along with that of their allies, to make sure that
FIFA agrees that such policies have to be in place before a
country can bid for a major competition, not after it has been
awarded, so that we will not have to go through this again?
(Con)
The noble Lord makes a very important point, and I will certainly
take it back to my FCDO colleagues.
(Lab)
My Lords, I welcome the Minister to the Front Bench for his first
Question. What advice is the FCDO giving to football fans from
the LGBTQ community who are contemplating visiting Qatar for the
World Cup in view of Article 296 of the Qatari legal code, which
stipulates imprisonment of between one and three years for
“leading, instigating or seducing a male in any way to commit
sodomy”?
(Con)
The UK is committed to the principle of non-discrimination on any
grounds, including on the basis of sexual orientation and/or
gender identity. We are committed to promoting and protecting the
rights of LGBT people. They are not asking for special rights,
merely to be accorded the same dignity, respect and rights as all
other citizens. Qatari authorities have committed that everybody
is welcome to the tournament, including LGBT visitors. We will
continue to engage on this between now and next year’s
tournament, so that anyone of any background can go and enjoy
themselves. We will continue to encourage the equal treatment and
respect of individual rights and identify what action Qatar is
taking to match those words.
(Con)
My Lords, from this side of the House, I also welcome my noble
friend to his new responsibilities; I wish him well. Do not all
the very valid points that have been made during the course of
this Question surely emphasise the need for ongoing and
constructive engagement in conversations with countries such as
Qatar? Can we also be brutally realistic and realise that nobody
is going to rush to listen to our sermons on democratic values
and human rights in the Middle East when our policies for the
last 20 years in Iraq, Libya, Syria and Afghanistan have pointed
in entirely the wrong direction?
(Con)
My noble friend is right to raise the importance of constructive
engagement. The UK has a strong history of promoting our values
globally. We believe that the best approach is to engage with
Governments and work with international partners and civil
society organisations to promote and defend those universal
freedoms. The relationship between the UK and countries of the
Gulf Cooperation Council and the wider MENA region is historic
and enduring. But we should also recognise that this is a region
with distinct cultures and differing political systems.
(Lab)
My Lords, like the noble Lord, , I have received the letter
from the chargé d’affaires of the embassy of Qatar yesterday,
claiming that Qatar
“leads the region on advancing labour rights protection”
and has made it clear that
“labour law and human rights violations will not be
tolerated”.
Does the Minister recognise that assessment as accurate, given
the continued high level of construction-related injuries, with
over 300 last year, and fatalities, with over 50 last year? Does
he agree with the statement from the chargé d'affaires that
Qatar’s
“track record on media freedoms speaks for itself”?
What further action do the Government believe is necessary to
improve human rights and end construction-related fatalities and
injuries in Qatar state?
(Con)
I think that question was answered earlier, but I take the noble
Lord’s point. On media freedom, we continue to engage, as I also
said earlier, regarding the number of fatalities. There is some
disagreement and difficulty with data collection and precise
numbers, but on all those matters, we continue to engage.
(CB)
My Lords, while it was encouraging to see Qatar introduce labour
reforms last year, described at the time as ground-breaking by
FIFA—perhaps not the most objective of observers—these reforms
appear to have had limited impact, as Amnesty and other groups
have highlighted. Human rights groups estimate that more than
6,000 migrant workers have died in the course of building the
World Cup infrastructure, whereas the tournament’s chief
executive claimed only last week that the real number was just
three. What are our Government doing to encourage greater
transparency?
(Con)
As I have said already, I am afraid that the ILO report notes
that it is currently not possible to safely present a categorical
figure on the number of occupational injuries and fatalities, but
the Government continue to engage regularly with the
International Labour Organization office in Doha and explore
areas of its work where the UK can add value. We stand ready to
assist further and support Qatari continued efforts to implement
change.
(Lab)
My Lords, I draw attention to my interests as declared in the
register. I am strongly in favour of engagement, but engagement
guided by some kind of principles. If the Minister looks at the
study done by the Sunday Times insight team—I am very willing to
lend him the books—he will read a detailed account of
industrial-scale corruption on the part of Qatar in achieving the
status of a World Cup- hosting body. This is confirmed in other
books, including the one which I have here—and am prepared to
lend him: David Conn’s book, which goes through it, detail by
detail. Are the Government able to say that, in order to
establish the principles alongside the engagement, there will be
no associated royal, governmental or diplomatic visits which are
likely to assist the sports-washing of regimes which are culpable
for serious human rights abuses, wide-scale corruption and unsafe
employment by any global standards? Are the Government prepared
to guide sports bodies—we could have certainly done with that in
2009 and 2010—when competing with other international bids for
these tournaments, to show that there is a proper way of dealing
with competitor bidders who do not observe these principles at
all?
(Con)
The noble Lord asks a long question, and unfortunately I am
unable to give a long answer. I will take what he has said back
to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. I appreciate
the points he has made and would welcome the loan of his book.
