:00:00. > :00:00.emptying the streets around churches and cathedrals of cars, and extra
:00:00. > :00:08.police women put on duty to protect worshippers before services begin.
:00:09. > :00:15.Order, urging questions to Stephen Dowty. Thank you. Will the Foreign
:00:16. > :00:28.Secretary make a statement on the persecution of LB GT people
:00:29. > :00:32.injection to. The arbitrary detention and ill-treatment of over
:00:33. > :00:37.100 men in Chechnya because of their sexual orientation is of deep
:00:38. > :00:42.concern to the UK. Credible reports suggesting that at least four people
:00:43. > :00:46.have been killed and many have been tortured are particularly shocking.
:00:47. > :00:48.Statements by the regional government in Chechnya, which
:00:49. > :00:55.appeared to condone and incite violence against LGBT people, are
:00:56. > :01:11.utterly despicable. We condemn any and all persecution and: They
:01:12. > :01:20.authorities. My right honourable friend the Minister of the released
:01:21. > :01:25.a statement in April outlining the government's concern of the report
:01:26. > :01:27.and called upon the government to investigate and ensure perpetrators
:01:28. > :01:31.of human rights abuses are brought to justice. Foreign Secretary has
:01:32. > :01:35.also expressed his serious concerns also expressed his serious concerns
:01:36. > :01:39.through social media. Officials from the British Embassy in Moscow
:01:40. > :01:43.reiterated these concerns directly to the Russian government on the
:01:44. > :01:46.13th of April, and we are working with international partners in
:01:47. > :01:51.Russia as part of wider lobbying efforts. The EU made a statement on
:01:52. > :01:57.the half of member states at the permanent Council of the OSCE on the
:01:58. > :02:00.6th of April, and the UK permanent representative to the Council of
:02:01. > :02:10.Europe delivered a statement on the UK in the committee of ministers on
:02:11. > :02:15.the 19th of April. I praise the Minister for his sincerity on this
:02:16. > :02:21.issue, I know he takes it clearly seriously. -- takes it seriously.
:02:22. > :02:28.This campaign involves possibly several hundred men, and I want to
:02:29. > :02:31.praise the journalists in Russia and the UK and elsewhere, who brought
:02:32. > :02:34.this to public attention. We're talking about detention, beatings,
:02:35. > :02:39.abuse, electric shock treatment is. They do not see this likely, but
:02:40. > :02:48.some have described gay concentration camps, and we hear of
:02:49. > :02:53.at least four killings. The LGBT community have spoken to me about
:02:54. > :02:57.this. LGBT Labour spoke to the Prime Minister and this last week, sadly
:02:58. > :03:05.not getting a reply. I know there have been representations from all
:03:06. > :03:10.parties. President Putin already has a reputation of persecuting LGBT
:03:11. > :03:22.communities, so is he taking a blind eye or is he complicit? The
:03:23. > :03:31.Guardian's Shaun Walker expressed the horrors we are seeing, he
:03:32. > :03:35.described it, attaching metal clamps and sending electric shocks through
:03:36. > :03:41.his body. If he managed not to screen, others would join in beating
:03:42. > :03:44.him with sticks or metal rods and demand to know names of other gay
:03:45. > :03:52.men he knew in Chechnya. If we had any doubts about this brutal regime,
:03:53. > :03:58.we need not. I do have to ask why it has taken so long for the Foreign
:03:59. > :04:02.Secretary. Tweet is not enough to speak out about this, we have not
:04:03. > :04:05.heard clear condemnation from the Prime Minister. Has the Prime
:04:06. > :04:11.Minister or Foreign Secretary spoken directly to the Chechen governments,
:04:12. > :04:14.have the called in the ambassador? Does he now regrets his cancelled
:04:15. > :04:19.trip to Moscow, where he could have raised these atrocities in Chechnya
:04:20. > :04:27.and Syria? Was the issue raised at the G7 discussion and could do Prime
:04:28. > :04:32.-- the Minister explain what he's going to do on this issue? The
:04:33. > :04:38.Foreign Secretary said it was outrageous, but the Foreign Office
:04:39. > :04:44.has referred questions to the Home Office and as yet no clarity has
:04:45. > :04:50.been given. Will be provide refuge from those fleeing this horrendous
:04:51. > :04:54.persecution in Chechnya? May I say at the outset that I applaud the
:04:55. > :04:58.honourable gentleman for raising this, and I hope it is a topic
:04:59. > :05:03.around which this House can unite without any party politics because I
:05:04. > :05:06.think a strong united voice in this country, which the honourable
:05:07. > :05:10.gentleman is calling for, is the message we should be sending because
:05:11. > :05:16.these reports are utterly barbaric. Indeed one of the most disgusting
:05:17. > :05:19.things I have seen reported is a Chechen security source stating
:05:20. > :05:25.these arrests are part of what he called a preventative clean-up. This
:05:26. > :05:32.followed a request simply by an LGBT group to request licenses for gay
:05:33. > :05:39.pride parades, and the group had not even applied for a permit in
:05:40. > :05:43.Chechnya. Human rights groups report that these campaigns and killings
:05:44. > :05:47.are orchestrated by the head of the Chechen Republic. He has carried out
:05:48. > :05:53.other violent campaigns in the past, and this time he is directing his
:05:54. > :05:57.efforts at the LGBT community. Sources have said he wants the
:05:58. > :06:04.community eliminated by the start of Ramadan. Such comments and attitudes
:06:05. > :06:10.and actions are absolutely beyond contemptible. Can I assure the
:06:11. > :06:16.honourable gentleman under House but in the government, we fully condemn
:06:17. > :06:20.this. We do use all engagement with Russia to make our voice clear. I
:06:21. > :06:28.did so personally with the Minister of Russia when I met him a few weeks
:06:29. > :06:32.ago, we spoke on general human rights matters, but also Chechnya,
:06:33. > :06:39.and may I say that I hope this House would be fully united in giving the
:06:40. > :06:44.strongest possible message to Russia and Chechnya in particular, that
:06:45. > :06:51.this kind of activity is beyond contempt and not acceptable in the
:06:52. > :06:54.world in which we live. Can I pay tribute to you in the support you
:06:55. > :07:01.have given to the LGBT community send your occupied that chair, Mr
:07:02. > :07:05.Speaker. It is right that it should be raised here because we have more
:07:06. > :07:09.openly gay members of parliament here than anywhere else in the
:07:10. > :07:14.world. When I was asked in 2010 why I came out, it was to partly send
:07:15. > :07:17.the signal to other people who were troubled about their own sexuality,
:07:18. > :07:24.to give them hope and confidence that if people like us can be open
:07:25. > :07:28.about their own sexuality, hopefully they would also be able to take some
:07:29. > :07:33.form of moral support that it may help them to do likewise. We have
:07:34. > :07:35.made fundamental changes around the rest of the world when we have
:07:36. > :07:41.looked at issues such as climate change. We have made massive
:07:42. > :07:50.advances when we brought countries together on this issue. Can we not
:07:51. > :07:57.do the same on LGBT issues, but we can have LGBT change throughout the
:07:58. > :08:00.world? Can I ask of one area that might be worth a lot of attention is
:08:01. > :08:05.the Commonwealth, where some countries part of our family of
:08:06. > :08:09.nations have slid back as far as LGBT rights are concerned, could he
:08:10. > :08:13.give some concentration on that and show that the British Government is
:08:14. > :08:20.going to lead the way on LGBT change throughout the world? Indeed, and I
:08:21. > :08:24.think one of the other strong messages as we approach a general
:08:25. > :08:29.election, candidates in any party will be able to stand and be openly
:08:30. > :08:35.gay without being in anyway ostracised by their own party or, we
:08:36. > :08:39.hope, any part of the electorate. In itself, that sends a very strong
:08:40. > :08:44.message to the world. I think it is a great tribute to this House and
:08:45. > :08:48.our own democracy that over the last 15 years or so, we have seen all
:08:49. > :08:54.parties have gay members on these green leather benches, and whatever
:08:55. > :09:00.the outcome of the election, long may that continue. I also hope it
:09:01. > :09:05.will be reflected in the Commonwealth in years to come, as my
:09:06. > :09:09.honourable friend suggests, and we must campaign within Commonwealth
:09:10. > :09:12.countries to make sure that they do not fail to reflect the standards
:09:13. > :09:21.that we in the House reflect when it comes to the LGBT community. Can I
:09:22. > :09:26.add my thanks to you for granting this question today. Also to my
:09:27. > :09:31.honourable friend the Member for Cardiff South for bringing such an
:09:32. > :09:49.important matter to the House today and speaking so eloquently. Can I
:09:50. > :09:52.also thank him for his response and pay tribute to his long record for
:09:53. > :09:54.standing up LGBT rights. A brave and much-needed pioneer in that regard.
:09:55. > :09:57.I recall an article by Peter Hitchens in the Daily Mail in 2002,
:09:58. > :10:02.entitled, I am sorry, Mr Duncan, if you are gay and not a Tory. And
:10:03. > :10:09.goodness that has been resigned to the dustbin. We must do something
:10:10. > :10:21.about some parts of Europe. In recent days and weeks we have heard
:10:22. > :10:23.reports from organisations and human rights documenting the most terrible
:10:24. > :10:25.abuse, causing great distress. It is nothing short of officially
:10:26. > :10:31.sanctioned... But the Russian government who beers responsibility
:10:32. > :10:36.ultimately for its citizens seems to be looking the other way. As has
:10:37. > :10:42.already been put before the House, there was a letter written a week
:10:43. > :10:46.ago by LGBT labour to the Prime Minister, in which they asked
:10:47. > :10:54.particularly that she make the Russian ambassador -- meet the
:10:55. > :10:57.Russian ambassador with some questions, and urge them to be those
:10:58. > :11:01.who have been detained and close down those camps. We're speaking
:11:02. > :11:05.today with a strong unified voice. But it seems to me that whilst I
:11:06. > :11:11.applaud the right honourable gentleman raising this matter, I do
:11:12. > :11:15.as a result of the urgent question as a result of the urgent question
:11:16. > :11:19.today, I hope we will get an undertaking from the government that
:11:20. > :11:23.it will be raised at a much higher political level. It seems to me that
:11:24. > :11:31.this matter is something the Prime Minister should take initiative of,
:11:32. > :11:34.and called in the Russian ambassador undermanned some answers. May I
:11:35. > :11:40.thank the right honourable lady for her town. I had indeed forgotten
:11:41. > :11:45.about the Peter Hitchens article. I am not sure I want to be reminded of
:11:46. > :11:53.it! But at least I can take pleasure in the fact that no I am but one of
:11:54. > :11:55.many on the Tory benches. I hope this statement can be seen as
:11:56. > :12:02.reflecting the Prime Minister and the entire government's condemnation
:12:03. > :12:04.of this, but I do note what she says about her wish to see the issue
:12:05. > :12:09.raised to a higher level of political comment. I have to say,
:12:10. > :12:16.another one of the most contemptible elements of this issue is noting
:12:17. > :12:29.that a representative for Chechnya's Council on civil society and human
:12:30. > :12:32.rights, supposedly someone who is charged with the task of upholding
:12:33. > :12:35.human rights said she would not accept an application for help from
:12:36. > :12:38.a gay person because the persecution of gay people should not be
:12:39. > :12:45.condemned to an Chechen society, even if a person was killed by their
:12:46. > :12:49.own family. The LGBT community in Chechnya is not just at risk of
:12:50. > :12:53.persecution by the Chechen authorities, but also falling victim
:12:54. > :13:00.to so-called honour killings by their own family members. They are
:13:01. > :13:04.not safe inside Chechnya, and as I said earlier, what is happening in
:13:05. > :13:11.that republic is beyond contemptible.
:13:12. > :13:19.Mr Speaker, can I agree entirely with the Minister in his
:13:20. > :13:23.condemnation of this terrible, terrible occurrence, but building on
:13:24. > :13:28.the remarks of my oral ball friend from Ribble Valley, is he aware that
:13:29. > :13:33.the Council of Europe is in plenary session next week and although many
:13:34. > :13:36.members such as myself, because of the general election being called
:13:37. > :13:42.are unable to attend, some of our colleagues will be at the Council of
:13:43. > :13:46.Europe and would he have a word with the ambassador to see whether this
:13:47. > :13:50.matter could be raised, for example, in the free debate during the
:13:51. > :13:54.plenary session next week? I think it is important that this matter is
:13:55. > :13:57.raise continually in an international environment, to put
:13:58. > :14:03.more pressure on Russia and the Chechen authorities. Mr Speaker, I
:14:04. > :14:06.think the Council of Europe is a very important voice for the
:14:07. > :14:10.expression of wider Continental opinion and I certainly will convert
:14:11. > :14:14.a two hour ambassador at the wishes of my right honourable friend, which
:14:15. > :14:22.I sense will be all also the wishes of the entire house. The scenes and
:14:23. > :14:25.stories emanating from Chechnya are beyond comprehension and utterly
:14:26. > :14:28.sickening and we share the sentiments that others have
:14:29. > :14:34.expressed. And while we may still have many challenges on the LGBT
:14:35. > :14:38.equality in the UK, we are fortunate in we have come a very long way and
:14:39. > :14:42.then having that greater freedom, we absolutely must use our voices,
:14:43. > :14:47.whether we are members of the LGBT community or not and we must say it
:14:48. > :14:51.loudly and clearly we condemn this horrific brutality. For the Chechen
:14:52. > :14:55.authorities to not only denied these attacks but also, incredulously,
:14:56. > :15:01.claimed that no gay people exist within their province is at best
:15:02. > :15:07.extraordinary and at worst deceitful. We call for those in the
:15:08. > :15:12.region to be protected and the UK Government is, but can do more, to
:15:13. > :15:16.project athletes protect LGBT people around the world. The SNP manifesto:
:15:17. > :15:20.the Government to establish the position of a special envoy to
:15:21. > :15:25.promote the rights of LGBT people around the world as an integral part
:15:26. > :15:28.of UK policy. Will the Minister look into this and consider this for
:15:29. > :15:32.their forthcoming manifesto? And can I appeal to the Minister and his
:15:33. > :15:36.colleagues to act on the proposals we brought forward, put all the
:15:37. > :15:40.pressure he can on Chechnya and Russia to stop these abhorrent
:15:41. > :15:46.abuses and persecution of gay men and the wider LGBT divinity. We
:15:47. > :15:49.cannot stand idly by and let this happen. Those facing abuse must know
:15:50. > :15:55.that we care and we are standing up for them. Well, Mr Speaker, I am
:15:56. > :16:01.proud to say are broadly agree with the honourable lady and all that she
:16:02. > :16:05.wishes to see us do is enshrined across the board in our Government
:16:06. > :16:09.policy, through gifted, through the Home Office, through our foreign
:16:10. > :16:14.policy, and so it will remain, so in that sense, I think we should all be
:16:15. > :16:21.envoys in what we do internationally and, indeed, Mr Speaker, FCO
:16:22. > :16:28.officials in Russia meet regularly with LGBT activists and attend LGBT
:16:29. > :16:33.events so that we can provide visible support. We have also
:16:34. > :16:37.provided support to organisations such as Stonewall and helped to
:16:38. > :16:42.facilitate sar Ian McKellan's visit to Russia last year, during which he
:16:43. > :16:48.met LGBT activists in Moscow and St Petersburg and Ekaterinburg and I
:16:49. > :16:55.think his powerful messages about UK values resonated at least with
:16:56. > :16:59.Russia's next generation. Is there an element of reversion to type
:17:00. > :17:08.here, in that it was always a feature of a totalitarian regime to
:17:09. > :17:13.vilify minorities and as a matter of routine political management and,
:17:14. > :17:16.equally, of the former Soviet Union, it was difficult to to identify any
:17:17. > :17:23.person that posed a political threat to brand them as gay and detain them
:17:24. > :17:26.in a mental institution? Well, Mr Speaker, I think Chechnya does
:17:27. > :17:30.indeed seem to be the worst of the lot, so in that sense, as part of
:17:31. > :17:33.Russia, I would urge President Putin to make his views clear in
:17:34. > :17:39.condemning what is going on in Chechnya. This reminds us that we
:17:40. > :17:47.are phenomenally lucky in this country, those of us who are gay,
:17:48. > :17:51.because I remember meeting in Russia in 2009, a lesbian activist who was
:17:52. > :17:57.83 years old and I asked how she got away with it and she said "I think
:17:58. > :18:04.President Putin things women don't have sex at the age of 80." How
:18:05. > :18:08.wrong can you be, she said. The serious point is we should be paying
:18:09. > :18:11.tribute to those people standing up and risking their own lives and I am
:18:12. > :18:19.glad that the Government is acting to try and do that, but isn't this
:18:20. > :18:24.all part of a peace? President Putin appointed Khedira as president in
:18:25. > :18:30.Chechnya, he has then got elected with 90% of the vote, that doesn't
:18:31. > :18:32.seem at all bazaar, does it? But he and Putin have repeatedly abused
:18:33. > :18:36.human rights, they have used violence to excess and have always
:18:37. > :18:41.resorted to violence when there is another opportunity providing a
:18:42. > :18:44.peaceful means, so how do we, and will the Government make sure, that
:18:45. > :18:49.people who are engaged in this kind of activity and those involved in
:18:50. > :18:56.the murder of British people working in Russia, will not be entering this
:18:57. > :19:04.country? I think an 80-year-old activist gives all of us a bit of
:19:05. > :19:12.hope in this world. Not long now, Alan! Having just turned 60,
:19:13. > :19:21.although I know I don't look it, I heard from behind the... Oh, yes, I
:19:22. > :19:24.did! Much more seriously, what the honourable gentleman says is
:19:25. > :19:28.absolutely right, this is part of a wider picture across Russia
:19:29. > :19:31.although, I again say, I think Chechnya does appear to be the worst
:19:32. > :19:36.example and I think that within the constraints of being able to
:19:37. > :19:40.influence what happens in any other country, we have to speak loudly,
:19:41. > :19:44.speak collectively, be brave and courageous and at a diplomatic
:19:45. > :19:48.level, within the country, we will do our utmost to put pressure on the
:19:49. > :19:52.regime to understand that in the modern world, this kind of activity
:19:53. > :19:58.is barbaric and is no longer part of the world in which any country
:19:59. > :20:02.should be allowed to live. If memory serves, the Right Honourable's
:20:03. > :20:08.gentleman's birthday was 20 days ago. Can I start by thanking the
:20:09. > :20:12.Minister for the various matter forceful statement he has made
:20:13. > :20:15.today. I have written to the Russian ambassador and would like to echo
:20:16. > :20:19.the calls made by other members here today that the UK Government to call
:20:20. > :20:22.in the Russian ambassador and ask him in particular what they are
:20:23. > :20:25.going to do to protect the journalists involved in leaking this
:20:26. > :20:30.story, because clearly they are now at risk as well as the LGBT
:20:31. > :20:34.immunity? The final question I wanted to ask the Minister was
:20:35. > :20:40.weather since the G-7, where unfortunately our Government failed
:20:41. > :20:43.to secure sanctions against Syria and Russia, have any lessons been
:20:44. > :20:46.learned about how to improve cooperation so that at an
:20:47. > :20:52.international level, action will be taken against Chechnya? I think the
:20:53. > :20:57.right honourable gentleman has perhaps deviated slightly from the
:20:58. > :21:01.collective tone of the House this morning. As I think he will
:21:02. > :21:06.appreciate, what happened out of the G-7 was in response to fast-moving
:21:07. > :21:10.events following the gassing of people in Syria. As I said the
:21:11. > :21:14.moment ago and I say it again, on the issue of gay rights in Chechnya
:21:15. > :21:18.or indeed anywhere else across the world, we need to speak not only as
:21:19. > :21:23.one voice in this House but by working together with other
:21:24. > :21:26.countries and with NGOs to make sure that the world collectively hones in
:21:27. > :21:32.on the likes of Chechnya and Russia more generally to make them clear
:21:33. > :21:35.that they are out of step with the rest of the world and overtime will
:21:36. > :21:39.lose all credibility and become increasingly derided and it is high
:21:40. > :21:45.time they just grew up and understand what the modern world is
:21:46. > :21:52.all about. Can I congratulate my constituency neighbour for exposing
:21:53. > :21:58.the latest manifestation of the barbaric treatment that the people
:21:59. > :22:02.of Chechnya have had for a decade and pay tribute to Lord Frank Judd,
:22:03. > :22:06.who acted as the wrapper two over many years for the Council of Europe
:22:07. > :22:11.and reported fearlessly on the terrible things that were happening
:22:12. > :22:15.there. I think one would reflect on this now and we entirely support the
:22:16. > :22:21.opposition that should be worldwide to this terrible activity, and this
:22:22. > :22:27.is spreading. And one of the reasons for it is the pressure on countries
:22:28. > :22:32.to improve the human rights is now less because they don't have the
:22:33. > :22:37.incentive of joining together in the European Union, that demanded these
:22:38. > :22:41.high standards, and we are sadly going back into barbaric treatments,
:22:42. > :22:48.not just in Chechnya, but many other countries, including Turkey. I will
:22:49. > :22:52.join the honourable gentleman in paying tribute to the noble Lord
:22:53. > :22:57.Paul Judd for all of his efforts over the years but I say again, it
:22:58. > :23:00.is for all of us to work effectively across parties, across countries,
:23:01. > :23:06.parties and all organisations to make sure that simple rides the
:23:07. > :23:09.people -- writes for people that should not be denied to them are
:23:10. > :23:17.upheld across the world. Considering how this may be misrepresented
:23:18. > :23:20.abroad, particularly in Russia, is it not important to emphasise that
:23:21. > :23:25.this is first and foremost a matter of human rights and is certainly not
:23:26. > :23:31.a matter confined only to those who happen to be gay. And is it not
:23:32. > :23:37.interested, Mr Speaker, that this is being discussed 50 years since the
:23:38. > :23:44.House of Commons changed the law on homosexuality and if there is a
:23:45. > :23:49.debate in July, near the actual date when the legislation was passed, I
:23:50. > :23:53.would hope to be here, certainly I will do my utmost to be here, to
:23:54. > :23:57.explain why I was pleased to vote for the change in law. I think I'm
:23:58. > :24:04.the only one out in the House who has remained. Like I say, the way he
:24:05. > :24:13.is going, he will be here and another 50 years vote time. -- here
:24:14. > :24:16.in another 50 years' time. But he makes a very valid point about the
:24:17. > :24:21.importance of promulgating the truth. When we stand up and hear
:24:22. > :24:28.absolute blatant propaganda, we should not shy away from robustly
:24:29. > :24:33.cantering lies of that sort and, for instance, Kadyrov's spokesman has
:24:34. > :24:37.called reports about persecution and murder absolute lies themselves and
:24:38. > :24:43.indeed, he added, as we heard earlier, there are no gay men in
:24:44. > :24:48.Chechnya and you cannot arrest or repressed people who just don't
:24:49. > :24:53.exist. And even worse, he went on to say that if they did exist, their
:24:54. > :24:59.own relatives would have sent them away from, I quote, "Where they
:25:00. > :25:04.could never return". And it is the use of language like that that
:25:05. > :25:09.appears to condone the outright murder of someone simply because of
:25:10. > :25:12.their sexual orientation, it is utterly unacceptable and condemns
:25:13. > :25:20.them in the eyes of the decent world. Thank you, Mr Speaker, I am
:25:21. > :25:24.delighted to speak in this debate and I also thank the deputy Foreign
:25:25. > :25:28.Minister for her statement. I have a concern, though, that not just as a
:25:29. > :25:33.member of the LGBT community, but also the broader sense of the
:25:34. > :25:38.social, economic and political impoverishment of what is Chechnya
:25:39. > :25:42.and its profound impact on all Chechen society, because whether we
:25:43. > :25:49.like it or not, Kadyrov has fundamental support, in some terms,
:25:50. > :25:53.of his nation, and the Russian Federation, so how we undermine that
:25:54. > :26:01.is also about investment and also about foreign aid in tackling human
:26:02. > :26:06.rights across the world. So will be debited Minister say here on the
:26:07. > :26:09.floor, fighting for LGBTI rides in places like Chechnya and others,
:26:10. > :26:15.that his foreign budget will not change after the general election?
:26:16. > :26:18.Well, I think we should all committed to fighting prejudice
:26:19. > :26:21.wherever we find it and I hope that when we stand in the election on
:26:22. > :26:26.June the 8th, that will be part of all of the views we hold as we
:26:27. > :26:28.present ourselves to the electorate. But the honourable gentleman
:26:29. > :26:34.actually raises a deeper point as well, which is that we need, as this
:26:35. > :26:38.has, to understand foreign affairs, to take an interest and to debate
:26:39. > :26:43.countries such as Chechnya so I hope that early in the next Parliament,
:26:44. > :26:46.that opportunity will present itself so the arguments we are hearing
:26:47. > :26:52.today can be made more loudly at a junior eight. This has rightly
:26:53. > :26:58.speaks with one voice in condemnation of these have borrowed
:26:59. > :27:01.hacks -- abhorrent acts in Cheshire. It is not the first on the Russian
:27:02. > :27:07.Government has been found wanting when it comes to human acts and it
:27:08. > :27:11.needs reminding of its obligations. What can we do to make sure other
:27:12. > :27:15.countries are similarly robust in explaining that to the Russian
:27:16. > :27:17.Government, not least because of how insecure those members of the LGBTI
:27:18. > :27:26.committee in Chechnya We work through every organisation
:27:27. > :27:32.and of course the United Nations more widely. , but because we do
:27:33. > :27:37.speak frankly, we have had a rather scratchy relationships with the
:27:38. > :27:40.Russians recently. But we will not shy away from raising these issues
:27:41. > :27:45.frankly and forcefully, and I can assure the honourable gentleman that
:27:46. > :27:49.we will maintain a policy of robust engagement with the Russians, and it
:27:50. > :27:59.will include matters of this sort when we do so. All of Glasgow weeps
:28:00. > :28:02.at this news, and when I return later this afternoon we will have a
:28:03. > :28:09.vigil in George Square with politicians, or 30 people,
:28:10. > :28:12.expressing their horror at what is happening. Can I disagree with some
:28:13. > :28:17.colleagues. I do not see the need for it to be escalated to the
:28:18. > :28:20.Foreign Secretary. I think the Minister is very capable, deeply
:28:21. > :28:25.thoughtful, but I would like to echo the comments made by my honourable
:28:26. > :28:32.friend from Livingston. Is it not time for us to join countries like
:28:33. > :28:35.Canada and having an envoy on LGBT rights, who reports directly to the
:28:36. > :28:38.Prime Minister, and I would also echo the point made by my honourable
:28:39. > :28:44.friend from Clydebank, does this not show, and also in terms of what the
:28:45. > :28:50.honourable gentleman said about the Commonwealth, it is not the time to
:28:51. > :29:02.cut it back -- cut back the foreign aid. I thank him for his kind words.
:29:03. > :29:07.And usually I have to say at this political burden period! I am
:29:08. > :29:17.contemplating putting it in quotation marks at my election
:29:18. > :29:24.address! I wouldn't do that! -- politically fervent period. Our
:29:25. > :29:32.policy on this is not for me to say. My personal observation are some a
:29:33. > :29:36.dedicated envoy is not as effective as having all ministers and members
:29:37. > :29:45.of Parliament doing it. Butterfat is in his manifesto, we will let the
:29:46. > :29:49.people decide. Deeply, -- briefly, can I congratulate him for raising
:29:50. > :29:53.this important point and human rights. But could I suggest a word
:29:54. > :29:59.of caution about any complacency on this? We have a united voice in this
:30:00. > :30:06.House of Commons, but we're travelling on an official visit --
:30:07. > :30:18.when I was travelling towards the east on an official visit, I was
:30:19. > :30:24.troubled by the attitudes of people beer, and I was in Austria. We saw
:30:25. > :30:32.some propaganda, and we should be on our guard whenever this kind of
:30:33. > :30:35.human rights abuse viewers at -- rears its ugly head. I think we
:30:36. > :30:40.should take that as serious words of wisdom from a serious member -- a
:30:41. > :30:46.senior member of this House. We need to make sure there are no dial
:30:47. > :30:49.YouTube views, and he is right to point out that Europe needs to be
:30:50. > :30:58.united if we're going to make our voice clear and resonant across the
:30:59. > :31:03.wider world. Having tabled an early day motion myself on this very
:31:04. > :31:08.subject earlier in the week, I am grateful to the honourable member
:31:09. > :31:15.for Cardiff South and Penarth for securing this question, and to you,
:31:16. > :31:19.Mr Speaker, for permitting it. Can we have assurances that members of
:31:20. > :31:25.the LGBT community will be granted asylum in the United Kingdom should
:31:26. > :31:32.be looked for refuge on our shores? I have to tell the honourable lady
:31:33. > :31:40.that that is by merrily Home Office matter, and a matter for asylum
:31:41. > :31:44.legislation. In February the Foreign Secretary announced a ?700 million
:31:45. > :31:50.empowerment fund to project soft power and human rights. How was this
:31:51. > :31:53.fund being used to promote equal rights campaigners and support civil
:31:54. > :31:59.society in Chechnya and elsewhere? Can I echo the points of my
:32:00. > :32:04.honourable friend as he has not yet voiced his commitment to the target,
:32:05. > :32:12.as this is precisely why the target is so important. He makes reference
:32:13. > :32:17.to the empowerment fund, and I understand bids are currently in
:32:18. > :32:19.play. With the election I would imagine that will be stalled
:32:20. > :32:22.slightly, but I'm confident that there will be programmes designed
:32:23. > :32:26.for the promotion of human rights in many of the countries of which the
:32:27. > :32:38.empowerment fund is directing its efforts. I wish to pay tribute to
:32:39. > :32:45.the amazing work of an organisation and Leeds who brought this to my
:32:46. > :32:51.attention. These abuses are are chilling. Can I as the Minister what
:32:52. > :32:57.discussions he has had with EU partners but also with the United
:32:58. > :33:05.Nations to look at an initiative to clearly seek to stamp out this sort
:33:06. > :33:09.of appalling persecution, wherever it may happen. These discussions
:33:10. > :33:15.take place on a regular basis in all the forums we are represented, and
:33:16. > :33:20.it is usually the UK in the lead in designing initiatives and
:33:21. > :33:28.statements, which I think would echo the opinions he has just stated. The
:33:29. > :33:32.appalling treatment LGBT people face in some countries abroad makes it
:33:33. > :33:39.all the more important that officials here making decisions on
:33:40. > :33:46.asylum cases get them 100% correct. Will he make representations that no
:33:47. > :33:50.asylum case should never be refused solely on the basis that a person
:33:51. > :34:00.can return home and hide their sexuality away? I will convey entire
:34:01. > :34:11.exchange to the Home Secretary. Order. Does it relate
:34:12. > :34:15.specifically... He's such a patient fellow, we can hear from him later.
:34:16. > :34:24.There will be some anticipation in the House over what he's planning to
:34:25. > :34:27.raise! Business question. Thank you. Could the Leader of the House give
:34:28. > :34:35.us the forthcoming business for next week? The business for next week
:34:36. > :34:41.will be as follows. Monday 24th of April, consideration of a business
:34:42. > :34:44.of the House motion followed by all stages of the Northern Ireland
:34:45. > :34:45.ministerial appointments and regional rates