Written question asked by Alistair Carmichael (Liberal Democrat) on Thursday, 11 March 2010, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 15 March 2010. It was answered by Ivan Lewis (Labour) on Wednesday, 17 March 2010 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Burma: Gems

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether his Department has made a recent assessment of the effectiveness of sanctions designed to prevent the export of gems originating in Burma to the EU.

Answer: Sanctions prohibiting the export of gems from Burma to the EU were introduced after the crackdown on peaceful protests in late 2007, on the basis that the sector played a particular role in sustaining the military and their grip on power. No formal assessment of the effectiveness of the export ban has been made by the Government, but we continue to believe that targeted sanctions are an important means of maintaining pressure for political reform and respect for human rights in Burma.

Secondary information