Written question asked by Bishop of Coventry (Bishops (affiliation)) on Thursday, 2 November 2017, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 16 November 2017. It was answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (Conservative) on Wednesday, 15 November 2017 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Commonwealth: Capital Punishment

Question: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of Commonwealth countries that retain the death penalty.

Answer: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) works closely with leading human rights organisations to promote abolition of the death penalty globally. 33 Commonwealth countries retain the death penalty. The UK opposes the death penalty in all circumstances and we make our opposition known at the highest levels in countries where it continues to be applied. On World Day Against the Death Penalty on 10 October, I issued a statement setting out the UK Government’s position that the use of the death penalty undermines human dignity, that there is no conclusive evidence of its deterrent value, and that any miscarriage of justice leading to its imposition is irreparable.

Secondary information