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Written question asked by Bishop of St Albans (Bishops (affiliation)) on Tuesday, 20 February 2024, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 5 March 2024. It was answered by Lord Johnson of Lainston (Conservative) on Tuesday, 5 March 2024 on behalf of the Department for Business and Trade.

Forced Labour: China

Question

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of recent Human Rights Watch research that suggests several major carmakers could be complicit in abuse of China’s Uyghur Muslims.

Answer

Modern slavery is a barbaric crime which we are determined to stamp out. In 2022, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights published its assessment of the human rights situation in Xinjiang, which found that China had carried out "serious human rights violations" against Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim minorities.

The Government's overseas business risk guidance sets out the risks of operating in Xinjiang and urges UK companies to conduct appropriate due diligence and consider their corporate responsibilities when making business decisions. The Minister for Industry and Economic Security has requested meetings with named manufacturers in the Human Rights Watch report to discuss this issue in more detail.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
HL2599
Session
2023-24
Subjects
Cars China Forced labour Manufacturing industries Human Rights Watch Uyghurs
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk