Her Majesty's Government is committed to ensuring that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people around the world are free to live their lives in a safe and just environment. We are concerned about the proposed Anti-Homosexuality Bill being considered by the Ugandan Parliament and have raised our concerns regularly at all levels of Government.

We are in close contact with Ugandan Civil Society Groups and support their efforts to improve Human Rights in Uganda. For example, the UK with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office playing the lead role on this issue has provided support for training, advocacy and the cost of legal cases related to the protection of LGBT communities' human rights.

Following the coalition’s commitment to end the removal of those at risk of persecution due to their sexual orientation, the UK Border Agency produced dedicated guidance aimed at ensuring that claims are handled sensitively and appropriately, and training on considering sexuality based claims was delivered to all asylum case owners. The guidance included advice on assessing the credibility of claims.

Any individual who claims fear of persecution on return to their country of origin will have their case fully considered on its merits in accordance with the

obligations under the 1951 United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), in the context of their personal circumstances and in the light of all available information about their country of origin. Asylum applicants who are found to be in need of protection will be granted asylum or humanitarian protection.

The British Government regularly discusses lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) issues with local non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Colombo who specialise in this area. Officials from our High Commission in Colombo attend functions that

promote LGBT rights, and the High Commission has held events on behalf of LGBT rights specialist NGOs. Another such event to raise funds for a local LGBT NGO will take place later this month.

Human rights are universal and should apply equally to all people. We work to uphold the rights and freedoms of LGBT people in all circumstances. We believe that the international community must address all forms of discrimination, including on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, and promote respect for diversity.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office's work in combating violence and discrimination against LGBT people forms an important part of our wider international human rights work. The UK works through our Embassies and High Commissions, and through international organisations including the UN, the Council of Europe, and the Commonwealth, to promote tolerance and non-discrimination against LGBT people and to address discriminatory laws, in particular those that criminalise homosexuality.

[holding answer 25 January 2013]: The UK Border Agency publishes immigration statistics annually and quarterly.

These are available from the Home Office Research and Statistics website. They can be found here:

http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/science-research-statistics/research-statistics/immigration-asylum-research/immigration-tabs-q3-2012

Published statistics are not disaggregated according to the basis of the asylum claim. Consequently the requested information is not available through published statistics. The reasons for asylum being granted cannot be determined without undertaking a manual search of records. Nor is it possible to identify all cases in which asylum was granted on the basis of sexual orientation without manually checking records. In both cases to do so would incur disproportionate costs.

Our financial aid to the Government of Uganda, and other countries, is predicated on partnership principles in fundamental commitments and agreed

principles which include poverty reduction, respect for human rights, improved public financial management, and promoting good governance.

The UK Government is committed to ensuring that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people are free to live their lives in a safe and just environment. We are therefore concerned about the proposed Anti-Homosexuality Bill being considered by the Ugandan Parliament. We have raised our concerns regularly at the most senior levels of the Ugandan Government.

The British Government is committed to ensuring that Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender people around the world are free to live their lives in a safe and just environment. We are therefore concerned about the proposed Anti-Homosexuality Bill being considered by the Ugandan Parliament. We have raised our concerns regularly. Most recently. I raised this issue with President Museveni during my visit to Uganda on 21 November.

The data requested is not held in a format compatible with National Statistics protocols, or produced as part of the UK Border Agency's standard reports.

However, the Home Office publishes the number of asylum applications and initial decisions by gender on an annual basis. Latest figures can be found in Table as.03 and Table as.05 of the release ‘Immigration Statistics—April to June’ which is available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office Research Development and Statistics website at:

http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/science-research-statistics/research-statistics/immigration-asylum-research/immigration-q2-2012/

The Department has made no assessment of (a) the working conditions for women in the professional modelling industry or (b) the extent of discrimination on the ground of sexual orientation in the creative industries.