VerbatimParliament, as it happens

Xinjiang: Human Rights

Asked by Sir Iain Duncan SmithConservativeForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled Answered 28 April 2026UIN 128635

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking in response to the House of Commons motion of 22 April 2021 entitled Human Rights: Xinjiang.

Answered by Seema Malhotra

This Government stands firm on human rights, including in Xinjiang, where China continues to persecute and arbitrarily detain Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim minorities. We continue to raise our concerns at the highest levels: the Prime Minister raised human rights in his meeting with President Xi Jinping in January.

We also continue to coordinate efforts with our international partners to hold China to account for human rights violations, for example by joining a statement led by Australia on Xinjiang and Tibet at the UN General Assembly last October.

Verbatim has judged this answer against the question that was actually asked — answered, partly answered, or evaded. Sign in to see the verdict →

Open this question in Verbatim →

Every written question, searchable

155,000 questions tabled since the election, with the answer each department gave — and the ones still unanswered, with the clock running. Free to search.

Search written questions →Read on Verbatim