Lord Collins of Highbury, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, has provided the following answer to your written parliamentary question (HL109):
Question by Lord Alton of Liverpool:
To ask His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the report by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Pakistani Minorities, Exploitation Of Bonded Brick Kiln Labourers In Pakistan: The Unseen Modern-Day Slavery, published on 29 May; whether they intend to act on the report’s recommendations, especially in regard to the use of UK development aid in combatting the exploitation of Pakistan’s minorities, particularly women and children; and whether they will draw the report and its recommendations to the attention of the government of Pakistan. (HL109)
Tabled on: 18 July 2024
Answer:
Lord Collins of Highbury:
The UK is committed to eradicating all forms of modern slavery, forced labour and human trafficking anywhere in the world. We regularly raise the rights of minorities with the Government of Pakistan. In Pakistan, our Aawaz II Accountability, Inclusion and Reducing Modern Slavery Programme and Asia Regional Child Labour Programme are working with partners, including the Government of Pakistan and civil society, to reduce child and bonded labour. Meanwhile, our Girls and Out of School Action for Learning programme is improving education outcomes for marginalised children from the most vulnerable sections of society. We will continue to use our funding to support Pakistan’s long-term development, focusing on improving governance and human rights, macroeconomic stability and trade, and climate resilience.
Date and time of answer: 01 Aug 2024 at 17:02.
