Commons Sense

Hansard-based summaries and metrics

West Papua Critical Minerals Human Rights 2025-04-01

2025-04-01

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Response quality

Questions & Answers

Q1 Partial Answer
Alex Sobel Lab/Co-op
Leeds Central and Headingley
▸ Context
In 2018, President Joko Widodo promised the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights that he would be allowed to visit West Papua. No such visit has been facilitated by Indonesia despite two high commissioners' efforts.
Will the Minister ensure that the UK does not engage in critical minerals extraction in West Papua before a UN High Commissioner visit takes place to assess the human rights situation?
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs (Catherine West)
The UK continues to support the visit by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and promotes best practices on sustainability and respect for human rights through initiatives such as the voluntary principles on security and human rights.
▸ Assessment & feedback
The Minister did not provide a direct commitment regarding whether the UK will refrain from engaging in critical minerals extraction in West Papua until after a UN High Commissioner visit.
Response accuracy