Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Uyghur Region: Solar Industry Sourcing

Tuesday 19 September 2023 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 3 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The Government are assessing the implications of the Sheffield Hallam University report on Uyghur Region exposure in solar industry sourcing.
  • The Government are considering tools to eradicate forced labour from supply chains and ban offending companies.
  • The Minister agrees with the importance of freedom of religious belief and is working with international partners to address human rights issues in China.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Alicia Kearns Con Rutland and Stamford
Foreign Affairs Energy
Context

Sheffield Hallam University published a report, 'Over-exposed: Uyghur Region Exposure Assessment for Solar Industry Sourcing' in August 2023, raising concerns about forced labour.

Question

What assessment has been made of the implications for policies regarding the Sheffield Hallam University report on Uyghur Region exposure in solar industry sourcing?

Answer from Andrew Bowie

The Government are determined to ensure that our energy system is not dependent on forced labour at home or abroad. The supply chain and innovation sub-group of the solar taskforce is therefore considering this issue as a top priority.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific policy implications based on the report's findings were not provided

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Q2 Alicia Kearns Con Rutland and Stamford
Foreign Affairs Business & Trade
Context

The question follows from a previous report and concerns the government's actions to eradicate forced labour.

Question

What conversations has my hon. Friend had with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the Department for Business and Trade on eradicating forced labour from our supply chains? Does he agree that we must ban the worst offending companies from our shores?

Answer from Andrew Bowie

My hon. Friend knows that this issue is a top priority for the Government and for me. A range of tools can be used to tackle forced labour in global supply chains. The Government continue to keep our policy responses under close review, and we are working closely with our partners, including at the United Nations, to hold China to account for its egregious human rights violations in Xinjiang.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Details of specific conversations and a clear ban on offending companies were not provided

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Q3 Jim Shannon DUP Strangford
Foreign Affairs Religion & Faith
Context

The questioner highlights the importance of freedom of religious belief and seeks assurance that companies using forced labour are banned from selling products in the UK.

Question

I thank the Minister for that answer. As chair of the all-party parliamentary group for international freedom of religion or belief, I commend the hon. Member for Rutland and Melton (Alicia Kearns) on raising this matter. For me, freedom of religious belief in China is paramount and should be a priority for the Government—I think it is. To make it happen, we need clear legislation in this place and real power from this Government, and we need to be assured that no company that uses forced labour in China can have its products sold in this country.

Answer from Andrew Bowie

I concur very much with the hon. Gentleman's view on this matter. The Government are determined to ensure that our energy system is not dependent on forced labour. As I said, we are continuing to work with international partners to do what we can to hold China to account for its egregious human rights violations, and to work with the solar industry to see what we can do to weed out forced labour and ensure that it is not part of that supply chain moving forward.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Concrete legislative actions or clear ban on products from companies using forced labour were not confirmed

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