Question
What was noticeable about the Minister’s statement was that there was no reference to discussions that the Prime Minister had with the Prime Ministers of Nigeria or Mauritius. Did he raise the issue of the more than 4,000 Christians killed in Nigeria this year? Did he raise the fact that my constituents, and the vast majority of the millions of people in this country, do not want to surrender the Chagos islands?
Answer
It is a matter of record that Ministers, including me—I am the ministerial lead on freedom of religion or belief—frequently raise with other countries the abuses of people of Christian and other faiths. I cannot comment on the individual conversations the Prime Minister has had, but I assure the House that these issues, including on all the various human rights abuses that take place internationally, are raised at the highest levels.
Verdict: RED (12/100)
The reply addresses only part of the exchange. On the first question, about reported killings of Christians in Nigeria and the Prime Minister's conversations, it gives general assurances that such abuses are raised at high levels, but it does not mention Nigeria or the specific killings and declines to confirm the Prime Minister's conversations. On the second question, about Mauritius, the Chagos Islands and constituents' views on sovereignty, the reply says nothing and only discusses freedom of religion or belief. A member of the public would likely need to submit a follow-up question to get the specific information they asked for.
How we got there
| Question item | Coverage | Specificity | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whether the Prime Minister raised with the Nigerian government the reported killing of more than 4,000 Christians in Nigeria this year. | Partially Addressed | Hedged | The reply never mentions Nigeria or the reported killings, and it declines to confirm the Prime Minister's specific conversations. It only offers general assurances that abuses against Christians and others are frequently raised at the highest levels, so the specific question is not really answered. |
| Whether the Prime Minister raised with the Mauritian government the views of the questioner's constituents, and of the majority of the UK population, that the Chagos Islands should not be surrendered. | Not Addressed | Generic | None of the answer statements mention Mauritius, the Chagos Islands, constituents' views, or any discussion of the sovereignty question; the reply addresses only freedom of religion or belief. |