Select Committee · Foreign Affairs Committee

Xinjiang detention camps

Status: Closed Opened: 15 Sep 2020 Closed: 14 Nov 2021 36 recommendations 2 conclusions 1 report

This inquiry will examine the ways in which the UK Government can prevent UK companies from benefitting from forced labour in Xinjiang, support members of the Uyghur diaspora community, and strengthen the UK Government’s, and particularly the FCDO’s, atrocity prevention mechanisms. Read the call for evidence for more details about the inquiry

Clear

Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Second Report - Never Again: The UK’s Responsibility to Act… HC 198 8 Jul 2021 38 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

2 items
20 Recommendation Second Report - Never Again: The UK’s R… Acknowledged

As well as imposing punitive fines for non-compliance with the reporting elements of the Modern...

As well as imposing punitive fines for non-compliance with the reporting elements of the Modern Slavery Act 2015, we recommend that the Government introduce new legislation that will create a legal requirement for businesses and public sector bodies to take concrete measures to prevent and remove the use of forced … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government will continue to keep its policy on due diligence under review and would need to be persuaded that new mandated supply chain due diligence legislation would be practical and proportionate.
Read full response →
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
34 Recommendation Second Report - Never Again: The UK’s R… Acknowledged

The Government should implement additional early warning tools specifically focused on predicting mass atrocities, and...

The Government should implement additional early warning tools specifically focused on predicting mass atrocities, and mainstream non-conflict atrocity prevention 30 Never Again: The UK’s Responsibility to Act on Atrocities in Xinjiang and Beyond thinking in the newly announced Conflict Centre. The Conflict Centre should be renamed to the Conflict and … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government agrees on the importance of early warning tools, describes existing mechanisms, and states the FCDO is exploring better use of data and technology, but does not commit to implementing specific additional tools or renaming the Conflict Centre.
Read full response →
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office

Oral evidence sessions

6 sessions
Date Witnesses
27 Apr 2021 Nigel Adams, Paul Williams · Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Rupert Ainley · Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office View ↗
13 Apr 2021 Azeem Ibrahim · US Army War College, Charles Parton OBE · Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), Peter Irwin · Uyghur Human Rights Project, Rayhan Asat · American Turkic International Lawyers Association, Rushan Abbas · Campaign for Uyghurs View ↗
2 Mar 2021 Chloe Cranston · Anti-slavery International, Dr Radomir Tylecote · Civitas, Dr Samantha Hoffman · Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), Sophie Richardson · Human Rights Watch View ↗
9 Feb 2021 Andrew Opie · British Retail Consortium (BRC), Damien Sanfilippo · Better Cotton Initiative, Peter McAllister · Ethical Trading Initiative View ↗
12 Jan 2021 Ambassador Stephen Rapp · Office of Global Criminal Justice, Dr Gregory Stanton · Genocide Watch, Dr Kate Ferguson · Protection Approaches, Dr Simon Adams · Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect, Nicola Reindorp · Crisis Action View ↗
15 Dec 2020 Dolkun Isa · World Uyghur Congress, Nury Turkel · United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, Professor Fionnuala Ní Aoláin · University of Minnesota Law School, Schona Jolly QC · Bar Human Rights Committee View ↗

Who gave evidence

24 witnesses
WitnessOrganisationSessions
Ambassador Stephen Rapp · Former United States Ambassador-at-Large Office of Global Criminal Justice 1
Andrew Opie · Director of Food and Sustainability British Retail Consortium (BRC) 1
Azeem Ibrahim · Research Professor, Strategic Studies Institute US Army War College 1
Charles Parton OBE · Senior Associate Fellow Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) 1
Chloe Cranston · Head of Thematic Advocacy Programmes Anti-slavery International 1
Damien Sanfilippo · Director of Standards & Assurance Better Cotton Initiative 1
Dolkun Isa · President World Uyghur Congress 1
Dr Gregory Stanton · Founding President and Chairman Genocide Watch 1
Dr Kate Ferguson · Co-Executive Director Protection Approaches 1
Dr Radomir Tylecote · Director, Defence and Security for Democracy Unit Civitas 1
Dr Samantha Hoffman · Senior Analyst Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) 1
Dr Simon Adams · Executive Director Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect 1
Nicola Reindorp · Deputy Executive Director Crisis Action 1
Nigel Adams 1
Nury Turkel · Commissioner United States Commission on International Religious Freedom 1
Paul Williams · Director Open Societies and Human Rights Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office 1
Peter Irwin · Senior Program Officer for Advocacy and Communica… Uyghur Human Rights Project 1
Peter McAllister · Executive Director Ethical Trading Initiative 1
Professor Fionnuala Ní Aoláin University of Minnesota Law School 1
Rayhan Asat · Attorney, Yale World Fellow, President American Turkic International Lawyers Association 1
Rupert Ainley · Interim Director North East Asia and China Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office 1
Rushan Abbas · Founder and Executive Director Campaign for Uyghurs 1
Schona Jolly QC · Chair Bar Human Rights Committee 1
Sophie Richardson · China Director Human Rights Watch 1

Correspondence

36 letters
DateDirectionTitle
19 May 2021 Correspondence with the International Labour Organisation relating to Xinjiang,…
19 May 2021 Correspondence from Minister Nigel Adams following his appearance before the Fo…
19 May 2021 Correspondence with UK Research and Innovation relating to Xinjiang, dated 11/0…
28 Apr 2021 Correspondence with UNESCO relating to Xinjiang, dated 21/04/2021 and 22/03/2021
21 Apr 2021 Correspondence with the University of Surrey relating to Xinjiang, dated 13/04/…
21 Apr 2021 Correspondence with the University of Strathclyde relating to Xinjiang, dated 1…
14 Apr 2021 Correspondence with Imperial College London relating to Xinjiang, dated 31/03/2…
14 Apr 2021 Correspondence with The Royal Society relating to Xinjiang, dated 31/03/2021 an…
24 Mar 2021 Correspondence with River Island relating to Xinjiang, dated 16/03/2021 and 01/…
24 Mar 2021 Correspondence with TJX Europe relating to Xinjiang, dated 17/03/2021 and 03/03…
24 Mar 2021 Correspondence with Russell Group relating to Xinjiang, dated 22/03/2021 and 18…
17 Mar 2021 Correspondence with Mountain Warehouse relating to Xinjiang, dated 11/03/2021 a…
10 Mar 2021 Correspondence with UNESCO relating to Xinjiang, dated 05/03/2021 and 18/02/2021
10 Mar 2021 Correspondence with Barbour relating to Xinjiang, dated 04/03/2021 and 19/02/20…
3 Mar 2021 Correspondence with Ikea relating to Xinjiang, dated 01/03/2021 and 15/02/2021
24 Feb 2021 Correspondence with Tesco relating to Xinjiang, dated 16/02/2021 and 02/02/2021
24 Feb 2021 Correspondence with Asda relating to Xinjiang, dated 10/02/2021 and 27/01/2021
24 Feb 2021 Correspondence with Matalan relating to Xinjiang, dated 15/02/2021 and 02/02/20…
24 Feb 2021 Correspondence with JD Group relating to Xinjiang, dated 16/02/2021 and 03/02/2…
24 Feb 2021 Correspondence with Hobbycraft relating to Xinjiang, dated 18/02/2021 and 15/02…