Written questions by Begum.

Pursuant to the Answer of 9 September 2024 to Question 2525 on Bangladesh: Armed Forces and Police, what assessment his Department makes of the human rights obligations of the (a) UK and (b) other country when determining whether to train that country's armed forces personnel.

The Ministry of Defence uses an Overseas Security and Justice Assistance (OSJA) assessment to ensure that our training and assistance work defends and promotes human rights. This is a longstanding framework used across Government. The OSJA framework is intended to assess and reduce the risks of our assistance contributing to human rights abuses by foreign governments and partners.Assessments are continuously reviewed as and when either the proposed assistance or the situation in country changes.

Whether his Department has held recent discussions with their counterparts in Bangladesh on the asylum claims made in the UK by people from that country.

The first UK-Bangladesh Joint Working Group (JWG) on Home Affairs was held on 16 May and will be held on an annual basis. During the dialogue, and in compliance with Home Office disclosure and confidentiality guidance and the Immigration Rules, asylum and migration issues were discussed. To date, the Standard Operating Procedure for returns, signed at the JWG, has yet to be fully implemented by the Government of Bangladesh, though returns to Bangladesh continue in the meantime. The Home Office and FCDO are in regular communication regarding human rights issues in Bangladesh. FCDO travel advice is aimed at British nationals and is not the relevant test for deciding protection claims. The Home Office remains satisfied that Bangladesh is currently safe for returns of those with no legal basis to stay in the UK.

If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the foreign travel advice for Bangladesh published by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, updated on 27 August 2024, on the returns agreement with that country.

The first UK-Bangladesh Joint Working Group (JWG) on Home Affairs was held on 16 May and will be held on an annual basis. During the dialogue, and in compliance with Home Office disclosure and confidentiality guidance and the Immigration Rules, asylum and migration issues were discussed. To date, the Standard Operating Procedure for returns, signed at the JWG, has yet to be fully implemented by the Government of Bangladesh, though returns to Bangladesh continue in the meantime. The Home Office and FCDO are in regular communication regarding human rights issues in Bangladesh. FCDO travel advice is aimed at British nationals and is not the relevant test for deciding protection claims. The Home Office remains satisfied that Bangladesh is currently safe for returns of those with no legal basis to stay in the UK.

Whether her Department held discussions with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office on Bangladesh’s human rights record before a returns agreement was signed with that country in May 2024.

The first UK-Bangladesh Joint Working Group (JWG) on Home Affairs was held on 16 May and will be held on an annual basis. During the dialogue, and in compliance with Home Office disclosure and confidentiality guidance and the Immigration Rules, asylum and migration issues were discussed. To date, the Standard Operating Procedure for returns, signed at the JWG, has yet to be fully implemented by the Government of Bangladesh, though returns to Bangladesh continue in the meantime. The Home Office and FCDO are in regular communication regarding human rights issues in Bangladesh. FCDO travel advice is aimed at British nationals and is not the relevant test for deciding protection claims. The Home Office remains satisfied that Bangladesh is currently safe for returns of those with no legal basis to stay in the UK.