How does the Commonwealth respond to human rights concerns?
The Commonwealth funds human rights work, observes elections, and can suspend its members. Challenges include democracy and LGBT+ rights.
This paper provides details and links for ministerial statements, urgent questions and parliamentary debates (from both Houses of Parliament) that cover international affairs and defence.
International affairs and defence: Parliamentary debates and statements in the 2021-22 session (2MB PDF)
This paper provides details and links for the 453 ministerial statements, urgent questions and parliamentary debates that covered international affairs and defence during the 2021-22 session (from both Houses of Parliament).
The paper is divided into two main sections: geographic regions – covering areas such as the Middle East and China; and themes – including areas such as defence and human rights.
The coloured panel on the left of each entry indicates in which Chamber the debate or statement took place: green for House of Commons and red for House of Lords.
Debates and statements for the previous Parliamentary session were covered in the briefing paper: International affairs and defence: Parliamentary debates and statements in the 2019-21 session (CBP-8984, 10 May 2021)
In addition to this paper, the supporting Excel document can be used to sort and filter the data further, in order to focus on specific areas of interest, such as statements, debates, chamber or subject area.
A paper covering debates and statements for the 2022-23 session will be published once the session has started and then updated periodically.
Note: Debates and statements related to Brexit and the UK’s future relationship with the EU are not covered in these papers but have been included in earlier briefings: Brexit statements (CBP-8467, 17 February 2020); Brexit debates 2019 (CBP-8489, 23 January 2020); Brexit debates 2018 (CBP-8246, 7 January 2019); and Brexit debates: June 2016 – December 2017 (CBP-8131, 19 December 2017).
International affairs and defence: Parliamentary debates and statements in the 2021-22 session (2MB PDF)
The Commonwealth funds human rights work, observes elections, and can suspend its members. Challenges include democracy and LGBT+ rights.
A briefing paper which "maps" (or summarises) the main elements of the United Kingdom's uncodified constitution.
This paper provides a timeline of the major events in the Ukraine-Russia conflict since the 2022 Russian invasion.