Alicia Kearns MP has urged the Government to look again at their response to the Foreign Affairs Committee's recommendations for how we improve our response to State Hostage Taking and Arbitrary Detention.
Alicia Kearns MP, Chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee said:
“State hostage taking and arbitrary detention are heinous and destructive crimes. For the detainees and their families, years of their lives have been stolen. But for abductor states, hostage taking is a powerful source of leverage that has been shown to force the hand of governments.
"In our report ‘Stolen Years: Combatting State Hostage Diplomacy’ we called out the poor communication and generic, standardised responses issued to the families with loved ones in arbitrary detention. Unfortunately, the Government's response to our inquiry follows the same disappointing pattern.
"This is a complex policy area that requires thoughtful and sensitive responses. As we continue our scrutiny of this serious issue, I hope that the Government’s engagement significantly improves and recognises that our recommendations are based on the evidence and experiences of detainees and their families.
"It was upon this, and examination of international best practice, that we made our recommendation for a Director for Arbitrary and Complex Detentions which was roundly rejected by the Government.
“We need to tackle this issue directly and honestly. The Government should embrace constructive feedback and treat Parliament as a supportive but critical friend to deliver on its primary responsibility: protecting the British people."
