HC Deb 07 May 1993 vol 224 cc260-1W
Mr. Alton

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (l) what information he has received from the International Planned Parenthood Federation and the United Nations Fund for Population Activities on the activities of the Chinese Family Planning Association and the Chinese State Family Planning Commission; and if he will make a statement;

(2) what discussions he has held with the IPPF and UNFPA concerning coercive population control in China; and if he will make a statement;

(3) further to his answer of 26 April, Official Report, column 363, on the work of IPPF and UNFPA, what information his Department receives from these organisations between their annual conferences.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

[holding answer 4 May 1993]: The Overseas Development Administration receives various information from, and is in regular consultation with, IPPF and UNFPA about China's population programme and the technical and financial assistance they provide to China's Family Planning Association and State Family Planning Commission.

Mr. Alton

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what account he takes in making grants to the population control work of IPPF and UNFPA of Chinese state laws prescribing mandatory abortifacient contraception, sterilisation and abortion.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

[holding answer 4 May 1993]: ODA provides grants to IPPF and UNFPA in support of their worldwide activities. ODA, IPPF and UNFPA all believe that women and men should be able to choose whether to have, or not to have, children without any form of coercion.

The British Government attach importance to China adopting powerful directives from the centre to eliminate coercive practices and human rights violations in its population programme. IPPF and UNFPA endorse this view and are in regular dialogue with the Chinese Government.