§ Bob SpinkTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will raise the issue of the Christians arrested in Egypt for their faith with the Egyptian Government and urge them to stop their action against Muslim converts to Christianity. [135500]
§ Mr. RammellWe are looking into the reports to which the hon. Member refers. The Egyptian Constitution provides for equal public rights and duties without discrimination on the basis of religion or creed. Although we have received a number of letters on this subject from concerned people in the United Kingdom, we have seen no evidence of systematic official targeting of converts to Christianity. Where there is evidence of violation of human rights, we of course make our views known to the Egyptian authorities.