Don Foster, “Active choice on internet access is the right way forwardâ€

Commenting on the announcement by UK Internet Service Providers (ISPs) that parents will be given an ‘active choice’ whether they want to impose parental controls on internet access in their home, Co-Chair of the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Party Committee on Culture, Media and Sport, Don Foster said:

“Anyone signing up for internet access will be asked to make an active choice about what they want to see online. This is far better than passing laws to force ISPs to filter everyone’s internet connections by default.

“Web blocking should not lull parents into a false sense of security. The problem will only really be solved when parents take an active interest in what their children are doing online.

“Now that ISPs are acting voluntarily, the Government must step away from introducing web censorship laws”

ENDS

Parliament Week comes to Bath

Don Foster MP is encouraging local residents to take part in the first annual Parliament Week, a new national initiative, taking place between 31 October and 6 November 2011.

Parliament Week is a new annual series of events and activities which aim to raise awareness of Parliament and encourage people to engage with the UK’s democratic system and its institutions. This year’s theme is Stories of Democracy, which is about finding out the stories of those who have participated in or contributed to democracy in the UK, both past and present

Don is encouraging constituents to take part by…

• Submitting their own photos to a new national photography project, Picturing Democracy. The project is open to anyone with a camera and asks for submissions to be of anything - past or present - that represents democracy to you…but not the Houses of Parliament.

For example, it could be a place near you that commemorates an historical event or a person that contributed to the development of democracy. You can email your submission to parliamentweek@parliament.uk with the words ‘Photo Project’ in the subject field.

• Watching the live screening of the UK Youth Parliament from the House of Commons on Friday 4 November from 11am
• Alerting them to check for events and activities on the official Parliament Week website www.parliamentweek.org

Commenting, Don Foster said:

“Parliament Week is a great new initiative and I hope Bath residents will get involved.

“For centuries, Parliamentary democracy has influenced individuals, organisations and business throughout the city, and yet, for many people, Parliament’s work remains unfamiliar.

“Parliament Week is for everyone, exploring how democracy affects citizens and how they can participate in it”.

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

1. Parliament Week takes place between Monday 31 October and Sunday 6 November. For more details about the events and activities taking place during Parliament Week, how to register an interest or how to participate, please visit www.parliamentweek.org
2. As part of Parliament Week, there is a programme of activities across the UK that explore how and why the House of Commons and the House of Lords matter to everyone. The UK Youth Parliament will sit in the House of Commons chamber on Friday 4 November which is being screened live by BBC Parliament. BBC Question Time is being broadcast from the historic Westminster Hall for the very first time on 3 November. For up to date events please go to www.parliamentweek.org.
3. For media enquiries about Parliament Week, please contact Gary Calder, Media and Communications Service, House of Commons on 020 7219 1123.
4. Parliamentary Outreach - The Parliamentary Outreach service raises awareness of the work, processes and relevance of the institution of Parliament, with the aim of increasing levels of engagement with it. It is a bicameral service and part of a strategy endorsed by both Houses to strengthen the connection between Parliament and the public.

Education Service - Parliament’s Education Service works with schools and Members of both Houses of Parliament to support young people in developing their understanding of Parliament and democracy. Education provision is curriculum-based and supports the teaching of political literacy and citizenship education.

Don Foster MP backs women's rights in Afghanistan

Don Foster MP has written to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, William Hague, urging him to back women’s rights.

10 October 2023

Rt Hon William Hague MP

Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

Foreign & Commonwealth Office

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

King Charles Street

London

SW1A 2AH

I have recently been contacted by a number of my constituents regarding women’s rights in Afghanistan.

In the last 10 years since the fall of the Taliban there have been a series of improvements in women’s rights that we should be proud of. From participation in elections through to the number of girls receiving a basic education there have been significant gains in women’s rights. These improvements however are still fragile and could easily be reversed if the planned reconciliation talks do not involve women at every stage. To build a long lasting stable peace in Afghanistan the reconciliation process has to represent the whole of Afghan civil society.

As Mary Akrami, the Director of the Afghan Women Skills Development Centre commented, “Afghan women have the most to gain from peace and the most to lose from any form of reconciliation compromising women’s human rights. There cannot be security without women’s security”.

As such, when you meet other Foreign Ministers in Bonn on the 5^th December I urge you to ensure that all planned reconciliation talks include three basic points. Firstly, that the spirit of UN resolution 1325 is maintained throughout. Secondly, that measurable human rights benchmarks are included. Thirdly, that all parties involved are held to account for any human rights violations committed. On this last point it is imperative that reconciliation is not used as a synonym for impunity. These three basic measures are a minimum to ensure that women can effectively engage with the process to lay the foundations for a lasting peace

I have received a large number of letters from my constituents regarding these issues. I would be most grateful for your comments on this matter so I can best respond to my constituents.

Don Foster MP