asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they support the United Nations proposal for an independent, high-level Truth and Reconciliation Commission in Nepal as a means of addressing continuing human rights violations and of providing compensation for families affected. [HL668]

If Nepal is to move forward it is important that impunity is tackled and that there must be an immediate end to widespread human rights violations. As such, we welcome the agreement of both sides to the establishment of a high-level Truth and Reconciliation Commission. It will be important that, following their commitment to setting up such a commission, both the Government and Maoists fully co-operate to allow comprehensive investigations of serious human rights violations and crimes against humanity.

Until such a commission is actively investigating previous accusations of human rights violations, we will continue to provide robust political support to the efforts of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Nepal to highlight previous allegations of human rights abuses by both sides.