Valerie asks a question on Raif Badawi.

Tuesday 13th October 2015 there was an urgent question on  the Saudi Penal System.

HM Opposition  asked the SoS for Justice if he will make a statement on whether he will withdraw from the contract for training needs analysis with the Saudi penal systems in the light of recent concerns with the Saudi penal system in particular the cases of Mohammed al-Nimr, Raif Badawi and Karl Andree. I asked the Justice Secretary:

Valerie Vaz (Walsall South) (Lab):
The Justice Secretary says the Government were interceding in the cases raised by my hon. Friend the Member for Hammersmith (Andy Slaughter). In the case of Raif Badawi, could the Secretary of State find out why the prosecutors are now asking for a retrial with a possible death sentence?

Michael Gove:
That is a very important point, and the Foreign Office are in discussions with the Saudi Government about precisely that case.