Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government which departments were involved in producing a briefing for (1) the planned visit to the Palantir showroom in Washington in February 2025, and (2) the meeting between the Prime Minister and the head of Palantir on 27 February 2025.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
I refer the Noble Baroness to the answer provided to HC86672 on 7 November 2025, which is reproduced below for ease of reference:
Officials from our Embassy in Washington arranged this trip in the normal way.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether any concerns were raised before the proposed meeting between the Prime Minister and the head of Palantir on 27 February 2025.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
I refer the Noble Baroness to the answer provided to HC86672 on 7 November 2025, which is reproduced below for ease of reference:
Officials from our Embassy in Washington arranged this trip in the normal way.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of threats made by the Iranian authorities to target locations and infrastructure linked to broadcasts to Iran, especially those of Iran International, and the continuing threats against international journalists, their legal representatives, and others working with them.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
I refer the Noble Lord to the answer provided in the House of Commons on 24 March in response to Question HC120196, which - for ease of reference - is reproduced below:
Iran's threats and intimidation toward journalists and their families, both inside Iran and in the UK, are absolutely unacceptable, and we have consistently raised these issues directly with the Iranian government. We were integral to the delivery of the Iran Human Rights Resolution, adopted by the UN General Assembly in November 2025, which called on Iran to halt threats and intimidation against journalists who are critical of the government, and to investigate and prosecute those responsible for reprisals. In the UK, the National Protective Security Authority and Counter Terrorism Policing also continue to provide protective security advice and support to individuals and organisations threatened by the Iranian regime and its criminal proxies.
Asked by: Wendy Chamberlain (Liberal Democrat - North East Fife)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of reports that recent criminal regulations introduced by the Taliban impose harsher punishments on women and minority groups; and what representations the UK Government has made to international partners regarding the protection of the rights and safety of women and girls.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the statement issued by the Foreign Secretary on this matter on 26 February, where she said: "I am appalled by continuing restrictions imposed on women and girls in Afghanistan. The Taliban's new criminal procedure code legitimises domestic violence and targets women and minorities. These oppressive measures must be rescinded. The rights of all Afghans must be protected." The UK is working closely with international partners on the issue, including through our chairmanship of the G7+ group of countries, and engagement through the UN and the Human Rights Council.
Asked by: Tristan Osborne (Labour - Chatham and Aylesford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what role her Department has in supporting investigations into deaths of people abroad who held Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK but were not British citizens; and what guidance is provided to UK authorities on cooperating with relevant foreign authorities where questions arise regarding investigative jurisdiction.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government publishes information on the support that can be provided overseas on GOV.UK, including information about how departments and agencies work together when a British person is a victim of murder or manslaughter overseas. Questions about UK investigations are a matter for the police.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department has contingency plans for supporting British citizens' foreign national relatives in UAE subject to travel bans in the event that British citizens are repatriated from that country.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We consider all requests for consular assistance on a case-by-case basis. British nationals abroad should continue to monitor our Travel Advice for the latest information on the support available to them, in a crisis scenario or otherwise. Immigration matters, including exit controls, are the responsibility of individual states.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with her Iranian counterpart on the protection of religious minorities during the ongoing conflict.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government's position on Freedom of Religion or Belief in Iran is unchanged, as set out in the answer of 6 August 2025 to Question 67802, and there remains no excuse for the Iranian authorities to target religious minority groups because of their faith, regardless of the current conflict. We continue to raise these issues alongside other human rights concerns.
Asked by: Jess Brown-Fuller (Liberal Democrat - Chichester)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps her Department is taking to help ensure that the voices of the Iranian people are heard in decisions about Iran's future once military action subsides.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the statements made to the House by the Foreign Secretary on 13 January and 17 March, and my Urgent Question responses on 19 January and 3 February, in which we addressed the repression perpetrated by the Iranian regime, and the importance of the Iranian people having their voices heard.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure internally displaced people with chronic illnesses and other vulnerable groups can access essential medicines and health services in Lebanon.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the statement made to the House by the Foreign Secretary on 17 March, and her answers to the questions raised in response, which dealt with the current situation in Lebanon at length. We will provide further such updates to the House in due course as the situation develops.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with international partners on the protection of Palestinian refugees and displaced communities in Lebanon.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the statement made to the House by the Foreign Secretary on 17 March, and her answers to the questions raised in response, which dealt with the current situation in Lebanon at length. We will provide further such updates to the House in due course as the situation develops.