Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
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 ensure the continued delivery of humanitarian aid in Gaza and the West Bank.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the responses given on 20 January to the identical set of questions asked by his colleague, the Member for South Cambridgeshire, on 12 January (UINs 105089, 105090, 105095 and 105097)
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
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 address humanitarian crises caused or exacerbated by climate change.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the responses given on 20 January to the identical set of questions asked by his colleague, the Member for South Cambridgeshire, on 12 January (UINs 105089, 105090, 105095 and 105097)
Asked by: Lee Dillon (Liberal Democrat - Newbury)
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 promote the rights and wellbeing of children in conflict zones.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the responses given on 20 January to the identical set of questions asked by his colleague, the Member for South Cambridgeshire, on 12 January (UINs 105089, 105090, 105095 and 105097)
Asked by: Beccy Cooper (Labour - Worthing West)
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 relevant stakeholders on Official Development Assistance allocations.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are working through detailed decisions on how the Official Development Assistance budget will be used from 2026/27 to 2028/29, informed by internal and external consultation and impact assessments. We plan to publish indicative allocations for the next three years in the coming months.
Asked by: Beccy Cooper (Labour - Worthing West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when she plans to announce Official Development Assistance allocations.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are working through detailed decisions on how the Official Development Assistance budget will be used from 2026/27 to 2028/29, informed by internal and external consultation and impact assessments. We plan to publish indicative allocations for the next three years in the coming months.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the Government's response entitled Repeal of section 76B of the Mauritian Criminal Code by the National Assembly in Mauritius, published on 30 October 2025, what information her Department holds on the reasons for which section 76B of the Mauritian Criminal Code was repealed.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the written ministerial statement I gave to the House on 15 December 2025 (HCWS1166).
Asked by: Danny Chambers (Liberal Democrat - Winchester)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has had discussions with the US ambassador on the potential summoning of Jonathan Benger.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Ministers, officials and executives from a wide range of UK departments and agencies are in regular dialogue with US interlocutors on an equally wide range of issues. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office does not hold records of all such discussions.
Asked by: Danny Chambers (Liberal Democrat - Winchester)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department instructed Jonathan Benger to meet with the United States Ambassador.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Ministers, officials and executives from a wide range of UK departments and agencies are in regular dialogue with US interlocutors on an equally wide range of issues. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office does not hold records of all such discussions.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment her Department has made of trends in the level of the persecution of Christians and other religious minorities in Iran; and what steps she is taking to support religious freedom and human rights in that country.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We continue to monitor Iran's violations of the rights of religious minorities, and are committed to working with international partners to hold Iran to account. My Hon Friend the UK Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief, has worked closely on this issue - including hosting events in partnership with with Open Doors and Christian Solidarity Worldwide. We were integral to the delivery of an Iran human rights resolution, adopted by the UN Third Committee in November 2025, which called on Iran to ensure Iranians have the right to freedom of religion or belief in accordance with its obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
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 the level of the threat posed to UK interests by extremist groups operating in north-west Syria.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are closely monitoring the developing situation in Syria and the threat posed by extremist groups, including Daesh and Al Qaeda-linked groups. Daesh's ability to direct, enable and inspire attacks remains one of the most significant global terrorist threats, including to the UK, our people and our interests overseas. The safety and security of the UK and its people remains the foremost priority of this Government and we are working closely with international partners, including the Global Coalition against Daesh, to mitigate risks to the UK and shared national security risks.