Asked by: Baroness Goudie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what measures they have put in place to ensure a rapid response to international humanitarian emergencies, in the light of (1) the number of global active conflicts and atrocity crimes, and (2) budget cuts to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The UK remains committed to support conflict and atrocity prevention to help save lives, uphold international law and prevent cycles of violence that drive displacement. The UK can rapidly deploy a range of assistance in response to humanitarian emergencies. This includes aid items such as tents and blankets, the UK Emergency Medical Team (UK EMT), and the UK International Search and Rescue Team, as well as technical experts specialising in disaster management, conflict, and health, among others. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) holds the Humanitarian Crisis Reserve, designed to enable rapid responses to new or emerging humanitarian crises, such as a natural disasters, disease outbreak, or spike in conflict.
We are working through detailed decisions on how the Official Development Assistance (ODA) budget will be used from 2026/27 to 2028/29, informed by internal and external consultation and impact assessments. ODA is only one element of how we deliver impact. It is the combination of defence, politics, development, diplomacy and policy levers, which will maintain the UK's effectiveness amongst international partners and within the multilateral architecture.
Asked by: Baroness Goudie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by the Humanitarian Research Lab at the Yale School of Public Health, RSF Systematic Mass Killings and Body Disposal in El-Fasher, North Darfur 26 October – 28 November 2025, published on 16 December.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The report referenced by the Noble Baroness has been reviewed as part of our ongoing work to monitor credible information regarding atrocities in Sudan, and take action accordingly.
On 12 December, I wrote to Parliament to outline that the UK would be sanctioning four senior Rapid Support Forces commanders suspected of atrocities.
On further steps the UK has taken to protect civilians and seek accountability for atrocities committed in Sudan, I refer the Noble Baroness to my statement to the House during the Debate on Sudan on 27 November 2025.
Asked by: Baroness Goudie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what atrocity prevention measures they are taking in Sudan, in particular in Darfur, in accordance with the undertaking to prevent genocide in Article 1 of the Genocide Convention.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The report referenced by the Noble Baroness has been reviewed as part of our ongoing work to monitor credible information regarding atrocities in Sudan, and take action accordingly.
On 12 December, I wrote to Parliament to outline that the UK would be sanctioning four senior Rapid Support Forces commanders suspected of atrocities.
On further steps the UK has taken to protect civilians and seek accountability for atrocities committed in Sudan, I refer the Noble Baroness to my statement to the House during the Debate on Sudan on 27 November 2025.
Asked by: Baroness Goudie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they are having with the Standing Group on Atrocity Crimes about the situation in Sudan.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
I welcome the report on Sudan issued by the Standing Group on Atrocity Crimes last month and look forward to engaging with them on this issue. Sudan remains a top priority for this Government, as reiterated in my statement to the House during the Debate on Sudan on 27 November 2025, where I also laid out further steps the UK has taken to protect civilians and seek accountability for atrocities committed in Sudan. Furthermore, on 12 December, I wrote to Parliament to outline that the UK - as part of our determined commitment to prevent atrocities and hold perpetrators to account - would be sanctioning four senior Rapid Support Forces (RSF) commanders suspected of atrocities in Sudan.
Asked by: Baroness Goudie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they plan to ratify the 2019 amendment to Article 8 of the Rome Statute.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The Government's position on these issues was set out most recently by Lord Collins of Highbury in response to a House of Lords debate on the use of starvation as a weapon of war held on 16 October 2025.
Asked by: Baroness Goudie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they remain committed to Article 3, on the prohibition on torture, of the European Convention on Human Rights.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The Government remains committed to protecting the rights of children and refugees, and preventing torture and we continue to play a leading role in supporting international conventions and alliances that uphold these goals.
Asked by: Baroness Goudie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they remain committed to Article 8, on the qualified right to respect for private and family life, home and correspondence, of the European Convention of Human Rights.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The Government remains committed to protecting the rights of children and refugees, and preventing torture and we continue to play a leading role in supporting international conventions and alliances that uphold these goals.
Asked by: Baroness Goudie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to review how the European Convention on Human Rights has been implemented in practice.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The Government remains committed to protecting the rights of children and refugees, and preventing torture and we continue to play a leading role in supporting international conventions and alliances that uphold these goals.
Asked by: Baroness Goudie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they remain committed to the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 protocol.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The Government remains committed to protecting the rights of children and refugees, and preventing torture and we continue to play a leading role in supporting international conventions and alliances that uphold these goals.
Asked by: Baroness Goudie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they remain committed to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The government is committed to safeguarding and advancing children’s rights. The department firmly upholds the principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. It is important for all children, regardless of race, religion or abilities, to have equal civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights.