Asked by: Angus MacDonald (Liberal Democrat - Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire)
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 effectiveness of diplomatic engagement with the Taliban on (a) the rights of women and girls and (b) other human rights issues.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government condemns the Taliban's appalling repression of Afghan women and girls. Officials regularly engage with the Taliban on UK Government priorities, including human rights. The Government is working with international partners to maintain collective pressure on the Taliban to reverse their inhuman restrictions.
The UK strongly opposes the death penalty in all countries as a matter of principle, and in all circumstances, including through UN and Human Rights Council resolutions.
In October, the UK Special Envoy for Women and Girls and the UK Special Envoy to Afghanistan met Afghan women leaders. Upholding the human rights of all Afghans is not only a moral imperative, but essential for building a stable, inclusive, and prosperous country.
Asked by: Angus MacDonald (Liberal Democrat - Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government condemns the Taliban's appalling repression of Afghan women and girls. Officials regularly engage with the Taliban on UK Government priorities, including human rights. The Government is working with international partners to maintain collective pressure on the Taliban to reverse their inhuman restrictions.
The UK strongly opposes the death penalty in all countries as a matter of principle, and in all circumstances, including through UN and Human Rights Council resolutions.
In October, the UK Special Envoy for Women and Girls and the UK Special Envoy to Afghanistan met Afghan women leaders. Upholding the human rights of all Afghans is not only a moral imperative, but essential for building a stable, inclusive, and prosperous country.
Asked by: Angus MacDonald (Liberal Democrat - Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent steps her Department has taken to support UN investigations into reports of (a) forced re-education, (b) ideological indoctrination and (c) other violations of children’s rights in territories of Ukraine under Russian occupation.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We consistently raise awareness of child deportations in our communications and across multilateral fora and have raised this issue at the UN Security Council, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), and the UN Human Rights Council. Most recently, we raised the issue at the UN General Assembly, as well as in UN Security Council meetings on missing persons in armed conflict on 15 May, and on the maintenance of peace and security in Ukraine on 8 April, and we also raised it at the annual open debate on children and armed conflict on 26 June 2024. In April, the UK supported the renewal of the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine at the Human Rights Council.
Asked by: Angus MacDonald (Liberal Democrat - Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of UN mechanisms for monitoring humanitarian needs in Ukraine; and what steps her Department is taking to help improve those mechanisms.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK has committed up to £5.3 billion in non-military support to Ukraine since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, including over £477 million in humanitarian assistance to date. The UK's humanitarian strategy for Ukraine aims to protect vulnerable groups, prioritise those most in need, and mitigate the worst impacts of the conflict on people. On 12 September 2025, during her first visit to Kyiv, the Foreign Secretary announced a £100 million humanitarian support package for the 2025/26 financial year. This funding will help civilians in frontline communities, protect the most vulnerable, and provide emergency assistance to those impacted by Russia's continued attacks.
We are delivering our humanitarian aid through all parts of the international humanitarian system, including the UN, Red Cross, and NGOs. We work closely with these partners to ensure that humanitarian needs are accurately assessed and that aid reaches the most vulnerable.
Asked by: Angus MacDonald (Liberal Democrat - Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire)
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 support the provision of humanitarian (a) aid and (b) other assistance to civilians affected by the conflict in Ukraine.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK has committed up to £5.3 billion in non-military support to Ukraine since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, including over £477 million in humanitarian assistance to date. The UK's humanitarian strategy for Ukraine aims to protect vulnerable groups, prioritise those most in need, and mitigate the worst impacts of the conflict on people. On 12 September 2025, during her first visit to Kyiv, the Foreign Secretary announced a £100 million humanitarian support package for the 2025/26 financial year. This funding will help civilians in frontline communities, protect the most vulnerable, and provide emergency assistance to those impacted by Russia's continued attacks.
We are delivering our humanitarian aid through all parts of the international humanitarian system, including the UN, Red Cross, and NGOs. We work closely with these partners to ensure that humanitarian needs are accurately assessed and that aid reaches the most vulnerable.
Asked by: Angus MacDonald (Liberal Democrat - Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire)
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 through the UN to respond to reports of Russian airspace violations over NATO member states.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Recent incursions into Poland, Romania and Estonia were reckless violations of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) airspace. NATO responded to the incidents immediately and decisively, shooting down drones over its airspace for the first time. This was combined with a strong political response at NATO - with two Article 4 discussions - as well as at the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and UN. On 12 September, the UK condemned Russia's violations of NATO airspace at a UN Security Council session following the Poland incursions, noting that its actions violated the most basic principles of the UN Charter. Then on 22 September, following the air incursions into Estonia, the Foreign Secretary again underlined to the UN Security Council that Russia's actions are a threat to the values and principles that underpin the UN. We will continue working with our Allies at NATO, as well as through the OSCE and UN, to stress in the clearest terms that Russian recklessness is completely unacceptable, and that NATO is ready and able to defend its territory.
Asked by: Angus MacDonald (Liberal Democrat - Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps he is taking to help ensure enforcement of international humanitarian law protections for journalists in Gaza.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK strongly condemns all violence directed against journalists and media workers. Civilian reporters covering conflicts are afforded protection under international humanitarian law. We are therefore appalled by the extremely high number of fatalities, arrests and detentions of media workers in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. In a recent joint statement with 28 other countries, we called on the Israeli authorities and all other parties to make every effort to ensure that media workers in Gaza, Israel, the West Bank and East Jerusalem can conduct their work freely and safely. The statement also called for all attacks against media workers to be investigated and for those responsible to be prosecuted in compliance with national and international law.
The UK has contributed £3 million to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization's (UNESCO) Global Media Defence Fund, benefitting over 9,000 journalists, including time-sensitive emergency support to journalists and media experiencing sudden major crises in Ukraine, Sudan and Haiti. Earlier this year the UK provided funds to UNESCO's Special Fund for Gaza, supporting locally based journalists with vital equipment.
Asked by: Angus MacDonald (Liberal Democrat - Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has taken recent steps to cooperate with the Syria Civil Defence.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK has long supported the Syrian Civil Defence (also known as the White Helmets) in their vital work to facilitate humanitarian access, conduct search and rescue operations, and enable the safe removal of unexploded weapons. We are proud of this partnership and remain committed to supporting the White Helmets during its transition into the Syrian Government's Ministry for Emergency and Disaster Relief. In the financial year 2025/26, the UK has committed £2.25 million of support for them to provide emergency civil protection services and community resilience activities.
Asked by: Angus MacDonald (Liberal Democrat - Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to help strengthen the UK’s relationship with Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK maintains a strong relationship with Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), working closely on improving BiH's defence capabilities, tackling organised crime, and facilitating reconciliation. We engage intensively, including through the Peace Implementation Council, to support the country's security and stability. Most recently, in May, the Foreign Secretary and UK Special Envoy to the Western Balkans visited BiH and met key leaders to underline our support. I reaffirmed this when I met BiH Foreign Minister Konaković at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in April, and with Presidency members Komšić and Bećirović in London on 17 June. The UK looks forward to hosting BiH at the upcoming Berlin Process summit.
Asked by: Angus MacDonald (Liberal Democrat - Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent diplomatic steps his Department has taken to help promote freedom of religion or belief in Nigeria.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government is deeply concerned about the ongoing violence in Nigeria's Middle Belt and we express our sincere concern for all those impacted. The root causes of intercommunal violence are complex and often linked to land disputes, historical tensions, and criminal activity. While religion is not a causal factor in these conflicts, the impacts are felt acutely by religious communities, including hindering people's ability to practice their faith freely. The UK supports all affected communities, regardless of faith or ethnicity, and is working through programmes like Strengthening Peace and Resilience in Nigeria and the UK-Nigeria Security and Defence Partnership to promote peace, strengthen local institutions, and protect civilians. The UK remains committed to defending Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB), with Nigeria a priority country under the new FoRB strategy, and we will continue to raise this issue in our engagements with Nigeria.