Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Labour - Salford)
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 potential implications for her policies of the recommendations for UN member states in the UN Human Rights Council Conference Room Paper of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel entitled Legal analysis of the conduct of Israel in Gaza pursuant to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, published on 16 September 2025.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 9 June 2025 to Question 55524.
Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Labour - Salford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when she next expects to discuss the case of detained British national Alaa Abd el-Fattah with her Egyptian counterpart.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Alaa Abd El-Fattah was released from prison on 23 September 2025, following a Presidential pardon.
Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Labour - Salford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what further steps she plans to take to encourage the Egyptian authorities to release Alaa Abd El-Fattah.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Alaa Abd El-Fattah was released from prison on 23 September 2025, following a Presidential pardon.
Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Labour - Salford)
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 allies on the case of Alaa Abd el-Fattah.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Alaa Abd El-Fattah was released from prison on 23 September 2025, following a Presidential pardon.
Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Labour - Salford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of his Departmental spending plans on the work of the (a) Media Freedom Coalition and (b) other country-specific programmes to promote (i) media freedom and (ii) the protection of journalists.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The United Kingdom remains steadfast in its commitment to media freedom internationally, including the protection of journalists. We recognise the vital role journalists play in upholding human rights, supporting effective, accountable and inclusive governance and democratic resilience.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) supports media freedom initiatives across the world to foster diverse media landscapes. For the 2025-26 financial year, this includes £114,000 to the Media Freedom Coalition (MFC), to finance its secretariat operations. In October 2024 we launched a new media development programme Public Interest Media and Healthy Information Environments (PIMHIE), which helps local media outlets develop new business models and strengthens wider information environments through support for advocacy and policy initiatives to improve the media eco-system. This programme will be supported with £2.25 million in funding this financial year. The FCDO is currently working through future spending plans, including final allocations for this year. It is not yet possible to clarify the exact amount that will be committed to these initiatives in the next four financial years.
The UK also plays a critical role promoting media freedom and the protection of journalists through our multilateral and bilateral diplomacy. We have negotiated resolutions to protect international standards on media freedom and freedom of expression, including in the Human Rights Council and upholding OSCE commitments. The UK co-founded the MFC which has issued a wide range of public statements highlighting situations of concern, as well as issues such as journalists in conflict and journalists in exile. Journalists are protected under international humanitarian law, and the UK actively promotes adherence to these protections.
Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Labour - Salford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much funding his Department plans to provide to (a) the Media Freedom Coalition and (b) other country-specific programmes to promote (i) media freedom and (ii) the protection of journalists in each of the next four financial years.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The United Kingdom remains steadfast in its commitment to media freedom internationally, including the protection of journalists. We recognise the vital role journalists play in upholding human rights, supporting effective, accountable and inclusive governance and democratic resilience.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) supports media freedom initiatives across the world to foster diverse media landscapes. For the 2025-26 financial year, this includes £114,000 to the Media Freedom Coalition (MFC), to finance its secretariat operations. In October 2024 we launched a new media development programme Public Interest Media and Healthy Information Environments (PIMHIE), which helps local media outlets develop new business models and strengthens wider information environments through support for advocacy and policy initiatives to improve the media eco-system. This programme will be supported with £2.25 million in funding this financial year. The FCDO is currently working through future spending plans, including final allocations for this year. It is not yet possible to clarify the exact amount that will be committed to these initiatives in the next four financial years.
The UK also plays a critical role promoting media freedom and the protection of journalists through our multilateral and bilateral diplomacy. We have negotiated resolutions to protect international standards on media freedom and freedom of expression, including in the Human Rights Council and upholding OSCE commitments. The UK co-founded the MFC which has issued a wide range of public statements highlighting situations of concern, as well as issues such as journalists in conflict and journalists in exile. Journalists are protected under international humanitarian law, and the UK actively promotes adherence to these protections.
Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Labour - Salford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much funding his Department has allocated to (a) the global Media Freedom Coalition and (b) other country-specific programmes to support (i) media freedom and (ii) the protection of journalists in the 2025-26 financial year.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The United Kingdom remains steadfast in its commitment to media freedom internationally, including the protection of journalists. We recognise the vital role journalists play in upholding human rights, supporting effective, accountable and inclusive governance and democratic resilience.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) supports media freedom initiatives across the world to foster diverse media landscapes. For the 2025-26 financial year, this includes £114,000 to the Media Freedom Coalition (MFC), to finance its secretariat operations. In October 2024 we launched a new media development programme Public Interest Media and Healthy Information Environments (PIMHIE), which helps local media outlets develop new business models and strengthens wider information environments through support for advocacy and policy initiatives to improve the media eco-system. This programme will be supported with £2.25 million in funding this financial year. The FCDO is currently working through future spending plans, including final allocations for this year. It is not yet possible to clarify the exact amount that will be committed to these initiatives in the next four financial years.
The UK also plays a critical role promoting media freedom and the protection of journalists through our multilateral and bilateral diplomacy. We have negotiated resolutions to protect international standards on media freedom and freedom of expression, including in the Human Rights Council and upholding OSCE commitments. The UK co-founded the MFC which has issued a wide range of public statements highlighting situations of concern, as well as issues such as journalists in conflict and journalists in exile. Journalists are protected under international humanitarian law, and the UK actively promotes adherence to these protections.
Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Labour - Salford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the medical care offered to detained British national Alaa Abd el-Fattah in Egypt.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We consistently raise Mr El-Fattah's case at the highest levels of the Egyptian Government and lobby extensively for consular access. However, the Egyptian Government does not recognise his British nationality. Consular officials are in regular contact with Mr El-Fattah's family, who continue to provide regular updates with regards to his health and welfare. The Prime Minister raised the case with President Sisi on 22 May. The Foreign Secretary raised the case with Foreign Minister Abdelatty on 1 June. I discussed the case with the Egyptian Ambassador to the UK on 31 May. The UK Government is committed to securing Mr El-Fattah's release.
Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Labour - Salford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of taking steps with his international counterparts to negotiate a UN convention on the protection of journalists.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK already works through existing UN conventions and mechanisms which require states to uphold rights that address the key risks faced by journalists. The UK also works through the Media Freedom Coalition to champion the protection of journalists. In 2022 the UK renewed our commitment to the UN Plan of Action for the Safety of Journalists, and we support the Council of Europe's Journalism Matters campaign for the safety of journalists launched in 2023. The UK has contributed £2.8 million to the UNESCO Global Media Defence Fund in the last 4 years.
Asked by: Rebecca Long Bailey (Labour - Salford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, how visa applicants from the Occupied Palestinian Territories can contact HM Embassy Cairo for approval for exit at Rafah to facilitate (a) visa application interviews and (b) biometric processing at a visa application centre.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell
Visa Application Centres, where interviews and biometric processing take place, are open and operating in Egypt, in both Cairo and Alexandria, and an application can be started online at any time. British nationals travelling from Gaza to Egypt that require visas for their eligible dependents can apply online and then visit the Visa Application Centre in Cairo to provide their biometric details. In addition, existing UK visa holders who have a spouse/partner or a child aged 17 or under currently living in the UK and hold valid permission to enter or remain in the UK for longer than 6 months criteria can also contact the FCDO to request support to leave Gaza. Palestinians in Gaza who want to apply for a UK visa but are not a dependent of a British National are not currently eligible for our assistance. The FCDO Consular Contact Centre can be contacted on 020 7008 5000. Further advice on travelling to Egypt from Gaza is available at: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/israel