Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
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 potential implications for her policies of the state of freedom of religion or belief in India; and what discussions she has had with her Indian counterpart on that topic.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We take the issues of freedom of religion and belief across the world very seriously. I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 9 March in response to Question 116730.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations she has made to the Government of Vietnam regarding the release of political prisoners requiring medical care; and what steps she is taking to promote freedom of religion or belief in Vietnam.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Vietnam is a focus country in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's Freedom of Religion and Belief Strategy, launched in July 2025, and we raise the issue on a regular basis with the Government of Vietnam. We also regularly raise concerns about the treatment of political prisoners, including access to appropriate medical care, through bilateral engagement and also jointly with the support of other diplomatic missions.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
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 reported forced confessions and coerced statements of Baha’i followers broadcast on Iranian state media, including on the potential impact on the level of religious persecution of Baha’i followers in Iran..
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided to question 67802 on 6 August 2025.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
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 potential implications for her policies of reports that a Christian researcher in Egypt has been sentenced under blasphemy laws, including the potential impact on religious minorities freedom in that country.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is committed to defending freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all, and we continue to regularly raise rights concerns with the Egyptian authorities where appropriate.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
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 Egyptian counterpart on the potential impact of the use of Egyptian national identity cards to record a person's religion on the level of religious discrimination.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is committed to defending freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all, and we continue to regularly raise rights concerns with the Egyptian authorities where appropriate.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking in collaboration with her counterpart in Myanmar to support the ability of Christian communities to (a) observe religious holidays and (b) practice their faith in Myanmar.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK continues to support Freedom of Religion and Belief in Myanmar, and we support the right of Christian communities and other faith groups in Myanmar to practice their religion without fear of violence or persecution.
In 2025, we co-sponsored a UN Human Rights Council resolution calling for the Myanmar military to fully respect and protect the human rights of all persons, including those belonging to ethnic and religious minorities, and we strongly condemn the Myanmar military's use of airstrikes on civilian infrastructure, including places of worship.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what (a) diplomatic steps is her Department taking to assist in (i) locating and (ii) rescuing the remaining girls kidnaped from Chibok on 14 April 2014, and (b) what recent discussions has she had with the Nigerian Government about this.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government strongly condemns the abduction and continued captivity of children by Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa (ISWA) in North East Nigeria, and has repeatedly called for their release. This includes the 2014 kidnapping of the Chibok schoolgirls, around 90 of whom are understood still to be missing. On 11 November the Foreign Secretary held a meeting in London with Nigeria's Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar where the ongoing insecurity in Nigeria was discussed. The UK Government will continue to work closely with the Nigerian Government to prevent the future abduction of children in Nigeria.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
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 potential implications for his policies of trends in the level of discrimination affecting religious-minority women in the garment sector in South Asia; and how this is being addressed through UK development and human-rights programmes.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We remain concerned by the discrimination that affects religious minority women in South Asia's garment sector, and we continue to advocate for their fair treatment, equal opportunities and safe working conditions. UK-funded programmes across South Asia also support women's entrepreneurship, and inclusive trade benefitting vulnerable groups.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
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 Cuban counterpart on reports of gender-based violence against women human rights defenders.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Our relationship with Cuba allows for frank dialogue, including on matters on which we do not agree. Our Ambassador in Havana has raised recent human rights cases with the Ministry of External Relations, and we work with likeminded partners to make clear our shared position. We will continue to raise concerns where we have them through diplomatic channels, in both London and Havana.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
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 potential implications of her policies of the recent ADF attack on Byambwe Reference Health Center in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Christian-majority Lubero territory.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 24 November to Question 91327.