Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his counterpart in Israel on compensation for the relatives of British aid workers killed while delivering humanitarian aid in Gaza.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Prime Minister and I recently met with the families of British aid workers killed in Gaza.
The Government's priority is securing justice for the appalling strike that killed John Chapman, James Henderson, and James Kirby. We continue to press Israel to swiftly conclude the Military Advocate General's (MAG) investigation into consideration of events on the 1 April 2024, including determining whether criminal proceedings should be initiated. The Foreign Secretary has repeatedly pressed Foreign Affairs Minister Sa'ar and Minister of Strategic Affairs Dermer for the MAG to conclude consideration of the case swiftly and thoroughly.
We have advised the families on their legal options for claiming compensation and that is a matter for them to pursue independently through the Israeli legal system.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential implications for its policies on the protection of religious minorities of the recent killing of Dr Sheikh Mahmood in Pakistan; and what discussions he has had with his Pakistani counterpart on encouraging transparent investigations into such incidents.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Promoting the rights of religious minorities is a core part of the UK's diplomatic engagement in Pakistan. I discussed the deteriorating situation for Ahmadi Muslims with Pakistan's Minister of State for Interior in March 2025. In June 2025, ahead of Eid al-Adha, I raised the safety and dignity of Ahmadis with Pakistan's Human Rights Minister. Our High Commission in Islamabad has raised the tragic killing of Dr Sheikh Mahmood with the Human Rights Minister and the Chief Minister of Punjab. We will continue to urge the Government of Pakistan to fully investigate incidents of violence, prosecute those responsible and provide justice to victims and their families.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
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 implications for his policies of reports of alleged (a) human rights violations, (b) claims of late night police summons without official notice, (c) unauthorised home visits and surveillance activities against Hindu activists in India; and what recent discussions he has had with his counterparts in India on (i) human rights and (ii) civil liberties in that country.
Answered by Catherine West
The UK Government takes all allegations of human rights violations very seriously. The UK Government has a broad, deep and respectful partnership with the Government of India. This includes sharing perspectives on human rights and minority issues and finding common ground.
Our High Commission in New Delhi and our network across India monitor human rights across the country, including reports of discrimination against minorities, or issues relating to Freedom of Religion or Belief. We engage Indian stakeholders on a range of human rights matters, working with Union and State Governments, and with civil society. This includes raising issues of concern where we have them, including at Ministerial level, where appropriate.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will have discussions with his Nigerian counterpart on the closure of churches in the Kabylia regions of Northern Nigeria.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK champions Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) for all, including in the Kabylia regions of Northern Algeria. It is our firm opinion that no one should live in fear because of what they do or do not believe. Our Embassy in Algiers raises FoRB with the Algerian authorities, doing so most recently when our Ambassador met the Minister of Religious Affairs on 10 February. Our Embassy remains in regular contact with minority religious groups on how best to support FoRB. We will continue to raise the issue and advocate for freedom of expression for all, including in Kabylie and for the operation of the Protestant Church of Algeria.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his counterpart in Uzbekistan on in relation to reports of (a) harassment of Christian converts, (b) restrictions on house church gatherings and (c) employment discrimination against members of religious minorities.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK remains committed to championing freedom of religion or belief for all. Whilst the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs has not made direct representations to his counterparts in Uzbekistan regarding these issues, our Embassy in Tashkent regularly raises human rights with the relevant authorities in Uzbekistan and maintains a dialogue with human rights groups in the region. In Uzbekistan's most recent UN universal periodic review the UK raised our concerns regarding upholding freedom of religious belief amongst other human rights concerns and we continue to seek opportunities to raise concerns where appropriate.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of allegations of electoral fraud during the Georgia elections held on 26 October 2024.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK supports the findings and conclusions of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) election observation mission following Georgia's 26 October parliamentary elections. That includes reports of election-day irregularities which demonstrate that the elections were not conducted according to international standards. We call on the Georgian Dream Government to implement all ODIHR recommendations as a matter of urgency. On 15 May, I raised my concerns over Georgia's negative democratic trajectory with Georgian Dream representative, Deputy Prime Minister Davitashvili. I am currently considering how to support election monitoring in the upcoming municipal elections.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his French counterpart on the attack on a Muslim worshipper in La Grand-Combe on 25 April 2025; and what steps he is taking to help support (a) freedom of religion or belief and (b) the protection of religious minorities in that country.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is strongly committed to freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all abroad. The UK champions the right to FoRB and promoting tolerance and mutual respect through our position at the UN, G7, and other multilateral fora, and in our bilateral work. Ministers and officials engage with their French counterparts on a broad range of issues and the UK works with France and other partners through the International Contact Group on FoRB. This group met most recently in the margins of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva in March. Officials also regularly engage with faith leaders in France.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent representations he has made to his Egyptian counterpart on reports of (a) arbitrary arrests, (b) enforced disappearances and (c) threatened deportations of members of the Ahmadiyya community.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Egypt is a human rights priority country for the UK. We regularly raise concerns with the Egyptian government, including on arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances and issues related to freedom of religion or belief. At the UN Human Right's Council's Periodic Review in January, the UK expressed concerns over the detention of journalists, activists, media restrictions and pre-trial detention practices. We called for fair trial standards and detainee releases. The UK champions freedom of religion or belief and continue to work with Egypt to ensure they protect these rights. No one should live in fear because of what they do or do not believe in.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
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 implications for his policies of the adequacy of the observance of the Pakistani government to article 22 of the constitution of that country on freedom of religion or belief, in the context of forced religious education in schools.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Promoting freedom of religion or belief is a key part of the UK's diplomatic engagement overseas. I underlined the importance of religious tolerance and harmony when I met Pakistan's Human Rights Minister, Azam Tarar, on 19 November 2024, and raised this issue in Parliament on 28 November. I also discussed the rights of religious minorities in a meeting with Pakistan's Minister for the Interior, Talal Chaudhry, on 31 March, although we did not discuss religious education in schools specifically. The UK Government will continue to urge the Government of Pakistan to guarantee the rights of all people, including those from religious minority communities, in accordance with international standards.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much his Department spent on promotion of freedom of religion or belief in the financial year 2024/25.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK remains strongly committed to freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all abroad. It is our firm opinion that no one should live in fear because of what they do or do not believe in. We are championing the right to FoRB and promoting tolerance and mutual respect through our engagement in multilateral fora, our bilateral work, and our programme funding, including the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) John Bunyan Fund (JBF), a designated programme for FoRB-focused overseas projects. The JBF has a budget allocation of £460,720 in FY24/25. The FCDO works to ensure that Official Development Assistance (ODA) is allocated to those who are most vulnerable and most in need of this assistance irrespective of race, religion, or ethnicity. This includes minority religious or belief communities, who are assessed by our partners when determining those most in need of protection and assistance.