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 challenges girls and young women in north-east Nigeria face who (a) have escaped Boko Haram captivity and (b) according to recent reports experience (i) unlawful detention and (ii) inadequate support from (A) the military and (B) government authorities following their escape.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

In North East Nigeria, women and girls face severe challenges due to gender-based vulnerabilities, including heightened risks of sexual violence such as rape, exploitation, and forced marriage. Boko Haram has frequently abducted women and girls for sexual slavery. Conflict-driven displacement further increases these dangers. We welcomed Nigeria's endorsement of both the Call to Action and the Murad Code as crucial steps for greater practical action to tackle Conflict Related Sexual Violence (CRSV). We continue to urge Nigeria to ensure the detention of all children, including those linked to armed groups, aligns with international juvenile standards. The UK also calls for urgent action to protect those at risk of conflict-related sexual violence, particularly in displacement camps. Through the Integrated Security Fund, the UK supports efforts to protect and empower women and girls in the region. This includes deploying senior policing experts to work with Borno State Police, enhancing investigations into sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and improving forensic evidence collection.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions she has had with the Child Poverty Taskforce on family hubs, in the context of the development of the Child Poverty Strategy.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

I refer the hon. member for East Antrim to the answer of 3 July 2025 to Question 63139. The information given in the linked response relates to England only.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps his Department is taking to tackle the persecution of Ahmadi Muslims in (a) Pakistan and (b) other countries; and what discussions he has had with his counterpart in Pakistan on human rights for Ahmadi Muslims.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Promoting freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) is a core part of the UK's diplomatic engagement overseas. In March 2025, I raised the rights of Ahmadi Muslims in a meeting with Pakistan's Minister of State for Interior. In June 2025, ahead of Eid al-Adha, I also raised the safety and dignity of Ahmadis seeking to practice their faith with Pakistan's Human Rights Minister. Working with the Special Envoy for FoRB, David Smith MP, we continue to champion the right to FoRB around the world - promoting tolerance and mutual respect through our engagement in multilateral organisations, our bilateral work, and our programme funding.

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 of recent reports of the (a) detention and (b) deportation of members of the Baha'i community in Qatar; what representations he has made to his Qatari counterpart on the protection of religious minorities in that country; and what steps he is taking to support international efforts to (i) promote religious freedom and (ii) protect minority communities in the region.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK is a strong advocate for freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all. No one should live in fear because of what they do or do not believe in. As part of the UN Universal Periodic Review in November 2024, the UK called on Qatar to adopt legislation to ensure non-discrimination on the grounds of disability, gender, sexual orientation, race, religion, or belief.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to oblige local authorities to provide family hubs.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

On 11 June 2025, my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, set out plans for spending and public sector reforms through the Spending Review 2025. This announcement confirmed departmental budgets for 2026/27 onwards and committed that the government will continue to invest in and expand the Family Hubs programme, working with parents to help give children the best start in life.

On 7 July 2025, the government published the policy paper ‘Giving every child the best start in life’, which is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/giving-every-child-the-best-start-in-life.

This outlines the government’s commitment to delivering a new Best Start Family Service to bring together parenting, healthcare and education support services, as well as creating and funding Best Start Family Hubs in every local authority to give children the best start in life by strengthening and joining up family services.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of publishing a national outcomes framework for family hubs.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

On 11 June 2025, my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, set out plans for spending and public sector reforms through the Spending Review 2025. This announcement confirmed departmental budgets for 2026/27 onwards and committed that the government will continue to invest in and expand the Family Hubs programme, working with parents to help give children the best start in life.

On 7 July 2025, the government published the policy paper ‘Giving every child the best start in life’, which is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/giving-every-child-the-best-start-in-life.

This outlines the government’s commitment to delivering a new Best Start Family Service to bring together parenting, healthcare and education support services, as well as creating and funding Best Start Family Hubs in every local authority to give children the best start in life by strengthening and joining up family services.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much funding has been allocated to family hubs for each year of the Spending Review 2025.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

On 11 June 2025, my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, set out plans for spending and public sector reforms through the Spending Review 2025. This announcement confirmed departmental budgets for 2026/27 onwards and committed that the government will continue to invest in and expand the Family Hubs programme, working with parents to help give children the best start in life.

On 7 July 2025, the government published the policy paper ‘Giving every child the best start in life’, which is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/giving-every-child-the-best-start-in-life.

This outlines the government’s commitment to delivering a new Best Start Family Service to bring together parenting, healthcare and education support services, as well as creating and funding Best Start Family Hubs in every local authority to give children the best start in life by strengthening and joining up family services.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of family hubs on (a) neighbourhood health and (b) the delivery of integrated community-based health services.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The 10-Year Health Plan outlined proposals for a new Neighbourhood Health Service, which embodies our preventative principle, that care should happen as locally as it can. Neighbourhood health services will build on, and will coordinate with Best Start Family Hubs and Start for Life services to continue to integrate children’s services, National Health Services, and public health.

The Neighbourhood Health Service will mean that millions of patients are treated and cared for closer to their home by new teams of health professionals, providing easier, more convenient access to a full range of healthcare services on people’s doorsteps.

The impact of Family Hubs and Start for Life services will take time to be realised. The current Family Hubs and Start for Life programme is subject to two national, independent evaluations to understand its implementation and impact.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the report by Barnardo's entitled Building Families, Building Futures, published on 24 June 2025, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing family hubs to support families.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

On 11 June 2025, my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, set out plans for spending and public sector reforms through the Spending Review 2025. This announcement confirmed departmental budgets for 2026/27 onwards and committed that the government will continue to invest in and expand the Family Hubs programme, working with parents to help give children the best start in life.

On 7 July 2025, the government published the policy paper ‘Giving every child the best start in life’, which is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/giving-every-child-the-best-start-in-life.

This outlines the government’s commitment to delivering a new Best Start Family Service to bring together parenting, healthcare and education support services, as well as creating and funding Best Start Family Hubs in every local authority to give children the best start in life by strengthening and joining up family services.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that the Family Hubs programme is available across England.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

On 11 June 2025, my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, set out plans for spending and public sector reforms through the Spending Review 2025. This announcement confirmed departmental budgets for 2026/27 onwards and committed that the government will continue to invest in and expand the Family Hubs programme, working with parents to help give children the best start in life.

On 7 July 2025, the government published the policy paper ‘Giving every child the best start in life’, which is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/giving-every-child-the-best-start-in-life.

This outlines the government’s commitment to delivering a new Best Start Family Service to bring together parenting, healthcare and education support services, as well as creating and funding Best Start Family Hubs in every local authority to give children the best start in life by strengthening and joining up family services.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment her Department has made of the prevalence of gambling among the prison population; and what steps she is taking to help tackle gambling-related issues in prisons.

Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) co-commissioned, and subsequently published, an independent report to help inform our understanding of the prevalence of gambling harms among those in prison and on probation in the community. The report was undertaken from 2023-2024 and published in May 2025.

We are committed to rehabilitating those impacted by gambling and its harms, driven by good rehabilitative culture, positive relationships and pro-social staff. Alongside this, HMPPS delivers a broad range of interventions to address individuals’ criminogenic risks and needs, including accredited offending behaviour programmes.

The NHS also provides support for prisoners who are experiencing gambling addiction, and HMPPS is working in partnership with health and social care partners so that people in prison can access the equivalent standard and range of services to those they would receive in the community.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has submitted any recent human rights reports to the UN on China's regulation of (a) religious education and (b) clergy training.

Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Chinese regulations on religious activity severely restrict religious and cultural expression in China. This Government stands firm on human rights, including the right to freedom of religion or belief.

We continue to uphold the right to freedom of religion or belief through our position at the UN, G7 and other multilateral fora. We have raised these concerns recently with the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights. We also joined an Australia-led joint statement at the UN General Assembly in October 2024 on freedoms in the Xinjiang and Tibetan regions, calling out the erosion of educational and religious rights and freedoms in China.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to help support schools to (a) identify and (b) manage risks related to children and young people accessing gambling content through (i) websites, (ii) apps and (iii) social media.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.

The department is committed to helping schools in England protect pupils from online harms, including gambling content accessed via websites, apps, and social media.

The ‘keeping children safe in education’ guidance makes clear that schools and colleges should ensure appropriate filtering and monitoring systems are in place and their effectiveness is regularly reviewed. This limits children's exposure to harmful content, including gambling, while on school-managed computers.

To help schools meet their safeguarding obligations, the department has published filtering and monitoring standards. These standards set out how schools can effectively assign roles and responsibilities, review filtering and monitoring annually, block harmful illegal and inappropriate content, and implement monitoring strategies.

Online safety is also embedded in the curriculum through relationships, sex and health education, where pupils are taught about the risks of harmful online behaviours, including gambling.

The department continues to share best practice with counterparts across the UK.

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 Armenia on tackling the transit of goods from (a) western countries to Russia and (b) Russia to western countries through Armenia in order to circumvent sanctions.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I raised the issue of Russian sanctions evasion with the Armenian Foreign Minister on 11 April, in the margins of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, as I have with other international partners. The UK Government has issued tailored guidance to UK exporters working with businesses in several countries, including Armenia, to raise awareness of the risks associated with sanctions circumvention and to support compliance with UK sanctions law. The UK Government has also recently published guidance for non-UK businesses operating in countries where there is a heightened risk of circumvention of UK sanctions. This guidance has been translated into local languages including Armenian.

As I have reiterated in my conversations with international partners, including Armenia, maintaining vigilance against Russian sanctions evasion is critical. Any circumvention undermines the effectiveness of international pressure on Russia and risks prolonging the war in Ukraine. I am pleased to see an ongoing decrease in Common High Priority (CHP) items exported from Armenia to Russia over the course of the past year.

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