Asked by: Tom Hayes (Labour - Bournemouth East)
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 impact of the Equal, Safe and Free Fund on (a) the rights of and (b) protections for LGBTQI people.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Across our global diplomatic network, missions collaborate with local partners to challenge discriminatory laws and policies that enable violence and discrimination against LGBT+ people, and to mark key moments including Pride, but there is no central recording of each of these activities.
In multilateral settings, the UK engages likeminded partners in the Equal Rights Coalition, the UN LGBTI Core Group, and the Council of Europe to champion the universality of human rights, and to promote global action to end violence, persecution, and discrimination.
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Ministers and officials also collaborate with other government departments, including the Office for Equality and Opportunity, to align domestic and international efforts to advance human rights and equality for LGBT+ people, ensuring everyone can live with dignity and without fear of violence and persecution.
We continually keep the impact of all FCDO policies and UK-funded programmes under review to ensure they are achieving their objectives, and providing value for money.
Asked by: Tom Hayes (Labour - Bournemouth East)
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 impact of the LGBTQI Solidarity Fund on (a) the rights of and (b) protections for LGBTQI people.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Across our global diplomatic network, missions collaborate with local partners to challenge discriminatory laws and policies that enable violence and discrimination against LGBT+ people, and to mark key moments including Pride, but there is no central recording of each of these activities.
In multilateral settings, the UK engages likeminded partners in the Equal Rights Coalition, the UN LGBTI Core Group, and the Council of Europe to champion the universality of human rights, and to promote global action to end violence, persecution, and discrimination.
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Ministers and officials also collaborate with other government departments, including the Office for Equality and Opportunity, to align domestic and international efforts to advance human rights and equality for LGBT+ people, ensuring everyone can live with dignity and without fear of violence and persecution.
We continually keep the impact of all FCDO policies and UK-funded programmes under review to ensure they are achieving their objectives, and providing value for money.
Asked by: Tom Hayes (Labour - Bournemouth East)
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 the Minister for Women and Equalities on the promotion of LGBTQ+ rights.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Across our global diplomatic network, missions collaborate with local partners to challenge discriminatory laws and policies that enable violence and discrimination against LGBT+ people, and to mark key moments including Pride, but there is no central recording of each of these activities.
In multilateral settings, the UK engages likeminded partners in the Equal Rights Coalition, the UN LGBTI Core Group, and the Council of Europe to champion the universality of human rights, and to promote global action to end violence, persecution, and discrimination.
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Ministers and officials also collaborate with other government departments, including the Office for Equality and Opportunity, to align domestic and international efforts to advance human rights and equality for LGBT+ people, ensuring everyone can live with dignity and without fear of violence and persecution.
We continually keep the impact of all FCDO policies and UK-funded programmes under review to ensure they are achieving their objectives, and providing value for money.
Asked by: Tom Hayes (Labour - Bournemouth East)
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 help defend global LGBTQ+ rights through multilateral fora.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Across our global diplomatic network, missions collaborate with local partners to challenge discriminatory laws and policies that enable violence and discrimination against LGBT+ people, and to mark key moments including Pride, but there is no central recording of each of these activities.
In multilateral settings, the UK engages likeminded partners in the Equal Rights Coalition, the UN LGBTI Core Group, and the Council of Europe to champion the universality of human rights, and to promote global action to end violence, persecution, and discrimination.
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Ministers and officials also collaborate with other government departments, including the Office for Equality and Opportunity, to align domestic and international efforts to advance human rights and equality for LGBT+ people, ensuring everyone can live with dignity and without fear of violence and persecution.
We continually keep the impact of all FCDO policies and UK-funded programmes under review to ensure they are achieving their objectives, and providing value for money.
Asked by: Tom Hayes (Labour - Bournemouth East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, which diplomatic missions took part in a Pride (a) event and (b) parade in 2025.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Across our global diplomatic network, missions collaborate with local partners to challenge discriminatory laws and policies that enable violence and discrimination against LGBT+ people, and to mark key moments including Pride, but there is no central recording of each of these activities.
In multilateral settings, the UK engages likeminded partners in the Equal Rights Coalition, the UN LGBTI Core Group, and the Council of Europe to champion the universality of human rights, and to promote global action to end violence, persecution, and discrimination.
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Ministers and officials also collaborate with other government departments, including the Office for Equality and Opportunity, to align domestic and international efforts to advance human rights and equality for LGBT+ people, ensuring everyone can live with dignity and without fear of violence and persecution.
We continually keep the impact of all FCDO policies and UK-funded programmes under review to ensure they are achieving their objectives, and providing value for money.
Asked by: Tom Hayes (Labour - Bournemouth East)
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 Hungarian counterparts on the potential prosecution of Pecs Pride organiser Géza Buzás-Hábel.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer given on 24 July 2025 to question 68978. I can assure him that we raise issues concerning LGBT+ rights and human rights regularly at ministerial and official level with our Hungarian counterparts, and I have done so directly. Our Embassy in Budapest also works to support human rights, including LGBT+ rights in Hungary through engagement with civil society organisations locally.
Asked by: Tom Hayes (Labour - Bournemouth East)
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 Hungarian counterparts on LGBTQ+ human rights.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer given on 24 July 2025 to question 68978. I can assure him that we raise issues concerning LGBT+ rights and human rights regularly at ministerial and official level with our Hungarian counterparts, and I have done so directly. Our Embassy in Budapest also works to support human rights, including LGBT+ rights in Hungary through engagement with civil society organisations locally.
Asked by: Tom Hayes (Labour - Bournemouth East)
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 the decision by the International Criminal Court to issue arrest warrants for (a) Benjamin Netanyahu, (b) Yoav Gallant and (c) Mohammed Deif.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We respect the independence of the International Criminal Court (ICC) which is the primary international institution for investigating and prosecuting the most serious crimes of international concern. We remain focused on pushing for an immediate ceasefire, to bring an end to the devastating violence in Gaza. This is essential to protect civilians, ensure the release of hostages and to increase humanitarian aid into Gaza.
Asked by: Tom Hayes (Labour - Bournemouth East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to his oral statement on British Indian Ocean Territory: Negotiations of 7 October 2024, Official Report, column 45, when his Department plans to publish further details of the (a) trust fund and (b) additional government support for Chagossians in the UK.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We recognise the importance of the British Indian Ocean Territory / Chagos Archipelago to Chagossians and we have put their interests at the heart of this Agreement. Under this agreement, Mauritius will be free to implement a programme of resettlement to the islands of Chagos other than Diego Garcia, and the UK will finance a new trust fund for Mauritius in support of Chagossians. I will endeavour to provide Parliament with further appropriate details, including additional government support for Chagossians in the UK, at the point that the Treaty is signed.