Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many full-time equivalent officials in her Department work on the promotion of freedom of religion and belief.

The FCO leads on the promotion of freedom of religion or belief (FoRB). DFID’s contribution on the promotion of FoRB is part of the work of many DFID staff around the world and would not be possible to quantify. All DFID interventions must include analysis of the different needs, rights and patterns of discrimination due to many factors including religion. DFID’s policy on FoRB is led at an official level by the Deputy Director of Inclusive Societies Department and supported by 1.2 full-time equivalent officials.