Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to create an ambassador-level champion for freedom of religion or belief.

Her Majesty's Government remains firmly committed to the promotion and protection of Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB). We continue to actively seek ways to improve the efforts of overseas posts working to support religious freedom. Through our bilateral meetings, we raise individual cases and highlight practices and laws that discriminate against people on the basis of their religion or belief. In 2017/18 the Foreign and Commonwealth Office will spend approximately £750,000 on six FoRB projects across a range of countries, including Pakistan and Iraq. Whilst the Government has not created an Ambassador-level champion for FoRB, I have this issue a key priority for my team as the Minsiter responsible. I will seek to review this proposal on a periodic basis.