Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the cost of hosting the International Ministerial Conference on Freedom of Religion or Belief in July; and whether any binding commitments were made by participating countries to prohibit discrimination against minority faiths and beliefs.

We anticipate that the total budget for the Conference will be in the region of £3.3million. The Conference explored the many facets of freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) through seventeen themed panel sessions and gave a platform to those persecuted for their religion or belief. Forty-seven governments, international organisations and other entities made pledges to take action in support of FoRB. Thirty-four countries joined the UK in signing up to one or more of a set of non-legally binding statements protecting and promoting FoRB for all. The statements and co-signatories are available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/international-ministerial-conference-on-freedom-of-religion-or-belief-2022-conference-statements