Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to protect Christians from persecution around the world.

Defending the right to Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) for all is a priority for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. As the Minister of State responsible for Human Rights, I reiterated this message in my tweet to mark International Freedom of Religion or Belief Day on 27 October. The UK Government remains committed to implementing the recommendations from the Bishop of Truro's independent Review on persecuted Christians in full. Work is continuing to implement the recommendations in a way that will bring real improvements in the lives of those persecuted because of their faith, belief, or those of no religious belief. Of the recommendations, 17 have already been, or are in the process of being, implemented. One of those recommendations related to the establishment of the UK's Global Human Rights ('Magnitsky') sanctions regime. This regime came into effect on 6 July and allows us to designate those who commit serious human rights abuses or violations, including those who target individuals on the grounds of their religion or belief. We also launched the John Bunyan Fund for FoRB in August 2019, through which we have funded 15 research projects helping address the challenges faced by different communities, such as Christians, Yazidis, and Humanists, as well as cross-cutting issues such as migration and the double vulnerability experienced by women from minority faith backgrounds. We continue to work with international partners, including through the International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance, to combat religious persecution worldwide.