Asked by: Lord Moylan (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what recent diplomatic discussions they have had with their international counterparts to ensure the promotion of freedom of religion or belief in Morocco.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The UK champions Freedom of Religion or Belief for all, and we maintain that no one should live in fear because of what they do or do not believe. We engage on these issues with the Moroccan Government and authorities on a regular basis.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
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 raise awareness of the treatment of (a) Christians and (b) other religious minorities in Chad at the United Nations.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK condemns any attacks on individuals on the basis of their religion or belief, including in Chad. We consistently call on all actors in Chad and around the world to respect human rights, freedom of religion or belief, and international humanitarian law.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
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 reports concerning ongoing forced organ harvesting of the Falun Gong in China; and what steps the Government is taking to ensure the cessation of unethical transplant practices.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer given in the House of Lords to question HL8230 on 20 June, which has been reproduced below for ease of reference:
The environment for freedom of religion or belief in China is restrictive, which includes the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners. This Government stands firm on human rights, and we raise our concerns at the highest levels. The Prime Minister, Foreign Secretary, Chancellor and Energy Secretary all raised human rights recently with their counterparts (President Xi, Foreign Minister Wang, Vice Premier He and Vice Premier Ding respectively).
This Government champions freedom of religion or belief for all abroad. We work to uphold the right to freedom of religion or belief through our position at the UN, G7 and other multilateral fora. We continue to closely monitor the situation for Falun Gong practitioners and maintain a dialogue with NGOs and international partners on the issue.
Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she had had with her counterpart in Bangladesh on recent targeted attacks on St Mary’s Cathedral and St Joseph’s School in Dhaka; and what steps she is taking to help ensure the protection of Christians in Bangladesh.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We condemn all acts of violence in Bangladesh, including those on 7-8 November, and we regularly raise issues of justice, accountability and the protection of fundamental rights, including Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB), with Bangladesh's Interim Government.
In February 2025, the UK's Human Rights Ambassador, Eleanor Sanders, discussed these issues on her visit to Bangladesh, and during her visit on 13-14 November, the Minister of State for International Development and Africa highlighted to Chief Adviser Professor Yunus the importance of democratic transition, human rights and reconciliation.
The UK's commitment to these issues is also reflected in our £27 million Collaborative, Accountable and Peaceful Politics programme in Bangladesh, which aims to protect civic space, foster inclusive dialogue and address tensions that can lead to violence.
Asked by: Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat - Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with international counterparts on the protection of Christian women in Chibok, Nigeria.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK condemns violence against civilians of all religions in Nigeria and regularly raises freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) with the Nigerian government. For example, on 11 November, the Minister for International Development and Africa discussed the importance of FoRB and the causes of intercommunal violence during a meeting with Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar. The UK remains committed to defending FoRB globally, with Nigeria a focus country under the new FoRB strategy.
Asked by: Brendan O'Hara (Scottish National Party - Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with her international counterparts on the reported attacks by the Armenian government against the Armenian Apostolic Church; and what diplomatic steps she is taking to ensure its protection.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is monitoring the situation between the Armenian Government and the Armenian Apostolic Church. We expect all actions to comply with Armenia's constitutional and legal framework, allowing due process to take its course and ensuring that all individuals are treated fairly under the law, with judicial proceedings remaining transparent and impartial. The UK Government remains firmly committed to promoting and protecting the right to freedom of religion or belief worldwide.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Winchester (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of India regarding freedom of religion or belief in that country, and what other steps they are taking to support freedom of religion or belief there.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The Government remains committed to promoting and protecting Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) globally, and we continue to support civil society organisations and faith leaders who work to foster tolerance and inclusion. The Prime Minister's Special Envoy on FoRB, David Smith MP, plays an important role in championing religious freedom globally. We continue to monitor reports of religiously motivated violence and discrimination and raise concerns where appropriate, encouraging adherence to constitutional and international human rights commitments.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with her international counterparts on the protection of Christians in Sri Lanka.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK supports the right to freedom of religion or belief for all and regularly raises the importance of religious tolerance and the protection of rights for all Sri Lankans to practise their faith. Our High Commission in Colombo regularly meet government and religious leaders, including affected minorities and civil society, to hear their concerns and support interfaith dialogues and counter discrimination work based on religion or belief. During her visit to Sri Lanka in January 2025, the former Minister for the Indo-Pacific met activists working on freedom of religion or belief issues to reaffirm the UK's commitment to protecting these fundamental rights. More recently, the Minister for the Indo-Pacific met the Sri Lankan Speaker, Justice Minister and wider ministerial delegation in October and discussed the importance of respecting human rights and having an inclusive and transparent process as part of Sri Lanka's reconciliation.
Asked by: Angus MacDonald (Liberal Democrat - Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to support the protection of freedom of religion or belief in countries identified as priority areas as part of her Department’s freedom of religion or belief strategy.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK champions Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) for all, both in sub-Saharan Africa and across the world. On 8 July, the UK's Special Envoy for Religious Freedom, David Smith MP, set out the Government's new strategy on FoRB, providing a framework for engagement with other countries, and describing the links between the protection of FoRB and other goals including the prevention of conflict. As part of this strategy, the UK continues to support FoRB on the international stage, through our position in the United Nations, G7 and Article 18 Alliance.
Asked by: Angus MacDonald (Liberal Democrat - Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire)
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 strength of the link between freedom of religion or belief and conflict prevention in the context of UK foreign policy.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK champions Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) for all, both in sub-Saharan Africa and across the world. On 8 July, the UK's Special Envoy for Religious Freedom, David Smith MP, set out the Government's new strategy on FoRB, providing a framework for engagement with other countries, and describing the links between the protection of FoRB and other goals including the prevention of conflict. As part of this strategy, the UK continues to support FoRB on the international stage, through our position in the United Nations, G7 and Article 18 Alliance.