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Written Question
Gaza: Ramadan
Monday 25th March 2024

Asked by: Emma Hardy (Labour - Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what steps he is taking to help support (a) civilians and (b) faith groups observe Ramadan in Gaza.

Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)

The UK is a strong supporter of Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) and calls for places of worship to be respected. We want Israel to use all possible measures to protect the sanctity of holy sites. We want to see Israel take greater care to limit its operations to military targets.

Palestinian civilians are facing a devastating and growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. We are working with partners to help get aid in as quickly as possible by land, sea and air. We also continue to call for an immediate pause to get aid in and hostages out, then progress towards a sustainable, permanent ceasefire, without a return to destruction, fighting and loss of life.


Written Question
Israel: Hamas
Monday 4th March 2024

Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether his Department has made an assessment of the scale of destruction of religious heritage as a result of the Israel-Hamas war.

Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)

We want to see Israel take greater care to limit its operations to military targets. We want to see Israel using all possible measures to protect the sanctity of holy sites. The UK is a strong supporter of Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) and calls for places of worship to be respected.


Written Question
Sovereign Order of Malta: Diplomatic Relations
Monday 3rd July 2023

Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of establishing diplomatic relations with the Sovereign Order of Malta.

Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

We recognise the important global role of the Sovereign Order of Malta, including its extensive humanitarian work, particularly in the Middle East and supporting Ukraine, and its efforts to promote interreligious dialogue. Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon met then-Grand Chancellor Albrecht von Boeselager at the UK-hosted International Ministerial Conference on Freedom of Religion or Belief in July 2022 to hear about the Order's work in these areas. The British Embassy to the Holy See also engages with the Order on an informal basis. We keep our policy on how we engage with the Sovereign Order of Malta under review.


Written Question
Nicaragua: Religious Freedom
Tuesday 28th March 2023

Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the implications for political and religious freedom in Nicaragua of (1) the decision of the government of Nicaragua to suspend diplomatic relations with the Holy See, and (2) the sentencing of Bishop Alvarez of Matagalpa to 26 years in prison, following his refusal to be exiled.

Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park

The ongoing deterioration of political and human rights in Nicaragua is deeply disturbing. In March, the report by the UN Human Rights Council's Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua (GHREN) condemned the restrictions on civil space and radical repression against political opponents, clergy, independent media, and human rights defenders. The UK's Human Rights Ambassador, Rita French, delivered two UK statements on Nicaragua, decrying the climate of repression, intimidation, and harassment, and expressed UK support for the recommendations of the GHREN report. We will continue to raise our concerns about political and human rights in Nicaragua, including on the imprisonment of Bishop Alvarez and all political prisoners, and urge the Nicaraguan Government to respect the human rights of all Nicaraguans.


Written Question
Israel: Palestinians
Monday 20th February 2023

Asked by: Marquess of Lothian (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Foreign Secretary spoke to the US Secretary of State immediately before or after his visit to Jerusalem and Ramallah on 30–31 January; what discussions they have had with the government of the United States regarding initiatives to promote (1) peace in the region, and (2) a two-state solution; and what discussions, if any, they have had with the government of Israel to express opposition to (a) further settlement expansion, (b) moves towards annexation, (c) demolitions and evictions, and (d) changes to the status quo at holy sites.

Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We remain in close contact with international partners, including the US, to promote peace in the region and to de-escalate current tensions. We have a regular dialogue with the Israeli authorities on issues relating to the occupation, and regularly raise our clear opposition to settlement, evictions, demolitions and annexation. We want to see a contiguous West Bank, including East Jerusalem, as part of a viable and sovereign Palestinian state, based on pre-1967 lines. The UK is also committed to working with all parties to uphold the Status Quo at the holy sites in Jerusalem to ensure the safety and the security of all who visit and worship there. I reinforced these messages in my meetings with Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, and with Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh and Foreign Minister Riad Malki, during my visit to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories on 10-13 January. Furthermore, the Foreign Secretary discussed the situation in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories with the US Secretary of State during a call on 12 February.


Written Question
Nicaragua: Politics and Government
Thursday 22nd September 2022

Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)

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 implications for her policies of reports of (a) the detention of Matagalpa Bishop Rolando Álvarez and (b) the raid of his residence by Nicaraguan police in that country in August 2022.

Answered by Jesse Norman

We have voiced the UK's deep concern about the ongoing deterioration of political and human rights in Nicaragua both with the Nicaraguan Government and in multilateral fora.

Freedom of religion or belief is a universal human right, and must be protected. The Prime Minister's Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief tweeted about the reports of harassment of members of the Catholic Church in Nicaragua on 10 August and is discussing it with members of the International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance.

Lord Ahmad highlighted our concern about the detention of Bishop Rolando Álvarez during his visit to the Holy See on 26 August.

We will continue to raise our concerns about human rights in Nicaragua, including on the detention of Bishop Rolando Álvarez, and urge the Nicaraguan Government to respect the human rights of all Nicaraguan people.


Written Question
Nicaragua: Catholicism
Thursday 22nd September 2022

Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Fleetwood)

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 implications for her policies of the detention of (a) Father Óscar Benavides and Bishop Rolando Alvarez and (b) other Catholic lay leaders, seminarians and priests in Nicaragua.

Answered by Jesse Norman

We have voiced the UK's deep concern about the ongoing deterioration of political and human rights in Nicaragua both with the Nicaraguan government and in multilateral fora. Reports of harassment of members of the Catholic church in Nicaragua are concerning. Freedom of religion or belief is a universal human right, and must be protected. The Prime Minister's Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief tweeted on the issue on 10 August and is discussing it with members of the International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance. Our Permanent Observer at the Organisation of American States also referred to the issue in a statement at a special meeting on the situation in Nicaragua on 12 August. Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon highlighted our concern about the detention of Bishop Rolando Álvarez during his visit to the Holy See on 26 August and he is due to give a statement on behalf of the UK about the human rights situation in Nicaragua at the UN Human Rights Council's Interactive Dialogue with the High Commissioner on 13 September. We will continue to raise our concerns about the situation in Nicaragua, including the detention of members of the Catholic church, and urge the Nicaraguan Government to respect the human rights of all Nicaraguan people.


Written Question
Nicaragua: Human Rights
Thursday 22nd September 2022

Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Fleetwood)

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 Nicaraguan counterpart on human rights.

Answered by Jesse Norman

We have voiced the UK's deep concern about the ongoing deterioration of political and human rights in Nicaragua both with the Nicaraguan government and in multilateral fora. Reports of harassment of members of the Catholic church in Nicaragua are concerning. Freedom of religion or belief is a universal human right, and must be protected. The Prime Minister's Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief tweeted on the issue on 10 August and is discussing it with members of the International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance. Our Permanent Observer at the Organisation of American States also referred to the issue in a statement at a special meeting on the situation in Nicaragua on 12 August. Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon highlighted our concern about the detention of Bishop Rolando Álvarez during his visit to the Holy See on 26 August and he is due to give a statement on behalf of the UK about the human rights situation in Nicaragua at the UN Human Rights Council's Interactive Dialogue with the High Commissioner on 13 September. We will continue to raise our concerns about the situation in Nicaragua, including the detention of members of the Catholic church, and urge the Nicaraguan Government to respect the human rights of all Nicaraguan people.


Written Question
Nicaragua: Religious Freedom
Thursday 22nd September 2022

Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Fleetwood)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the state of the right to freedom of religion or belief in Nicaragua.

Answered by Jesse Norman

We have voiced the UK's deep concern about the ongoing deterioration of political and human rights in Nicaragua both with the Nicaraguan government and in multilateral fora. Reports of harassment of members of the Catholic church in Nicaragua are concerning.

Freedom of religion or belief is a universal human right, and must be protected. The Prime Minister's Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief tweeted about reports of harassment of members of the Catholic Church in Nicaragua on 10 August and is discussing it with members of the International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance.

Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon highlighted our concern about the detention of Bishop Rolando Álvarez during his visit to the Holy See on 26 August.


Written Question
Climate Change: Vatican
Thursday 11th November 2021

Asked by: Lord Blencathra (Conservative - Life peer)

Question

To ask Her Majesty's Government what financial commitment towards the £100 billionn climate fund target for COP26 has been made by the Vatican City State.

Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park

The Vatican City State does not make financial contributions to the $100 billion goal as the Holy See is an observer state and so is not a member of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.