Written questions by Easton.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking, bilaterally and with international partners, in response to reports of arbitrary detention, torture and executions of protesters in Iran; and whether she plans to make further designations under the Global Human Rights Sanctions Regulations 2020 in relation to individuals responsible.

I refer the Hon Member to the statement the Foreign Secretary made to the House on 13 January, and her responses to the questions raised in that debate.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations her Department has made to the Government of Syria on protecting the rights of religious minorities, such as Christian Orthodox people, Protestants and Catholics.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer given on 18 September 2025 to Question 74583.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations her Department has made to the Government of Syria on recent sectarian attacks on members of the Alawite minority in Homs.

Further to the answer given on 18 September to question 74583, I raised this issue with the Syrian Foreign Minister during his visit to London in November, and we continue to monitor the situation closely.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what her Department’s policy objectives are in relation to the UK’s support for Ukraine over the next 12 months.

I refer the Hon Member to the answers provided by the Foreign Secretary during departmental questions on 2 December, and to the statement made to the House by the Prime Minister on 25 November.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the recent attack on Druze civilians in Suwayda Province, Syria; and what diplomatic steps she is taking to protect the community.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided for question HL10173 on 26 September 2025.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with her Kyrgyz counterpart on the (a) imprisonment and (b) torture of (i) Pastor Pavel Shreider and (ii) members of the True and Free Reform Adventist Church; and what diplomatic steps she is taking to help ensure their release.

The UK regularly engages with Kyrgyzstan both bilaterally and in multilateral settings on a range of issues, including human rights matters. I raised Human rights concerns during our Strategic Dialogue in February this year. In Kyrgyzstan's most recent UN Universal Periodic Review in April this year, the UK raised concerns about restrictions on freedom of expression and recommended amending legislation regarding "Incitement of racial, ethnic, national, religious interregional hatred". Our Embassy in Kyrgyzstan monitors the human rights in the country and works closely with civil society organisations and multilateral partners.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with her Cuban counterpart on the resentencing of Donaida Pérez Paseiro on 11 June 2025; and what diplomatic steps she is taking to help ensure her release.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer of 20 October 2025 to question 78060 which sets out our position. The UK continues to call for the immediate release of all political prisoners in Cuba, without condition. We are monitoring the situation closely.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with her Pakistani counterpart on reports of (a) degrading treatment of and (b) discrimination against (i) Christian and (ii) Hindu prisoners in that country; and what diplomatic steps she taking to help ensure the protection of religious minority prisoners in that country.

The UK Government is concerned by reports of degrading treatment and discrimination against Christian and Hindu prisoners in Pakistan. Promoting the rights of religious minorities is a core part of our diplomatic engagement and we continue to advocate for their rights with senior Pakistani officials, including in meetings between myself and Pakistan's Human Rights and Interior Ministers earlier this year.Our High Commission in Islamabad also engages regularly with civil society and human rights defenders to monitor prison conditions and advocate for reforms. We will continue to urge the Government of Pakistan to uphold its international obligations and ensure the safety and dignity of all prisoners, regardless of faith.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with international partners on Nigeria’s ongoing use of blasphemy legislation; and what steps she is taking to ensure religious freedom is promoted in the country.

Dialogue on human rights, including Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB), remains a vital part of the UK's partnership with Nigeria, and the UK Government is concerned by the use of blasphemy laws that undermine human rights including FoRB in Nigeria.Our High Commission in Abuja regularly engages with the Nigerian Government and religious leaders on freedom of religion and belief, including on blasphemy cases.   Additionally, the UK-Nigeria Security and Defence Partnership (SDP) is building capacity in Nigeria's security forces to tackle violence against all civilian communities, including religious communities.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations she has made to her Kenyan counterpart on targeted killings of Christian workers in Mandera County in June; and what diplomatic steps she is taking to help ensure the protection of religious minorities in that country.

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) is aware of frequent attacks in the north-eastern border regions, most of which are attributed to Al Shabaab. The UK-Kenya Security Compact, signed in July 2025, commits UK support to Countering Violent Extremism, which will help protect vulnerable communities, including religious minorities. The UK also provides support to the Government of Kenya to degrade Al Shabaab influence in Mandera (and the wider Kenya - Somalia- Ethiopia borderlands) through the UK's Integrated Security Fund (ISF) funded Deris Wanaag programme, which aims to enhance peace and stability efforts in the East Africa. We will maintain a constructive dialogue with the Government of Kenya on these issues.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Iranian counterparts on increases in the number of arrests of (a) human rights defenders and (b) religious minorities in that country.

The UK has strongly condemned the arrest of human rights defenders and religious minorities in Iran. In the past ten months, the UK was integral to the delivery of two Iran human rights resolutions. The first, adopted by the UN Third Committee in November 2024, called on Iran to immediately and unconditionally release persons arbitrarily detained for the exercise of their human rights and fundamental freedoms, including human rights defenders, journalists and all those who remain under detention for taking part in peaceful protests. The second, adopted by the Human Rights Council in April 2025, renewed the mandate of the Special Rapporteur, and renewed and expanded the mandate of the Fact-Finding Mission to investigate a wider breadth of violations, and to establish the facts, circumstances and structural causes of such violations, including discrimination on grounds of religion or belief. Our Ambassador in Iran and I continue to raise human rights directly with the Iranian Government.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department has taken in response to kidnappings and killings of Christians in the North-East and Middle Belt regions of Nigeria.

The Government is deeply concerned about the ongoing violence in Nigeria's Middle Belt and we express our sincere concern for all those impacted. The root causes of intercommunal violence are complex and often linked to land disputes, historical tensions, and criminal activity. While religion is not a causal factor in these conflicts, the impacts are felt acutely by religious communities, including hindering people's ability to practice their faith freely. The UK supports all affected communities, regardless of faith or ethnicity, and is working through programmes like Strengthening Peace and Resilience in Nigeria and the UK-Nigeria Security and Defence Partnership to promote peace, strengthen local institutions, and protect civilians. The UK remains committed to defending Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB), with Nigeria a priority country under the new FoRB strategy, and we will continue to raise this issue in our engagements with Nigeria.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Israeli counterpart on ensuring the delivery of (a) baby formula and (b) other essential humanitarian aid into Gaza.

The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire. We highlighted the critical situation for Gaza's children at a session of the UN Security Council which we co-called on 16 July, and at the International Development Committee on 16 July. The Foreign Secretary spoke to Israeli Foreign Minister Sa'ar about the humanitarian situation in Gaza on 12 July. The UK continues to demand that a full and unhindered resumption of aid into Gaza takes place immediately. Israel must immediately allow the UN and aid partners to safely deliver aid at scale and in line with humanitarian principles.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential implications for his policies of the humanitarian situation in Gaza, in the context of recent statements by the Israeli Government on the future governance of the territory; and what steps the Government is taking to support the delivery of humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza.

The UK strongly opposes the expansion of Israel's operations in Gaza. We consider that any attempt to annex land would be unacceptable. As I said to the house on 14 May, we are calling on the Government of Israel to lift its block on aid immediately, and to enable the UN and humanitarians to save lives. We have been clear that humanitarian aid must never be used as a political tool or military tactic, and that UK will not support any aid mechanism that seeks to deliver political or military objectives or puts vulnerable civilians at risk. Ministers have raised concerns about Israel's aid block with their Israeli counterparts, and on 13 May the UK, along with European partners, called an urgent session of the UN Security Council to address the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact on the Chagossian people of transferring sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territory to Mauritius; and whether the Government has made an assessment of the feasibility of establishing a protected reservation or similar arrangement on the islands to enable the return and settlement of the native Chagossian population.

We have worked hard to ensure this agreement reflects the importance of the islands to Chagossians.  We will finance a new trust fund for Mauritius to use in support of the Chagossian community. We will also work with Mauritius to start a new programme of visits for Chagossians to the Chagos Archipelago, including Diego Garcia. Mauritius will be able to develop a programme of resettlement on the islands, other than Diego Garcia.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking with his international counterparts to (a) protect and (b) promote the freedom of religion or belief in Iran.

The UK remains strongly committed to freedom of religion or belief (FoRB). We are championing the right to FoRB and promoting tolerance and mutual respect through our engagement in multilateral fora, our bilateral work, and our programme funding.We condemn Iran's restrictions against FoRB. We were proud to help deliver the Iran Human Rights resolution, adopted by the UN Third Committee in November 2024, which called on Iran to cease monitoring individuals on account of their religious identity and to ensure rights are upheld. We will continue to raise the issue directly with the Iranian government, including through our Ambassador in Tehran.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with his EU counterparts on potential restrictions on (a) Hallow and (b) other religious apps.

The UK remains strongly committed to freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all abroad. It is our firm opinion that no one should live in fear because of what they do or do not believe in. We continue to champion the right to FoRB, whilst promoting tolerance and mutual respect, through our engagement in multilateral fora, including through our position at the UN and Article 18 Alliance.The development and use of religious apps presents both opportunities and risks for the enjoyment of human rights, including FoRB. It is important that we champion the positive potential of technology, whilst taking action to mitigate risks. We do this by working with international partners and through multilateral fora including the UN and regional organisations.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his counterpart in the Democratic Republic of Congo on the closure of churches.

The Foreign Secretary spoke with President Tshisekedi on 2 February to express his deep concern about the events unfolding in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and call for urgent de-escalation. The UK has a long-standing commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights, including Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB). We use our position at the UN, G7 and other multilateral fora to advocate for the protection of all vulnerable communities in conflict, including religious minorities. We recognise that when FoRB is respected, communities can build trust and understanding, which in turn supports mutual prosperity and peace.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the findings of the Open Doors 2025 World Watch List on levels of religious persecution.

The UK Government notes the launch of the Open Doors World Watch List 2025 report. The UK strongly believes that no one should live in fear because of what they do or do not believe in. We continue to champion the right to freedom of religion or belief, whilst promoting tolerance and mutual respect, through our engagement in multilateral fora, including through our position at the UN and Article 18 Alliance. We also use our global diplomatic network to engage directly with governments. In November last year, we lit up FCDO buildings to commemorate 'Red Wednesday', in solidarity with Christians, and all people across the world facing discrimination due to their religion or belief.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much Mauritius has requested in (a) reparations and (b) annual subsidy in the negotiations on sovereignty of the Chagos islands.

A financial element was crucial to securing the agreement between the UK and Mauritius on 3 October. It is not normal practice to reveal payments for military bases and we have not done so for any other base. Further details of the Treaty will be put before both Houses for scrutiny, after signature and before ratification, in the usual way.