Written questions by Blackman.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make the approval of China’s new embassy conditional on the release of Jimmy Lai.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 14 July 2025 in response to Question 65869.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what concessions are being sought by China on His Majesty’s Government’s decision to approve the planning application for China’s new embassy.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 14 July 2025 in response to Question 65869.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether conditions haven been made as a prerequisite by his Chinese counterparts in advance of the Prime Minister’s trip to Beijing.

The Prime Minister's travel will be confirmed in the usual way.This Government is taking a consistent, long term and strategic approach to managing the UK's relations with China, rooted in UK and global interests. We will co-operate where we can and challenge where we must.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the Government will call for the removal of Chinese sanctions on British parliamentarians during the proposed trip to Beijing

The Prime Minister's travel will be confirmed in the usual way.This Government is taking a consistent, long term and strategic approach to managing the UK's relations with China, rooted in UK and global interests. We will co-operate where we can and challenge where we must.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if the Government will call for the removal of bounties placed on Hong Kong democracy activists living in the UK during the proposed trips to Beijing.

The Prime Minister's travel will be confirmed in the usual way.This Government is taking a consistent, long term and strategic approach to managing the UK's relations with China, rooted in UK and global interests. We will co-operate where we can and challenge where we must.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 29 October 2025 to Question 79968, which organisation will conduct that audit; when it is scheduled to begin; and how its findings will be reported to the UK.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 16 December in response to Question 98592.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with her Iranian counterpart on the recent detention of Baha’i, Aminollah Koushkbaghi; and what diplomatic steps she is taking to ensure his release.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided to question 67802 on 6 August 2025, and add that we are aware of the reported case concerning Aminollah Koushkbaghi, and are monitoring the situation for Baha'is more widely.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with her Bangladeshi counterpart on the recent Islamist rally to declare the Ahmadiyya community as non-Muslim; and what diplomatic steps she is taking with international counterparts to ensure the protection of that community.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 10 November in response to Question 87224.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with her Iranian counterparts concerning the recent arrest of Baha’i children’s rights activist, Afshin Heyratian; and what diplomatic steps she is taking to ensure his release.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided to question 67802 on 6 August 2025, and add that we are aware of Afshin Heyratian's case and are monitoring the situation for Baha'is more widely.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with her Iranian counterpart on the sentencing of Morteza Faghanpour Sassi; and what diplomatic steps she is taking to help ensure his release.

Further to the answer I gave on 29 October to Question 83265, we are concerned by Morteza Faghanpour Sassi's case and we continue to monitor the situation for Christians in Iran.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the compatibility of the UK’s domestic provision of (a) a free reception year and (b) tuition-free secondary education with her Department's position on proposals at the United Nations to guarantee (i) at least one year of free pre-primary education and (ii) free secondary education in international law.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 3 November 2025 to Question 84390.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with her Iranian counterpart on the sentencing of Morteza Faghanpour Sassi; and what diplomatic steps she is taking to help ensure his release.

Further to the answer I gave on 29 October to Question 83265, we are concerned by Morteza Faghanpour Sassi's case and we continue to monitor the situation for Christians in Iran.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with (a) the Secretary of State for Education and (b) other Cabinet colleagues on the UK’s position on proposals at the United Nations to negotiate an Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child to strengthen the right to education.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 3 November 2025 to Question 84390.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will review the adequacy of her Department's position ahead of the next meeting at the UN on an Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child to strengthen the right to education in 2026; and if she will publish the (a) criteria, (b) timeline and (c) cross-Government process for that review.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 3 November 2025 to Question 84390.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with her Iranian counterpart on the detention of Baha’i Shahram Fallah since August 2025; and what diplomatic steps she is taking to help ensure his release.

I refer to the Hon. Member to the answer provided to question 67802 on 6 August 2025 and add that on 23 September 2025, at the UN Human Rights Council, Permanent Representative to the World Trade Organization and UN, Kumar Iyer, highlighted Iran's recent targeting and scapegoating of marginalised communities, including Baha'is.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications of her policies of the death of Somayeh Rashidi in Iran in September 2025; and what discussions she has had with her Iranian counterparts on taking steps to ensure there is an independent investigation of his death.

As we set out in the answer of 6 August 2025 to question 67434 we remained concerned over the arbitrary detention of women and other political prisoners in Iran, and we were deeply saddened to learn of the death of Somayeh Rashidi, and other women in detention.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of Iran’s recent Supreme Court’s decision to deny a retrial for Mehran Shamloui; and what diplomatic steps she is taking to ensure his release.

We are concerned by Mehran Shamoui's case and by Iran's treatment of Christians, in particular Christian converts, more broadly. On 23 September 2025, at the UN Human Rights Council, UK Permanent Representative, Kumar Iyer, highlighted the targeting and scapegoating of marginalised groups, including Christians. I and the UK Government and our Ambassador continue to raise human rights issues directly with the Iranian government and in multilateral fora.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with her counterparts in Iran on Hakop Gochumyan; and whether she is taking diplomatic steps to help secure his release.

We are very concerned by Mr. Gochumyan's case and at Iran's treatment of Christians more broadly. On 23 September 2025, at the UN Human Rights Council, UK Permanent Representative, Kumar Iyer, highlighted the targeting and scapegoating of marginalised groups, including Christians, by Iran. The UK Government and our Ambassador in Iran continue to monitor the situation closely and raise rights issues directly with the Iranian Government.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with the Iranian authorities on Hakop Gochumyan; and what steps she is taking to ensure his release.

We are very concerned by Mr. Gochumyan's case and at Iran's treatment of Christians more broadly. On 23 September 2025, at the UN Human Rights Council, UK Permanent Representative, Kumar Iyer, highlighted the targeting and scapegoating of marginalised groups, including Christians, by Iran. The UK Government and our Ambassador in Iran continue to monitor the situation closely and raise rights issues directly with the Iranian Government.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with her counterpart in Pakistan on allegations of (a) abduction and (b) trafficking of (i) Hindu and (ii) Christian women and girls; and what diplomatic steps she is taking to help ensure their protection.

The UK is committed to addressing the abduction, trafficking, forced marriage and conversion of women and girls in Pakistan, including from Hindu and Christian communities. Further to the welcome passage of the Islamabad Capital Territory Child Marriage Restraint Act, we will continue to advocate for strengthened child protection across Pakistan. Through the UK's Aawaz II programme, we are also working at the grassroots level to challenge harmful social behaviours, including working directly with communities to raise awareness of the harms of early and forced marriage. I raised the broader issue of religious minority persecution in a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Dar on 18 July.