Written questions by Smith.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions officials have had with Chinese officials on the application to develop Royal Mint Court into a new Chinese embassy.

The planning application has been called in by the Secretary of State for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and Ministers in MHCLG will make this decision independent from the rest of Government in their quasi-judicial capacity. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office officials speak regularly with the Chinese officials about a range of issues.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to (a) deliver humanitarian aid to vulnerable populations in Myanmar's conflict zones outside military control and (b) avoid (i) legitimising and (ii) empowering the military regime.

Since the 2021 coup, the UK has provided more than £190 million in life-saving humanitarian assistance, emergency healthcare and education support, and support to civil society. No UK funds go to the Myanmar military, and we work through local partners to reach populations most in need, including in areas beyond military control. Through our Humanitarian Programme in Myanmar, we have reached 1.3 million people since 2022 in conflict affected areas with essential humanitarian support.The UK continues to hold the Myanmar military regime to account and has sanctioned 25 individuals and 39 entities targeting the regime's access to finance, arms and equipment, including ten sanctions targeting import of aviation fuel into Myanmar.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made representations to the Estonian Government on the importance of defending and promoting freedom of religion in Estonia, in the context of the Government’s plans to ban the Estonian Orthodox Christian Church.

I am not aware of any plans by Estonia's government to ban the Estonian Orthodox Christian Church. The revised wording of Estonia's proposed Churches and Congregations Act Amendment simply states that religious organisations must not have links to religious organisations or leaders abroad that threaten the national security of Estonia; it does not give the Estonian government the power to ban religious organisations. The Foreign Secretary has had no discussions with the Estonians on the matter. The UK is committed to promoting the freedom of religious belief for all and we work closely with international partners, including through the Article 18 Alliance, of which Estonia is a member, to champion freedom of religious belief around the world.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made representations to the Estonian Government on their plans to ban the Estonian Orthodox Christian Church.

I am not aware of any plans by Estonia's government to ban the Estonian Orthodox Christian Church. The revised wording of Estonia's proposed Churches and Congregations Act Amendment simply states that religious organisations must not have links to religious organisations or leaders abroad that threaten the national security of Estonia; it does not give the Estonian government the power to ban religious organisations. The Foreign Secretary has had no discussions with the Estonians on the matter. The UK is committed to promoting the freedom of religious belief for all and we work closely with international partners, including through the Article 18 Alliance, of which Estonia is a member, to champion freedom of religious belief around the world.

What discussions she has had with the Metropolitan Police on (a) the space available for and (b) policing of protests at the site of the old Royal Mint, in the context of proposals to build a new Chinese Embassy on that site.

The management and safety of demonstrations is an operational matter for the police.The Metropolitan Police Service have provided their assessment of the potential management of protests outside Royal Mint Court in their publicly available submission to the Planning Inquiry on 10 February 2025.

What assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the findings of the Global Rights Compliance report entitled Risk at the Source: Critical Mineral Supply Chains and State-Imposed Forced Labour in the Uyghur Region, published on 11 June 2025.

This government will continue to speak up on human rights in China, including the repression of people in Xinjiang, and will continue to hold China to account.The new Critical Minerals Strategy will help secure the supply of critical minerals vital for the UK's economic growth and clean energy transition. The strategy will promote responsible and transparent supply chains, including through greater adoption of responsible business practices to protect local communities and the environment.We will continue to assess and monitor the effectiveness of the UK's existing measures, alongside the impacts of new policy tools, to ensure we can best promote responsible business practices and take action where appropriate.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what information his Department holds on the extent of (a) financial and (b) military assistance provided to the military regime in Myanmar by (i) China and (ii) Russia; and what steps is he taking to help counter this influence.

The UK is clear that countries should not sell arms or provide financial assistance to the Myanmar military regime as this will only lead to greater instability and violence. UK sanctions include a comprehensive arms embargo on Myanmar. We note that in resolution 2669 (2022) UN Security Council members, including China and Russia, expressed deep concern at all forms of violence across Myanmar and attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure. Despite this, we are aware of reports of ongoing support to the military regime. The UK has been clear with partners, in public and in private, that it is unacceptable to sell arms to the Myanmar military.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department is taking steps to restrict access to (a) international banking, (b) insurance and (c) other sources of financial support by the military regime in Myanmar.

The UK is considering a range of further measures to hold the military regime in Myanmar to account. It would not be appropriate to speculate about future sanctions as to do so could reduce their impact. It is vital that any sanctions imposed have the desired effect of constraining the regime's access to finance, arms and equipment. The UK remains committed to targeted sanctions, which directly impact the military without harming the wider population.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to implement targeted sanctions on Chinese and Russian companies supplying (a) drones, (b) military hardware, (c) surveillance tools and (d) aviation fuel to the Myanmar government.

The UK has sanctioned a number of targets responsible for supplying arms to the military regime since the coup in 2021. In 2022, the UK sanctioned two Russian companies involved in the supply and upkeep of aircraft for the Myanmar Armed Forces. In October 2024, the UK issued its 19th round of sanctions, targeting companies involved in the procurement of aviation fuel and equipment to the Myanmar Armed Forces. The UK has now imposed sanctions on 10 individuals and entities in connection with the import of aviation fuel.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, on what date he last discussed levels of Chinese support for the military regime in Myanmar with his Chinese counterparts; and if he will publish the minutes of that meeting.

The UK regularly raises the Myanmar crisis with China and other neighbouring countries, including at the UN Security Council (UNSC). At the UNSC and other multilateral fora, the UK continues to call for the need for all actors to protect civilians and for the Myanmar military to cease violence and engage with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations 5 Point Consensus. UK sanctions include a comprehensive arms embargo on Myanmar.

Media and Sport, whether her Department is taking steps to prohibit the owners of white label gambling operator TGP Europe from holding gambling licenses in the future.

Gambling operating licences are issued by the Gambling Commission, the regulator for gambling in Great Britain. Following the Commission’s investigation, TGP Europe surrendered their operating licence.Where a licensee surrenders its licence whilst a licence review is underway (as per section 116 of the Act), the Commission may still decide to continue its investigation to determine the facts of the case. This approach enables the Commission to refer to the investigation in the future if, for instance, the licensee applies for a new licence.

Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 4 April 2025 to Question 41783 on Bet365, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of the Gambling Commission’s regulatory action against operators that fail to comply with the requirements of the Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice.

An assessment of which regulatory actions may be appropriate in a compliance case is for the Gambling Commission to make. The Commission expects licensed operators to obey the laws of all other jurisdictions in which they operate, such as China, and requires them to report any regulatory investigation or finding into their activities in any other jurisdiction.There are a variety of ways that the Commission can deal with non-compliance by licensees, ranging from enhanced compliance procedures and regulatory settlements to licence reviews and formal enforcement action. The Commission also has powers to launch criminal investigations and bring criminal proceedings against companies and individuals. Where a licensee is found to be operating illegally in another jurisdiction, the Commission may also consider their suitability to hold a licence to offer gambling services in Britain. However, it is for authorities in other jurisdictions to enforce their own gambling laws.

Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 4 April 2025 to Question 41783 on Bet365, what enforcement measures the Gambling Commission has considered in relation to Bet365’s operations in China.

An assessment of which regulatory actions may be appropriate in a compliance case is for the Gambling Commission to make. The Commission expects licensed operators to obey the laws of all other jurisdictions in which they operate, such as China, and requires them to report any regulatory investigation or finding into their activities in any other jurisdiction.There are a variety of ways that the Commission can deal with non-compliance by licensees, ranging from enhanced compliance procedures and regulatory settlements to licence reviews and formal enforcement action. The Commission also has powers to launch criminal investigations and bring criminal proceedings against companies and individuals. Where a licensee is found to be operating illegally in another jurisdiction, the Commission may also consider their suitability to hold a licence to offer gambling services in Britain. However, it is for authorities in other jurisdictions to enforce their own gambling laws.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his (a) international and (b) Chinese counterparts on (i) the Xinjiang Police Files, published in 2022, and (ii) allegations of human rights violations in those documents.

This Government stands firm on human rights, including in Xinjiang, where China continues to persecute and arbitrarily detain Uyghur Muslims. We continue to refer to the OHCHR's 2022 Xinjiang Assessment, which is based on independent evidence and China's own records, including the Xinjiang Police Files. We raise our concerns on human rights at the highest levels: the Prime Minister, Foreign Secretary, Chancellor and Energy Secretary all raised human rights recently with their counterparts. We continue to coordinate efforts with our international partners to hold China to account, for example, joining a statement led by Australia on Xinjiang and Tibet at the UN General Assembly in October.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with international human rights organisations on (a) the Xinjiang Police Files and (b) the adequacy of human rights in the Uyghur Region.

This Government stands firm on human rights, including in Xinjiang, where China continues to persecute and arbitrarily detain Uyghur Muslims. We continue to refer to the OHCHR's 2022 Xinjiang Assessment, which is based on independent evidence and China's own records, including the Xinjiang Police Files. We raise our concerns on human rights at the highest levels: the Prime Minister, Foreign Secretary, Chancellor and Energy Secretary all raised human rights recently with their counterparts. We continue to coordinate efforts with our international partners to hold China to account, for example, joining a statement led by Australia on Xinjiang and Tibet at the UN General Assembly in October.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential implications for its policies of the Xinjiang Police Files in 2022.

This Government stands firm on human rights, including in Xinjiang, where China continues to persecute and arbitrarily detain Uyghur Muslims. We continue to refer to the OHCHR's 2022 Xinjiang Assessment, which is based on independent evidence and China's own records, including the Xinjiang Police Files. We raise our concerns on human rights at the highest levels: the Prime Minister, Foreign Secretary, Chancellor and Energy Secretary all raised human rights recently with their counterparts. We continue to coordinate efforts with our international partners to hold China to account, for example, joining a statement led by Australia on Xinjiang and Tibet at the UN General Assembly in October.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made representations to his counterpart in Ukraine on religious freedom, in the context of the ban on the Ukrainian Orthodox Church under law 3894.

We are deeply disturbed by the impact of Russia's illegal war on Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) in Ukraine. In contrast, Ukraine's democracy is well known for its commitment to religious pluralism. The UK fully supports the intention behind Law 3894 "about protection of the constitutional system in field of activity of the religious organisations". The Ukrainian Government and religious leaders have offered reassurances that the law is not aimed at restricting freedom of religion or belief in Ukraine, but instead responds to clear national security threats. The Ukrainian Government is in ongoing consultation with religious and belief communities in Ukraine on the terms of the law, including the Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organisations.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of law 3894 on religious freedom in Ukraine.

We are deeply disturbed by the impact of Russia's illegal war on Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) in Ukraine. In contrast, Ukraine's democracy is well known for its commitment to religious pluralism. The UK fully supports the intention behind Law 3894 "about protection of the constitutional system in field of activity of the religious organisations". The Ukrainian Government and religious leaders have offered reassurances that the law is not aimed at restricting freedom of religion or belief in Ukraine, but instead responds to clear national security threats. The Ukrainian Government is in ongoing consultation with religious and belief communities in Ukraine on the terms of the law, including the Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organisations.

Media and Sport, what recent progress her Department has made on the establishment of the gambling ombudsman.

We are looking at options for improving Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) provision for customers, including the establishment of a gambling ombudsman. The Minister for Gambling will confirm our plans in due course.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the use of surveillance technology by authoritarian governments to target religious minorities; and what steps he is taking to ensure UK-based companies are not complicit in such repression through the (a) export and (b) licensing of relevant technologies.

The UK remains strongly committed to freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all abroad. We are working bilaterally and multilaterally to hold countries to account for repression of religious or belief minorities.The UK takes its export control responsibilities very seriously and we operate one of the most robust export control regimes in the world. We will not grant an export licence for controlled surveillance technology, if to do so would be inconsistent with the Strategic Export Licensing Criteria, including if there is a clear risk that the items might be used to commit or facilitate internal repression. The UK has measures in place to ensure that the development, sale, export and use of any UK commercial surveillance tools happens responsibly. Such tools must not be used to facilitate arbitrary and unlawful surveillance, including the targeting of individuals or members of a group based on discriminatory grounds, or to violate or abuse human rights and fundamental freedoms.