Written questions by Shannon.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help promote the (a) rights and (b) well-being of children in conflict zones.

The issues raised in the Hon Member's questions are among the most important priorities for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), and our work in these areas cannot adequately be summarised in the answer to one parliamentary question. However, he can find regular updates about that work by following the FCDO news feed on GOV.UK, and by continuing to attend our statements, oral questions sessions and urgent question responses in the House.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will make it her policy to pause the passage of the Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill until the Metropolitan Police investigation into Peter Mandelson has concluded.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 2 March to question 111415.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what her Department’s policy objectives are for the Global Partnerships Conference in May 2026.

I refer the Hon Member to the press release published on GOV.UK on 20 February setting out our plans for the conference: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/global-partnerships-conference-to-build-new-international-coalitions-to-tackle-shared-challenges

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to tackle economic drivers of conflict in the world.

The UK is working closely with international financial institutions (IFIs) to better understand economic drivers of conflict, including enhancing the use of analytics to anticipate potential conflict, and ensuring timely, effective and conflict sensitive interventions.The World Bank and other IFIs, working as effectively as possible with other actors such as the United Nations, the private sector, civil society and governments, bring valuable expertise and investment to address key drivers of fragility and conflict, improving employment and livelihoods, natural resource management, access to essential services and governance. This is why the UK put our critical influence and Board position at the World Bank to improve their focus and strategy on fragile and conflict-affected states, which enables stronger delivery at scale in these countries.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with her Syrian and Iraqi counterparts on the security and protection of Yazidis and other minority faith communities in Syria.

We have consistently advocated for an inclusive political transition in Syria and underlined the importance of protecting the rights of all, regardless of religious or ethnic background, both publicly and as part of our engagement with the Syrian Government. I raised this with the Syrian Foreign Minister during his visit to London in November and further pressed the point on the importance of human rights when we spoke last month.Supporting stabilisation and safe returns of Yazidis to Sinjar, the Yazidi homeland, is a priority for the UK and part of our Freedom of Religion or Belief strategy (FoRB). In July 2025 the former Minister for Human Rights and the UK Special Envoy for FoRB met with Mir Hazem Tahsin Beg, the Prince of the Yazidis. We also raise threats to minority faith communities in regular engagements with the Government of Iraq, the Kurdistan Regional Government, and in multilateral fora. For example, at Iraq's Universal Periodic Review at the UN Human Rights Council in June, we recommended that Iraq upholds the right for minorities to freely practice their religion or belief, without fear of persecution.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to help ensure Christian clergy and lay believers in Nicaragua are able to practice freedom of religion and belief.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 3 November 2025 to Question 85308. We share widespread international concern about the suppression of democratic, religious, and other fundamental freedoms in Nicaragua.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department to pause the passage of the Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory Bill until the Metropolitan Police investigation into Peter Mandelson has concluded, and it is established there was conflict of interest with the 2025 UK/Mauritius Agreement concerning the Chagos Islands.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 2 March to question 111415.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations her Department has made to the Chinese government on the detention and forcible disappearance of Gao Zhisheng and other religious leaders.

The UK Government is aware of reports concerning the disappearance of Gao Zhisheng and other religious leaders. We continue to follow developments closely and regularly raise human rights concerns with the Chinese authorities.We remain committed to promoting human rights and the rule of law globally. We continue to work with partners and in multilateral fora to end arbitrary detention, to advocate for those who have been arbitrarily detained to be released, and to demand accountability. We call on all states that engage in the practice of politically motivated detention and enforced disappearance to respect their international obligations and commitments.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential implications for her policies of the humanitarian situation in Sudan.

I refer the Hon Member to the statement made to the House by the Foreign Secretary on 18 November 2025, and to the most recent Urgent Question debate on 15 December 2025.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is making to support international peacekeeping efforts globally.

I refer the Hon Member to the responses given on 20 January to the identical set of questions received from the Member for South Cambridgeshire on 12 January (UINs 105089 to 105096).

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to tackle global malnutrition.

I refer the Hon Member to the responses given on 20 January to the identical set of questions received from the Member for South Cambridgeshire on 12 January (UINs 105089 to 105096).

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to support the rights of women and girls.

I refer the Hon Member to the responses given on 20 January to the identical set of questions received from the Member for South Cambridgeshire on 12 January (UINs 105089 to 105096).

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that Official Development Assistance reaches those most in need.

I refer the Hon Member to the responses given on 20 January to the identical set of questions received from the Member for South Cambridgeshire on 12 January (UINs 105089 to 105096).

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has made representations to her international counterparts on respect for freedom of religion or belief among political leaders.

The UK champions Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) around the world. On 8 July 2025, the UK's Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief, 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.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations her Department has made to the Vietnamese government on the detention of Y Quynh Bdăp.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 7 January in response to Question 101189. Further, on 17 December, the UK Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief, David Smith MP, raised Mr Bdap's case with the Governments of Thailand and Vietnam, seeking assurances on his location, wellbeing and access to legal counsel.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking with international partners to anticipate and pre-emptively mitigate humanitarian crises around the world.

I refer the Hon Member to the responses given on 20 January to the identical set of questions received from the Member for South Cambridgeshire on 12 January (UINs 105089 to 105096).

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle humanitarian crises caused or exacerbated by climate change.

I refer the Hon Member to the responses given on 20 January to the identical set of questions received from the Member for South Cambridgeshire on 12 January (UINs 105089 to 105096).

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with her Pakistani counterpart on slavery in Pakistan.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave him on 26 November in response to question 91957. We continue to raise these issues with our Pakistani counterparts at ministerial and official levels.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to support persecuted minorities in Bangladesh.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 6 November 2025 in response to Question 86282, and I would add that Baroness Chapman raised the issue of violence towards religious minority groups during her trip to Bangladesh later that month.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the humanitarian situation in Pakistan.

The Minister of State for International Development discussed the humanitarian situation in Pakistan during her visit to the country in early December. In a press release following her trip, she said: "Pakistan is also a country suffering the devastating consequences of climate change, with extreme flooding putting lives at risk, stifling economic growth, and damaging key infrastructure. British expertise will help Pakistan strengthen its adaptation to climate change, its resilience to extreme weather events, and the speed of its response and recovery when crises occur."