Written questions by Shannon.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of the joint statement in April 2025 by UN Special Rapporteurs and Special Mechanisms on discrimination faced by the Baha’i community in Egypt; and if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of that statement on her Department's engagement with Egypt on human rights.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 9 September to Question 75629.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps she is taking to encourage a resolution to the border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer given on 15th September to question 75809.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with her counterparts in the US on relations with China.

The UK regularly discusses foreign policy with the US at all levels, including issues relating to China.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the attack on a Christian prayer house in Koto Tangah District, Indonesia, in July 2025; and what steps she is taking to help ensure the (a) protection of Christian communities and (b) promotion of religious freedom in that country.

The Government champions freedom of religion or belief for all abroad, and we continue to engage with Indonesian counterparts on the restriction of those freedoms, including the reported attacks on a Christian prayer house in Koto Tangah District. We welcome the Indonesian Minister for Human Rights' response to the incident, in which he emphasised the importance of religious diversity in Indonesia.The month after the attack, the UK's Human Rights Ambassador, Eleanor Sanders, met the Minister in question to discuss religious freedoms, and also met Civil Society Organisations supporting religious tolerance in Indonesia. We will continue to work with the Indonesian Government and Civil Society partners on these issues.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent representations he has made to his Colombian counterpart on the enforced disappearances and murder of religious and social leaders in Calamar municipality; and what diplomatic steps he is taking to help uphold freedom of religion or belief in that country.

I refer the Honourable Member to the answer of 17 July 2025 to question 66106 regarding these murders in Calamar municipality, Guaviare Department.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help support Türkiye to tackle wildfires.

The Government has not received any requests from Turkey for help tackling wildfires so far in 2025. Turkey has significant capabilities and expertise through its National Disaster Response Centre (AFAD) and has been managing this year's wildfires with its domestic resources. The UK supports multilateral organisations, such as the World Bank, which has programmes with Turkey to improve forest resilience, and stands ready to consider support should a formal request be made.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help enhance UK defence capabilities.

The National Security Strategy is clear on the requirement to collaborate with others to develop next-generation defence capabilities and that the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's (FCDO) global network underpins the UK's ability to act as a credible global partner. FCDO Ministers and the network are active in engaging international partners in support of defence capability collaborations, including major UK programmes such as the AUKUS Partnership with Australia and the United States, the Global Combat Air Programme with Italy and Japan, the Eurofighter Typhoon Consortium with Germany, Italy and Spain, our work in the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF), and in the new UK-EU security and defence partnership as well as our crucial work as a founding member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of reports of attacks against Christian communities in Sudan; and what diplomatic steps he is taking to help ensure the (a) protection of places of worship and (b) promotion of religious freedom in that country.

The UK is committed to championing Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) for all. The Government's strategy on FoRB was published in July and is firmly rooted within our overall approach to human rights and governance. The Special Envoy for FoRB, David Smith, made a statement at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) on 4 March, highlighting our concerns regarding the coercion of non-Muslims in Sudan to change their beliefs through denial of work, food aid, and education. He has also visited Port Sudan three times since December 2024 to press the parties to comply with the Jeddah Declaration of Commitments to Protect Civilians from continued atrocities. We will be raising this issue again at the UNHRC next month when, as part of the Sudan Core Group, we push for a renewal of the UN Fact-Finding Mission for Sudan's mandate - an impartial mechanism that investigates human rights violations and abuses. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) Officials have also spoken with representatives from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on different occasions since the start of the conflict. We have used these exchanges to request that their leadership make every effort to protect civilians and cease atrocities.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the humanitarian situation in Nigeria.

Humanitarian needs in Nigeria remain high, particularly in the northern states. The protracted humanitarian crisis in Nigeria's North East continues to displace people, disrupt livelihoods and hinder access to essential services. There are an estimated 7.8 million people in need of humanitarian assistance across the Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states. In Nigeria's North West escalating insecurity is worsening the humanitarian situation in the region. Malnutrition remains a significant humanitarian challenge in Nigeria, with four in ten Nigerian children stunted due to malnutrition. In response, the UK's Humanitarian and Resilience Programme (HARP), reaches approximately 1 million people with the most severe humanitarian needs. This includes providing critical assistance in the Lake Chad Basin, one of the world's largest humanitarian crises.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made recent representations to his counterpart in Saudi Arabia on (a) releasing people detained and (b) lifting travel bans imposed on people for participating in peaceful protests.

No aspect of our relationship with Saudi Arabia prevents us from speaking frankly about human rights. The UK is concerned over the arrests and continued detention of a number of individuals, particularly those detained for expressing their political views. We regularly raise concerns with the Saudi authorities about individual cases, and continue to call for detainees to be given adequate legal representation. The UK also recognises that travel bans can cause significant hardship and distress to those affected.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent representations he has made to his Saudi counterpart on the case of Turki al-Jasser.

No aspect of our relationship with Saudi Arabia prevents us from speaking frankly about human rights. We regularly raise concerns about individual cases, and officials in our Embassy in Riyadh have raised Turki Al-Jasser's case with the Saudi authorities. The UK strongly opposes the death penalty in all countries and circumstances.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department provides consular support for Christian missionaries in (a) Kenya and (b) other countries.

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and our Embassies, High Commissions and consulates provide consular support to British nationals abroad in line with published guidance on gov.uk. In Kenya we have staff based in Nairobi who provide consular assistance to British nationals. We are contactable 24/7, 365 days a year, globally, whatever the purpose of travel.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of anti-conversion laws in India.

The UK is firmly committed to defending freedom of religion or belief for all, as a fundamental human right. We are aware of concerns regarding anti-conversion laws in India, and their potential impact on religious minorities. Where issues arise, we raise them directly with the Government of India, both at national and state levels. Our diplomatic network across India monitor developments closely.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent representations he has made to his Pakistani counterpart on people imprisoned under blasphemy laws for exercising religious beliefs in that country.

This Government remains deeply concerned by the misuse of blasphemy laws in Pakistan, particularly where they are used to target individuals for peacefully exercising their religion or belief. We regularly raise this issue at senior levels, urging Pakistani authorities to uphold due process, ensure fair trials, and protect those at risk. In March and June 2025, I raised concerns about freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) with Pakistani ministers. Working with the UK Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief, David Smith MP, we are committed to championing the right to FoRB for all around the world - promoting tolerance and mutual respect through our engagement in multilateral organisations, our bilateral work, and our programme funding.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to help reduce tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan; and what steps he is taking to promote respect for freedom of religion or belief in efforts to secure a peaceful resolution.

The UK welcomes the conclusion of negotiations on a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and urges both sides to sign the agreement as soon as possible in the interest of lasting peace and stability in the region. We remain ready to support further progress wherever it may be helpful. The recent meeting between the leaders in Tirana marked a positive step forward, and we continue to encourage peaceful dialogue to address the remaining challenges. I reiterated this message during my engagements with the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan in April, as well as with Azerbaijan's Deputy Foreign Minister, Yalchin Rafiyev, on 30 April. The Foreign Secretary also conveyed this message during his phone call with the Azerbaijani Foreign Minister on 17 June.The UK Government remains steadfast in its commitment to promoting and protecting the right to freedom of religion or belief globally.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he has made to his Iranian counterpart on the (a) recent airstrike on Evin Prison in Tehran and (b) detention of (i) Christians and (ii) other religious minorities; and what diplomatic steps he is taking to (A) help uphold freedom of religion or belief and (B) advocate for prisoners of conscience in that country.

The Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary consistently called for de-escalation throughout the 12-day conflict. We continue raise Iran's repression of freedom of religion or belief, including against Christians, in multilateral fora. On 18 March, the UK's Permanent Representative to the UN highlighted the continued systematic targeting and repression of religious minorities at the UN Human Rights Council. On 3 April, we were integral to the delivery of a new Human Rights Council resolution, which renewed and expanded the mandate of the Fact-Finding Mission on Iran, to investigate a broader range of abuses including against religious minorities, in an important step towards accountability.On 3 July, the UK Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief, David Smith MP, met the Baha'i International Community UN Representative, Simin Fahandej, to discuss the current situation faced by Baha'is in Iran. We continue to monitor the ongoing harassment and arbitrary detention of Christians in Iran, and in November 2024, called on the Iranian government to release religious practitioners imprisoned for their membership in or activities on behalf of a minority religious group at the UN Third Committee.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help uphold human rights in Kenya.

Over the past two weeks, in addition to regular engagement with Government of Kenya at all levels, we have issued three statements, on 11th, 18th and 24th June expressing concern at Kenyan police brutality and in support of fundamental freedoms, including a British High Commission Nairobi released joint statement reaffirming every Kenyan's right to peaceful protest, and the importance of preserving civic space, and called for swift, transparent and independent investigations into all instances of violence against protestors. The UK's development funding supports police reform, focusing on human rights compliant policing and accountability. We are committed to maintaining a constructive dialogue with the Government of Kenya which will enable us to pursue shared interests, support Kenya's most vulnerable people, deepen our strong people-to-people links and raise challenging issues such as human rights.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support (a) justice for victims and (b) protection for at-risk communities in the Middle Belt.

The UK Government is committed to supporting Nigeria address security challenges, including intercommunal violence in the Middle Belt, through the UK-Nigeria Security and Defence Partnership (SDP). The UK-Nigeria SDP works with Nigeria's security forces to tackle violence against civilian communities. As part of this dialogue, we previously welcomed a commitment from Nigeria on timely, effective and human rights compliant investigations of, and prosecutions for, terrorism. Additionally, through our Strengthening Peace and Resilience programme (SPRiNG) the UK is providing up to £38 million over five years from 2024 to 2028 to help tackle the root causes of intercommunal conflict, including security, justice, and natural resource management challenges.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of recent attacks on churches in El Fasher, North Darfur; and what steps his Department is taking to (a) protect religious minorities and (b) promote human rights and humanitarian access amid the ongoing conflict in Sudan.

The UK condemns the reported bombing of churches in El Fasher, North Darfur, which killed and injured multiple people. We will continue to recognise the issue of Christian persecution globally, alongside the persecution of other individuals on the basis of their religion or belief. Our Special Envoy for freedom of religion or belief, David Smith, made a statement at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) on 4 March, highlighting our concerns regarding the coercion of non-Muslims in Sudan to change their beliefs through denial of work, food aid, and education. We are also providing support to the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to enable their human rights monitoring and reporting, and in October 2024, led the renewal of the UN Fact Finding Mission for Sudan's mandate as part of the Sudan 'Core Group' in the UNHRC. On 15 April, following the Sudan London Conference, the co-chairs' statement called on relevant parties to allow and facilitate rapid, safe and unimpeded humanitarian access to all areas of need through all necessary routes in adherence with their obligations under international humanitarian law.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he has made to his Nigerian counterpart following the killing of up to 200 internally displaced Christians in Yelewata, Benue State.

While the UK Government has not yet discussed the violent attacks on 13 June, UK officials have been actively engaging on broader security issues in Benue State. On 10 June, UK officials met Mr. Dickson Tarkighir, Member of the House of Representatives for Makurdi/Guma in Benue State and Chair of the House Committee on Constituency Outreach to discuss the root causes of insecurity in the region. The UK also maintains regular dialogue with key Nigerian institutions, including the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), and the Office of Strategic Preparedness and Resilience (OSPRE) to address conflict in Nigeria's middle belt. During his visit to Nigeria between 28-30 May, the Minister for Africa raised Freedom of Religion and Belief and the root causes of insecurity in discussions with Nigerian counterparts, including the Foreign Minister and Deputy Speaker.