Written questions by Taylor.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with his Pakistani counterpart on taking steps to help prevent the desecration of Ahmadiyya burial sites in Pakistan.

The UK is aware of the desecration of Ahmadi burial sites in Pakistan and continues to monitor the situation. I raised the deteriorating situation for Ahmadi Muslims when I met Pakistan's Human Rights Minister on 19 November 2024, and discussed this issue in Parliament on 28 November 2024. The British High Commission continues to raise this issue at the highest levels, including the need for swift action in response to incidents of hate and violence. UK programmes promote the rights of religious minorities in Pakistan through facilitating interfaith dialogue and combatting online hate speech.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with his Pakistani counterpart on the legal recognition of Ahmadiyya Muslims in Pakistan.

Promoting the rights of religious minorities is a core part of the UK's diplomatic engagement in Pakistan. I raised the deteriorating situation for Ahmadi Muslims when I met Pakistan's Human Rights Minister on 19 November 2024, and discussed this issue in Parliament on 28 November 2024. The British High Commission regularly raises the issue of Ahmadi Muslim rights at the highest levels, including lobbying the Government of Pakistan against regressive legislation. We will continue to urge the Government of Pakistan to guarantee the rights of all people in accordance with international standards.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support the global immunisation of children living in poverty.

The UK is one of the largest donors to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. We have supported Gavi to immunise 300 million children and save up to 8 million lives from vaccine-preventable diseases. Since 2000, Gavi has vaccinated more than 1 billion children, saving over 18 million lives. We have committed £1.65 billion to the current strategic period for Gavi, covering 2021-2025.

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

Achieving Sustainable Development Goal 2, Zero Hunger, and tackling malnutrition, is essential to our mission of a world free from poverty on a liveable planet. Malnutrition is the underlying cause of 45% of child deaths and 20% of maternal deaths and the UK is committed to acting with urgency. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is a co-founder of the Child Nutrition Fund (CNF), which supports partner governments to procure essential nutrition commodities and to prevent and detect malnutrition. Since 2021 the UK has contributed £15.74 million to the CNF and committed a further £8.55 million.The UK continues to champion the integration of nutrition across different sectors such as health, agriculture, humanitarian, and climate, in order to achieve improved nutrition outcomes alongside successes on other UK development priorities.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make representations to his Chinese counterpart on the solitary confinement of Jimmy Lai.

Jimmy Lai's case is a priority for the Government. We continue to press for consular access, which the Hong Kong Prison Authorities have refused. The Government has consistently raised our concerns around Mr Lai's case with the Chinese and Hong Kong authorities: the Prime Minister raised his case with President Xi in November, as did the Foreign Secretary with Foreign Minister Wang Yi on 18 October in Beijing. I raised Mr Lai's case in my meetings during my November visit to Hong Kong, and most recently, the Chancellor raised this case on her visit to Beijing.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will take diplomatic steps to encourage the Japanese government to formally (a) acknowledge and (b) apologise for the sinking of the SS Tilawa in 1942.

The sinking of the S.S. Tilawa is a tragedy which has touched the lives of so many. Alongside the Prime Minister, I reiterate my heartfelt condolences to all the victims and families affected. The Government of Japan has apologised several times for its wartime actions in recent decades. Since the Second World War, the UK and Japan have worked hard to promote our shared values and respect for human rights, in the hope that we never see a repeat of these events anywhere in the world. I will continue to champion these efforts.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps he is taking to help protect the rights of minority groups in Pakistan.

We work to protect and promote human rights in Pakistan through our diplomatic engagement and programme funding. I (Minister Falconer) underlined the importance of promoting religious tolerance and harmony when I met with Pakistan's Human Rights Minister Azam Tarar on 19 November. On 20 November, I attended a meeting with Pakistan's Minister of Interior Mosin Naqvi, where the British High Commissioner and I raised concerns about threats of violence directed towards Ahmadi Muslims in Pakistan. The UK will continue to urge the Government of Pakistan to guarantee the rights of all people as laid down in Pakistan's Constitution and in accordance with international standards.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what humanitarian steps he is taking to (a) support peace and (b) protect vulnerable communities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The UK is delivering a three-year humanitarian programme in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), providing life-saving emergency assistance and increasing the resilience of crisis-affected communities affected by the conflict. During his visit to the DRC in August Lord Collins, Minister for Africa, announced £3.1 million of new funding to help the DRC tackle the outbreak of mpox and cholera.We are engaging with the DRC and Rwanda at the highest levels to encourage de-escalation and progress on the Luanda Peace Process - with Lord Collins having visited and met with the Presidents of Angola, DRC and Rwanda in August and September.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the Convenor of the Executive Council of Hong Kong on human rights violations in that region.

I met Regina Ip on 31 October in London. Human rights were raised as part of the discussion. The UK will continue to speak often and candidly with Hong Kong authorities across both areas of contention as well as areas for cooperation. Engagement with representatives of Hong Kong and China is pragmatic and necessary to support UK interests.