Written questions by Jones.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications of her policies of the recent ADF attack on Byambwe Reference Health Center in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Christian-majority Lubero territory.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 24 November to Question 91327.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps she is taking with international partners concerning the recent crackdown on citizens in Cameroon following the elections.

Throughout the electoral process, we encouraged the Government of Cameroon to strengthen democratic institutions, highlighting the vital role of civil society in fostering dialogue and stability, and funded innovative approaches to promote political inclusion and engagement. Following the elections, the Minister of State for International Development and Africa encouraged all parties to refrain from violence, exercise restraint, and pursue inclusive dialogue to address grievances and preserve stability. We remain committed to advancing democracy and human rights in Cameroon, while maintaining a constructive relationship, grounded in shared Commonwealth values.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with her international counterparts on the protection of Christians in Sri Lanka.

The UK supports the right to freedom of religion or belief for all and regularly raises the importance of religious tolerance and the protection of rights for all Sri Lankans to practise their faith. Our High Commission in Colombo regularly meet government and religious leaders, including affected minorities and civil society, to hear their concerns and support interfaith dialogues and counter discrimination work based on religion or belief. During her visit to Sri Lanka in January 2025, the former Minister for the Indo-Pacific met activists working on freedom of religion or belief issues to reaffirm the UK's commitment to protecting these fundamental rights. More recently, the Minister for the Indo-Pacific met the Sri Lankan Speaker, Justice Minister and wider ministerial delegation in October and discussed the importance of respecting human rights and having an inclusive and transparent process as part of Sri Lanka's reconciliation.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with her international counterparts on the protection of civilians following the capture of El Fasher by the Rapid Support Forces on 26 October.

I refer the Hon. Member to the response provided to the Urgent Question on Sudan: Protection of Civilians on 30 October.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with her Nicaraguan counterpart on the imprisonment of Efrén Antonio Vílchez López.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer of 17 October 2025 to question 81287. We remain concerned by the harassment and arbitrary detention of members of the Church in Nicaragua and urge the Nicaraguan authorities to release all political prisoners immediately and unconditionally.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the (a) physical assault and (b) death threats of 20 Christians on 21 September following the implementation of a new anti-conversion law in Rajasthan, India.

Any reports of physical assaults and death threats are concerning. We condemn all forms of violence and intimidation against individuals on the basis of their religion or belief. The UK is committed to defending freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all, no matter the individual or faith involved. Our High Commission in New Delhi and Deputy High Commissions across India track developments in this space and engage with civil society organisations and religious representatives to promote tolerance and respect between communities. India is one of ten priority countries under the UK's FoRB Strategy, and we continue to monitor developments closely. We urge all governments to uphold the rights enshrined in international human rights law, including the right to practice and propagate one's religion freely and without fear.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the reported massacre of of mourners in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo, on 8 September 2025.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 13 October to Question 77022.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his counterparts in Laos on the disappearance of Sombath Somphone.

The UK continues to raise the case of Sombath Somphone's disappearance with the Lao authorities, both bilaterally and through multilateral fora such as the UN Human Rights Council. Most recently, on 3 September 2025, the previous Minister for the Indo-Pacific raised the case with the Laos Deputy Foreign Minister during the UK-Laos Political Dialogue. This followed up on her visit to Laos in April, where she also raised the issue. The UK remains committed to supporting human rights in Laos and will continue to raise this case.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent diplomatic steps his Department has taken in the context of deaths among (a) political and (b) religious prisoners in Nicaragua.

The UK remains deeply concerned about the relentless deterioration of human rights in Nicaragua, including reports of the deaths of political and religious prisoners. We continue to raise concerns over arbitrary detentions and restrictions on freedom of religion, including at the UN Human Rights Council on 28 February, and at the Organisation of the American States General Assembly on 25 June. We will continue to urge the Nicaraguan authorities to restore democratic freedoms through our engagements in-country and with their Embassy.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking with international partners to defend vulnerable religious groups in north-east Syria.

Alongside our international partners the UK has consistently advocated and offered support to the Syrian Government to deliver an inclusive political transition. We have underlined the importance of protecting the rights of all Syrians, including vulnerable religious groups in the north-east, both publicly and as part of our engagement with the Syrian Government, including during the Foreign Secretary's recent visit. We remain deeply concerned about tensions between communities in Syria and the impact this may have for Syria's stability. We will continue to monitor the situation closely.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to (a) monitor and (b) respond to threats to religious freedom for Christian and other minority faith communities in Iraq.

The UK is committed to championing freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all. On 8 July, the Government publicly set out its approach to FoRB, providing a framework for UK engagement, including for countries navigating the impact of conflict, both past and present, such as Iraq.In July 2025, the 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 into 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 initiatives his Department is funding to (a) monitor and (b) support the (i) registration and (ii) legal recognition of religious communities in Vietnam.

The UK Government is committed to promoting freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) globally, including in Vietnam. During Vietnam's 2024 Universal Periodic Review at the UN Human Rights Council, the UK put forward recommendations urging Vietnam to take steps to ensure the protection of the right to freedom of religion. Bilaterally, the UK raises FoRB concerns with Vietnamese counterparts. Our Embassy in Hanoi engages with the diplomatic community and civil society to monitor developments and support dialogue on religious freedom.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what humanitarian assistance his Department has provided to support religious minority communities affected by conflict in Syria.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) does not provide targeted humanitarian assistance for religious minority communities in Syria. The FCDO uses data and evidence to guide humanitarian allocations, ensuring that resources are directed to where they are most needed, in line with humanitarian principles. Our humanitarian funding in Syria provides urgent humanitarian aid to millions of Syrians across the country, as well as support for Syria's longer-term recovery through education and livelihoods initiatives. We continue to focus our diplomatic efforts on advocating and supporting the Syrian Government to ensure an inclusive, representative and non-sectarian political transition which respects the rights of all Syrians.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies on freedom of religion or belief of (a) reports of the escalation of violence against Hindu communities in Bangladesh since August 2024 and (b) the response of the interim government.

The UK has a long-standing commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights. We support the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and their report on the violations that occurred in Bangladesh in July and August 2024. In October 2024, we were pleased to see the establishment of a special policing unit by the Interim Government in the lead up to Durga Puja to protect Hindu worship sites.In November 2024, I visited Bangladesh and discussed the importance of the protection of religious minorities with Chief Adviser Yunus and UK Human Rights Ambassador, Eleanor Sanders visited Bangladesh in February. The UK-funded £27 million Bangladesh Collaborative, Accountable and Peaceful Politics programme is contributing to protecting and promoting freedom of religion or belief. Through this programme, the Hunger project has organised a range of initiatives to foster inter-ethnic and religious peace. We will continue to engage with the Interim Government on ensuring minority voices are meaningfully included in the reform process and that these communities feel both protected and represented.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of reports of redevelopment plans impacting Sikh families in the Guru Tegh Bahadur Nagar area of Mumbai.

The UK Government is aware of reports concerning the redevelopment of Guru Tegh Bahadur Nagar in Mumbai, and its potential impact on Sikh families. While this is a matter for the Indian authorities, we continue to monitor developments affecting minority communities globally. We encourage all redevelopment efforts, wherever they occur, to be conducted transparently and with full consideration for the rights and welfare of affected residents.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of recent reports that India forcibly deported over 80 Rohingya refugees to Myanmar; and what steps his Department is taking to raise concerns about the (a) religious freedom and (b) safety of Rohingya Muslims facing refoulement with his Indian counterpart.

The UK is firmly committed to the protection and promotion of human rights around the world. We are aware of reports concerning the deportation of Rohingya refugees from India to Myanmar, and we take such reports seriously.We regularly engage with the Government of India on a range of human rights issues, including the treatment of minority communities and international humanitarian principles. We continue to encourage all countries to ensure that the rights and safety of vulnerable populations, including the Rohingya, are respected and protected. The UK is a strong supporter of international efforts to assist Rohingya refugees. The long-term solution for Rohingya refugees remains a voluntary, safe and dignified return to Rakhine state in Myanmar, once the conditions there allow.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made a recent assessment of access to adequate burial rights for members of the Bahá'í community in Egypt; and whether he has raised this issue with his Egyptian counterpart.

The UK is committed to defending freedom of religion or belief (FoRB), for all. The Egyptian Government has stated its commitment to protecting the rights and freedom of worship as well as the protections enshrined in the Egyptian constitution. We continue to regularly raise rights concerns with the Egyptian authorities.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies on freedom of religion or belief of reports of official interference in peaceful gatherings of the Baha’i community in Iran.

Iran's abhorrent repression of Baha'is is unacceptable. We continue to take action in multilateral fora to spotlight abuses against Baha'is and hold Iran to account. On 18 March, at the Human Rights Council, the UK's Permanent Representative to the UN, said: "The past year has seen an escalation in the arrest and detention of Baha'i women as authorities seek to suppress their religious identity and autonomy as women". We were integral to the delivery of a new Iran human rights resolution, adopted by the Human Rights Council on 3 April, which renewed and expanded the mandate of the Fact-Finding Mission on Iran, which will investigate a broader range of abuses including against religious minorities, in an important step towards accountability. Our Ambassador to Iran continues to raise human rights directly with the Iranian Government.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support faith-based organisations providing humanitarian assistance to vulnerable communities impacted by recent conflict in Lebanon.

Whilst the UK does not currently directly support any faith-based organisations in Lebanon, we remain committed to supporting vulnerable Lebanese communities, including refugees, regardless of religion or nationality. The UK has played a leading role in addressing the humanitarian situation in Lebanon and provided £56 million in humanitarian aid to support thousands of people affected by the conflict in Financial Year 2024/25. This included support to both displaced and host communities, to help them meet their basic needs and support them to access essential services It also included £4.5 million to the Lebanon Humanitarian Fund, which delivers multisectoral support through a network of local and international Non-Governmental Organisations, including faith-based organisations.We recognise that post-ceasefire needs in Lebanon remain high. The UK's ongoing response will continue, including our work with international partners to tackle immediate and long-term priorities.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent steps he has taken to (a) monitor violence against Christian communities in northern Nigeria and (b) support efforts to hold perpetrators to account.

The UK Government continues to monitor events in northern Nigeria closely. Terrorist groups, including Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa, target all those who do not subscribe to their extremist views, including both Christians and Muslims. These incidents are distinct from the ongoing intercommunal violence across Nigeria. We regularly raise both issues with key stakeholders in Nigeria, most recently during Lord Collins's visit to Nigeria (28-30 May), where he held discussions with the Foreign Minister, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Head of the National Centre for Counter-Terrorism, and UN partners on these issues. Additionally, through the UK-Nigeria Security and Defence Partnership (SDP), the UK is working with Nigeria to tackle violence against all civilian communities, including those of different religious backgrounds and belief systems. 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 crimes.