Every parliamentary written question tabled by Tom Morrison this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 41–60 of 70 · Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to reopen the British Embassy in Damascus.
We are keeping the re-establishment of a permanent presence in Damascus under review. Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office staff, including our UK Special Representative for Syria, undertake visits to Damascus, most recently in April.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking with international partners to ensure that free and fair elections are held in Syria.
We welcomed the formation of the Syrian Government last month and the commitment of interim President al-Sharaa to hold free and fair elections. We are working closely with the Syrian Government, the UN and international partners to support an inclusive transition that represents Syria's diversity and protects the rights of all its citizens. We continue to call on the Syrian Government to prioritise inclusivity and representation in the building of state institutions and in further appointments, and to set out a clear timeline for the next phases of the transition. I discussed these issues with Foreign Minister al-Shaibani on 17 March.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the targeting of media workers in Gaza on global (a) press freedom and (b) journalist safety.
The government continues to monitor the reports of journalists and media workers killed in Gaza. This conflict has already become the deadliest conflict for journalists and media workers ever recorded and we remember all those who have lost their lives in the name of press freedom. All parties to a conflict must avoid deliberate attacks against journalists. Reporters covering conflicts are protected under international humanitarian law. We have called on the Government of Israel to do more to protect civilians, civilian infrastructure, and to allow the unhindered passage of humanitarian aid. We continue to call for a return to the ceasefire and we call on Hamas immediately to release all the remaining hostages. The United Kingdom co-founded the Media Freedom Coalition with Canada in 2019 and has joined Media Freedom Coalition statements calling for the protection of journalists in conflicts.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations the Government has made to (a) the UN Security Council and (b) other international partners on the reported targeting of humanitarian workers in Gaza; and if he will have discussions with international counterparts on stronger measures to hold people responsible to account.
We are appalled by the recent increase in strikes on aid workers. Gaza remains the most dangerous place for aid workers in the world. In partnership with France, we called a meeting of the Security Council on 28 March to advocate for greater protection for aid workers in Gaza. At the UN Security Council meeting on 3 April, we urged Israel to conduct thorough investigations into all incidents involving aid workers and medical personnel, and ensure accountability for those responsible. We continue to make representations to the Government of Israel to stress the importance of ensuring aid workers are protected, and to call for full investigations and accountability for the killing of humanitarian workers.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made a recent assessment of the Israeli military’s compliance with international humanitarian law, in the context of reports of targeted killings of humanitarian personnel in Gaza.
We are appalled by the recent increase in strikes on aid workers. Gaza remains the most dangerous place for humanitarians in the world. We have been clear that humanitarian and medical personnel must be protected and never targeted. We have urged Israel to conduct thorough investigations into all incidents involving aid workers and medical personnel, and ensure accountability for those responsible. International Humanitarian Law (IHL) assessments on Israel's compliance and commitment continue on a regular basis. Previous assessments have raised concerns about possible breaches of IHL in the areas of humanitarian access and in the treatment of detainees. Details of the assessment process are available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/summary-of-the-international-humanitarian-law-ihl-process-decision-and-the-factors-taken-into-account/summary-of-the-ihl-process-decision-and-the-factors-taken-into-account#:~:text=The%20assessment%20addresses%20Israel%E2%80%99s%20record%20of%20compliance%20in
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure the protection of humanitarian personnel working in (a) Gaza and (b) other conflict zones; and if he will review the Government's (a) arms exports and (b) military cooperation with states found to be violating international humanitarian law.
Gaza remains the most dangerous place for humanitarians in the world, with over 400 killed since 7 October 2023. Humanitarian personnel must be protected and never targeted. At the UN Security Council meeting on 3 April, we urged Israel to respect deconfliction notifications from aid workers, to allow them to operate without coming under attack. Globally, the UK uses its bilateral relationships, and partnerships with humanitarian actors on the front line to encourage parties to consent to humanitarian relief operations, facilitate unimpeded access, and protect civilians including humanitarian aid workers. We provide direct investment to support the protective measures our partners require to work safely, the freedom to use different approaches to increase access to aid and reduce risks, and flexible funding to enable our partners to strengthen their risk mitigation strategies when required. The government is committed to maintaining a robust export control system. An export licence would not be granted if it was incompatible with any of the criteria, including respect for international humanitarian law.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made representations to (a) his Israeli counterpart and (b) international bodies on the discovery of aid workers handcuffed in a mass grave in Gaza in March 2025; and whether he plans to call for an independent investigation into these deaths.
We were outraged at the recent deaths of Palestine Red Crescent medics and other humanitarian workers. At the UN Security Council meeting on 3 April, we called for this incident to be investigated fully, transparently and for those responsible to be held to account. We continue to make representations to the Government of Israel to ensure aid workers are protected, to urgently restore deconfliction systems, and to call for full investigations and accountability for the killing of humanitarian workers, including regarding the Palestine Red Crescent Society incident.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the Government plans to support (a) international legal action and (b) referrals to the International Criminal Court against people responsible for (i) violations of international humanitarian law and (ii) the killing of aid workers in Gaza.
The UK is appalled at the recent killings of aid workers and health workers in Gaza. In our diplomatic engagement with the Government of Israel and at the UN Security Council we have called on Israel to conduct thorough investigations into all incidents involving aid workers and medical personnel and ensure accountability for those responsible. We have also urged Israel to cooperate fully with the UN fact-finding mission into the hit on a UN compound on 19 March. We respect the independence of the International Criminal Court (ICC); It is for the ICC Prosecutor, having reviewed the evidence from his investigations, to determine independently who should be prosecuted in accordance with his mandate under the Rome Statute. And it is for courts to rule on violations of international humanitarian law.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with this counterparts in (a) Indonesia and (b) Laos on (i) tackling methanol poisoning and (ii) protecting tourists from (A) counterfeit and (B) contaminated alcohol.
Following the tragic incident that caused the deaths of 6 people on 14 November 2024, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) travel advice for Laos and Indonesia was updated to warn about the risks of methanol poisoning. We continue to press the local authorities for a full investigation and steps to prevent such contaminated alcohol being sold. Some local Lao brands of alcohol remain restricted from sale. Our Travel Aware campaign will continue to encourage British nationals who are planning to travel abroad to read the latest FCDO travel advice and sign up for e-mail alerts.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department plans to update travel advice for British nationals to include stronger warnings about the risks of methanol poisoning in high-risk destinations.
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) travel advice remains under regular review to ensure it reflects our latest assessment of risks to British nationals. The risks of methanol poisoning are included in our travel advice pages where we see evidence of a trend that is likely to affect British nationals in that country or territory.We include information about the risks from methanol poisoning or counterfeit alcohol in our Travel Advice pages for Cambodia, Costa Rica, Fiji, Indonesia, Laos, Thailand, Turkey and Vietnam. In determining what we include in our Travel Advice, we assess a range of factors, including drawing on local knowledge and monitoring trends in consular cases.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has taken steps to implement a public awareness campaign on the risks of methanol poisoning for British nationals travelling abroad.
Since November 2024 the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has proactively communicated the risks of methanol poisoning to British travellers through Travel Aware, the FCDO's public-facing campaign that aims to prevent consular assistance cases. This includes:a dedicated drink spiking and methanol poisoning page on the Travel Aware website: https//travelaware.campaign.gov.uk/spiking-and-methanol-poisoning;regular Travel Aware social media posts (X, Facebook, Instagram), directing audiences to the webpage;work with Student Brand Ambassadors (youth-focussed content creators) to raise awareness;work with Travel Aware industry partners, including ABTA, who have shared information with relevant audiences.We regularly review our social media engagement. Travel Aware methanol-related posts received 41,103 views in the period 28 November 2024 - 6 March 2025.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has reviewed the effectiveness of warnings on methanol poisoning on its website; and what steps he is taking to ensure those warnings reach young travellers.
Since November 2024 the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has proactively communicated the risks of methanol poisoning to British travellers through Travel Aware, the FCDO's public-facing campaign that aims to prevent consular assistance cases. This includes:a dedicated drink spiking and methanol poisoning page on the Travel Aware website: https//travelaware.campaign.gov.uk/spiking-and-methanol-poisoning;regular Travel Aware social media posts (X, Facebook, Instagram), directing audiences to the webpage;work with Student Brand Ambassadors (youth-focussed content creators) to raise awareness;work with Travel Aware industry partners, including ABTA, who have shared information with relevant audiences.We regularly review our social media engagement. Travel Aware methanol-related posts received 41,103 views in the period 28 November 2024 - 6 March 2025.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that British nationals visiting countries with a high risk of methanol poisoning are adequately (a) informed and (b) protected.
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) travel advice remains under regular review to ensure it reflects our latest assessment of risks to British nationals. The risks of methanol poisoning are included in our travel advice pages where we see evidence of a trend that is likely to affect British nationals in that country or territory.We include information about the risks from methanol poisoning or counterfeit alcohol in our Travel Advice pages for Cambodia, Costa Rica, Fiji, Indonesia, Laos, Thailand, Turkey and Vietnam. In determining what we include in our Travel Advice, we assess a range of factors, including drawing on local knowledge and monitoring trends in consular cases.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has taken steps to ensure that UK (a) embassies and (b) high commissions report on violations of freedom of religion or belief.
The UK remains strongly committed to freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all abroad. It is our firm opinion that no one should live in fear because of what they do or do not believe in.We continue to monitor human rights, including FoRB, across the globe through our overseas network of embassies and high commissions, who report on developments. We draw on a range of resources to support our monitoring, including the annual Open Doors report on Christian persecution.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what support his Department is providing to help protect Christians facing persecution in Nigeria.
The UK Government is committed to upholding the right to freedom of religion or belief (FoRB). This includes advocating for the protections of all vulnerable communities including religious minorities through our position at the UN, G7 and other multilateral fora as well as raising FoRB bilaterally with the Government of Nigeria and other influential parties. The UK also supports programmes working to address the complex root causes of intercommunal violence in Nigeria through locally led peace-building efforts. This support aims to reduce intercommunal tensions by improving access to security and justice, and natural resource management in specific areas across northern Nigeria. In addition, the UK-Nigeria Security and Defence Partnership (SDP) works with Nigeria's security forces to tackle violence against all civilian communities, including those of different religious backgrounds and belief systems.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of reductions in the international development budget on his Department's programmes supporting persecuted Christians overseas.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) works to ensure that Official Development Assistance (ODA) is allocated to those who are most vulnerable and most in need of this assistance irrespective of race, religion, or ethnicity. This includes minority religious or belief communities, including Christians, who are assessed by our partners when determining those most in need of protection and assistance.The reduced ODA settlement is for 2026/27 onwards and we will be taking a rigorous approach to ensuring all ODA delivers value for money. The impact on specific programmes will be informed by the ongoing Spending Review and departmental resource allocation processes.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the recommendations in the Rt. Rev. Philip Mounstephen's report entitled Bishop of Truro’s Independent Review for the Foreign Secretary of FCO Support for Persecuted Christians, Final Report and Recommendations, published in 2019, what steps his Department has taken to incorporate the protection of Christian communities into its international development strategy.
An independent review of the FCDO's implementation of the Truro recommendations in 2022 was largely positive. This has now been concluded, and we are focused on the looking to the future, as we continue to champion the right to freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) and promoting tolerance and mutual respect through our engagement in multilateral fora, our bilateral work and our programme funding, including the FCDO John Bunyan Fund, a designated programme for FoRB-focused overseas projects. We will continue to monitor and respond to the issue of persecution of Christians globally on account of their faith, alongside the persecution of other groups.The appointment of David Smith MP as the Special Envoy for FoRB is a clear signal of the UK's ongoing commitment to these efforts.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of reports of targeted attacks against Christians in the Democratic Republic of Congo, including the recent attack on a church in North Kivu; and what steps his Department is taking to help support religious freedom in that country.
Recent attacks by IS-affiliated Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), including on a church in North Kivu, are alarming and we are saddened by the loss of life. The ADF has been sanctioned by the UN since 2014. Protection of civilians, promotion of respect between different religious and non-religious groups, and human rights are priorities for the UK. The UK continues to work through UN bodies and other multilateral fora to promote and protect these rights in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). We recognise that when freedom of religion or belief is respected, communities can build trust and understanding, which in turn supports mutual prosperity and peace. The Foreign Secretary emphasised to President Tshisekedi on his visit to the region the need for immediate de-escalation and civilian protection.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of UK aid in supporting Christian communities facing persecution.
We are championing the right to freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) and promoting tolerance and mutual respect through our engagement in multilateral fora, our bilateral work and our programme funding. Including the FCDO John Bunyan Fund, a designated programme for FoRB-focused overseas projects.The FCDO works to ensure that Official Development Assistance (ODA) is allocated to those who are most vulnerable and most in need of this assistance irrespective of race, religion, or ethnicity. This includes minority religious or belief communities, including Christians, who are assessed by our partners when determining those most in need of protection and assistance.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the situation of Christians in (a) Gaza and (b) the Occupied Palestinian Territories; and whether he has made representations on that issue to the Palestinian Authority.
The UK is pressing for a Palestinian-led process for recovery and reconstruction in Gaza and a strong role for civil society. This is crucial to lay the groundwork for inclusive governance, accountability, and transparency so that the needs, desires, rights and freedoms and voices of all Gazans are protected, including Christians. The Foreign Secretary has spoken with President Abbas and the Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority Mohammad Mustafa, and offered the UK's support as his government implements much-needed reforms. An effective Palestinian Authority is vital for lasting peace and progress towards a two-state solution. Officials from the Consulate General in Jerusalem have regular engagements with the Christian community in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, including the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem, to understand the impact of the conflict and Israeli occupation on Christian Palestinians. The UK remains strongly committed to freedom of religious belief for all abroad. No one should live in fear because of what they do or do not believe in.