Written questions by Naish.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that healthcare workers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are safeguarded from the Ebola outbreak.

Awaiting answer.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps she is taking with international partners to improve humanitarian access to areas in the Democratic Republic of the Congo affected by the Ebola outbreak.

Awaiting answer.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps her Department is taking to ensure safe and unrestricted humanitarian access in areas of the Democratic Republic of the Congo affected by the Ebola outbreak.

Awaiting answer.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to pre-emptively position humanitarian support for countries bordering the Democratic Republic of the Congo if the current Ebola outbreak spreads further.

Awaiting answer.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent steps her Department has taken in relation to Baha'i persecution in Iran.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 19 May to question 611.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department are taking to protect the Alawite minority in Syria.

Further to the answer given on 18 September 2025 to question 74583, I raised this issue with the Syrian Foreign Minister during his visit to London in November 2025, and the situation of minority rights in Syria was also raised during President Al Sharaa's visit to London in March. We continue to monitor the situation closely.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department plans to publish updated guidance on prison conditions and the treatment of political prisoners in Hong Kong in its next Six-Monthly Report.

Reports of mistreatment in Hong Kong's prisons are deeply concerning. China's imposition of the National Security Law on Hong Kong has seen opposition stifled and dissent criminalised. The UK has called for the National Security Law to be repealed and for an end to the prosecution of all individuals charged under it. We continue to raise our concerns directly with the Chinese and Hong Kong authorities, as well as engaging with our international partners. The next Six-monthly Report to Parliament will be published in due course.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, since designating China as one of ten priority countries in its Freedom of Religious Belief (FoRB) strategy, what actions her Department has taken to tackle FoRB violations in China.

The UK stands firm on human rights in China and we are concerned by recent reports of Christians being detained in China. We continue to monitor the situation closely and the Prime Minister raised human rights with President Xi when they met in January. To support our wider efforts to champion freedom of religion or belief (FoRB), David Smith MP was appointed Special Envoy for FoRB in December 2024, and the UK hosted a Geneva event in July 2025 reaffirming the universal right to freedom of religion or belief.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has discussed with international partners the potential merits of coordinated action in response to reported human rights abuses in Hong Kong prisons.

Reports of mistreatment in Hong Kong's prisons are deeply concerning. China's imposition of the National Security Law on Hong Kong has seen opposition stifled and dissent criminalised. The UK has called for the National Security Law to be repealed and for an end to the prosecution of all individuals charged under it. We continue to raise our concerns directly with the Chinese and Hong Kong authorities, as well as engaging with our international partners. The next Six-monthly Report to Parliament will be published in due course.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has raised with the Chinese government reports that political prisoners in Hong Kong are being subjected to political indoctrination and so-called deradicalisation programmes.

Reports of mistreatment in Hong Kong's prisons are deeply concerning. China's imposition of the National Security Law on Hong Kong has seen opposition stifled and dissent criminalised. The UK has called for the National Security Law to be repealed and for an end to the prosecution of all individuals charged under it. We continue to raise our concerns directly with the Chinese and Hong Kong authorities, as well as engaging with our international partners. The next Six-monthly Report to Parliament will be published in due course.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has made representations to the Hong Kong authorities on reported medical neglect, including delays in treatment and denial of prescription medication, to political prisoners in Hong Kong.

Reports of mistreatment in Hong Kong's prisons are deeply concerning. China's imposition of the National Security Law on Hong Kong has seen opposition stifled and dissent criminalised. The UK has called for the National Security Law to be repealed and for an end to the prosecution of all individuals charged under it. We continue to raise our concerns directly with the Chinese and Hong Kong authorities, as well as engaging with our international partners. The next Six-monthly Report to Parliament will be published in due course.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has made an assessment of the potential implications for UK policy towards Hong Kong of reports of restrictions on visits, legal access, religious practice and correspondence for political prisoners.

Reports of mistreatment in Hong Kong's prisons are deeply concerning. China's imposition of the National Security Law on Hong Kong has seen opposition stifled and dissent criminalised. The UK has called for the National Security Law to be repealed and for an end to the prosecution of all individuals charged under it. We continue to raise our concerns directly with the Chinese and Hong Kong authorities, as well as engaging with our international partners. The next Six-monthly Report to Parliament will be published in due course.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent steps her Department has taken to raise cases of detained Christian religious leaders with Chinese authorities.

The UK stands firm on human rights in China and we are concerned by recent reports of Christians being detained in China. We continue to monitor the situation closely and the Prime Minister raised human rights with President Xi when they met in January. To support our wider efforts to champion freedom of religion or belief (FoRB), David Smith MP was appointed Special Envoy for FoRB in December 2024, and the UK hosted a Geneva event in July 2025 reaffirming the universal right to freedom of religion or belief.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will set out the timeline for publishing the spending allocations for Official Development Assistance up to 2028/29; and what steps she is taking to ensure funding for humanitarian programmes is protected.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 28 January to Question 107281.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to ensure effective due diligence when assessing applications for export licences for UK military equipment that could be re-exported onwards to the Rapid Support Forces in Sudan.

I refer the Hon Member to the Urgent Question debate on this issue held on 15 December 2025.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with (a) the United States, (b) Australia, (c) Canada and (d) the European Union on coordinated action to secure Jimmy Lai’s release.

On his questions relating to Jimmy Lai, I refer the Hon Member to the answers provided in the Urgent Question debate on 9 February, and I will keep him and other members updated on all further steps that the UK will take alongside our international partners to call for Mr Lai's release, and for the protection of his health and wellbeing while he remains in detention. On the question of sanctions, the Hon Member will be aware that we never comment on potential designations as to do so would undermine their impact. And on the six-monthly report on Hong Kong, he will be aware that the last such report was published on 23 October 2025, less than four months ago.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to secure Jimmy Lai’s access to independent medical professionals and appropriate treatment while in custody.

On his questions relating to Jimmy Lai, I refer the Hon Member to the answers provided in the Urgent Question debate on 9 February, and I will keep him and other members updated on all further steps that the UK will take alongside our international partners to call for Mr Lai's release, and for the protection of his health and wellbeing while he remains in detention. On the question of sanctions, the Hon Member will be aware that we never comment on potential designations as to do so would undermine their impact. And on the six-monthly report on Hong Kong, he will be aware that the last such report was published on 23 October 2025, less than four months ago.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when she next plans to publish a six-monthly report on Hong Kong.

On his questions relating to Jimmy Lai, I refer the Hon Member to the answers provided in the Urgent Question debate on 9 February, and I will keep him and other members updated on all further steps that the UK will take alongside our international partners to call for Mr Lai's release, and for the protection of his health and wellbeing while he remains in detention. On the question of sanctions, the Hon Member will be aware that we never comment on potential designations as to do so would undermine their impact. And on the six-monthly report on Hong Kong, he will be aware that the last such report was published on 23 October 2025, less than four months ago.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to help ensure that Jimmy Lai is not transferred from detention in Hong Kong to mainland China.

On his questions relating to Jimmy Lai, I refer the Hon Member to the answers provided in the Urgent Question debate on 9 February, and I will keep him and other members updated on all further steps that the UK will take alongside our international partners to call for Mr Lai's release, and for the protection of his health and wellbeing while he remains in detention. On the question of sanctions, the Hon Member will be aware that we never comment on potential designations as to do so would undermine their impact. And on the six-monthly report on Hong Kong, he will be aware that the last such report was published on 23 October 2025, less than four months ago.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what consideration she has given to imposing sanctions under the Global Human Rights Sanctions Regulations 2020 on officials involved in the prosecution, sentencing or detention of Jimmy Lai.

On his questions relating to Jimmy Lai, I refer the Hon Member to the answers provided in the Urgent Question debate on 9 February, and I will keep him and other members updated on all further steps that the UK will take alongside our international partners to call for Mr Lai's release, and for the protection of his health and wellbeing while he remains in detention. On the question of sanctions, the Hon Member will be aware that we never comment on potential designations as to do so would undermine their impact. And on the six-monthly report on Hong Kong, he will be aware that the last such report was published on 23 October 2025, less than four months ago.