Written questions by Shannon.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the humanitarian impact of Typhoon Kalmaegi in Vietnam.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office are closely monitoring the impact of Typhoon Kalmaegi in Vietnam. Current assessments indicate significant disruption to affected communities, including six confirmed fatalities and extensive damage to homes, public infrastructure, and livelihoods, particularly in coastal and low-lying areas.In October, the UK allocated £500,000 in humanitarian assistance to Vietnam to address the devastating impact of typhoons Bualoi and Matmo. We continue to engage with international partners and local authorities to monitor evolving requirements and to ensure that assistance is delivered effectively to those in greatest need.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with Bangladeshi counterpart on the (a) proposed Islamist rally in Dhaka on 15 November and (b) protection of the Ahmadiyya community in that country.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided for question 87224.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with her Estonian counterpart on reports that Russian jets entered Estonian airspace.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided to question 81195 on 20 October 2025.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the recent murder of an Alawite school teacher in Homs, Syria.

We remain deeply concerned about incidents of violence in Syria, including the reports of Reham Hammouda's murder. We continue to advocate for an inclusive political transition, a greater focus in social cohesion, and protection of the rights of all Syrians, regardless of religious or ethnic background. When I met the Foreign Minister and Justice Minister in Damascus in August, I underlined the need for the Syrian Government to ensure that the justice system serves all Syrians.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with her Vietnamese counterpart on reports of attacks against (a) Khmer Krom human rights defenders and (b) Theravada Buddhist monks.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given to question 85114.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps her Department is taking to help protect Nigerian Christians.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 20 October to Question 81931.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of (a) attacks on places of worship in Sudan and (b) the attack on a mosque near the Abu Souk camp on 19 September 2025; and what recent steps she has taken with international partners to ensure the protection of (i) places of worship and (ii) religious communities in that country.

As the Minister of State for International Development and Africa stated on 12 October, we are extremely alarmed by recent developments at El Fasher and have called for "an immediate end to the Rapid Support Forces' siege and a nationwide ceasefire to protect civilians and ensure full unimpeded humanitarian access."The UK remains committed to promoting Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) for all. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) officials have met with both authorities in Port Sudan and RSF representatives, urging them to uphold the Jeddah Declaration to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure. We have also condemned attacks on places of worship in a UK-led resolution that was passed by majority vote on 6 October this year at the UN Human Rights Council. This resolution renewed the mandate of UN Fact-Finding Mission - the only independent accountability mechanism documenting human rights violations, including FoRB, in Sudan.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with her US counterpart on a ceasefire in Ukraine.

The UK fully supports President Trump's efforts to end this war and we are in regular contact with the US, Ukraine and our other partners to secure a just and lasting peace in Ukraine. The Foreign Secretary most recently discussed our efforts in Ukraine with Secretary Rubio on 7 October, and before that on 18 September during President Trump's State Visit.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the level of threat from Iran.

This issue was addressed at length in the Minister for Security's statement to the House on 4 March: Iranian State Threats, Col 195, Vol 763.

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 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 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 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, 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 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.