Written questions by Glen.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with her Laotian counterpart on the protection of Christian converts and other religious minority communities in that country.

Awaiting answer.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with the Government of Qatar on due process and freedom of religion or belief for members of the Bahá’í community.

The UK is a strong advocate for freedom of religion or belief for all, and we continue to engage with the Government of Qatar on issues around human rights and the importance of due process, including for members of religious minority groups. We also rema...

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the implications for its policies of the report by UN Special Procedure mandate holders, published on 8 June 2026.

The UK values the role of Special Procedures mandate-holders who can provide vital independent, external challenge, and ensure that violators and abusers of human rights can be held to account. We regularly engage with Special Rapporteurs and other UN exp...

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of UK-funded programmes in Nigeria in protecting women and girls from religious minority communities who are vulnerable to v

Since my statement to the House on 27 November 2025 (HWCS1105), we have continued to raise the importance of Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) with the Nigerian authorities on a regular basis, as well as the security situation for women and girls at ri...

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to encourage the Nigerian authorities to (a) investigate and (b) prosecute those responsible for violence against (i) Christian women and

Since my statement to the House on 27 November 2025 (HWCS1105), we have continued to raise the importance of Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) with the Nigerian authorities on a regular basis, as well as the security situation for women and girls at ri...

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what outcomes were agreed during the UK Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief’s visit to Nigeria in May 2026.

During his visit to Nigeria in May 2026, the UK's Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB), David Smith MP, met senior Nigerian government representatives, including the National Security Adviser, Governor of Plateau State and Minister for I...

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with the Government of Iraq on adults from religious minority communities in Iraq being assigned a religious status on civil status docume

The UK is firmly committed to protecting ethnic and religious minorities in Iraq and promoting Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB). It is against Iraqi law for adults, including those from religious minority communities, to be assigned a religious status...

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with international counterparts on the case of Father Pereira; and what representations she has made to her Indian counterpart on freedom of religion or belief.

Our High Commission in New Delhi, along with our network of Deputy High Commissions, monitors the human rights situation in India closely, including issues affecting Christian communities. We also engage with civil society and faith leaders to support efforts to promote tolerance and respect between communities.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the state of freedom of religion or belief in Somalia; and whether this issue is systematically raised in the UK’s engagement with the Government of Somalia.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer given on 6 August 2025 to Question 68009.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department has established benchmarks for measuring improvements in freedom of religion or belief in Venezuela, including for religious and humanitarian actors and indigenous communities.

We continue to assess on an ongoing basis the restrictions in place on freedom of religion or belief in Venezuela, and other countries around the world, as well as the progress of efforts to remove them. Freedom of religion or belief is a fundamental human right, and we should never accept anything short of full freedom as an acceptable outcome.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 3 October 2025 to Question 75586, whether safeguards, oversight mechanisms and conditions apply to UK assistance to Bangladesh to help ensure that such funding does not contribute to discrimination or persecution of Hindu minority communities.

All UK official development assistance (ODA) funded programmes operate under the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office's Programme Operating Framework, which requires robust controls, mandatory oversight, and compliance with cross‑government project delivery standards, alongside strengthened safeguarding due‑diligence measures and transparency obligations to ensure accountable, safe, and effective use of public funds.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has had discussions with her Egyptian counterpart on the detention of Saeid Mansour Abdulraziq.

The UK champions freedom of religion or belief for all and, where appropriate, will raise these issues with the Egyptian authorities.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has had discussions with her counterpart in Venezuela on the (a) vandalism of the Cuasia Church and (b) death threats issued towards Fr. Juan Manuel León.

Protecting the Freedom of Religion or Belief is an important objective for the UK all over the world. As part of our efforts to press for a peaceful, democratic transition in Venezuela, we will reinforce the importance of ensuring that the rights of all Venezuelans are upheld, including members of the church.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent diplomatic steps she has taken with the Government of Nicaragua on restrictions on the importation and distribution of religious materials; and what assessment she has made of the potential impact of those restrictions on freedom of religion or belief.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 3 November in response to Question 85308.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of recent attacks on Afro-Brazilian religious temples in Brazil; and what discussions she has had with her Brazilian counterparts on protecting freedom of religion or belief.

The UK is committed to protecting freedom of religion or belief, as guaranteed under international human rights law. During the G20 Energy and Environment Working Group in October, the Minister for Equalities met Brazilian Minister for Women Marcia Lopes to discuss challenges faced by marginalised communities. In the build-up to COP30 in November, the UK organised a visit for a group of MPs to a 'Quilombo', home to a community targeted with violence and discrimination. This and other Afro-descendant communities are supported by the Amazon Catalyst for Forest Communities (AMCAT) programme, which strengthens tenure security, territorial governance and personal protection for Indigenous and Afro-descendant communities in the Amazon Basin. The UK and Brazil remain committed to ensuring the rights of Indigenous peoples and local communities are protected.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with her Indian counterpart on reports of recent forced burning of Bibles in the Rohtak State of Haryana.

I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the answer provided on 27 October in response to Question 83419.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with the Mexican Government concerning the proposed restrictions on the online expression of Catholic clergy; and what assessment she has made of the implications for freedom of religion or belief in Mexico.

The UK is committed to promoting freedom of religion or belief and freedom of expression globally. Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office officials discussed these issues with the Mexican Government during the Mexico-UK Human Rights Dialogues in January 2024 and May 2025. We understand that the bill proposed in Mexico's Congress to limit online expression by religious groups was withdrawn by its author following his engagement with faith groups. We continue to monitor developments.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with her Iranian counterpart on the imprisonment of Aida Najaflou; and what diplomatic steps she is taking to help ensure her release.

Further to the answer I gave on 29 October to Question 83265, we are concerned by Aida Najaflou's case and we continue to monitor the situation for Christians in Iran.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the airstrike on a Buddhist festival in Sagaing Region, Myanmar; and what diplomatic steps she is taking with international counterparts to help ensure the protection of civilians in that country.

I refer the Hon. Member to my answer to question 75108 on 17 September.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with international partners on measures to provide support to the Hazara Muslim population in Afghanistan; and what diplomatic steps she is taking to ensure their protection.

Ministers do not engage with the Taliban, but Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office officials regularly press the Taliban to respect the human rights of all Afghans, most recently in October. The Government is working with international partners to maintain collective pressure on the Taliban to reverse their inhuman restrictions. We continue to support the UN Special Rapporteur and his mandate to document human rights abuses in Afghanistan. Upholding human rights and gender equality is not only a moral imperative but also essential for building a stable, inclusive and prosperous country for all Afghans.