Asked by: Andrew Mitchell (Conservative - Sutton Coldfield)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking with her counterparts in the Commonwealth to help support Zimbabwe rejoin the Commonwealth.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer he received on 23 June 2025 in response to Question 57617. We will update the House if there are any new developments.
Asked by: Baroness Whitaker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of India about the detention of Associate Professor Hany Babu.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The UK has a broad and respectful dialogue with Indian interlocutors about human rights and rule of law. In the case of Professor Babu, it was reported in December that he has now been released from detention on bail.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she has taken to help support democratic reforms in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer provided on 9 September 2025 to Question 74449. Subsequent to that, in December 2025, the Peace Implementation Council and representatives of political parties in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) met to discuss long‑term solutions to BiH's challenges, including democratic reform. The UK will continue to work with international partners, including the Council of Europe and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, and local actors in BiH to promote democratic rights and support reform.
Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham Edgbaston)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent representations she has made to her Bangladeshi counterpart on reports of violence against Hindu communities and the safety of religious minorities.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK condemns all religiously motivated violence in Bangladesh.
We have consistently raised the importance of protecting religious minorities with the Bangladeshi authorities, including during visits by the UK Human Rights Ambassador in February 2025, and Baroness Chapman in November. The British High Commission also meets with civil society groups and minority communities.
Bangladesh's Interim Government has publicly reaffirmed its commitment to protecting communities-Hindu, Buddhist, Christian and Muslim-including in a statement on 10 January. This statement set out steps being taken by the Home Ministry to respond rapidly to incidents, protect victims and witnesses, and ensure the law is applied fairly.
Our commitment to Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) is reflected through our engagement with civil society groups and minority communities as well as our £27 million Bangladesh Collaborative, Accountable and Peaceful Politics programme (2023-2028). The programme aims to protect civic space, foster inclusive dialogue, and address tensions that can lead to violence.
Asked by: Rupa Huq (Labour - Ealing Central and Acton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent information she has on the condition of Craig and Lindsay Foreman.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer given on 20 January to Question 106167. Last week, Minister Falconer met members of the Foreman family, and we continue to raise the case directly with the Iranian authorities.
Asked by: Tom Hayes (Labour - Bournemouth East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department has made contingency plans to support democracy in Iran.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the Foreign Secretary's statement to the House on 13 January, and to my responses in the Urgent Question debate on 19 January.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what information she holds on the reasons for China’s recent mobilisation of fishing boats to form floating barriers.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are aware of media reporting regarding a recent mobilisation of Chinese fishing vessels in the East China Sea. The UK has enduring interests in the Indo-Pacific and is committed to maintaining regional security and stability. We are committed to international law, the primacy of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and to freedom of navigation and overflight.
Asked by: Lord Jackson of Peterborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Baroness Chapman of Darlington on 17 December 2025 (HL12793) and 5 January (HL13110), and with reference to paragraph 223 of the Guide to Parliamentary Work and paragraph 1.6(d) of the Ministerial Code, what is the public interest basis in terms similar to those in the Freedom of Information Act 2000 for neither confirming or denying whether Lord Mandelson has received a severance payment in relation to his role as Ambassador to the USA.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
It has been the normal practice under successive governments, including the one in which the Noble Lord served, for the details of individual severance payments received by ministers to be disclosed on a named basis in departmental annual reports, but for payments made to senior officials, special advisers and other employees to be disclosed anonymously.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she has taken to strengthen the UK's relationship with Indo-Pacific partners.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Rt Hon Member to my speech at the launch of the Asia House Outlook 2026 on 15 January, available on GOV.UK here: https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/asia-house-outlook-2026-keynote-speech. Additionally, my speech at the 2025 Indo-Pacific Conference at King's College London is available on GOV.UK here: 2025 Indo-Pacific Conference: Minister Malhotra keynote speech - GOV.UK
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to recognising Somaliland as an independent state.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
It is the UK's long-standing position that the settlement of Somaliland's status is an issue for authorities in Mogadishu and Hargeisa to decide through a consultative process and dialogue, in line with the principles of the UN charter.