Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of current visa arrangements for UK law graduates seeking (a) training contracts or (b) early-career experience in EU member states.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
UK nationals travelling for the purposes of taking up work or providing a service in a Member State will need a visa and/or work permit to work in most EU countries. While the visa policy of EU Member States is a matter for those countries, the Government will continue to listen to and advocate for UK nationals.
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 recent assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of Russia’s military presence in Belarus.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer given on 1 December 2025 to Questions 92971-73.
Belarus continues to support Russia's aggression towards Ukraine, including the stationing of Oreshnik missiles on its soil, and we remain clear that Belarus must end that support and return to compliance with international law.
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 is taking to help support independent media and political prisoners in Belarus.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer given on 1 December 2025 to Questions 92971-73.
Belarus continues to support Russia's aggression towards Ukraine, including the stationing of Oreshnik missiles on its soil, and we remain clear that Belarus must end that support and return to compliance with international law.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to support international monitoring and accountability mechanisms on freedom of religion or belief in Afghanistan.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Afghanistan is a focus country in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's approach to freedom of religion or belief, announced on 8 July 2025, and officials regularly press the Taliban to respect the human rights of all Afghans. We work with international partners to maintain collective pressure on the Taliban to reverse their inhuman restrictions, including on freedom of religion or belief. We continue to support the UN Special Rapporteur and his mandate to document human rights abuses in Afghanistan. Upholding human rights and basic freedoms are not only a moral imperative but also essential for building a stable, inclusive and prosperous country for all Afghans. Without inclusive governance that reflects Afghanistan's religious, ethnic, gender and cultural diversity, we will never see an Afghanistan at peace with itself and its neighbours.
Asked by: Shockat Adam (Independent - Leicester South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the Board of Peace on Palestinian self determination and statehood.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answers that the Foreign Secretary and I provided on this issue at departmental oral questions on 20 January.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has had discussions with the Heads of Churches in the Holy Land on their (a) attendance at and (b) participation in the Israel-Palestine peace summit of 12 March 2026.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We will announce further details in the near future of the 12 March conference to help establish an International Peace Fund for Israel and Palestine, including attendees, and I thank the Hon Member for her constructive proposals. On her letter of 7 November 2025, I apologise for the delay in responding, and I will ensure that a reply is with her shortly.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will reply to the letter of 7 November 2025 on Christianity in the Holy Land from the hon. Member for East Wiltshire and the hon. Member for and Lancaster and Wyre.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We will announce further details in the near future of the 12 March conference to help establish an International Peace Fund for Israel and Palestine, including attendees, and I thank the Hon Member for her constructive proposals. On her letter of 7 November 2025, I apologise for the delay in responding, and I will ensure that a reply is with her shortly.
Asked by: Iqbal Mohamed (Independent - Dewsbury and Batley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will set out how her Department assesses peace initiatives relating to Gaza, including on the cessation of violence, lifting of blockades, and protection of civilian infrastructure.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is committed to supporting the delivery of the 20-point peace plan for Gaza, endorsed by the United Nations Security Council on 17 November 2025. We continue to monitor the situation in Gaza closely, alongside our international partners.
Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the humanitarian situation in South Kordofan, Sudan; and what steps she is taking to help protect (a) civilians and (b) access to aid in South Kordofan.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 21 January in response to Questions 106571-78.
Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking through the (a) the Quad and (b) other diplomatic routes to help find a cessation to conflict in Sudan.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 21 January in response to Questions 106571-78.