Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Mass Atrocity Prevention Hub is operational.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
I refer the Noble Lord to the answer of 2 December to question HL12019.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government why a Joint Analysis of Conflict and Stability report on Sudan has not been commissioned.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
As I told the Noble Lord in my answer to Question HL11438, regular and ongoing analysis of the situation in Sudan is taking place across government, with support from external experts, to inform the UK's policy-making, and as such, there has been no requirement to commission a separate analysis of the type he describes.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that references to genocide were removed from a risk assessment of Sudan.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
Ministers in the current Government are not in a position to comment on the preparation of assessments under a previous administration, but I would note that official spokespeople for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office have rejected the reports to which the Noble Lord refers, and explained that the UK only makes formal determinations of genocide based on the judgement of a competent court, after consideration of all the evidence available, in the context of a credible judicial process.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of preliminary warnings of atrocity crimes in Darfur.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
Ministers in the current Government are not in a position to comment on the preparation of assessments under a previous administration, but I would note that official spokespeople for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office have rejected the reports to which the Noble Lord refers, and explained that the UK only makes formal determinations of genocide based on the judgement of a competent court, after consideration of all the evidence available, in the context of a credible judicial process.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what action they intend to take in response to reports of drone attacks by the Sudanese army on civilians and children in the Nuba Mountains; and whether they will provide direct humanitarian assistance to the affected community.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
I refer the Noble Lord to my statement on Sudan on 19 November, Official Report, vol. 850, cols. 884-887 (https://hansard.parliament.uk/lords/2025-11-19/debates/AF154555-6D0E-4F4A-B2DF-A9F4CB2F391B/GazaAndSudan), and my remarks in the House of Lords debate on 27 November, Official Report, vol. 850, cols. 1465-1468 (https://hansard.parliament.uk/lords/2025-11-27/debates/81C37BE5-A832-4CC1-A83A-A73FD1937E8C/Sudan). I will provide further updates to the House in due course, including on international efforts to end the fighting, and on the progress we are making to reach all the people and regions currently in desperate need of humanitarian support.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking in response to the seizure of power by the military in Guinea-Bissau, and what assessment they have made of the location and safety of the political leaders who have been detained, targeted or disappeared since the coup.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The UK is concerned by recent developments in Guinea-Bissau and is monitoring the situation closely. It is essential that all parties respect constitutional order and democratic principles. We welcome the swift response of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union, and support their efforts to bring about a return to constitutional order.
Following his initial detention, former President Embaló has now left Guinea-Bissau. We remain concerned over the safety of other political leaders who are still in detention or seeking refuge abroad, and we support ECOWAS efforts to ensure that the rights of all those individuals are respected.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many times the UK Special Representative to Sudan has met representatives of the Sudanese diaspora in Uganda, Kenya, Chad, Egypt and the UK since September 2024, and who he met as part of any such meetings.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
I refer the Noble Lord to the answer of 8 December to his previous question, HL12222, where I outlined the wide-ranging nature of our Special Representative for Sudan's engagements with civil society and diaspora across the region and in the UK. These meetings are necessarily confidential.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how often the UK Special Representative to Sudan has consulted the Sudanese diaspora about humanitarian needs in Sudan; where those meetings have taken place; and who those meetings were with.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
Our Special Representative for Sudan and officials regularly meet with a wide range of Sudanese civil society and diaspora groups in the UK and across the region to listen to their concerns, gain their valuable insights, and help to build an inclusive, united approach for transitioning to a civilian-led government once a lasting ceasefire is in place.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the efficiency and effectiveness of delivering humanitarian aid to Sudan through international organisations compared to directly to local emergency response rooms using mobile money services.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
I refer the Noble Lord to the statement on Sudan I made in the House on 19 November, and to my remarks in the House of Lords debate on Sudan on 27 November. I will provide further updates to the House in due course, including on the progress we are making to reach all the people and regions currently in desperate need of humanitarian support.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the restriction of entry of humanitarian aid by the Sudanese Armed Forces to areas of need, and what action they will take to ensure consistent and unfettered access of aid.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
I refer the Noble Lord to the statement on Sudan I made in the House on 19 November, and to my remarks in the House of Lords debate on Sudan on 27 November. I will provide further updates to the House in due course, including on the progress we are making to reach all the people and regions currently in desperate need of humanitarian support.