Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Kyrgyzstan about the detention of journalist Makhabat Tazhibek-kyzy.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

I refer the Noble Lord to the answer provided by the Minister of State, Stephen Doughty, on 31 October 2025 in response to Question 85571, which - for ease of reference - is reproduced below.

The UK regularly engages with Kyrgyzstan both bilaterally and in multilateral settings on a range of issues, including human rights matters. I raised Human rights concerns during our Strategic Dialogue in February 2025. In Kyrgyzstan's most recent UN Universal Periodic Review in April 2025, the UK raised concerns about restrictions on freedom of expression and recommended amending legislation regarding "Incitement of racial, ethnic, national, religious interregional hatred". Our Embassy in Kyrgyzstan monitors the human rights in the country and works closely with civil society organisations and multilateral partners.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the likelihood of a new conflict in Tigray, and (2) the risk of atrocity crimes in a new conflict in that region.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

The Government is deeply concerned about the evolving situation in Tigray and Northern Ethiopia.  Recent clashes in disputed areas and reports of Ethiopian National Defence Forces (ENDF) and Tigrayan Forces preparing for conflict, contribute to an increasingly fragile and unpredictable security environment.

Any conflict would further destabilise the region and have a high risk of human rights abuses and atrocities. We engage regularly with all parties, and support efforts to implement the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement, including through funding for monitoring and compliance mechanisms and support for conditions that enable the safe, voluntary and dignified return of Internally Displaced People.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made in investigating and prosecuting those responsible for atrocity crimes during the 2020–22 conflict in Tigray.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

In coordination with international partners, the UK has consistently called for accountability in multilateral fora, including the Human Rights Council. The UK co-sponsored the establishment of the Independent Commission on Human Rights in Ethiopia (ICHREE) and welcomed the 2023 ICHREE report and its recommendations. The UK is financing international monitors from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and helping to strengthen the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission's ability to investigate serious abuses. We welcome the Government of Ethiopia's national Transitional Justice policy. For it to be credible, implementation must deliver meaningful justice and accountability for victims across Ethiopia, including Tigray.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether officials of the government of China informed the Prime Minister during his recent visit that Jimmy Lai would receive a 20-year prison sentence.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

No. But as I detailed in the Urgent Question debate on 9 December, the Prime Minister raised Mr Lai's case during his visit, and we are continuing to press the Chinese authorities for his release.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government when they plan to ratify the convention establishing an International Claims Commission for Ukraine; and what assessment they have made of how that convention will build on the Register of Damage for Ukraine to review, assess and determine compensation for losses caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

I refer the Noble Lord to the answer provided in the House of Commons on 27 February in response to Question 113024, copied below for ease of reference:

Russia must be held accountable for its illegal actions in Ukraine. The UK is a founding member of the Register of Damage and I signed the Convention to establish an International Claims Commission for Ukraine on 16 December 2025. We expect to lay the treaty before Parliament in the current parliamentary session, with further domestic steps required for ratification to follow in due course.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to enhance relations and deepen mutual democratic links with Taiwan.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

The UK maintains a strong, unofficial relationship with Taiwan, based on shared democratic values and wide-ranging economic, cultural and people-to-people ties. We engage through regular dialogue and cooperation on trade, education, science and global challenges, and support parliamentary, academic and civil society exchanges that strengthen mutual democratic links.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government how much of the £28.7 billion of frozen Russian assets in the UK has been released to support victims of the conflict in Ukraine; and what progress they have made in the transfer by Roman Abramovich of £2.5 billion from the sale of Chelsea Football Club to a humanitarian cause in Ukraine.

Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

The OFSI Annual Review 2024-2025 in year reporting sets out that OFSI have been notified of approximately £28.7bn in assets frozen in connection with the Russia sanctions regime since February 2022. Although these assets are frozen and cannot be accessed, they remain the property of the individuals and entities designated under the sanctions.

Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine the Government has provided £21.8 billion in support to Ukraine and has committed to providing a further £3bn a year for as long as it takes.

The Government has taken significant action to enable the donation of the proceeds from the sale of Chelsea Football Club to humanitarian causes in Ukraine. On 17 December 2025, HM Treasury issued a licence permitting the transfer of the over £2.5 billion sale proceeds into a new charitable foundation for exclusively humanitarian purposes in Ukraine. The licence provides a clear legal route for the funds to be used as intended, consistent with Abramovich’s commitment that they should benefit victims of the war.

The Government is urging him to act without delay and will consider any proposal he makes to use this route to establish the foundation and transfer the funds.

Should Abramovich fail to free the funds quickly, the UK Government is fully prepared to take him to court if necessary to enforce the agreement reached with him in 2022.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by the UN's Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for the Sudan, Sudan: Hallmarks of Genocide in El-Fasher, published 19 February; and what steps they are taking to bring those responsible for the atrocities in the report to justice.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

In her speech and accompanying statement to the UN Security Council on 19 February, the Foreign Secretary set out the UK's response to the UN report on El-Fasher, other evidence of atrocities committed by the warring parties in Sudan, and how the UK is protecting civilians and humanitarian operations, as well as holding the perpetrators and profiteers of the appalling atrocities committed in Sudan to account. I will place a copy of her speech and statement in the House of Lords library.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that two thirds of communities surveyed by the Yale Humanitarian Research Lab around Darfur’s El Fasher were found to have “no visible pattern of life”.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

In her speech and accompanying statement to the UN Security Council on 19 February, the Foreign Secretary set out the UK's response to the UN report on El-Fasher, other evidence of atrocities committed by the warring parties in Sudan, and how the UK is protecting civilians and humanitarian operations, as well as holding the perpetrators and profiteers of the appalling atrocities committed in Sudan to account. I will place a copy of her speech and statement in the House of Lords library.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what actions they are taking following reports of attacks by Sudan's Rapid Support Forces on farming villages and crop production around El Fasher in the first days of the siege on the city.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

In her speech and accompanying statement to the UN Security Council on 19 February, the Foreign Secretary set out the UK's response to the UN report on El-Fasher, other evidence of atrocities committed by the warring parties in Sudan, and how the UK is protecting civilians and humanitarian operations, as well as holding the perpetrators and profiteers of the appalling atrocities committed in Sudan to account. I will place a copy of her speech and statement in the House of Lords library.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that Sudan's Rapid Support Forces targeted and killed people with disabilities in El Fasher; and what steps they are taking with international partners to bring those responsible to justice.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

In her speech and accompanying statement to the UN Security Council on 19 February, the Foreign Secretary set out the UK's response to the UN report on El-Fasher, other evidence of atrocities committed by the warring parties in Sudan, and how the UK is protecting civilians and humanitarian operations, as well as holding the perpetrators and profiteers of the appalling atrocities committed in Sudan to account. I will place a copy of her speech and statement in the House of Lords library.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the UN report finding possible genocide in El Fasher in Sudan; and how they are implementing the recommendations of the Standing Group on Atrocity Crimes from 16 December 2025.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

In her speech and accompanying statement to the UN Security Council on 19 February, the Foreign Secretary set out the UK's response to the UN report on El-Fasher, other evidence of atrocities committed by the warring parties in Sudan, and how the UK is protecting civilians and humanitarian operations, as well as holding the perpetrators and profiteers of the appalling atrocities committed in Sudan to account. I will place a copy of her speech and statement in the House of Lords library.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether and when they have raised (1) potential breaches of Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on freedom of religion or belief, and (2) the detention of Pastor Ezra Jin and seventeen other pastors of Zion Church, directly with the government of China or through the United Nations Human Rights Council; and what response they received.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

The UK continues to stand firm on human rights in China. We continue to follow developments closely in relation to the detention of Zion Church members, and we regularly raise human rights concerns with the Chinese authorities. The UK remains committed to promoting human rights and the rule of law globally. To support our wider efforts, David Smith MP was appointed Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief in December 2024, and the UK hosted a Geneva event in July 2025 reaffirming the universal right to freedom of religion or belief.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government, following the RISK Management Initiative on International Undersea Cables proposed by Taiwan in October 2025, what plans they have to enhance work with international partners such as Taiwan on undersea cable resilience.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Government recognises the critical role of subsea telecoms cables for international connectivity.

The Government works closely with international partners, including Taiwan, to ensure the security and resilience of subsea telecoms cables. This includes engaging bilaterally with priority partners and multilaterally through NATO, the EU and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

This engagement focuses on preventing damage to cables, incident preparedness and response and ensuring cables are laid in the right places to serve UK interests.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Prime Minister expressed support for peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait during his visit to China in January and, if so, what response he received.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

As he said in his statement to the House of Commons on 2 February, the Prime Minister discussed the issue of Taiwan during his meetings with President Xi, Premier Li and other senior leaders. The UK has a clear interest in peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and our position on Taiwan has not changed.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government what action they are taking to facilitate Taiwan’s accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership to strengthen supply chain resilience.

Answered by Lord Stockwood - Minister of State (HM Treasury)

All CPTPP accession applications remain under consideration by CPTPP members, and any decision to progress applications must be agreed by consensus.

The UK Government does not provide an ongoing commentary on applications to protect the confidentiality of CPTPP discussions and to observe the collective principles of the group. The UK Government has met with Taiwan, and other applicants, to discuss the UK's own experience of the accession process.

The UK has a strong trading relationship with Taiwan and engages on trade policy priorities with Taiwan through annual Trade Talks and the delivery of the UK-Taiwan Enhanced Trade Partnership.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what urgent measures they are taking to protect the families of British National (Overseas) status holders from judicial harassment in Hong Kong; and what specific guarantees of safety they provide to activists in the UK whose families are being targeted as political hostages

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

I refer the Noble Lord to the answer provided in the House of Commons on 10 March to an identical set of questions (118342-44) from the Hon Member for Milton Keynes Central. For ease of reference, that answer is reproduced below:

The National Security Law has stifled opposition and criminalised dissent in Hong Kong. We have called for it to be repealed, and for an end to the prosecution of all individuals charged under it.

We will not tolerate attempts by foreign governments to intimidate or harm individuals in the UK, and we are committed to protecting the safety of the Hong Kong community who have made their home here. We continue to raise these concerns directly with the Chinese authorities, and the Government has strengthened the legal and operational tools needed to deter, detect and disrupt modern state threats.

It is the UK's long-standing policy not to comment on potential sanctions designations, as to do so would risk undermining their impact.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will summon the Chinese Ambassador to issue a formal condemnation of the prison sentence handed to Kwok Yin-sang; and what plans they have to coordinate a joint demarche with the German and US governments to demand his immediate release.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

I refer the Noble Lord to the answer provided in the House of Commons on 10 March to an identical set of questions (118342-44) from the Hon Member for Milton Keynes Central. For ease of reference, that answer is reproduced below:

The National Security Law has stifled opposition and criminalised dissent in Hong Kong. We have called for it to be repealed, and for an end to the prosecution of all individuals charged under it.

We will not tolerate attempts by foreign governments to intimidate or harm individuals in the UK, and we are committed to protecting the safety of the Hong Kong community who have made their home here. We continue to raise these concerns directly with the Chinese authorities, and the Government has strengthened the legal and operational tools needed to deter, detect and disrupt modern state threats.

It is the UK's long-standing policy not to comment on potential sanctions designations, as to do so would risk undermining their impact.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to implement Magnitsky-style sanctions against the Hong Kong officials responsible for sentencing Kwok Yin-sang, the father of pro-democracy activist Anna Kwok, on 11 February; and what diplomatic steps they are taking as a result of that sentencing.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

I refer the Noble Lord to the answer provided in the House of Commons on 10 March to an identical set of questions (118342-44) from the Hon Member for Milton Keynes Central. For ease of reference, that answer is reproduced below:

The National Security Law has stifled opposition and criminalised dissent in Hong Kong. We have called for it to be repealed, and for an end to the prosecution of all individuals charged under it.

We will not tolerate attempts by foreign governments to intimidate or harm individuals in the UK, and we are committed to protecting the safety of the Hong Kong community who have made their home here. We continue to raise these concerns directly with the Chinese authorities, and the Government has strengthened the legal and operational tools needed to deter, detect and disrupt modern state threats.

It is the UK's long-standing policy not to comment on potential sanctions designations, as to do so would risk undermining their impact.

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