Asked by: Lord Bishop of St Albans (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what recent discussions they have had with (1) the Sudanese Armed Forces, and (2) the Rapid Support Forces, about the ongoing conflict in Sudan.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
As part of ongoing efforts to push for an end to the conflict in Sudan, the UK engages with both the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Senior officials including the FCDO's Director General for Africa, the Americas and Overseas Territories, the UK's Special Representative to Sudan as well as the FCDO's Africa Director have each recently travelled to Port Sudan including in both the lead up to, and aftermath of, the 15 April London Sudan Conference to meet with key members of the SAF, including General Burhan. In these engagements, UK officials have continually pressed the warring parties to agree to a permanent ceasefire, to allow unrestricted humanitarian access, to protect civilians, and to commit to a meaningful peace process.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of St Albans (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the statement by the UN special rapporteur Thomas Andrews on 15 May regarding allegations that Rohingya refugees were forced off an Indian naval vessel.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
We are aware of recent reports alleging that Rohingya refugees have been cast into the sea by the Indian Navy near the maritime border with Myanmar. We understand that the UN Special Rapporteur for human rights in Myanmar will investigate these allegations. The UK Government will examine their conclusions closely.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of St Albans (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will meet Amaher Nour, the wife of Ahmed al-Doush who has been sentenced to 10 years in prison in Saudi Arabia.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
For data protection reasons, we are unable to comment publicly on the details of Mr Al-Doush's case; however, the Minister for the Middle East is following the case closely, and Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office officials have been in touch with authorities in Saudi Arabia to formally request details of the charges against Mr Al-Doush.
The UK Government is bound by the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, which prohibits interference in the judicial affairs of another state.
Consular officials aim to stay in regular contact (including through meetings when requested), and provide support within our remit, to the families of British nationals detained abroad.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of St Albans (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they plan to appoint a special envoy for British nationals arbitrarily detained overseas.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office is committed to strengthening support for British Nationals overseas, including through the appointment of an Envoy for complex detention cases. Further details will be announced in due course.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of St Albans (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to secure the release of Ahmed al-Doush; and what steps they are taking to request further information from the government of Saudi Arabia regarding his conviction and sentence.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
For data protection reasons, we are unable to comment publicly on the details of Mr Al-Doush's case; however, the Minister for the Middle East is following the case closely, and Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office officials have been in touch with authorities in Saudi Arabia to formally request details of the charges against Mr Al-Doush.
The UK Government is bound by the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, which prohibits interference in the judicial affairs of another state.
Consular officials aim to stay in regular contact (including through meetings when requested), and provide support within our remit, to the families of British nationals detained abroad.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of St Albans (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure the White Nile river remains open as a humanitarian supply corridor into Upper Nile in South Sudan.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government has consistently called for an immediate ceasefire, the protection of civilians, and the safety and security of aid workers in our engagement with the Government of South Sudan and other regional partners. On 27 March, alongside the Troika and other likeminded partners, we called for de-escalation following rising violence. The Minister of State for International Development raised the issue of humanitarian access when she met South Sudan's Foreign Minister on 16 April in the margins of the Sudan Conference, and our Ambassador in Juba called for a ceasefire when he met with South Sudan's President Kiir on 14 May. The UK continues to support our UN partners to advocate for access to those displaced by the current conflict and to continue to deliver a humanitarian response in Upper Nile.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of St Albans (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of ongoing human rights abuses in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, particularly in North and South Kivu, on freedom of religion or belief; and what representations they have made to international partners regarding the protection of religious minorities in areas affected by violence from M23 and other armed groups.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Human rights in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), including promoting respect between different religious and non-religious groups, are a priority for the UK. We work with the United Nations and other multilateral bodies to promote and protect them. Our Ambassador in Kinshasa and Ministers regularly raise protection of human rights with the government of DRC. We are alarmed and saddened by the attacks by IS-affiliated Allied Democratic Forces on Christian communities and the resulting loss of life. There is no evidence so far that churches have been specifically targeted by M23 rebels. The UK continues to remind all parties of their obligations under international humanitarian law and make clear that all those who have committed human rights violations and abuses must be held accountable.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of St Albans (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Baroness Chapman of Darlington on 28 March (HL5890 and HL5892), what assessment they have made of the impact of physical presence of the British Council in the countries in which it operates on the outcomes it delivers.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) works with the British Council to ensure strategic alignment between HMG / FCDO objectives and British Council activity, and is considering these issues in the round as part of the Spending Review process, which will allocate departmental budgets between the financial years 2026-27 and 2028-29. Decisions relating to the size and footprint of the British Council's overseas network are operational matters for British Council.
In an increasingly digital age, the British Council's impact should be judged by the outcomes it delivers through its programmes and operations, rather than its physical presence alone.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of St Albans (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the United States aid freeze on Rohingya refugees.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
We are currently working to assess the implications of the US funding pause across development sectors, geographic regions and multilateral organisations. We are gathering information and working with other donor partners to share analysis of the pause.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of St Albans (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the study by Arpita Ghosh, Heather Flowe and James Rockey Estimating excess mortality due to female genital mutilation, published August 2023, and (2) the number of avoidable deaths resulting from female genital mutilation (FGM); and of the organisations which receive FGM aid grants from the UK, how many provide medical assistance to women and girls suffering life-threatening complications as a result of FGM, including severe bleeding, obstructed labour, and infection.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is very interested in the study conducted by the University of Birmingham, estimating the excess mortality due to Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). Officials are meeting with authors this month to discuss the findings.
The UK funds the Support to the Africa-Led Movement to End FGM: Phase 2 programme (ALM). The programme funds a Model Health Facility (MHF) in Narok, Kenya, which provides direct medical assistance to women and girls suffering because of FGM. The ALM programme has developed a FGM-specific curriculum for healthcare professionals undergoing pre-service training, equipping them to contribute towards the prevention of FGM and improving healthcare services for women with FGM-related complications. The MHF trained 239 faculties and 2,534 students across Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia, and Senegal by October 2024.
The UK also funds the UNICEF/UNFPA Joint Programme for the Elimination of FGM through which 86, 823 women and girls received healthcare services related to FGM last year.
In 2024, the Sudan Free from FGM: Phase 2 programme provided 97,601 women and girls with health-related services to mitigate, prevent or respond to a combination of FGM, Gender-Based Violence and Child Marriage. In addition, 206,407 women and girls received mental health and psychosocial support.