Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made recent representations to his Nigerian counterpart on the accountability of militant groups targeting Christian communities in (a) Benue and (b) Plateau States.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government is deeply concerned about the ongoing violence in Nigeria's Middle Belt and we express our sincere concern for all those impacted. The root causes of intercommunal violence are complex and often linked to land disputes, historical tensions, and criminal activity. While religion is not a causal factor in these conflicts, the impacts are felt acutely by religious communities, including hindering people's ability to practice their faith freely. The UK supports all affected communities, regardless of faith or ethnicity, and is working through programmes like Strengthening Peace and Resilience in Nigeria and the UK-Nigeria Security and Defence Partnership to promote peace, strengthen local institutions, and protect civilians. The UK remains committed to defending Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB), with Nigeria, a priority country under the new FoRB strategy, and we will continue to raise this issue in our engagements with Nigeria.
During his visit to Nigeria on 28-30 May, the Minister for Africa met ministers and officials to address insecurity and intercommunal violence, with a focus on tackling root causes. Most recently, he raised FoRB with Nigerian counterparts during the third UK-Nigeria Security and Defence Partnership Dialogue on 15-16 July in London.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the adequacy of the steps take by the Nigerian government to (a) protect religious minorities and (b) prevent attacks by Fulani Islamist militias.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government is deeply concerned about the ongoing violence in Nigeria's Middle Belt and we express our sincere concern for all those impacted. The root causes of intercommunal violence are complex and often linked to land disputes, historical tensions, and criminal activity. While religion is not a causal factor in these conflicts, the impacts are felt acutely by religious communities, including hindering people's ability to practice their faith freely. The UK supports all affected communities, regardless of faith or ethnicity, and is working through programmes like Strengthening Peace and Resilience in Nigeria and the UK-Nigeria Security and Defence Partnership to promote peace, strengthen local institutions, and protect civilians. The UK remains committed to defending Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB), with Nigeria, a priority country under the new FoRB strategy, and we will continue to raise this issue in our engagements with Nigeria.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the humanitarian situation of Christians in Nigeria’s Middle Belt, in the context of the number of Christians who were killed in Islamist attacks in April 2025.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government is deeply concerned about the ongoing violence in Nigeria's Middle Belt and we express our sincere concern for all those impacted. The root causes of intercommunal violence are complex and often linked to land disputes, historical tensions, and criminal activity. While religion is not a causal factor in these conflicts, the impacts are felt acutely by religious communities, including hindering people's ability to practice their faith freely. The UK supports all affected communities, regardless of faith or ethnicity, and is working through programmes like Strengthening Peace and Resilience in Nigeria and the UK-Nigeria Security and Defence Partnership to promote peace, strengthen local institutions, and protect civilians. The UK remains committed to defending Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB), with Nigeria, a priority country under the new FoRB strategy, and we will continue to raise this issue in our engagements with Nigeria.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has considered implementing (a) sanctions and (b) conditionality on development aid to Nigeria in the context of attacks on (i) Christians and (ii) other religious minorities in the Middle Belt region.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government is deeply concerned about the ongoing violence in Nigeria's Middle Belt and we express our sincere concern for all those impacted. The root causes of intercommunal violence are complex and often linked to land disputes, historical tensions, and criminal activity. While religion is not a causal factor in these conflicts, the impacts are felt acutely by religious communities, including hindering people's ability to practice their faith freely. The UK supports all affected communities, regardless of faith or ethnicity, and is working through programmes like Strengthening Peace and Resilience in Nigeria and the UK-Nigeria Security and Defence Partnership to promote peace, strengthen local institutions, and protect civilians. The UK remains committed to defending Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB), with Nigeria a priority country under the new FoRB strategy, and we will continue to raise this issue in our engagements with Nigeria.
We do not publicly speculate on future sanctions as doing so can limit their impact. The UK has a modern development partnership with Nigeria across the full spectrum of development needs. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office does not provide bilateral Official Development Assistance directly to the Government of Nigeria.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to raise concerns about the treatment of (a) Christians and (b) other religious minorities in Somalia at the United Nations.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government remains deeply concerned about the treatment of Christians and other religious minorities in Somalia, where persecution is severe and often exacerbated by insecurity and extremist violence.
The UK has supported human rights mechanisms that address religious persecution. We continue to highlight Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) violations and abuses on the international stage, through our position at the UN, G7 and as an active member of the Article 18 Alliance, ensuring joint international action on FoRB.
The UK is committed to defending FoRB globally and will continue to advocate for the rights of all individuals in Somalia to practise their religion or belief freely and without fear.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to encourage local authorities to (a) join AccessAble and (b) provide publicly available information on disability access to (i) public buildings and (ii) services.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Local authorities are independent employers responsible for the management and organisation of their own workforces. It is the duty of local authorities to comply with all relevant employment and equalities legislation and there is no role for central government intervening in this, except where specific provision has been made in legislation.
Like all service providers and those exercising public functions, local authorities are under a duty to make reasonable adjustments for their customers, under the Equality Act 2010. This includes providing information about disabled access and facilities as well as the actual facilities. Local authorities are also within the scope of the Public Sector Equality Duty, which requires public bodies to consider how their policies and actions might affect people with particular protected characteristics, such as disability.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether rare livestock breeders based in Northern Ireland are eligible to (a) contribute to and (b) benefit from UK-wide genetic preservation schemes for (i) heritage and (ii) exotic breeds.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The UK Genetics for Livestock and Equines Committee (UKGLE) provides independent advice to Defra and the Devolved Governments on native breed issues, particularly their conservation and sustainable use.
Beneficial activities to protect and conserve UK livestock genetic resources include encouraging sustainable breeding programmes through Zootechnical legislation, monitoring populations of pedigree livestock including native breeds which are published in an annual UK National Breed inventory, maintaining at risk lists (and their equivalents), and protecting eligible native breeds at risk from culling during notifiable disease outbreaks.
Regarding zootechnical regulation, NI breed societies would be regulated by DAERA (as the competent authority) under the UK-wide assimilated 2016/1012. Breeding programmes in Northern Ireland, including those aimed at the preservation of breeds, are approved by DAERA although these programmes may link with breeding programmes approved by competent authorities for other parts of the UK.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the National Wealth Fund Taskforce since its establishment; and what recommendations the Taskforce has made in relation to investment projects in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Darren Jones - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
At the International Investment Summit in 2024, the Government created the National Wealth Fund, to address the barriers to investment identified by the National Wealth Fund Taskforce. For more details on the Taskforce’s recommendations and the Government’s actions to implement them, please see:
The Taskforce recommended that “where possible, any transactions should deliver against a wider set of public policy objectives, including jobs, supply chains and regional growth.”
The National Wealth Fund has an enhanced regional mandate, with a dedicated Northern Ireland director to actively seek investment opportunities. It also works closely with the Northern Ireland Executive and other local partners to provide financing and expertise.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help establish a UK-wide genetic resource bank for the cryopreservation of (a) embryos and (b) semen for rare livestock breeds.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra and the devolved administrations are engaging with the UK Genetics for Livestock and Equines Committee (UKGLE) who provide independent advice on livestock genetics including breeding conservation.
Defra has recently commissioned a livestock biobank scoping study. This study will gather evidence to explore ways to conserve livestock genetics including from
embryos and semen of native breeds.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what recent progress his Department has made on the implementation of the UK National Quantum Strategy.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Over the past year, we’ve taken major steps to support the quantum sector and deliver on the UK’s National Quantum Missions. This includes launching new research hubs, opening the National Quantum Computing Centre (NQCC), and funding research projects through Innovate UK.
We are strengthening international collaboration through initiatives like NMI-Q (announced at the G7) to advance global standards in quantum technologies.
Last month, we announced £670 million in quantum computing investment as part of the Industrial Strategy—including over £500 million for the Quantum Computing Mission and 10-year funding for the NQCC.