Asked by: Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative - Chingford and Woodford Green)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations she has made to the Eritrean authorities concerning the enforced disappearance and harassment of (a) religious leaders and (b) human rights defenders; and what steps her Department is taking to ensure their protection against transnational repression.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We continue to raise the issue of human rights with the Eritrean government, both through our Embassy in Asmara and through multilateral fora. We advocate for the end of all discriminatory detentions based on religion or belief, as we have stated at the UN Human Rights Council, and call for all those unjustly incarcerated to be released, including human rights defenders. The UK supports the work of the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Eritrea, voting in favour of his mandate renewal in July 2025. We previously called upon Eritrea to address allegations and concerns surrounding activities which could be identified as transnational repression (TNR), including at the UN Human Rights Council in February 2025. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) recently took part in a cross-government review of TNR and will continue to monitor this issue.
Asked by: Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative - Chingford and Woodford Green)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what support his Department has offered to British citizens accused of being co-conspirators in the closing days of the trial of Jimmy Lai in Hong Kong; and what assessment his Department has made of the risks to (a) those people and (b) others named in the trial.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer given on 8 September to Question 71619.
Asked by: Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative - Chingford and Woodford Green)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when he last raised the case of Jimmy Lai with US counterparts.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
This Government welcomes US President Trump's public support for Jimmy Lai. Mr. Lai's case remains an utmost priority; his prosecution is politically motivated, and he should be released. The Foreign Secretary and her officials remain in regular contact with the US Government on this matter.
Asked by: Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative - Chingford and Woodford Green)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his counterpart in Russia on the airstrike on the Dnipro Theological Seminary of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine; and what diplomatic steps he is is taking to (a) support the protection of religious minorities and (b) uphold freedom of religion or belief in Ukraine.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are deeply disturbed by the impact of Russia's illegal war on Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB), as well as the damage done to places of worship and religious significance. Ukraine's democracy is well known for its commitment to religious pluralism. The UK regularly engages with Ukrainian religious groups and the Government of Ukraine on this issue, including on Law 8371 which mandates that religious organisations must cut ties with the Russian Orthodox Church - Moscow Patriarchate in response to clear national security threats. In February, a delegation of the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches met Parliamentarians and Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office officials to discuss religious persecution in the temporarily occupied territories.
Asked by: Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative - Chingford and Woodford Green)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to (a) deliver humanitarian aid to vulnerable populations in Myanmar's conflict zones outside military control and (b) avoid (i) legitimising and (ii) empowering the military regime.
Answered by Catherine West
Since the 2021 coup, the UK has provided more than £190 million in life-saving humanitarian assistance, emergency healthcare and education support, and support to civil society. No UK funds go to the Myanmar military, and we work through local partners to reach populations most in need, including in areas beyond military control. Through our Humanitarian Programme in Myanmar, we have reached 1.3 million people since 2022 in conflict affected areas with essential humanitarian support.
The UK continues to hold the Myanmar military regime to account and has sanctioned 25 individuals and 39 entities targeting the regime's access to finance, arms and equipment, including ten sanctions targeting import of aviation fuel into Myanmar.
Asked by: Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative - Chingford and Woodford Green)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions officials have had with Chinese officials on the application to develop Royal Mint Court into a new Chinese embassy.
Answered by Catherine West
The planning application has been called in by the Secretary of State for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and Ministers in MHCLG will make this decision independent from the rest of Government in their quasi-judicial capacity. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office officials speak regularly with the Chinese officials about a range of issues.
Asked by: Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative - Chingford and Woodford Green)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made representations to the Estonian Government on the importance of defending and promoting freedom of religion in Estonia, in the context of the Government’s plans to ban the Estonian Orthodox Christian Church.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I am not aware of any plans by Estonia's government to ban the Estonian Orthodox Christian Church. The revised wording of Estonia's proposed Churches and Congregations Act Amendment simply states that religious organisations must not have links to religious organisations or leaders abroad that threaten the national security of Estonia; it does not give the Estonian government the power to ban religious organisations. The Foreign Secretary has had no discussions with the Estonians on the matter. The UK is committed to promoting the freedom of religious belief for all and we work closely with international partners, including through the Article 18 Alliance, of which Estonia is a member, to champion freedom of religious belief around the world.
Asked by: Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative - Chingford and Woodford Green)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made representations to the Estonian Government on their plans to ban the Estonian Orthodox Christian Church.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I am not aware of any plans by Estonia's government to ban the Estonian Orthodox Christian Church. The revised wording of Estonia's proposed Churches and Congregations Act Amendment simply states that religious organisations must not have links to religious organisations or leaders abroad that threaten the national security of Estonia; it does not give the Estonian government the power to ban religious organisations. The Foreign Secretary has had no discussions with the Estonians on the matter. The UK is committed to promoting the freedom of religious belief for all and we work closely with international partners, including through the Article 18 Alliance, of which Estonia is a member, to champion freedom of religious belief around the world.
Asked by: Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative - Chingford and Woodford Green)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, on what date he last discussed levels of Chinese support for the military regime in Myanmar with his Chinese counterparts; and if he will publish the minutes of that meeting.
Answered by Catherine West
The UK regularly raises the Myanmar crisis with China and other neighbouring countries, including at the UN Security Council (UNSC). At the UNSC and other multilateral fora, the UK continues to call for the need for all actors to protect civilians and for the Myanmar military to cease violence and engage with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations 5 Point Consensus. UK sanctions include a comprehensive arms embargo on Myanmar.
Asked by: Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative - Chingford and Woodford Green)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to implement targeted sanctions on Chinese and Russian companies supplying (a) drones, (b) military hardware, (c) surveillance tools and (d) aviation fuel to the Myanmar government.
Answered by Catherine West
The UK has sanctioned a number of targets responsible for supplying arms to the military regime since the coup in 2021. In 2022, the UK sanctioned two Russian companies involved in the supply and upkeep of aircraft for the Myanmar Armed Forces. In October 2024, the UK issued its 19th round of sanctions, targeting companies involved in the procurement of aviation fuel and equipment to the Myanmar Armed Forces. The UK has now imposed sanctions on 10 individuals and entities in connection with the import of aviation fuel.