Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to help students from Gaza who hold places at UK universities to come to the UK for studies beginning this year.

Answered by Mike Tapp

As confirmed in the Foreign Secretary’s statement of 24 June 2026, the Government has renewed support for high achieving students from Gaza to take up fully funded scholarships at UK universities for the 2026/27 academic year.

The Government will work closely with Devolved Governments, universities, international partners and relevant authorities to facilitate departures and onward travel. However, departures from Gaza remain highly complex and dependent on factors outside the UK Government’s control. As such, travel and timelines cannot be guaranteed.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to ensure new restrictions on stranger communications on online services do not negatively impact online learning platforms.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Technology)

On 15 June, the government published a progress statement following the ‘Growing up in the Online World’ consultation.

This set out a package of new measures including banning social media platforms from offering their services to under 16s and restricting harmful functionalities, including stranger communication, across a wider range of services for under 16s. Restrictions on harmful functionalities will also be on by default for 16 and 17 year olds.

The government has been clear that it will consider the case for exemptions when it sets out the final detail in regulations.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of helping to establish an independent investigation into allegations of political violence and human rights abuses in Bangladesh.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK regularly engages with the Government of Bangladesh on a range of issues, including governance, human rights, and the rule of law. The previous Minister for the Indo-Pacific met Bangladesh Prime Minister Rahman on 17 February and reinforced the UK's commitment to working with the Government of Bangladesh to advance democratic, economic and social reforms.

The UK condemns all acts of violence targeting religious or ethnic minorities and continues to emphasise the importance of protecting the rights of all communities to the Bangladesh Government.

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 monitor the human rights situation in Bangladesh.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK regularly engages with the Government of Bangladesh on a range of issues, including governance, human rights, and the rule of law. The previous Minister for the Indo-Pacific met Bangladesh Prime Minister Rahman on 17 February and reinforced the UK's commitment to working with the Government of Bangladesh to advance democratic, economic and social reforms.

The UK condemns all acts of violence targeting religious or ethnic minorities and continues to emphasise the importance of protecting the rights of all communities to the Bangladesh Government.