Oral Answers to Questions

Stephen Phillips Excerpts

Tuesday 21st January 2014 Commons Chamber

The Secretary of State was asked—

[Stephen Phillips (Sleaford and North Hykeham) (Con)]

1. What steps his Department is taking to protect minority Christian communities in the middle east.

[The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Hugh Robertson)]

Government Ministers regularly speak out against abuses of the right to freedom of religion or belief. I met minority Christian communities in Egypt in December and in Algeria during my visit there last week precisely to highlight this issue.

[Stephen Phillips]

My right hon. Friend will be aware of the plight of Christians in Iraq, which often goes unreported in the western media. The scale of the exodus of Christians owing to sectarian violence is unprecedented and those who remain often flee to Kurdish-controlled areas to escape violence in Baghdad. However, although they are physically safer in places such as Irbil, they are struggling to survive. What steps is the Department taking to encourage the Iraqi Government to protect Christians in that country and to improve their security?

[Hugh Robertson]

My hon. and learned Friend is absolutely correct. The security situation of Iraq’s Christians, and indeed other minorities, remains precarious. We continually urge the Iraqi Government, through ministerial contacts and by all other means, to protect all communities and to deal appropriately with those who are found responsible for acts of violence and intimidation because of political, ethnic or religious affiliation.