Media Freedom Coalition

Viscount Chandos Excerpts

Wednesday 25th March 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)]

I am very happy to take that up with my right honourable friend the Secretary of State at DSIT. I am sure she would be fascinated and interested in the points that the noble Lord raises and will wish to provide a response as soon as she can.

[Viscount Chandos (Lab)]

My Lords, I declare my interest as chair of the Thomson Foundation. The Government have understandably prioritised work in this area in Ukraine, Gaza, Lebanon and Sudan. Does my noble friend the Minister agree that it is important that funding continues to be made available in other countries where the work may be more preventative and less reactive?

[Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)]

Just to make clear, the protected geographies that have just been described are for our official development assistance generally; our work on media freedom, though, goes much more widely—in a far greater list of countries, such as Mexico, the Philippines and Bangladesh. The noble Viscount can be assured that that will continue. Wherever we find an issue that needs to be addressed to do with media freedom, we will act.