Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations at the UN on the recent increase in the persecution of Christians worldwide.

The Government remains concerned about the persecution of Christians and other individuals worldwide and continues to promote Freedom of Religion or Belief including through the United Nations. We recently worked with international partners to sustain consensus on the adoption and implementation of the European Union-sponsored Resolution on 'Freedom of Religion or Belief' and the Organisation for Islamic Cooperation-sponsored Resolution on 'Combating Religious Intolerance'. In his statement in September, at the UN Human Rights Council, Lord Ahmad reiterated the importance of working together towards the full realisation of Freedom of Religion or Belief for all individuals worldwide. We also strongly support the work of the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, Dr Ahmed Shaheed.