Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to the Algerian Government on the forced closure of Christian churches in that country.

We are concerned about the recent church closures in Algeria. Our Ambassador in Algeria has been in touch with the Protestant Church of Algeria, who have raised the closures with the Algerian Ministry of Interior. Our Ambassador will also raise with the Algerian authorities. The Algerian Constitution provides for freedom of conscience and religion. Foreign and Commonwealth Office Minister Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon discussed the importance of freedom of religion and belief with the Algerian Minister for Religious Affairs in October 2017.