Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department plans to take to protect overseas families of UK asylum seekers who have fled persecution due to their sexuality.

The UK is committed to promoting the human rights of LGBT+ people around the world and ensuring that no one faces violence or discrimination for being LGBT+. Our Refugee Family Reunion visa scheme allows eligible family members of those granted refugee status or humanitarian protection, including LGBT+ refugees, to reunite with them in the UK. Additionally, through our international programmes and diplomatic engagement, we bring communities and governments together to strengthen rights and freedoms. Since 2018, we have provided over £13.5 million of UK-funded projects to empower and build the capacity of grassroots LGBT+ organisations and human rights defenders worldwide.