Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to protect Christians from persecution by Islamic State.

We are working closely with our international partners, including the UN and EU, to try to assist and protect civilians, including Christians and other minority groups, from ISIL. We are also in contact with senior political and religious leaders, including Canon Andrew White when he was in Baghdad, who played a key role in forming the High Council of Religious Leaders in Iraq and works closely with the Foundation for Relief & Reconciliation in the Middle East.

Ultimately the only way to stop the suffering caused by ISIL, as well as countering the real and significant threat to the UK and our allies, is by defeating ISIL and establishing peace and stability in the region. We are working closely with our Coalition allies to achieve this.