Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the threat to religious minorities in Iraq from Daesh and its affiliates.

The UK is disappointed that minority communities in Iraq, including Christians and Yazidis, continue to report cases of discrimination, intimidation, and harassment by armed groups. These cases can be exacerbated by their political underrepresentation, limited routes for redress, and protracted displacement.

This is why our programmes, through the UK Integrated Security Fund, tackle the key drivers of instability and aim to support a more accountable, capable, and inclusive society, through effective governance structures.

For example, in 2023, we implemented a £15,000 programme in Bashiqa, in Nineveh Province (an area still recovering from the impacts of Daesh), to improve religious tolerance and social cohesion, through initiatives focussed on arts and culture. This was implemented by The Lotus Flower, a charity supporting women and girls impacted by conflict and displacement, with funding from the UK's John Bunyan Fund for Freedom of Religion and Belief.

Reducing the threat from Daesh and preventing a Daesh resurgence remains a top priority in our relationship with the Government of Iraq and the Kurdish Regional Government.