Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what instructions have been given to FCO country desk officers to ensure that freedom of religion or belief is included in their work.

Advancing human rights - including the right to freedom of religion and belief (FoRB) - is embedded across the work of our diplomats. In order to enhance the capabilities of staff working to promote FoRB in their country context, the FCO issued a revised toolkit in October 2016. This coincided with our London Conference on FoRB and Countering Violent Extremism, which was attended by a number of country desk officers. The FCO also routinely provides training and seminars to increase religious literacy amongst staff.