Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of reports that Egypt's Grand Mufti, Shawki Allam, has identified 3,000 fatwas inciting the destruction of churches in Egypt; and, what support they are providing to the Grand Mufti and the government of Egypt to identify and combat sources of extremism.

The UK Government welcomes any efforts to counter extremist ideology, including those of Egypt's Dar al-Ifta, and is strongly supportive of the Egyptian Government's commitment to protect the rights of minorities and promote religious tolerance.

The UK has also been working with al-Azhar university in Egypt for ten years. The aim of this work is to help develop a new generation of religious leaders who are equipped to build dialogue across different cultures and religions, and confront extremism. The work includes English teaching, debating skills training, and a postgraduate scholarship scheme.