Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they plan to make to the government of Iraq regarding the subversion of regional government by Iranian-backed militia in the Ninevah Plains and the impact of this on the stability of the region and on the safety of the Christian community there.

It is vital that the Government of Iraq keep Iraqi militia groups in line and ensure democracy is adhered to. We are closely monitoring the impact of these developments on the safety of Nineveh's Christian community.

The UK is firmly committed to protecting the Christian community, and other ethnic and religious minorities, and are strong advocates of greater Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) in Iraq. We regularly engage with the Government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) on this issue, in particular the importance that minorities are included in national and local government as well as reconciliation efforts.