Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how they are supporting the international efforts to demand the halt of executions of women in Iran, including the representation signed by over 400 prominent women on 23 December 2025.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The UK opposes the death penalty in all circumstance as a matter of principle. We continue to play an integral role in the delivery of the UN Third Committee and have repeatedly called on Iran to establish an immediate moratorium on executions, including at the Committee's annual resolution in November 2025. The resolution condemned Iran's application of the death penalty, which is in violation of its international obligations, including executions undertaken against persons on the basis of forced confessions and without fair trial and due process. We will continue to work with international partners to hold Iran to account for its continued human rights violations.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Iran about halting the execution of women human rights defenders such as Zahra Tabari.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The UK opposes the death penalty in all circumstance as a matter of principle. We continue to play an integral role in the delivery of the UN Third Committee and have repeatedly called on Iran to establish an immediate moratorium on executions, including at the Committee's annual resolution in November 2025. The resolution condemned Iran's application of the death penalty, which is in violation of its international obligations, including executions undertaken against persons on the basis of forced confessions and without fair trial and due process. We will continue to work with international partners to hold Iran to account for its continued human rights violations.
Asked by: Debbie Abrahams (Labour - Oldham East and Saddleworth)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will provide updated guidance to police forces on the enforcement of speed limits, in the context of the number of deaths caused by drivers exceeding the speed limit.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
Excess speed remains a major cause of death and serious injury on our roads. Anyone who breaks the speed limit should expect to face sanction.
Current National Police Chiefs’ Council National Guidance on Speeding Enforcement advocates proportionality in applying the law and discretion to take account of the individual circumstances of each speeding offence and take the action they consider appropriate.
Enforcement measures range from informal advice, the offer of a speed awareness course or fixed penalty, and where speeding results in a fatality to court prosecution.
Asked by: Baroness Kennedy of Shaws (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to address gender apartheid and gender persecution in Afghanistan; what steps they are taking to support Afghan women and girls in the country; and what assessment they have made of how this assistance is affected by any cuts to UK overseas development assistance.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
I refer the Noble Baroness to the answer provided in the House of Commons on 21 October in response to Question 81211, which - for ease of reference - is reproduced below:
The Government condemns the Taliban's appalling repression of Afghan women and girls. Officials regularly engage with the Taliban on UK Government priorities, including human rights. The Government is working with international partners to maintain collective pressure on the Taliban to reverse their inhuman restrictions.
The UK strongly opposes the death penalty in all countries as a matter of principle, and in all circumstances, including through UN and Human Rights Council resolutions.
In October, the UK Special Envoy for Women and Girls and the UK Special Envoy to Afghanistan met Afghan women leaders. Upholding the human rights of all Afghans is not only a moral imperative, but essential for building a stable, inclusive, and prosperous country.
Asked by: Rupa Huq (Labour - Ealing Central and Acton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will issue a response to Israel’s plans to introduce a mandatory death penalty for terrorism against Israel.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government's policy on the death penalty is clear: we oppose it in all circumstances, as a matter of principle.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what conversations she has had with her counterpart in Bangladesh following the International Crimes Tribunal sentencing of Sheikh Hasina to death.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Minister of State for International Development visited Bangladesh on 13-14 November, reasserting the strong partnership between our two countries, and emphasising the UK's support for human rights and democracy. The UK Government's policy on the death penalty is clear: we oppose it in all circumstances, as a matter of principle.
Asked by: Stella Creasy (Labour (Co-op) - Walthamstow)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with her (a) Indian and (b) Pakistani counterparts on (i) human rights in Kashmir and (ii) the use of the death penalty.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 31 March 2025 to Question 39395.
Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps his Department is taking to (a) help stop executions and (b) promote the democratic movement in Iran.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK opposes the death penalty in all circumstance as a matter of principle. We have repeatedly called on Iran to establish an immediate moratorium on executions, including at the UN Third Committee on 9 October. We continue to play an integral role in the delivery of the Committee's annual Iran human rights resolution, and will do so again this November. In November 2024, the resolution condemned Iran's application of the death penalty, which was in violation of its international obligations, including executions undertaken against persons on the basis of forced confessions and without fair trial and due process. We will continue to work with international partners to hold Iran to account for its continued human rights violations. We believe it is for the Iranian people to decide the future of Iran.
Asked by: Angus MacDonald (Liberal Democrat - Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with her international partners on taking steps to help (a) prevent the use of stoning as a punishment for adultery and (b) protect women’s rights in Afghanistan.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government condemns the Taliban's appalling repression of Afghan women and girls. Officials regularly engage with the Taliban on UK Government priorities, including human rights. The Government is working with international partners to maintain collective pressure on the Taliban to reverse their inhuman restrictions.
The UK strongly opposes the death penalty in all countries as a matter of principle, and in all circumstances, including through UN and Human Rights Council resolutions.
In October, the UK Special Envoy for Women and Girls and the UK Special Envoy to Afghanistan met Afghan women leaders. Upholding the human rights of all Afghans is not only a moral imperative, but essential for building a stable, inclusive, and prosperous country.
Asked by: Angus MacDonald (Liberal Democrat - Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of diplomatic engagement with the Taliban on (a) the rights of women and girls and (b) other human rights issues.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government condemns the Taliban's appalling repression of Afghan women and girls. Officials regularly engage with the Taliban on UK Government priorities, including human rights. The Government is working with international partners to maintain collective pressure on the Taliban to reverse their inhuman restrictions.
The UK strongly opposes the death penalty in all countries as a matter of principle, and in all circumstances, including through UN and Human Rights Council resolutions.
In October, the UK Special Envoy for Women and Girls and the UK Special Envoy to Afghanistan met Afghan women leaders. Upholding the human rights of all Afghans is not only a moral imperative, but essential for building a stable, inclusive, and prosperous country.