Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester Rusholme)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to support the rebuilding of schools, the training of teachers, and the provision of learning materials in Syria.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK has long recognised the importance of education for Syria's long-term resilience, stability and prosperity. Since 2022, the UK's Syria Education Programme has trained over 15,000 school staff and provided foundational literacy and numeracy materials to primary school children in Idlib and Aleppo. In the past year, the UK has funded the rehabilitation of 90 schools in Idlib and Aleppo and provided £2.5 million to UNICEF for school rehabilitation across the country.
The UK also places the inclusion of women and girls at the centre of its approach to Syria's recovery. Syria is a priority country under the UK's National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security and we are supporting agricultural livelihoods, vocational training and entrepreneurship opportunities with a focus on young people, female-headed households and conflict‑affected communities in economically marginalised regions.
The UK's Global Mine Action Programme is supporting mine clearance and livelihoods programming in North East Syria and our Syria Education Programme provides safety information to children in Idlib and Aleppo, promoting safe behaviours and encouraging the reporting of suspicious or hazardous objects.
Asked by: David Mundell (Conservative - Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale)
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 potential impact of the ongoing situation in Iran on the conflict in Yemen.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK was clear from the outset of the conflict with Iran that we did not want to see it escalate and spread to other countries in the region, including Yemen, where more than 22 million people are already in need in of humanitarian assistance and 18.3 million are acutely food insecure. The UK remains firmly committed to supporting a UN‑led political process in Yemen, and working towards a lasting political settlement, peace and stability.
Asked by: Kate Osamor (Labour (Co-op) - Edmonton and Winchmore Hill)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to establish an independent UN investigation into civilian casualties and possible war crimes in the US conflict with Iran.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK has maintained the position over several decades that all parties in all conflicts should comply with International Humanitarian Law and take every possible step to minimise harm to civilians. We continue to support the remit and independence of the established bodies who monitor compliance with these principles.
Asked by: Will Forster (Liberal Democrat - Woking)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance the department has provided to people trapped in the UK, who are visiting from Iran.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The Home Office continues to monitor the situation in Iran and its impacts. We recognise the disruption to travel routes through the Middle East and the impact on people whose onward travel has been delayed.
Those already living in the UK who have permission to stay should continue to follow their immigration conditions. For those whose permission to stay is due to expire, there are a variety of existing routes under the Immigration Rules to allow a person to extend or vary their permission in the UK. Guidance on varying permission to stay can be found on the GOV.UK website: Vary your immigration application - GOV.UK.
Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the suitability of foreign nationals being employed as immigration caseworkers in her department.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The Civil Service Nationality Rules (CSNR), available on Gov.uk, govern eligibility for employment in the Civil Service on the grounds of nationality and must be followed by government departments. The CSNR allow for certain posts to be reserved for UK nationals only, which is considered where it is deemed necessary and in accordance with the published criteria. These rules have been in place since 2014.
Asked by: Olly Glover (Liberal Democrat - Didcot and Wantage)
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 potential implications for her policies of the report by the International Centre of Justice for Palestinians, entitled Religious Persecution of Palestinian Muslims, published on 13 March 2026.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK remains committed to championing freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all around the world, including in the West Bank and Jerusalem. The UK Special Envoy for FoRB discussed the issue of access to holy sites during his visit to the Holy See in March 2026. We condemn the record levels of settler violence in the West Bank, and we are carefully monitoring restrictions on movement and access that affect holy sites.
Asked by: Olly Glover (Liberal Democrat - Didcot and Wantage)
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 potential implications for her policies of reports of Israeli settlers carrying out attacks on mosques during Ramadan in the occupied West Bank.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK remains committed to championing freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all around the world, including in the West Bank and Jerusalem. The UK Special Envoy for FoRB discussed the issue of access to holy sites during his visit to the Holy See in March 2026. We condemn the record levels of settler violence in the West Bank, and we are carefully monitoring restrictions on movement and access that affect holy sites.
Asked by: Olly Glover (Liberal Democrat - Didcot and Wantage)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department has taken to secure the immediate re-opening of the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK remains committed to championing freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all around the world, including in the West Bank and Jerusalem. The UK Special Envoy for FoRB discussed the issue of access to holy sites during his visit to the Holy See in March 2026. We condemn the record levels of settler violence in the West Bank, and we are carefully monitoring restrictions on movement and access that affect holy sites.
Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has had discussions with her US counterpart on the 2025 UK USAID aid cuts.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign Secretary and her Ministerial colleagues engage regularly with US counterparts across the breadth of our shared interests and priorities. USAID funding is a matter for the US Government.
Asked by: David Mundell (Conservative - Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking with international partners and the Democratic Republic of Congo help bring lasting peace in that country.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Rt Hon Member to the report on GOV.UK from the Minister of State for Development's recent visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo, available at the link below: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-reaffirms-commitment-to-peace-protection-and-development-in-the-drc.