Asked by: Lord Bradley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many (1) men, and (2) women, were detained in prisons as a place of safety in the last 12 months.
Answered by Lord Timpson - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
I refer the noble Lord to the answer I gave to question HL12779 to Baroness Chakrabarti on 16 December 2025.
Asked by: Lord Browne of Ladyton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the environment for civil society organisations in Ethiopia, following recent reports of proposed legislative restrictions, intimidation of civil society actors, constraints on media freedom, and the suspension of several human rights organisations.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The Government monitors the environment for freedom of speech in Ethiopia, and has supported the investigative capacity of the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission.
We have also prioritised survivor-centred support for those affected by conflict-related sexual violence in Ethiopia, and we engage with civil society actors to strengthen protection and accountability. In the last financial year, we allocated £4.6 million to address Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG) and deliver child protection services in Tigray, Afar, Amhara, Oromia and Somali regions.
In addition, we are supporting efforts to implement the African Union-led Cessation of Hostilities Agreement, including through funding for monitoring and compliance mechanisms, and the safe, voluntary and dignified returns of internally displaced people. On 12 December, the UK joined other nations in calling for a peaceful resolution of current disputes, and we will continue to work with international partners and the African Union to support stability and reconciliation across Ethiopia.
Asked by: Lord Browne of Ladyton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Collins of Highbury on 22 July (HL9363), what further steps they are taking, in coordination with international partners, to address ongoing gaps in support for survivors of conflict-related sexual violence in Tigray, including children; and what role they plan to play in leading efforts, through engagement with civil society actors, to ensure survivors receive sustained medical, psychological and legal assistance.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The Government monitors the environment for freedom of speech in Ethiopia, and has supported the investigative capacity of the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission.
We have also prioritised survivor-centred support for those affected by conflict-related sexual violence in Ethiopia, and we engage with civil society actors to strengthen protection and accountability. In the last financial year, we allocated £4.6 million to address Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG) and deliver child protection services in Tigray, Afar, Amhara, Oromia and Somali regions.
In addition, we are supporting efforts to implement the African Union-led Cessation of Hostilities Agreement, including through funding for monitoring and compliance mechanisms, and the safe, voluntary and dignified returns of internally displaced people. On 12 December, the UK joined other nations in calling for a peaceful resolution of current disputes, and we will continue to work with international partners and the African Union to support stability and reconciliation across Ethiopia.
Asked by: Lord Browne of Ladyton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Collins of Highbury on 1 April (HL5876), what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of these steps and of observing and monitoring the African Union on the implementation of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The Government monitors the environment for freedom of speech in Ethiopia, and has supported the investigative capacity of the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission.
We have also prioritised survivor-centred support for those affected by conflict-related sexual violence in Ethiopia, and we engage with civil society actors to strengthen protection and accountability. In the last financial year, we allocated £4.6 million to address Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG) and deliver child protection services in Tigray, Afar, Amhara, Oromia and Somali regions.
In addition, we are supporting efforts to implement the African Union-led Cessation of Hostilities Agreement, including through funding for monitoring and compliance mechanisms, and the safe, voluntary and dignified returns of internally displaced people. On 12 December, the UK joined other nations in calling for a peaceful resolution of current disputes, and we will continue to work with international partners and the African Union to support stability and reconciliation across Ethiopia.
Asked by: Lord Browne of Ladyton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the needs of internally displaced persons in Ethiopia, and what discussions they are holding with the government of Ethiopia about the safe and voluntary return of displaced communities to their homes.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The Government monitors the environment for freedom of speech in Ethiopia, and has supported the investigative capacity of the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission.
We have also prioritised survivor-centred support for those affected by conflict-related sexual violence in Ethiopia, and we engage with civil society actors to strengthen protection and accountability. In the last financial year, we allocated £4.6 million to address Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG) and deliver child protection services in Tigray, Afar, Amhara, Oromia and Somali regions.
In addition, we are supporting efforts to implement the African Union-led Cessation of Hostilities Agreement, including through funding for monitoring and compliance mechanisms, and the safe, voluntary and dignified returns of internally displaced people. On 12 December, the UK joined other nations in calling for a peaceful resolution of current disputes, and we will continue to work with international partners and the African Union to support stability and reconciliation across Ethiopia.
Asked by: Lord Browne of Ladyton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking, in coordination with the African Union and international partners, to encourage the withdrawal of the Eritrean Defence Forces from Tigray and to support stability and protection for civilians in the region.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The Government monitors the environment for freedom of speech in Ethiopia, and has supported the investigative capacity of the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission.
We have also prioritised survivor-centred support for those affected by conflict-related sexual violence in Ethiopia, and we engage with civil society actors to strengthen protection and accountability. In the last financial year, we allocated £4.6 million to address Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG) and deliver child protection services in Tigray, Afar, Amhara, Oromia and Somali regions.
In addition, we are supporting efforts to implement the African Union-led Cessation of Hostilities Agreement, including through funding for monitoring and compliance mechanisms, and the safe, voluntary and dignified returns of internally displaced people. On 12 December, the UK joined other nations in calling for a peaceful resolution of current disputes, and we will continue to work with international partners and the African Union to support stability and reconciliation across Ethiopia.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she will publish a monitoring and evaluation framework on disability equality training in order to establish a baseline level of training to meet requirements under Section 36 of the Bus Services Act 2025.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
We are clear that high‑quality staff training is essential to providing bus services that are accessible for all passengers. That is why the Bus Services Act 2025 will mandate that both bus drivers and passenger-assisting staff undertake disability awareness and assistance training.
Section 36 of the Bus Services Act 2025 provides powers for the Secretary of State for Transport to require carriers and terminal managing bodies to record and publish training statistics in order to ensure that compliance can be monitored. Once commenced, we will expect all relevant operators and terminal managing bodies to comply with their reporting duties. We will engage with relevant stakeholders when developing such requirements, and will provide the industry with more information in due course.
The approach to evaluating the impact of the requirements under Section 36 will be considered as part of a wider monitoring and evaluation plan for the Bus Services Act 2025. In particular, and as stated in our Impact Assessment on the new measures on Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG), we intend to undertake process evaluation, for example evaluating the mechanisms for developing, delivering and reporting on the new disability training requirements, as part of the process evaluation for the Act’s wider training requirements on VAWG and anti-social behaviour.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
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 his policies of trends in the level of discrimination affecting religious-minority women in the garment sector in South Asia; and how this is being addressed through UK development and human-rights programmes.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We remain concerned by the discrimination that affects religious minority women in South Asia's garment sector, and we continue to advocate for their fair treatment, equal opportunities and safe working conditions. UK-funded programmes across South Asia also support women's entrepreneurship, and inclusive trade benefitting vulnerable groups.
Asked by: John Glen (Conservative - Salisbury)
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 implications for her policies of recent attacks on Afro-Brazilian religious temples in Brazil; and what discussions she has had with her Brazilian counterparts on protecting freedom of religion or belief.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is committed to protecting freedom of religion or belief, as guaranteed under international human rights law. During the G20 Energy and Environment Working Group in October, the Minister for Equalities met Brazilian Minister for Women Marcia Lopes to discuss challenges faced by marginalised communities. In the build-up to COP30 in November, the UK organised a visit for a group of MPs to a 'Quilombo', home to a community targeted with violence and discrimination. This and other Afro-descendant communities are supported by the Amazon Catalyst for Forest Communities (AMCAT) programme, which strengthens tenure security, territorial governance and personal protection for Indigenous and Afro-descendant communities in the Amazon Basin. The UK and Brazil remain committed to ensuring the rights of Indigenous peoples and local communities are protected.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, when she plans to reply to the email from the hon. Member for South Shropshire dated 19 June 2025 with case reference number SA34564.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government is committed to transparency and accountability, including through clear and timely responses to correspondence. Your correspondence dated 19 June was passed to the Equalities Minister responsible for the UK equality framework; you should have now received the reply.