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1126294

	registered interest
	date	13/05/2019
	answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept id	16
	answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	hansard heading	Iraq: Christianity
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bates on 5 February (HL13010), what assessment they have made of the report by the Institute of Development Studies The Persecution of Christians in the Middle East, published in 2017, that estimates that in 2003 there were approximately 1.5 million Christians in Iraq, and that in 2017 that number was between 200,000 and 250,000.
	tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
	uin	HL15654
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/05/2019 answer text <p>While we are unable to confirm the exact numbers, we are gravely concerned about the decline in the numbers of Christians in Iraq in recent years as also cited in the independent interim report of the Bishop of Truro into the Persecution of Christians. We assess that a number of factors have resulted in this decline, including conflict and insecurity in Iraq and the particular threat posed by Daesh. We continue to engage with the Government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government on the need to protect the rights of Christians and other religious minorities. However, during a recent meeting with the Iraqi Foreign Minister on the 17 May and the Archbishop of Erbil on 21 May I heard of the steps being taken to reopen churches and the increased number of church services being help in Iraq.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 22/05/2019 12:01:07 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1126295

	registered interest
	date	13/05/2019
	answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept id	16
	answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	hansard heading	Christianity: Religious Freedom
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether a departmental, or cross-governmental strategy, was devised to prevent or ameliorate the global persecution of Christians between 2003 and 2018; and if so, whether they will place a copy of the relevant documents in the Library of the House.
	tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
	uin	HL15655
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/05/2019 answer text <p>There has been no cross-government strategy on the global persecution of Christians between 2003 and 2018, however the promotion of human rights has and remains at the heart of our foreign policy and we regard freedom of religion or belief as a universal human right. In my role as the Prime Minister's Special Envoy on Freedom of Religion or Belief, I regularly raise the importance of this issue with international counterparts. We condemn instances where individuals are persecuted because of their faith or belief, including Christians, wherever it happens and whatever the religion or belief.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 23/05/2019 12:42:47 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1126297

	registered interest
	date	13/05/2019
	answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept id	16
	answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	hansard heading	Pakistan: Blasphemy
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the case of the Pakistani Christian woman, Shagufta Kauser, who, with her disabled husband, Shafqat Emmanuel, was sentenced to death in 2014, for allegedly sending blasphemous text messages, including reports that the couple are illiterate and that the messages were in English; and what representations they have made to the government of Pakistan about this case.
	tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
	uin	HL15657
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/05/2019 answer text <p>​We are aware and are monitoring the case of Shagufta Kausar and her husband Shafqat Emmanuel. We remain deeply concerned about reports of discrimination against the Christian community and other religious minorities in Pakistan. We regularly raise our concerns about the misuse of the blasphemy laws with the government of Pakistan at a senior level.</p><p>I raised our concerns about Freedom of Religion or Belief and the protection of minority religious communities with Pakistan's Federal Minister for Human Rights, Dr Shireen Mazari, during my visit to Islamabad in February. The UK raised concerns about Freedom of Religion or Belief at Pakistan's UN Universal Periodic Review of human rights in November 2017. We urged Pakistan to strengthen the protection of minorities, including by establishing an independent National Commission for Minorities from all faith communities.</p><p>The UK remains firmly opposed to the death penalty in all circumstances. We have repeatedly called upon the Government of Pakistan to end capital punishment and, at a minimum, commit to publicly renewing the previously imposed moratorium on the death penalty.</p><p>We will continue to urge the Government of Pakistan to guarantee fully the rights of all Pakistani citizens, including religious minorities, and to honour its international obligations.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 22/05/2019 13:27:26 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1126301

	registered interest
	date	13/05/2019
	answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept id	16
	answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	hansard heading	Sri Lanka: Terrorism
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what humanitarian assistance they have sent, or intend to send, to the communities affected by the Easter Sunday attacks in Sri Lanka.
	tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of Coventry
	uin	HL15661
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/05/2019 answer text <p>​Sri Lanka has not requested humanitarian assistance. Following the Easter Sunday attacks, the Sri Lankan Government announced it would provide compensation for victims and fund the repair of the affected churches. The Minister of State for Security and Economic Crime, Ben Wallace, visited Sri Lanka on 2-3 May to demonstrate solidarity and discuss what UK support would be most helpful. Existing UK support in Sri Lanka includes £8.3 million of Conflict Stability and Security Fund funding over three years (2016-2019) to support police reform and training, reconciliation and peacebuilding, resettlement, interfaith dialogue and demining in the north of the country. We are also engaging with the Sri Lankan Government, faith and community leaders to encourage the Government to take all appropriate measures to reassure all of Sri Lanka's citizens that it will protect and uphold their safety and rights, and that its response to the attacks is proportionate and builds trust across all communities in Sri Lanka.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 22/05/2019 13:28:23 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	4266 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of Coventry

1126302

	registered interest
	date	13/05/2019
	answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept id	16
	answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	hansard heading	Pakistan: Religious Freedom
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support the government of Pakistan to continue to uphold  the right to freedom of religion or belief in that country.
	tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of Coventry
	uin	HL15662
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/05/2019 answer text <p>​The UK has a long history of supporting Freedom of Religion or Belief for all people. We stand up for everyone's right to practise or not practise a religion that is in line with their conscience, wherever they are in the world.</p><p>We regularly raise our concerns about Freedom of Religion or Belief with the Government of Pakistan at a senior level. I raised the treatment of religious minority communities with Pakistan's Federal Minister for Human Rights, Dr Shireen Mazari, during my visit to Islamabad in February, and in subsequent telephone calls.</p><p>Under the Government's Magna Carta Fund for Human Rights and Democracy, the UK has supported projects in Pakistan to promote greater tolerance and religious freedom. In November 2018, the Government announced a new £12 million fund to bolster the work of civil society and Non-Governmental Organisations to promote respect, and the value of religious diversity and tolerance.</p><p>On 30 January 2019, the Foreign Secretary and the Rt Revd Philip Mounstephen, Bishop of Truro, launched an Independent Review of Foreign and Commonwealth Office support for persecuted Christians overseas. The Bishop submitted his interim report on 3 May; he will submit his final report in the summer.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 23/05/2019 12:58:58 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	4266 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of Coventry

1126304

	registered interest
	date	13/05/2019
	answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept id	16
	answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	hansard heading	Nigeria: Boko Haram
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Nigeria about reports of recent attacks by Boko Haram in Molai, Borno State.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Cox
	uin	HL15664
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/05/2019 answer text <p>We are concerned about reports of continuing attacks by insurgents in Borno State. We continue to urge the Nigerian Government to develop a clear strategy to tackle the conflict. The Foreign Secretary met the Nigerian Vice President during his visit in April to discuss long-term solutions to improve security, increase livelihoods and provide opportunities in the region. We will continue to look at how best to support the Nigerian Government in tackling the threat of terrorism, along with options for how the UK could further support dialogue and peacebuilding efforts.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 24/05/2019 11:42:37 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	3364 label Biography information for Baroness Cox

1126317

	registered interest
	date	13/05/2019
	answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept id	16
	answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	hansard heading	Cameroon: Conflict Resolution
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what involvement the UK currently has in conflict resolution in Cameroon; what plans they have, if any, to raise the conflict in Cameroon at the UN Security Council; and what representations they have made to the government of France about the impact of its policies on the government of Cameroon.
	tabling member printed	Lord Judd
	uin	HL15677
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/05/2019 answer text <p>​The UK continues to be deeply concerned at high levels of violence in the North-West and South-West (Anglophone) regions of Cameroon, reports of human rights violations and abuses and the severe impact the deteriorating humanitarian situation is having on ordinary civilians. We continue to call for an end to violence on all sides and urge the Government of Cameroon to establish a credible political dialogue to address the root causes of the crisis. The UK has shared experiences with the Government on conflict resolution; we remain ready to provide further support. On 13 May, the UK participated in an informal discussion on Cameroon at the UN Security Council, noting that dialogue and humanitarian assistance were needed to exit the crisis. The UK also raised concerns in a statement at the bi-annual UN Office for Central Africa briefing in the UN Security Council on 13 December 2018, calling for urgent action by the Government to prevent further conflict. The UK regularly discusses developments in Cameroon with international partners, including France and the US, to encourage and support efforts to resolve the crisis.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 24/05/2019 11:42:02 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	1660 label Biography information for Lord Judd

1126333

	registered interest
	date	13/05/2019
	answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept id	16
	answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	hansard heading	Gaza: Israel
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment, if any, they have made of the ecological damage caused by the recent escalation of hostilities in Gaza.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Tonge
	uin	HL15693
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/05/2019 answer text <p>We have not made any assessment on this issue.​</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 22/05/2019 13:28:31 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	200 label Biography information for Baroness Tonge

1126334

	registered interest
	date	13/05/2019
	answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept id	16
	answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	hansard heading	Gaza: Israel
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the damage caused by the recent escalation of hostilities in Gaza, in particular to public facilities and services, and electricity networks; and what assessment they have made of the impact of the loss of such facilities, services, and networks on the civilian population in Gaza.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Tonge
	uin	HL15694
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/05/2019 answer text <p>The UK is gravely concerned by the recent escalation of hostilities in Gaza. We wholly condemn rocket fire by Hamas and other militants. The then acting Minister of State for the Middle East and North Africa, the Rt Hon. Mark Field MP, spoke to UN MEPP Coordinator Mladenov on 8 May where he welcomed the Egyptian and UN brokered ceasefire. We urge the parties to make progress towards a long-term agreement to ensure a durable solution for Gaza. We are concerned by damage to infrastructure in Gaza and the impact this has on the civilian population. The UK is supporting up to 1 million Gazans by addressing critical water and sanitation needs through £2 million to UNICEF. We have also announced £2 million to the International Committee of the Red Cross for medicines and surgical supplies.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 22/05/2019 13:29:21 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	200 label Biography information for Baroness Tonge

1126335

	registered interest
	date	13/05/2019
	answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept id	16
	answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	hansard heading	Israeli Settlements: Palestinians
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they are making to the government of Israel about the number of attacks on Palestinian civilians by Israeli settlers including hit and run offences.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Tonge
	uin	HL15695
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/05/2019 answer text <p>We condemn any incidence of violence by settlers against Palestinians. We welcome the efforts of Israeli authorities to address settler violence, and urge them to thoroughly investigate every instance and bring those responsible to justice. We have also stressed the importance of the Israel security forces providing appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population. While the vast majority of settlers do not engage in attacks, there are pockets of extremely worrying violence.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 22/05/2019 13:51:57 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	200 label Biography information for Baroness Tonge