Given the importance in global affairs, the FCO would expect British diplomats to be conversant with religious issues as part of their general professional expertise. However, we also offer specific support, notably a course on "Religion and Diplomacy", delivered by the London School of Economics Faith Centre, which has run 4 times in the past two years. Geographic Directorates and posts also arrange ad hoc activities such as courses, seminars and roundtables to allow their staff to explore religious themes with academic experts and faith leaders. Examples include a seminar by General Sir Nicholas Carter, British Army, Chief of the General Staff on 29 March 2017, a course on political Islam organised in January 2017 by FCO's South Asia and Afghanistan Directorate, and a seminar on Islamist ideology: history and contemporary developments in January 2018 by FCO's National Security Directorate.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4107", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dame Harriett Baldwin"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "West Worcestershire"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Harriett Baldwin"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-03-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-03-20T17:56:48.743Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-03-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Religious Freedom"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department has taken to develop religious literacy among its staff in the past two years.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3958", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Fiona Bruce"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Congleton"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Fiona Bruce"} ], "uin" : "132967"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/864485", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for International Development"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/864485/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
We have developed a position paper on faith and development; we continue to host seminars (such as the seminar in November on freedom of religion or belief); we have commissioned and circulated research on religion and development and have facilitated formal training. A limited number of DFID staff have already attended the newly re-launched Foreign and Commonwealth Office \u201cReligion and Diplomacy\u201d course. We plan to encourage more DFID staff to attend this course in the future.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4107", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Dame Harriett Baldwin"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "West Worcestershire"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Harriett Baldwin"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-03-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-03-20T15:30:35.087Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "20"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-03-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Department for International Development: Staff"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what work has been undertaken by his Department to develop religious literacy among its staff in the last two years.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3958", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Fiona Bruce"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Congleton"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Fiona Bruce"} ], "uin" : "132968"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/861216", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Treasury"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/861216/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Treasury ministers meet regularly with ministers from other departments to discuss a wide range of policy issues.<\/p>
<\/strong>In line with the practice of successive administrations, details of ministerial discussions are not disclosed.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4320", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Robert Jenrick"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Newark"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Robert Jenrick"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-03-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-03-16T14:49:47.187Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-03-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Alcoholic Drinks: Excise Duties"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department has had discussions with the Home Office on the re-introduction of the alcohol duty escalator; and if he will make a statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3958", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Fiona Bruce"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Congleton"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Fiona Bruce"}
], "uin" : "132365"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/860584", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/860584/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " \u200bWe have been concerned for some time by continued reports of the closure or demolition of places of worship across China, including Tibet. We raised our concerns directly with the Chinese authorities at the UK-China Human Rights Dialogue in Beijing on 27 June 2017.<\/p> We consistently urge the Chinese authorities to respect all rights across the People's Republic of China, including freedom of religious or belief, in line with both its own constitution and the international institutions and frameworks to which it is a party.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1405", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mark Field"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Cities of London and Westminster"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mark Field"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-03-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-03-15T17:17:57.69Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-03-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "China: Religious Buildings"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations his Department has made to the Chinese authorities on the demolition of (a) Christian churches, (b) Tibetan Buddhist institutes and (c) religious buildings in China.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3958", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Fiona Bruce"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Congleton"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Fiona Bruce"}
], "uin" : "131941"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/860585", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/860585/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " \u200bWe remain concerned about restrictions on freedom of religion or belief in China. We issued an item IV statement at the 37th UN Human Rights Council on 14 March which reiterated our concerns about the situation in China. We also supported the EU item IV statement at the same session, which called on China to respect freedom of religion.<\/p> We raised our concerns about these issues directly with the Chinese authorities at the UK/China Human Rights Dialogue which took place in Beijing on 27 June 2017.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1405", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mark Field"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Cities of London and Westminster"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mark Field"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-03-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-03-19T15:23:52.417Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-03-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "China: Religious Freedom"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations his Department has to the Chinese authorities on the detention of (a) Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang, (b) Falun Gong practitioners, (c) Christian leaders, (d) other members of religious minorities and (e) people who defend the right to freedom of religion or belief in that country.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3958", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Fiona Bruce"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Congleton"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Fiona Bruce"}
], "uin" : "131942"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/850714", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/850714/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Cabinet Office supports the Prime Minister by tracking the delivery of the Government's programme\u200b. This includes working with departments to look at\u200b a number of\u200b policies on families.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4441", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Oliver Dowden"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hertsmere"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Oliver Dowden"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-03-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-03-12T13:50:59.9Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "53"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-02-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Families"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, for which policies the Implementation Unit has examined the effect in regard to the family in the last 12 months.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3958", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Fiona Bruce"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Congleton"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Fiona Bruce"}
], "uin" : "129956"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/847204", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/847204/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Department of has published Guidance on implementing the overseas visitors charging regulations. This provides detailed advice to National Health Service staff on their organisations\u2019 legal duties to make and recover charges from overseas visitors provided with secondary care services and how best to do this, including the process for seeking reimbursement where appropriate from European Economic Area member states under the European Health Insurance Card system. More technical advice for those submitting reimbursement claims and advice on what staff can do to support hospitals in recovering costs from these visitors is also available.<\/p> <\/p> The guidance can be found here:<\/p> <\/p> https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-overseas-visitors-hospital-charging-regulations<\/a><\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4095", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Steve Barclay"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "North East Cambridgeshire"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Stephen Barclay"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-03-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-03-01T15:29:16.913Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-02-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Health Services: Reciprocal Arrangements"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance his Department provides to NHS staff on filing medical care cost claims under the EHIC system.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3958", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Fiona Bruce"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Congleton"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Fiona Bruce"}
], "uin" : "129378"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/838201", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/838201/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " To support clinical practice, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists provides guidance on the use of anaesthesia in abortion procedures in guidelines on The Care of Women Requesting Induced Abortion and Fetal Awareness: Review of Research and Recommendations for Practice, which can be viewed online at:<\/p> <\/p>