Written question asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench) on Tuesday, 22 November 2016, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 6 December 2016. It was answered by Lord Bates (Conservative) on Tuesday, 6 December 2016 on behalf of the Department for International Development.

Iraq: Religious Freedom

Question: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, in relation to humanitarian assistance provided to Iraq, a record is kept to track what support is given to religious minorities; what priority is being given to such groups in the plans for the reconstruction of the country; and what consideration is taken of the needs of such groups in military planning in theatres of war such as Mosul.

Answer: All UK-funded humanitarian aid is distributed on the basis of need irrespective of race, religion or ethnicity. The organisations through which we channel this in Iraq do not identify or record beneficiaries by their religion. In our dialogue with the Government of Iraq, the Kurdistan Regional Government, and the United Nations, UK Ministers and officials frequently raise the importance of ensuring that minorities are protected from harm, and that their needs are taken into account when planning for stabilisation and reconstruction, including in Mosul.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: HL3422
Session: 2016-17
Subjects: Humanitarian aid Iraq Minority groups Religious freedom Reconstruction Military intervention
Contains statistics: Yes
Link: View this Written question on www.parliament.uk