Through our Embassy in Baghdad and Consulate in Erbil, the UK is in regular contact with the Government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government regarding the rights of religious minorities, including the Yazidis. Responsibility for reconstruction and return lies with the Government of Iraq.

Through diplomatic engagement and programmes such as the British Embassy Baghdad's Building Peace and Stability in Iraq programme, we continue to promote FoRB, support social cohesion and durable solutions for displaced communities, and monitor conditions for the safe, voluntary and dignified return of displaced Yazidis.

The UK is in regular contact with the Government of Iraq, the Kurdistan Regional Government and the United Nations on recovery and development in Sinjar and the rights of Yazidis.

We are aware of the United Nations Development Programme's (UNDP) Sinjar Investment and Development Plan and await further details on its implementation and financing. Currently, through the British Embassy Baghdad's Building Peace and Stability in Iraq (BPSI) programme, the UK is supporting durable solutions in conflict-affected areas, including Sinjar, with a focus on livelihoods, social cohesion and support to displaced and returning communities. BPSI has also provided targeted support to Yazidi survivors and beneficiaries of the Yazidi Survivors Law. Through our Embassy in Baghdad and Consulate in Erbil, the UK continues to promote freedom of religion or belief and monitor conditions for the dignified return of displaced Yazidis.

We are aware of concerns regarding land disputes, displacement and demographic change affecting Christian communities in the Nineveh Plains. We continue to engage Iraqi authorities on the importance of protecting the rights of all communities in line with the Iraqi Constitution and international human rights obligations.

The UK champions freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all and supports efforts to ensure that Christians and other religious minorities can continue to live safely and securely in their historic communities. Through our diplomatic engagement in Baghdad and Erbil, we have raised the importance of FoRB, including those of Christians, with the Government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government. We also meet with minority communities, visit their local areas, and support civil society organisations advocating for the rights of minority groups.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 22 June in response to Question 10866 and to my written statement to the House on 29 April.

The UK firmly supports the documentation and investigation of violence against women and girls (VAWG) in Syria. We remain concerned about allegations around forced abduction, and we have consistently emphasised to the Syrian Government that civilians must be protected from violence, and those responsible held to account. Over half of UK humanitarian programming in Syria was focussed on women and girls in FY 2024/25 with 271,000 women reached with VAWG-related support.

On the international stage, during the UK's UN Security Council Presidency in February, we focused on the rights of women and girls, delivering a joint statement calling for women's full, equal and meaningful participation and an end to discriminatory Assad-era laws. The UK continues to engage with both the Government of Syria and civil society to press for a genuine political transition that protects the rights of all Syrians, including women.

The UK firmly supports the documentation and investigation of violence against women and girls (VAWG) in Syria. We remain concerned about allegations around forced abduction, and we have consistently emphasised to the Syrian Government that civilians must be protected from violence, and those responsible held to account. Over half of UK humanitarian programming in Syria was focussed on women and girls in FY 2024/25 with 271,000 women reached with VAWG-related support.

On the international stage, during the UK's UN Security Council Presidency in February, we focused on the rights of women and girls, delivering a joint statement calling for women's full, equal and meaningful participation and an end to discriminatory Assad-era laws. The UK continues to engage with both the Government of Syria and civil society to press for a genuine political transition that protects the rights of all Syrians, including women.

We are aware of reports relating to Ewing Hall and Forman Christian College University, and of the Lahore High Court's interim order. It would not be appropriate to comment on ongoing legal proceedings in Pakistan, but the UK remains committed to promoting freedom of religion or belief for all in Pakistan, including the rights of religious minorities and access to inclusive education. We regularly raise human rights, including freedom of religion or belief and the protection of minority communities, with the Government of Pakistan at federal and provincial level, and will continue to monitor developments.

Further to the answer provided in the House of Lords on 9 June in response to Question HL416, which I have included below for ease:

"Afghanistan is a focus country for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's strategy on freedom of religion or belief, announced in July 2025, and officials regularly press the Taliban to respect the human rights of all Afghans. We work with international partners to maintain collective pressure on the Taliban to reverse their oppressive restrictions, including new criminal court procedures. We continue to support the United Nations Special Rapporteur and his mandate to document human rights abuses in Afghanistan. Human rights and basic freedoms are not only a moral imperative but also essential for building a stable, inclusive and prosperous country for all Afghans. Without inclusive governance that reflects Afghanistan's religious, ethnic, gender and cultural diversity, we will never see an Afghanistan at peace with itself and its neighbours."

The UK is particularly concerned about the situation for women from religious minorities in Afghanistan, given the twin threat of persecution that they face from the Taliban, and we continue to play an active role in raising these issues at the UN Human Rights Council, most recently in June, and in other multilateral fora. The Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief and the Special Envoy to Afghanistan recently engaged with representatives of religious minority groups across Afghanistan to hear their concerns.

The ‘Every Child Achieving and Thriving’ white paper establishes our plan to improve outcomes for all children and tackle unacceptable disparities in attainment. Our ambition is that all children achieve higher standards and the disadvantage gap is halved.

As part of our Best Start in Life strategy, we will invest close to £1.5 billion, subject to the Spending Review, over the next three years on improving family services and early years education with better targeted support to disadvantaged children and families. This includes through Best Start Family Hubs, with up to 1000 hubs and 2000 network sites providing integrated health, early years, and family support services by 2028.

Building on this, we will deliver a refreshed, high-quality curriculum, introduce a new pupil engagement framework and support schools to improve behaviour, attendance and parental engagement.

This is alongside recruiting an additional 6,500 teachers and strengthening our tools for faster and more effective school improvement through regional improvement for standards and excellence (RISE) teams.

Alongside this, through our Gypsy, Roma and Traveller stakeholder group, which includes representatives from Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities and the education sector, the department continues to engage with communities, and discuss issues faced by Gypsy, Roma and Traveller children.

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The data held on referrals to gynaecology services is not broken down by the reason of referral. This means it is not possible to identify referrals specifically for female urinary incontinence, either for the total population or for women from minority ethnic backgrounds.

Work is underway to improve how this data is collected and reported. This includes recording the reason for referral and, as more care moves from hospital to community settings, recording the place of treatment. These improvements are intended to give a clearer view of who is being referred and treated, which will in turn support action to identify and address any inequalities in access for women from minority ethnic backgrounds.

The data held on referrals to gynaecology services is not broken down by the reason of referral. This means it is not possible to identify referrals specifically for female urinary incontinence, either for the total population or for women from minority ethnic backgrounds.

Work is underway to improve how this data is collected and reported. This includes recording the reason for referral and, as more care moves from hospital to community settings, recording the place of treatment. These improvements are intended to give a clearer view of who is being referred and treated, which will in turn support action to identify and address any inequalities in access for women from minority ethnic backgrounds.

The data held on referrals to gynaecology services is not broken down by the reason of referral. This means it is not possible to identify referrals specifically for female urinary incontinence, either for the total population or for women from minority ethnic backgrounds.

Work is underway to improve how this data is collected and reported. This includes recording the reason for referral and, as more care moves from hospital to community settings, recording the place of treatment. These improvements are intended to give a clearer view of who is being referred and treated, which will in turn support action to identify and address any inequalities in access for women from minority ethnic backgrounds.