With our proposed changes to section 3 of the Human Rights Act 1998 (HRA), we aim to make sure the balance between our domestic institutions is right, by ensuring that UK courts can no longer interpret legislation contrary to Parliament’s intent.

Our proposed changes to section 6 of the HRA will ensure that those delivering vital public services can do so without the constant threat of having to defend against trivial human rights claims.

Humanist marriage is very much on my department’s radar. In 2014, the Government published a consultation paper and response assessing the potential merits of provision for non-religious belief marriages. This concluded that the matter was complex, and that by allowing Humanists to solemnise marriages in unrestricted locations, the Government would create a provision for Humanists that would not be available to all groups.

To ensure we are considering the implications of changing the law on marriage fairly for all groups, we invited the Law Commission to undertake a review which is currently underway and is expected to report in July of this year. By looking at the law comprehensively, the Law Commission will seek to put forward proposals that would ensure that, insofar as possible, groups and couples are all subject to the same rules and the same level of regulation.

Following the Law Commission report, we will take the time to consider any proposed changes to marriage laws thoroughly, including how non-religious belief organisations (such as Humanists) and/or independent celebrants could conduct legally binding weddings. Any change to legislation would then take place when parliamentary time allows.

The UK Government is committed to defending freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all, and promoting respect between different religious and non-religious communities. Promoting the right to FoRB is one of the UK's longstanding human rights priorities.

Bangladesh is a human rights priority country for the FCDO. Ministers and our High Commission in Dhaka regularly raise human rights concerns as part of continued dialogue with the Government of Bangladesh. The UK supports community leaders in Bangladesh to address the causes and effects of inter-religious, ethnic and political conflict. Our development programming supports citizen groups in 31 districts across the country to come together to resolve grievances, mitigate religious violence and advocate for inclusive and peaceful co-existence.

While Bangladesh is a secular people's republic with formal guarantees of religious freedom, we recognise the risk of religious persecution faced by Ahmadiyya Muslims and other groups including Hindus, Christians and atheists in Bangladesh, and actively engage with minority communities to understand their concerns. We will continue to monitor this closely and advocate for FoRB as well as other human rights.

The UK strongly supports the right to freedom of religion or belief (FoRB), which is restricted in Saudi Arabia. Ministers and our Ambassador in Saudi Arabia regularly raise and discuss freedom of religion or belief.

On 24 May 2021, I raised FoRB with the Saudi President of the Human Rights Commission during my visit to Saudi Arabia. Our views are well known and the UK will continue to encourage further human rights reform in Saudi Arabia.

The UK strongly supports the right to freedom of religion or belief (FoRB), which is restricted in Saudi Arabia. Ministers and our Ambassador in Saudi Arabia regularly raise and discuss freedom of religion or belief. Whilst Saudi Arabia ended flogging as a form of corporal punishment in 2020, this change does not apply to some Hudud crimes, for which the Quran prescribes punishments.The UK will encourage further human rights reform in Saudi Arabia.

On 20 December 2020, the Prime Minister reaffirmed his commitment to FoRB by appointing Fiona Bruce, MP for Congleton, as his Special Envoy for FoRB. Mrs Bruce will work with ministers, officials and others to deliver the Government's goal of seeing everyone, everywhere able to have and practise a faith, belief, or not to do so, in accordance with their conscience.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) is committed to defending Freedom of Religion or Belief as a universal human right which should be enjoyed by everyone, everywhere. This includes the right to have no religious conviction or belief. The UK regularly raises our concerns, including, where appropriate the treatment of atheists, with governments across the world. We do this at a Ministerial level and through our diplomatic network. We also use the Human Rights Council to draw attention to the treatment of religious and non-religious minorities, and the UK funds and supports projects that promote respect for all people of different faiths and none.

UNHCR is mandated to protect all refugees and other displaced persons, including those who fear persecution on the basis of religion. UNHCR’s procedures and criteria for determining refugee status include religious persecution, in line with the Refugee Convention. Where religious belief causes or heightens the risk a refugee faces, UNHCR will take this into consideration when assessing specific vulnerabilities, and determining the appropriate protection interventions (including but not limited to resettlement).

HMG does not hold information on the number of asylum claims submitted to UNHCR in Thailand, or elsewhere; this information is held by UNHCR. Individual data is considered private and confidential and not normally shared with third parties (and never without the specific consent of the individual). Furthermore, UNHCR does not routinely identify or record beneficiaries by their religion where this has no bearing on their case. The reason for this is because there is a risk that collecting information about the ethnicity or religion of people receiving aid could be obtained by others, including extremist groups, and used to persecute them.

Yes. During my visit to Jakarta I talked about the rights of people of faith and those of no faith during a meeting of representatives of different religious communities, as well as raising the issue of Freedom of Religion or Belief in my meeting with the Minister of Religious Affairs.

​The UK remains committed to standing up for the freedom of all individuals, both religious and non-religious, so that they may practice their beliefs free from fear. We are aware of, and concerned by, the recent response to a meeting of the Atheist Republic in Malaysia, which included death threats being made on social media. We regularly discuss human rights with the Malaysian government, including at Ministerial level. Officials from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London meet periodically with representatives of Malaysian Civil Society to hear their concerns. We will continue to monitor human rights issues and internal developments in Malaysia, working with the EU and other foreign missions in Kuala Lumpur, raising our concerns as appropriate. We actively promote Freedom of Religion or Belief at the UN Human Rights Council, where we support resolutions designed to foster greater tolerance.

As I said to the House on 24 May, there is more we can do to help the Government of Bangladesh to tackle the challenges they face. I raised my concerns about the situation there most recently with the Bangladesh High Commissioner on 24 May.

Our High Commission in Dhaka regularly meets international partners to discuss the treatment of secular activists and minority groups in Bangladesh. Most recently, on 22 May, our High Commissioner met Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister, Abul Hassan Mahmud Ali, with other EU Ambassadors, to discuss signs that intolerance across Bangladesh is increasing

In September 2015, officials from the British High Commission in Dhaka met Heiner Bielefeldt, UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, during his visit to Bangladesh. We urge the Government of Bangladesh to implement the recommendations in his report, which includes a call for the government to “protect the vibrant civil society and pluralistic society in Bangladesh”.

We are seriously concerned by Raif Badawi’s case. The UK condemns the use of cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment in all circumstances. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) has raised the matter with the Saudi Ambassador. We have previously raised the case at a senior level with the Saudi authorities.

The UK is a strong supporter of freedom of expression around the world. We believe that people must be allowed to freely discuss and debate issues, peacefully challenge their governments, exercise the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, and speak out against violations of human rights wherever they occur.

In Egypt, our Embassy in Cairo closely monitors cases where freedom of expression is threatened. I met the Egyptian Deputy Assistant Minister for Human Rights on 14 January. Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers have been clear throughout recent events in Egypt that the freedom of religious belief needs to be protected. We deplore all discrimination against religious minorities and constraints on their freedom to practise what they believe.

We believe, as article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states, that everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion and that this right includes freedom to change one’s religion or belief. Any action to punish an individual for their faith or belief is not compatible with article 18.

We deplore all discrimination against religious minorities and constraints on their freedom to practise what they believe. Most recently, I raised the importance of protecting the human rights enshrined in Egypt’s constitution, which include freedom of belief and worship, with a number of senior figures in the Egyptian Government during my visit to Cairo on January 12-16. UK officials also discussed the importance of religious freedom with the Egyptian Deputy Assistant Minister for Human Rights, Dr Mahy Abdel Latif on 14 January 2015.