Discusses the role of parliamentarians in promoting freedom of religion or belief, her appointment as special envoy for FORB, and the work being done through the APPG. Mentions initiatives such as the prisoners of conscience programme, the 'End the Persecution' campaign, and the importance of raising awareness among the public. Emphasises the need to integrate religious tolerance into foreign policy and highlights progress made in this area.

Offers an intervention supporting Fiona Bruce's work, specifically mentioning a case involving a Hazara Afghan woman who needs protection from Pakistani authorities to avoid being sent back to Afghanistan under Taliban rule.

Praises Fiona Bruce for her efforts and suggests working with the Inter-Parliamentary Union and Commonwealth Parliamentary Association to reach out to other parliamentarians internationally on freedom of religious belief.

I am delighted once again to participate in a debate on freedom of religion or belief. Sadly, such debates are necessary today as they ever were due to the persecution of religious groups worldwide. I applaud the work of Open Doors and condemn the despicable behaviour and practices carried out by states against Christians, particularly in North Korea, Afghanistan, Somalia, Libya, Pakistan, India, Egypt, Syria, Iraq, and Pakistan. The total number of Christians killed for their faith rose by 60% to 4,761, with 3,530 in Nigeria alone. Christian minorities face institutional discrimination, violence, forced conversion, and denial of life-saving aid during the pandemic unless they convert. I urge the international community to use its diplomatic and economic weight to counter this situation and establish a fact-finding commission on human rights violations against religious minorities in India.

I congratulate Patricia Gibson on her speech. While our country is noted for its tolerant attitude, we should be aware of focusing on the persecution of Christians abroad while ignoring potential issues at home. I defend the rights of religious groups that take a literal view of their teaching to practise their faith within a tolerant and secular society. It is true that Muslims are persecuted in some countries, but overwhelmingly it is Christians who face persecution worldwide, often as second-class citizens in Muslim countries. We must be prepared to call this out and help genuine asylum seekers such as Maira Shahbaz in Pakistan. The Foreign Office needs to make difficult arguments with our allies regarding the treatment of religious minorities. I commend the latest report from Aid to the Church in Need on the widespread persecution of women, particularly young Christian women in Muslim countries.

Ms Qaisar shared her personal experience of religious intolerance since the 9/11 attacks, highlighting that she was a victim of Islamophobia at a young age. She stressed the importance of addressing religious hate crimes in the UK, noting that over 70% of Muslims reported experiencing abuse in the past year according to an Equality and Human Rights Commission survey. She also highlighted the increase in anti-Sikh hate crimes by 70% between 2017 and 2020. Ms Qaisar commended Scotland for passing legislation expanding the definition of hate speech but called on the UK Government to do more to protect religious freedom.

Mr Thomas thanked Fiona Bruce for her work in raising awareness about the global persecution of Christians. He referred to a Times editorial that highlighted the reluctance of Western politicians to speak out on behalf of persecuted Christians. He commended Bishop Philip Mounstephen's report, which mapped the extent and nature of global religious persecution, with Christians being the most persecuted group. Mr Thomas urged the Government to redouble their efforts in implementing the recommendations from the Bishop's review and called for an independent reviewer to oversee progress on these recommendations next summer.

I congratulate the hon. Member for Congleton on securing the debate and on her work as special envoy for freedom of religion or belief, and echo her comments about the APPG chaired by Jim Shannon. The golden rule across religions is reciprocity but it's often breached. There are cases where religious majorities oppress minorities which reverse roles in bordering countries, posing a challenge for Governments to implement recommendations. During COP26, I attended an event organised by Global Ethical Finance Initiative highlighting that 80% of people on the planet hold some kind of faith or religious belief in a creator god. This has implications for ethical finance decisions and climate change discussions, given pollution from manufacturing things we buy here often stems from forced labour in China. Constituents are concerned about China’s treatment of Falun Gong practitioners and Uyghur Muslims, and the Rohingyas’ situation in Myanmar described as one of the most egregious human rights abuses globally by Aid to the Church in Need. I also noted issues faced by Ahmadi Muslims in Pakistan, Islamophobia, and antisemitism at home. The Court of Session’s judgment on Canon Tom White's case recognised the importance of personal worship, challenging sectarian violence witnessed first-hand. Interfaith networks are crucial in Glasgow and beyond for harmony. During COP26 Interfaith demo in George Square, nine religions prayed together, reflecting a broader challenge to protect religious freedom.

I am proud of the UK’s law on freedom of religion and belief, noting peaceful coexistence of various faiths in Wycombe. I explore why intolerance arises, emphasising that religions are a matter of faith not fact. It is crucial to remember beliefs cannot be proven and imposing them on others is unacceptable. Tolerance means living and letting live despite profoundly disagreeing with another's beliefs. Blasphemy laws around the world are problematic; while Christians may face persecution in some places, enforcing blasphemy laws poses risks as interpretations vary across faiths. We must address root causes of intolerance by reminding people that their faith is just a belief, not fact, and promoting tolerance towards those whose views differ but cause no harm.

Commends the hon. Member for Congleton on her presentation and highlights the persecution of Christians, mentioning Open Doors' facts such as 340 million Christians suffering high levels of persecution and at least one in eight Christians being affected by very high or high levels of persecution. Emphasises the abduction and kidnapping of young Christian and Hindu girls in Pakistan. Also mentions the situation in China where cameras are used to monitor religious venues, Turkey for minorities' rights issues, Nigeria's problems faced by Christians, and cradle-to-grave persecution of Baha’is in Iran.

Highlights the importance of focusing on values that are common to both religious and British values. Commends Glasgow for its work as a city of sanctuary for people seeking asylum in the UK. Stresses the need for empathy when challenging institutions and ensuring equality of access for all faiths within our system. Discusses the usefulness of the British values programme in schools, which promotes understanding of different religions and cultures. Requests that safe and legal routes for people seeking asylum should consider protection of freedom of religion.

Speaks on the importance of freedom of religion or belief, referencing the United Nations declaration and highlighting the ongoing issues in various countries. He mentions specific cases such as Leah Sharibu's captivity by Boko Haram, underreporting of crimes against women and girls, and the case of Maira Shahbaz in Pakistan.

We have had a very serious and sober debate, acknowledging the UN declaration's 40th anniversary. I thank Fiona Bruce for securing the debate and all-party parliamentary group members for their contributions. Contributions were made by various MPs highlighting concerns about religious intolerance, persecution of non-believers like Mubarak Bala in Nigeria, and the Uyghur Muslims genocide in Xinjiang under Chinese Communist Party rule. The hon. Member for Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner emphasised the need for consistency in values and highlighted asylum seeker support issues. Hamilton urged the Government to act against religious persecution and authoritarian regimes' rise by recognising human rights violations such as the Uyghur genocide.

I am grateful to my hon. Friend the Member for Congleton (Fiona Bruce) and others for their contributions on this important topic. The UK is committed to defending freedom of religion or belief, promoting respect between different communities, and advancing human rights through multilateral bodies such as the UN, Council of Europe, G7, and International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance. We also work bilaterally with states to encourage them to uphold their obligations, condemn forced marriage and conversion in Pakistan, address violence against religious groups in Nigeria, and support the implementation of the Bishop of Truro’s recommendations on strengthening support for persecuted individuals.