To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he or his Ministers have had with their Egyptian counterparts on (a) the reconstruction and repair of churches and other Christian property and (b) the granting of licences for new churches in Egypt.
Answered on
20 November 2015
There have been no recent discussions between ministers and the Egyptian government on these issues. Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials have discussed these issues with church representatives in Egypt. The UK remains clear that the freedom of religious belief needs to be protected and that the ability to worship in peace is a vital component of a democratic society. We look to the Egyptian government to implement the rights contained in Egypt’s constitution, which includes protections for freedom of religious belief.