Upgraded Free Trade Agreement with the Republic of Korea
(1 day, 18 hours ago)
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The Minister of State, Department for Business and Trade (Chris Bryant)
The United Kingdom and the Republic of Korea have concluded negotiations on an upgraded free trade agreement. Building on the work of the previous Secretary of State for Business and Trade and the Minister of State for Trade Policy and Economic Security, the new FTA builds on our existing agreement, which we carried over from the European Union and which came into force in 2021.
The agreement will support this Government’s mission to deliver economic growth by making it faster, cheaper and more predictable to do business with the Republic of Korea—a country with which the UK’s trade totalled £15.8 billion in 2024. The Republic of Korea is the world’s 12th largest economy, with a dynamic import market projected to grow by 26% in the next 10 years. We have protected and expanded key market access and agreed measures that will reduce barriers to trade. The deal reflects our shared ambition to strengthen ties while reinforcing our commitment to a rules-based trading system that promotes high standards. By concluding the agreement, the UK has also future-proofed its trading relationship with a key partner and reinforced its influence across the Asia-Pacific, a region forecasted to account for 10% of global growth by 2035.
We have secured continued tariff-free access for British business across 98% of Korean tariff lines in key industrial strategy growth sectors, including advanced manufacturing and life sciences, as well as key sectors such as food and drink. Both established exporters and new entrants will be able to trade on a stable, predictable footing, ensuring that renowned UK goods remain competitive in the Republic of Korea’s expanding market, supported by a trade framework tailored for British supply chains.
The UK is a services powerhouse, with Department for Business and Trade modelling estimating that services exports could increase by £400 million annually as a result of this agreement in the long run. Building on £1.1 billion worth of UK financial and insurance exports to the Republic of Korea in 2024, the agreement strengthens access to the Republic of Korea’s expanding financial market. The UK has secured meaningful commitments on data localisation and transparency, allowing British financial services firms to enter and operate in the Korean market with confidence. The agreement includes unprecedented commitments that strengthen UK insurers’ ability to provide a range of specialist insurance products to Korean clients.
The deal secures unmatched Government procurement opportunities in the Republic of Korea’s Sejong City, which procures an average of £46.2 million-worth of goods and services annually, as well as expanded access for UK advertising firms for public contracts. It also ensures fairer access to and use of public telecoms networks and services for UK suppliers by limiting the conditions placed on them when seeking access in the Republic of Korea. This will benefit suppliers across industries that rely on telecoms networks to provide their service, further supporting economic growth.
Our services exports are supported by a new and ambitious digital commerce chapter. This chapter is designed to support the 70% of services trade between the UK and the Republic of Korea that is now conducted digitally. This underscores the UK’s commitment to tech-driven trade, creating a more dynamic and future-ready environment for British businesses. We have also agreed commitments that promote and improve compatibility and interoperability of AI governance and policy frameworks. In practice, this means reducing unnecessary barriers so that the UK’s and the Republic of Korea’s businesses can use each other’s technology more easily and at lower cost. By strengthening co-operation with the Republic of Korea’s world-leading AI sector, the UK is delivering on its national AI strategy and showing its ambition to lead global conversations on safe, fair and innovative AI.
There will be streamlined access to import/export documents, simplified licensing rules and authorisation processes, and greater promotion of the use of English language and e-trade documents. Access to critical information such as financial regulations has also been improved. Collectively these reduce administrative burdens and allow British service suppliers, investors, and small and medium-sized enterprises to fully seize the opportunities offered by this dynamic market.
Simpler ways to qualify for tariff-free market access will make supply chains more resilient. This includes updated rules of origin that simplify how businesses prove where their products come from, reducing paperwork and speeding up processes. UK exports to the Republic of Korea supported around 92,000 jobs in 2020. Leading employers and business representative organisations such as Deloitte, the Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders, and the Confederation of British Industry have welcomed the deal as a vital protection for the competitiveness of British goods and the thousands of jobs they support.
The upgraded agreement marks the Republic of Korea’s strongest set of commitments to date for agrifood exporters, including an upgraded provision for co-operation on animal welfare and a new article on antimicrobial resistance. The deal provides certainty for traders by ensuring that both the UK and the Republic of Korea can protect their biosecurity, while putting in place enhanced commitments, structures and processes that will allow us to avoid unnecessary trade barriers. These changes will help to protect supply chains from disruption and ensure that administrative processes remain predictable for UK business.
The FTA will also deepen the strategic relationship between our two nations, building on the Republic of Korea’s recent and significant inward investment into the UK. To support this, the deal introduces new co-operation pathways in critical areas such as innovation, gender equality and supply chains—the UK’s first dedicated chapter of its kind—to reinforce our shared commitment to future-facing collaboration. We have also embedded values on fairness and sustainability through collaboration on workers’ rights, through measures that address bribery and anti-corruption and through upgraded commitments in support of our ambitious environmental and climate goals.
We will now go through the steps to prepare this treaty for signature, and I look forward to updating the House further on this agreement in due course.
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Early Years Funding 2026-27
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The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education (Olivia Bailey)
The Government are ambitious for every child. Our strategy, “Giving Every Child the Best Start in Life”, sets out our ambition for a record proportion of children to be starting school ready by 2028.
Early education and childcare are crucial to the delivery of this ambition. That is why we have expanded Government-funded childcare hours and are driving up the quality of provision, including in reception year.
In 2026-27, we expect to provide over £9.5 billion for the early years entitlements—more than doubling the Government’s commitment to funded childcare since 2023-24. This investment, alongside the hard work and dedication of early years educators, providers and local authorities, has ensured the successful expansion of Government-funded childcare, with the 30 hours roll-out saving working families an average of £7,500 a year. Against a tough fiscal outlook, the Government are choosing to prioritise and protect investment in the early years, which is why we are investing over £1 billion more in the early years entitlements next year, delivering an above-inflation increase to entitlements funding rates.
Today, we are publishing the early years local authority hourly funding rates for 2026-27. Hourly rates will vary between local authorities, reflecting the relative needs of the children and different costs of delivering provision across the country. On average nationally, we have increased the three and four-year-old hourly funding rate by 4.95%, the two-year-old hourly funding rate by 4.36% and funding rate for the nine months to two-year-old entitlement by 4.28%.
This Government are committed to closing the gap in development and school readiness between children from low-income families and their more affluent peers. So, building on the largest ever uplift to early years pupil premium in 2025-26, we are increasing EYPP rates by 15% to £1.15 per hour in 2026-27, equivalent to up to £655 per eligible child per year.
Eligible children can also receive £975 per child per year, an increase of £37 in 2025-26, through the disability access fund to support reasonable adjustments for children with a disability. And we expect to spend over £90 million on maintained nursery school supplementary funding in 2026-27, to support those high-quality providers that often support the most disadvantaged children with the unique costs that they face.
To support early years providers, we have also made some important changes to local funding rules. We know it is important that providers can plan ahead, so we have made it mandatory that local authorities must communicate their rates to providers by 28 February at the latest. From April 2026, we are also increasing the minimum pass-through requirement, meaning that local authorities must pass on at least 97% of funding to providers, to maximise the funding reaching early years settings. Full details of the 2026-27 local authority hourly funding rates, including step-by-step tables, will be published on www.gov.uk.
As we grow the childcare system, it is important that parents are able to access the affordable childcare they need. That is why, in addition to the increase in funding, we have committed to consulting on changes to how early years funding is allocated and distributed by summer 2026. As announced at the Budget, the Government will also conduct a review of our childcare system, with the aim of simplifying the system for parents and providers, making it easier to access childcare and increasing the overall impact of the Government’s offer.
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Investment in High-needs Places
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The Secretary of State for Education (Bridget Phillipson)
A great school experience is one that is academically challenging, rich in opportunity and built on strong relationships. That requires an inclusive school system in every part of the country—one that stretches every young person further, and in which children with additional needs are included not only by individual schools, but by the system as a whole.
Across the last 30 years, successive reforms have improved standards within our schools, which are led by great leaders and teachers. But too many children and young people are still being left behind due to their educational needs or their background, or are simply not being stretched to achieve all that they should. We are going to change that. Ahead of our White Paper next year, we are getting on with building the foundations of a new, inclusive system that delivers for children and earns the confidence of parents. Trusts are crucial to this vision, and some of our strongest trusts continue to build on the pioneering spirit of early academies, using that innovation and community-driven ethos to spread best practice and create resilient systems that support every child to thrive. The schools White Paper will build on that legacy of innovation and collaboration, and will set out the Government’s vision for a future education system that enables every child to achieve and thrive.
As a key step towards that vision of ensuring that all our schools, colleges and nurseries are inclusive by design, today I am announcing at least £3 billion in investment over the next four years to create 50,000 places for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities across England. This investment will fund a landmark expansion of specialist, calm learning spaces within mainstream settings. It builds on the £740 million we have already invested to create 10,000 places, through specialist spaces in mainstream, accessibility adaptations, and special schools for children with the most complex needs, where necessary. This four-year funding horizon will also give local authorities the ability to plan, and will deliver high-quality, specialist provision for the children and young people who need it.
To ensure children get the specialist places they need as quickly as possible, we are offering local authorities a choice around next steps for the pipeline of special or alternative provision schools. Local authorities will, as an alternative, be given the option of funding to deliver the same number of specialist places through SEN units and resource provisions, the expansion of existing specialist settings or other adaptations, in order to get provision in place for children and young people more quickly. Working hand in hand with strong academy trusts, local authorities can deliver these places faster and more cost-effectively than via new free schools, meaning that more children will benefit sooner.
For those projects that do not have trusts appointed, and that are furthest from opening—some will not do so until 2030—we will provide direct funding to the local area, so that much-needed places are delivered more quickly. This funding is in addition to the core high needs capital allocations that all local authorities will receive. Our special schools do vital work supporting some of our most vulnerable children and young people and preparing them for adult life, and in some local authorities, a new special free school will remain the best solution.
Partnership working is central to delivering better experiences and outcomes for all our children. Local authorities should work closely with the trusts appointed to run free schools as they decide whether to accept the alternative funding offer. Where they proceed, they should collectively engage other education settings, parent and carer forums, and local stakeholders to develop plans that deliver places through alternative routes—such as high-quality SEN units and resource provisions, or the expansion of existing specialist provision.
Mainstream free schools will continue to be an enabler of this inclusive vision where they meet need and drive up standards. Multi-academy trusts have driven collaboration and innovation across the system, and in some cases the free schools programme has been crucial to meeting demographic need and pioneering new models that can raise standards. However, we must act in line with the evidence. Projects have opened where there is no need, and have later closed, diverting millions of pounds that could have supported children with SEND or addressed urgent-condition needs in existing schools. Even during the demographic boom of the last decade, the National Audit Office estimated that 57,500 places planned by 2021 would represent spare capacity. Between 2014-15 and 2023-24, the previous Government committed over £10 billion to new free schools, but under £7 billion to school rebuilding, despite mounting evidence of an estate in need of repair and the impact of poor-condition buildings on pupil attainment. Today we know that primary pupil numbers have been falling since 2018-19, with that decline set to feed into secondary. We will not pour money into new schools simply to close them again in a few years.
Accordingly, as part of our review of the mainstream free schools pipeline, projects that proceed will be those that meet the needs of communities, respond to demographic and housing demand, and raise standards without undermining the viability of existing local schools and colleges. We will back new schools that offer something unique to students who would otherwise not have had access to it. In particular, we will open new maths schools and Eton Star 16-to-19 accelerator schools, ensuring that more talented students in the north and the midlands gain a fairer chance to progress to leading universities, or to pursue advanced mathematics. We will continue to provide capital funding through the basic need grant, to support local authorities in creating new mainstream school places, where necessary. Ministers have written to trusts, local authorities and MPs, setting out which projects will progress and which I am minded to cancel. There is a window for representations where a ‘minded to cancel’ letter has been issued.
The money saved by cancelling projects in areas of surplus will be used to support the 50,000 new specialist places. Instead of adding a few thousand mainstream free school places where sufficient capacity already exists, we will deliver places that enable pupils with SEND to access the right support in a setting close to home, making mainstream provision more inclusive, and ensuring that specialist support is available where it is most needed.
This is how we renew our education system—by building provision that is inclusive by design, anchored in need, and focused on high and rising standards for all.
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Chagossians and the Diego Garcia Base Treaty
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The Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Stephen Doughty)
The Diego Garcia treaty, signed by the UK on 22 May 2025, secures the future of the strategically critical UK-US military base on Diego Garcia. This base is vital for UK defence and intelligence capabilities, and the safety and security of the British people.
The Government also worked to ensure that the treaty includes important provisions for Chagossians, including the establishment of a trust fund to benefit the community and a route to resettle the islands of the Chagos archipelago other than Diego Garcia. These and other related Chagossian issues have been the subject of significant debate in both Houses. The Government are pleased to update the House on recent developments.
Chagossian Trust Fund
Under the terms of the treaty, the UK will capitalise a £40 million trust fund for the benefit of Chagossians, which will be established by Mauritius. On 12 December, the Mauritian Government approved introduction of primary legislation to establish the trust fund. The Bill will be published on the website of the Mauritian Parliament and can be viewed on the Government Information Service portal of the Government of Mauritius https://gis.govmu.org It confirms the principle that the trust fund will be operated for Chagossians, by Chagossians.
Decisions on the use of funds will be taken by a trust fund management board. The board will comprise 12 members, seven of whom will be Chagossian, ensuring majority representation. The chair of the trust fund will be a Chagossian, selected by the Chagossian members of the board. Following extensive representations and engagement by this Government, the Bill also now confirms that a UK-based Chagossian representative will sit on the board alongside representatives living in Mauritius and the Seychelles. The UK High Commissioner to Mauritius will also attend board meetings.
We welcome these commitments by Mauritius which will ensure the trust fund reflects the full spectrum of perspectives within the Chagossian community.
Eligibility to Participate in a Programme of Resettlement
The treaty enables Mauritius to develop a programme of resettlement on islands other than Diego Garcia. This agreement is the only viable path to resettlement on the archipelago. The UK Government have been in talks with Mauritius to ensure that this programme is open to all Chagossians, irrespective of their country of residence. The Mauritian Government confirmed on 12 December that eligibility to resettle will apply to Chagossians born on the archipelago before 31 December 1973, and children of parents either of whom were born on the archipelago before that date.
UK-based Chagossians who do not hold Mauritian citizenship and meet these criteria will be eligible for Mauritian citizenship, and therefore able to participate in any future programme of resettlement. All Chagossians will remain eligible for British citizenship under the current citizenship pathway. Chagossians will be able to hold both British and Mauritian citizenship.
Mauritius has also confirmed that civil status documents issued by the Government of Mauritius will continue to record the place of birth as the Chagos archipelago for all of those born there. Where, for any reason, this has not been the case, the Government of Mauritius will review and amend the documents as necessary.
Mauritian Criminal Code Amendment
On 29 October, the Mauritius Criminal Code (Amendment No.2) Act 2025 came into force, repealing section 76B of the Mauritian criminal code and removing the offence of
“misrepresenting the sovereignty of Mauritius by producing, distributing, supply or marketing any coin, stamp, official map or official object or document.”
Concerns had been raised that Chagossians might face prosecution for expressing their affiliation with the UK. Although no one was ever prosecuted under this law, we recognise the impact it was having on the Chagossian community and welcome the steps taken by the Mauritian Government to have section 76B of the Mauritian criminal code repealed.
Heritage Visits to the Chagos Archipelago
Both the UK Government and the Republic of Mauritius recognise the importance of heritage visits for the Chagossian community and remain committed to facilitating a programme of heritage visits to the Chagos archipelago, including Diego Garcia. We will work together to resume a programme of visits to the archipelago.
Chagossian Support Programme—Supporting Chagossians in our Communities
Separate to the treaty, the Government are increasing support for Chagossians living in the UK through both new and existing initiatives. This includes support for newly arrived British citizens and a wide range of projects that will benefit the Chagossian community.
Chagossian Contact Group
The Chagossian contact group provides Chagossians with a role in decision-making on the UK Government’s support for their community. On 11 November, we committed to exploring ways to enhance the group by increasing its transparency and frequency, provided that the contact group’s existing members agreed. FCDO officials have discussed this with contact group members, who are now consulting with the wider community ahead of making decisions. We will provide a further update once these are received.
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Sudan: Sanctions on RSF Commanders
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The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs (Chris Elmore)
My noble Friend the Minister of State for International Development and Africa, the right hon. Baroness Chapman of Darlington, has made the following statement:
On 12 December 2025, the UK announced a package of four sanctions designations under the Sudan (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020—the Sudan regulations. These sanctions respond to the appalling atrocities committed by the Rapid Support Forces in and around El Fasher, north Darfur, which the RSF captured on 26 October 2025. There is overwhelming evidence of mass killings of civilians; ethnically targeted executions; sexual violence, including gang rape; abductions for ransom; widespread arbitrary detention; and attacks on health facilities, medical staff and humanitarian workers. This scale of suffering is unimaginable, with women and children bearing the heaviest burden in what is now the largest humanitarian crisis of the 21st century.
Since the start of the war, the UK has worked ceaselessly to bring an end to the fighting, alleviate the suffering and protect civilians. The UK remains the third largest bilateral donor to Sudan. The Prime Minister has committed to protecting UK funding to support people affected by the crisis, a clear signal of our unwavering commitment to justice for the Sudanese people.
Accountability for crimes remains at the heart of our response. That is why we are sanctioning RSF commanders who we have reasonable grounds to suspect have been responsible for, engaged in, provided support for or promoted the commission of these serious violations of international humanitarian law. We will impose travel bans, director disqualifications and asset freezes. This will ban these individuals from entering the UK, and stop them from being able to form, manage or promote a UK company or interact in any way with the UK economy. We are sanctioning:
Abdul Rahim Hamdan Dagalo—deputy leader of the RSF, and brother of RSF leader, General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo Moussa, “Hemedti”. He is or has been responsible for engaging in, providing support for or promoting the commission of serious violations of international humanitarian law in Sudan, including the mass killings of civilians; ethnically targeted executions; sexual violence, including gang rape; abductions for ransom; widespread arbitrary detentions; and attacks on health facilities, medical staff and humanitarian workers. Acting in global resolve with partners such as the US, Canada and the EU, which have all previously sanctioned Abdul Rahim Hamdan Dagalo, this sends a strong message of international condemnation for his actions.
Gedo Hamdan Ahmed, “Abu Nashuk”—RSF commander for the north Darfur section. He is or has been responsible for engaging in, providing support for, or promoting the commission of serious violations of international humanitarian law in Sudan, such as the mass killings of civilians; ethnically targeted executions; sexual violence, including gang rape; abductions for ransom; widespread arbitrary detentions; and attacks on health facilities, medical staff and humanitarian workers.
Tijani Ibrahim Moussa Mohamed, “Al Zeir Salem”—RSF field commander. He too is or has been responsible for engaging in, providing support for, or promoting the commission of serious violations of international humanitarian law in Sudan, including the deliberate targeting of civilians in El Fasher.
Al-Fateh Abdullah Idris “Abu Lulu”—brigadier general of the RSF, dubbed “the butcher of El-Fasher” for claiming to have killed over 2,000 people. He is being sanctioned for his involvement in serious violations of international humanitarian law in Sudan and the systematic campaign of violence against civilians in El Fasher.
The Sudanese sanctions regime contains a humanitarian assistance exception to the asset freeze. We do not expect these designations to have humanitarian impacts and will monitor this closely.
In addition to these sanctions, the UK is stepping up our response to the crisis in Sudan with an additional £21 million. This will fund support including food, shelter, health services to those most in need, and protection for women and children in some of the hardest-to-reach areas. This lifeline will empower aid organisations to reach 135,000 people with essentials like food, medical care, and emergency shelter, as well as enable them to keep hospitals running and reconnect families torn apart by conflict. The overall UK aid commitment to Sudan this year rises as a result to £146 million, delivering lifesaving aid to over 800,000 people, and underscoring the unwavering commitment to stand with the Sudanese people and meet humanitarian needs.
As the UK, we are doing all we can politically and diplomatically to end the fighting, prevent future atrocities, protect civilians and deter the perpetrators by bringing accountability and justice—however long it takes. We are leading the charge to bring accountability to those committing heinous atrocities, at the UN and the International Criminal Court, for all to see. We will not let these horrors go unanswered.
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New Approach to Africa: UK-Africa Strategy
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The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs (Chris Elmore)
My noble Friend the Minister of State for International Development and Africa (right hon. Baroness Chapman of Darlington) has today made the following statement:
When this Government came into power, we were clear that a new kind of relationship with African countries was long overdue. We inherited an approach that reflected the past rather than being fit for the future. That is why this Government committed in their manifesto to deliver a new approach to the African continent for mutual long-term benefit, recognising Africa’s growing importance to the UK’s domestic missions and plan for change.
We were clear too that reframing our relationship was not something to cook up here in London and then package up as a shared approach. Some have spoken the language of partnership that is not borne out in practice, without being clear and up front about our own interests and what we want from the relationship. So we launched a five-month listening exercise, hearing from Governments and over 600 organisations, from civil society and diaspora communities, from businesses and universities, about what they valued and wanted to see from Britain. There was a clear common message: African nations want respectful, long-term partnerships that deliver real change for people’s lives.
Today, the Government are fulfilling our manifesto commitment, marking a significant milestone in the UK’s partnership with African countries. The UK’s new approach is shaped by African leadership, ideas, and energy—aligning with the steps that the UK and African nations are already taking to unlock new growth opportunities, lead climate action, drive innovation, and push for reform to the international system—and brings this together with UK strengths. It is consistent with the principles of our modernised approach to international development, recognising we are not just donors. We are partners, investors, and reformers.
Responding to the consultation, the UK’s new approach provides a high-level framing to guide the Government’s long-term engagement with African partners, reaffirming the shift from paternalism to a partnership of respect and equality. It does so over seven areas of shared interest.
First, we are moving from donor to investor. We will go further to unlock investment and trade, helping African and British businesses create quality jobs, economic opportunities, and prosperity. Our partnerships will place mutual growth at the centre. We will back the African continental free trade area, supporting its implementation and the opportunities it creates, and strengthen UK-Africa relations through ongoing tariff reviews, building on the developing countries trading scheme and network of economic partnership agreements. We will support the development of local capital markets, mobilise private capital to invest sustainably, and scale up promising African enterprises. The UK’s investment vehicles—British International Investment, FSD Africa Investments, and UK Export Finance—will continue to drive this innovative agenda. As a long-standing partner of the African Development Bank, we will continue to strengthen our collaboration with Africa’s leading financial institution. And we are proud to be co-hosting with Ghana the 17th replenishment of the African Development Fund, using our convening power to scale up private capital for Africa’s development priorities.
Secondly, we are working together on the challenges of migration. Migration should be fair, managed, and controlled. But this is undermined by illegal migration that harms both the UK and African partners, funds organised criminal gangs, and puts lives at risk. We will provide humanitarian support to alleviate suffering; help enable protection for displaced people in their regions of origin; and work together to disrupt criminal networks and facilitate returns. We will be unapologetic in pressing for high ambition and clear progress against these priorities. Recognising the UK visa system can seem hard to navigate, we are engaging with African businesses to improve understanding, including uptake of the global partner programme, helping businesses travel, build ties, and stimulate investment.
Thirdly, we are advancing shared interests on climate, nature, and clean energy. Despite its abundant natural resources, Africa has the lowest levels of modern energy access. And despite contributing least to global emissions, African nations are among those shouldering the greatest climate risks. Therefore, we must go further to invest in renewables, protect biodiversity, and ensure climate finance reaches those who need it most, creating more opportunities for African countries by growing the scale and quality of carbon markets. We will back African initiatives such as Mission 300 to connect 300 million people to electricity by 2030. We will work with African scientists to protect the world’s largest forest carbon stores in the Congo basin and mobilise finance through the Belem call to action. And we look forward to supporting further African leadership on climate as Ethiopia hosts COP32 in 2027.
Fourthly, we want to collaborate for peace and stability, the foundations of prosperity. We will continue to work closely with the African Union and other partners to support African efforts to “silence the guns” and promote post-conflict recovery. This includes urgent work to support an end to the horror of the current war in Sudan. We will continue to work with African partners to help push the warring parties towards a ceasefire, to supply the lifesaving humanitarian aid where needed and to call out and avert, together, atrocities like in El Fasher, where we know rape has been used systematically as a weapon of war. The UN’s humanitarian chief has correctly called this the epicentre of human suffering. We are determined to support Sudan and ensure the world does not forget this devastating conflict. Beyond Sudan, we are supporting vital peacebuilding efforts in the Great Lakes region and working on conflict prevention with countries such as Nigeria, Ethiopia and Somalia. This is part of a wider push to build security partnerships to tackle regional instability and shared threats, champion respect for international humanitarian law, stand up for freedom of religion and belief, and go much further to tackle violence against women and girls.
Fifthly, we are strengthening systems that support people and growth. This is about strengthening the systems that build human capital—the engine of sustainable, inclusive growth. Rather than providing piecemeal funding to individual services, we will work with partners to improve whole systems for health and nutrition, education, and social protection. We will invest in vaccine manufacturing, disease prevention, and sexual and reproductive health and rights. Last month, the UK announced in South Africa its pledge of £850 million to the Global Fund—a pledge that stands to save over 1 million lives, prevent 20 million cases of HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria, and deliver over £10 billion in economic returns. This investment demonstrates the UK’s commitment to global health, gender equality, multilateralism, and modern development partnerships. We are applying the same principles to helping African countries become financially self-reliant, harnessing UK expertise in tax, finance, and technology. Next year, the Foreign Secretary will host the illicit finance summit in London, convening a diverse coalition of Governments, multilateral organisations, the private sector, and other key stakeholders to tackle criminal and corrupt wealth.
Sixthly, we are championing African voices in global decision-making. We will amplify and work alongside African calls for fairer representation in global forums, ensuring African priorities shape the rules and outcomes that matter most. This is why the UK strongly advocated for the establishment of a third seat for sub-Saharan Africa at the IMF board, and why we continue to call for lower-income countries to have greater voting power at the World Bank. It is also why we look forward to the establishment of a borrowers’ platform, following agreement at the financing for development conference in Seville. As we look ahead to our G20 presidency in 2027, we will continue to work towards further reforms to the debt architecture to tackle unsustainable debt following the G20 ministerial declaration on debt sustainability in October, so that African countries have a greater stake in the decisions that affect them.
Lastly, we are supporting innovation and cultural partnerships. From AI and digital skills to music, sport, and design, there is enormous potential to deepen our ties across science, technology, and the creative industries. At South Africa’s science forum in November, we launched our first UK-South Africa AI policy training programme to establish a cohort of AI-savvy diplomats and officials from both countries, drawing on the expertise of leading UK and South African universities. Our forthcoming soft power collaboration will support alumni networks across the UK and Africa. We will maintain scholarships and strengthen our enduring research and education partnerships. These connections are not just economic—they are human, and they are powerful. One milestone is Imperial College London opening its first African hub in Ghana last year, marking a major step forward in UK-Africa scientific collaboration. This new centre will support fellowships in AI and climate science, accelerating joint research and innovation across medical diagnostics, vaccine research, and sustainable cities.
This adds up to a new kind of partnership. One that works with African leadership. One that is inclusive and respectful and strong enough to work through difficulties and disagreements. Our high commissions and embassies will be at the forefront of embedding this approach—in spirit and content—and we will take it forward into the UK’s G20 presidency in 2027. UK Ministers will be out there, on the continent, championing these principles, strengthening coherence across our partnerships, and backing diverse African voices to shape our work.
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Manchester Arena Inquiry: Consultation on Recommendations 7 and 8
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The Minister for Security (Dan Jarvis)
The Home Office plans to consider options in regards to Manchester arena monitored recommendations 7 and 8 in due course.
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Counter-terrorism Disruptive Powers Report 2024
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The Minister for Security (Dan Jarvis)
I have today published the Counter-terrorism Disruptive Powers Report 2024 (CP 1463). The report has been laid before Parliament and copies will be available in the Vote Office and online on www.gov.uk.
It is important that there is transparency on the use of our counter-terrorism tools. Publishing this report ensures that the public are able to access a guide to the range of powers used to combat terrorist threats to the United Kingdom, the extent of their use and the safeguards and oversight in place to ensure they are used properly.
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Intelligence and Security Committee Annual Report 2023 to 2025
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The Prime Minister (Keir Starmer)
The Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament has today laid before Parliament, pursuant to sections 2 and 3 of the Justice and Security Act 2013, its annual report. This covers the period April 2023 to March 2025.
The Government recognise and welcome the independent and important oversight provided by the Committee.
I thank the Committee for the comprehensive and detailed nature of the report and the extensive work behind it.
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Copyright and Artificial Intelligence
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The Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology (Liz Kendall)
Today I am laying before Parliament an Act paper updating Parliament on the Government’s progress on copyright and artificial intelligence, fulfilling the commitment under the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025.
Our approach to copyright and AI must support prosperity for all UK citizens, and drive innovation and growth for sectors across the economy, including the creative industries. This means keeping the UK at the cutting edge of science and technology, so that UK citizens can benefit from major breakthroughs, transformative innovation and greater prosperity. It also means continuing to support our creative industries, which make a huge economic contribution, shape our national identity and give us a unique position on the world stage.
It is important that we take the time to get this right. This is an issue that many countries around the world are grappling with, and on which there is no clear consensus. My Department, alongside the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, has focused on seeking a broad range of input—through the consultation, Parliamentary working groups, and our engagement with stakeholders—to ensure that we hear as many expert views and experiences as possible as we seek to find a solution.
Our consultation received over 11,500 responses from individual creators, rights holders, AI developers, academics and many others. We have analysed each of these responses individually. We have brought together representatives from media, creative industries, AI developers and academia in a series of roundtables to facilitate open discussion. The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and I chaired the most recent roundtable in September. We have also convened cross-party parliamentary working groups, meeting with MPs in October and peers in November.
We have established four expert technical working groups, covering control and technical standards, information and transparency, licensing, and wider support for creatives. These groups are bringing together expertise from across the creative industries, the AI sector and academia to explore practical solutions io complex questions.
Work is also in progress to prepare the economic impact assessment and report required under the Act, which we will publish by 18 March 2026. The wide range of input and analysis described above will shape this report, which will cover the full range of issues raised in consultation, from transparency requirements, licensing arrangements and how copyright affects access to training data, to technical measures and standards, and enforcement mechanisms. It will also address issues relating to AI outputs, including computer-generated works, output labelling and digital replicas and enforcement mechanisms.
We want to thank the range of stakeholders who have been involved in this work so far, and encourage those with views to continue engaging with us as we seek to find a way forward that delivers our ambitions for both the creative industries and AI.
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