Asked by: Sarah Pochin (Reform UK - Runcorn and Helsby)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the level of risk of strategic influence by third countries, including the People’s Republic of China, on future Mauritian decisions relating to Diego Garcia and the administration of the Chagos Archipelago.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer given on 16 December to question 97767.
Asked by: Sarah Pochin (Reform UK - Runcorn and Helsby)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with her counterparts in India and Mauritius on defence and maritime cooperation in the Indian Ocean following the UK/Mauritius Agreement concerning the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer given on 16 December to question 97767.
Asked by: Mark Hendrick (Labour (Co-op) - Preston)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when her Department plans to lay the Kensington Treaty before Parliament for ratification.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Treaty between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Federal Republic of Germany on Friendship and Bilateral Cooperation will be laid before Parliament for scrutiny shortly after the Christmas recess.
Asked by: Sarah Pochin (Reform UK - Runcorn and Helsby)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies and the UK's security interests of the recent military and commercial activity by the People’s Republic of China in the Indian Ocean, in the context of the UK/Mauritius: Agreement concerning the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer given on 16 December to question 97767.
Asked by: Sarah Pochin (Reform UK - Runcorn and Helsby)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the UK/Mauritius: Agreement concerning the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia on the UK's strategic interests in the Indo Pacific region; and what steps she is taking to ensure the UK's operational access to Diego Garcia under the new lease arrangements.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer given on 16 December to question 97767.
Asked by: Baroness Helic (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether officials submitted to Ministers a written assessment of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development report Developments in the Economy of the Occupied Palestinian Territory; on what date any such assessment was first submitted; whether that assessment was shared with the Foreign Secretary, the Secretary of State for Business and Trade and the Attorney General; and whether they will place copies of any such assessments in the Library of the House.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
Export licensing decisions are made on a case-by-case basis, using the most up-to-date information and analysis available at the time. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office draws on information from a large variety of stakeholders, including our diplomatic network, other government departments, reporting from non-governmental organisations, and international organisations. We took decisive action in September 2024, stopping exports to the Israeli Defence Forces that might be used to commit or facilitate serious violations of international humanitarian law in Gaza. Detailed data on export licences is published regularly on gov.uk, including with refusal criteria. Additional Israel data is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/export-control-licensing-management-information-for-israel/israel-export-control-licensing-data-31-july-2025.
Asked by: Baroness Helic (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the findings of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development report Developments in the Economy of the Occupied Palestinian Territory on the destruction of civilian infrastructure and the collapse of economic activity in Gaza; and which, if any, of these findings have led to a suspension, revocation or refusal of any strategic export licences to Israel or of applications for export licences to Israel since 30 September.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
Export licensing decisions are made on a case-by-case basis, using the most up-to-date information and analysis available at the time. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office draws on information from a large variety of stakeholders, including our diplomatic network, other government departments, reporting from non-governmental organisations, and international organisations. We took decisive action in September 2024, stopping exports to the Israeli Defence Forces that might be used to commit or facilitate serious violations of international humanitarian law in Gaza. Detailed data on export licences is published regularly on gov.uk, including with refusal criteria. Additional Israel data is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/export-control-licensing-management-information-for-israel/israel-export-control-licensing-data-31-july-2025.
Asked by: Baroness Helic (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Chapman of Darlington on 18 November (HL11601), whether they will now answer the question put: namely, what support, if any, they have offered or provided to the authorities of Israel through the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative to strengthen prevention, documentation, and investigation of sexual violence in detention settings.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
In December 2024, a member of the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative Team of Experts was deployed to scope options on how the UK could best add value to the international response to conflict related sexual violence (CRSV) in Israel and Palestine, including support for the Israeli authorities, multilateral organisations and civil society, and survivors of CRSV.
Since that deployment, the UK has provided £3 million to the UN Population Fund to support the delivery of three new women and girls' safe spaces and shelters, the distribution of 50,000 dignity kits and 200,000 menstrual hygiene packs, and the strengthening of local capacity to support those affected by CRSV in Gaza.
Asked by: Baroness Deech (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have made representations to the Palestinian Authority through the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative about reports of sexual violence against Israeli hostages in Gaza; and what support, if any, they have provided to Palestine to strengthen the prevention of sexual violence.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
I refer the Noble Baroness to the answer provided on 19 December in response to Question HL12164.
Asked by: Lord Jackson of Peterborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government for what reasons they were unable to conclude negotiations with regard to the United Kingdom’s accession under Articles 16.10 and 16.11 to the Security Action for Europe (SAFE) through the Reinforcement of the European Defence Industry Instrument.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
I refer the Noble Lord to the answer provided by the Ministry of Defence in the House of Commons on 4 December in response to Question 95829, which - for ease of reference - is reproduced below:
The Security and Defence Partnership agreed with the European Union on 19 May is an example of this Government's commitment to delivering on its manifesto pledges to strengthen European security, support economic growth, and reinforce NATO.
We are working swiftly with the EU to implement the Partnership and are prioritising cooperation on key areas, including support for Ukraine, countering hybrid threats, and promoting stability in the Western Balkans.
As the Minister for the Cabinet Office set out in his Written Ministerial Statement on 1 December, the Security and Defence Partnership also unlocked the possibility for enhanced UK participation in the Security Action for Europe (SAFE) instrument. Earlier this autumn, the UK and the EU entered into formal negotiations on a bilateral agreement to facilitate UK participation in SAFE. The UK entered these negotiations in good faith, reflecting our shared strategic interests. However, it was not possible to conclude these negotiations with an agreement.
This Government has been clear that we will only enter into agreements that serve the national interest. In this case, the negotiations did not yield an agreement that met this standard.
It is disappointing that an agreement on UK participation in the first round of SAFE could not be reached; however, the UK's defence industry will retain access to SAFE under standard third-country terms, with the potential to contribute up to 35% of the content of SAFE contracts.
This Government remains committed to pursuing cooperation with the European Union on defence and security that aligns with our NATO First policy, supports our defence objectives and delivers for the UK taxpayer.