Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made representations to his counterpart in Nicaragua on the suppression of (a) human rights and (b) religious freedoms in that country.

Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We share widespread international concern about the relentless suppression of democratic, religious, and other freedoms in Nicaragua. We continue to urge the Nicaraguan authorities to re-establish democratic freedoms in our engagements with the Nicaraguan Embassy and in Managua, as well as through our public statements in international fora. Most recently, on 28 February at the 58th session of the UN Human Rights Council, we raised our grave human rights concerns, including relating to freedom of religion and belief, and arbitrary detentions. Nicaragua's declaration on 27 February that it is leaving the UN Human Rights Council does not change the need to hold the authorities accountable for the suppression of human rights in Nicaragua.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to ensure stable long-term funding for international nutrition programmes.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Prime Minister has set out a new strategic vision for government spending on defence and security and Official Development Assistance (ODA). Detailed decisions on how the ODA budget will be used will be worked through as part of the ongoing Spending Review based on various factors including impact assessments.

The UK worked in close partnership with France to make the recent Nutrition for Growth (N4G) summit in Paris a success. The Minister for Development was pleased to lead the UK delegation, and alongside the Scaling-Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement and other partners, to launch the Global Compact on Nutrition Integration.

Partners have welcomed the Compact as a new initiative to drive change and a positive signal of the UK's continued leadership on the global stage. Over 80 countries and organisations have already expressed support for the Compact, signalling their commitment to embed nutrition objectives into investments across other sectors, such as economic growth, climate and health, to boost impact and leverage existing financing for nutrition.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to implement the strategy in the UK Women, Peace and Security National Action Plan 2023–2027 which sets out how they propose to deliver on their global commitment to women, peace and security.

Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The UK remains resolute in its commitment to the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda. The government intends to build on the approach and ambition displayed in the UK's fifth WPS National Action Plan, during this 25th anniversary year of UN Security Council resolution 1325. We will prioritise advocating for women's full, meaningful and safe participation, engaging with Women's Rights Organisations and tackling violence against women, including Conflict Related Sexual Violence.

We look forward to providing a written update to Parliament on the progress the UK has made towards the National Action Plan's five strategic objectives in due course.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department plans to support steps to help tackle malnutrition at the Nutrition for Growth Summit in Paris in March 2025; and whether he plans to maintain funding for such programmes in the official development assistance budget from 2027.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Prime Minister has set out a new strategic vision for government spending on defence and security and Official Development Assistance (ODA). Detailed decisions on how the ODA budget will be used will be worked through as part of the ongoing Spending Review based on various factors including impact assessments.

The UK worked in close partnership with France to make the recent Nutrition for Growth (N4G) summit in Paris a success. The Minister for International Development led the UK delegation. Alongside the Scaling-Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement and other partners, the Minister launched the Global Compact on Nutrition Integration.

Partners have welcomed the Compact as a new initiative to drive change, and a positive signal of the UK's continued leadership on development. We will continue to support new approaches like this as we modernise our approach to international development.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what action they are taking to determine the number and identity of people who were dismissed from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office as a result of the ban on homosexuality for serving officers in the Diplomatic Service; and whether they will apologise to those who were dismissed on these grounds.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) officials have continued looking into this and I am eager to bring this to a resolution further to the apology for the ban from Sir Philip Barton (then Permanent Under-Secretary) in 2021. We continue to learn the lessons of the MOD's Etherton Review but it has become apparent how different the circumstances of the ban were, therefore requiring a different response. The FCDO are currently looking at the best way to address this, engaging with Cabinet Office and other relevant Government departments to find the best solution. Specifically, the new Permanent Under-Secretary is engaged on this issue and we are talking to officials and Ministers across Government to find the most appropriate solution.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support regional and sub-regional peace processes to end the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, including the Nairobi and Luanda peace processes.

Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The UK has been active in supporting regionally led peace efforts. My first visits to Africa as Minister for Africa were to Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda, to meet with heads of state and encourage engagement in good faith African-led peace processes. I also spoke to the Ugandan Foreign Minister to discuss the importance of an African led solution to the conflict. The Foreign Secretary met with President Tshisekedi in Kinshasa and President Kagame in Kigali on 21 and 22 February to urge them to meaningfully engage in African-led peace processes and honour their commitments from the Southern African Development Community-East African Community Summit. The Foreign Secretary has also spoken to South African and Kenyan Foreign Ministers. The UK remain in close contact with key partners across Africa, North America and Europe in support of regional peace processes to end the conflict in DRC.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what meetings (a) he and (b) his Ministers have had with the (i) Albanian, (ii) Polish, (iii) Romanian, (iv) Irish and (v) Jamaican Government to discuss increasing the number of foreign national offenders returned from UK prisons in the last six months.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Increasing the numbers of foreign national offender returns from our prisons is a priority for this government. We are working with international partners to achieve this.

In the last six months, the Foreign Secretary discussed criminal justice cooperation with Poland when he met Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski in December 2024 and with Albania when he met Albanian Foreign Minister Igli Hasani on 19 March.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of working with co-operative movements (a) in the UK and (b) globally.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Government recognises the important contribution cooperatives have made in serving local communities around the world. Cooperatives are a tried-and-tested model in international development, that can enable citizens and producers to access services or markets and strengthen their voice in local processes. Cooperatives can enable sustainable and inclusive development centred on self-help, democratic ownership, and concern for the community. The UK has supported cooperatives and producer organisations in developing countries, including, for example in agriculture through funding to the Global Agriculture and Food Security Programme (GAFSP), which supports producer organisations, and the Commercial Agriculture for Smallholders and Agribusiness Programme (CASA), which partners with cooperatives and small agribusinesses in low-income countries to improve smallholder farmers' access to markets.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer 2 April 2025 to Question 41781 on Sovereignty: Greenland, what steps he is taking to support the the (a) Government of Greenland and (b) the Kingdom of Denmark.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Foreign Secretary and I have been clear that Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark, and the future of their constitutional arrangements is a matter for the people and Government of Greenland, and the Kingdom of Denmark.

We look forward to working with Greenland's new government and will continue to maintain strong ties with all parts of the Kingdom of Denmark. I have met Greenland's Foreign Minister twice since taking office and have also discussed bilateral cooperation with the Faroese Foreign Minister. The Prime Minister hosted Danish Prime Minister Frederiksen in London on 4 February for bilateral discussions.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what long term support the Government plans to provide the International Commission on Missing Persons to support their work in identifying those still missing from (a) the war in Bosnia-Herzegovina and (b) the Genocide at Srebrenica.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK supports post-conflict reconciliation in the Western Balkans, through diplomatic and programmatic efforts. This has included funding for the International Commission on Missing Persons for work in the Western Balkans, including for Regional Co-operation through the Missing Persons Group. The UK allocated £150,000 to the International Commission on Missing Persons for the period 1 July 2024 to 1 July 2025. The UK does not currently have plans for funding beyond this period.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what funding the Government plans to provide to Regional Co-operation in Accounting for Missing Persons in the Western Balkans (The Missing Person Group) of the International Commission on Missing Persons in the (a) 2025-26 and (b) 2026-27 financial years.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK supports post-conflict reconciliation in the Western Balkans, through diplomatic and programmatic efforts. This has included funding for the International Commission on Missing Persons for work in the Western Balkans, including for Regional Co-operation through the Missing Persons Group. The UK allocated £150,000 to the International Commission on Missing Persons for the period 1 July 2024 to 1 July 2025. The UK does not currently have plans for funding beyond this period.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to help support British journalists who face arbitrary detention overseas.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK is committed to Media Freedom, and to championing democracy and human rights around the world. The Government takes allegations concerning the arbitrary detention of British nationals - including journalists - very seriously. We examine the circumstances of each case individually and develop tailored strategies based on careful judgements on what is likely to be most effective. Where appropriate, we seek to raise concerns with the local authorities and press for specific violations to be remedied or investigated. We expect all states to comply with their human rights obligations.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential role of (a) co-operatives and (b) co-operation in his Department's approach to international development.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Government recognises the important contribution cooperatives have made in serving local communities around the world. Cooperatives are a tried-and-tested model in international development, that can enable citizens and producers to access services or markets and strengthen their voice in local processes. Cooperatives can enable sustainable and inclusive development centred on self-help, democratic ownership, and concern for the community. The UK has supported cooperatives and producer organisations in developing countries, including, for example in agriculture through funding to the Global Agriculture and Food Security Programme (GAFSP), which supports producer organisations, and the Commercial Agriculture for Smallholders and Agribusiness Programme (CASA), which partners with cooperatives and small agribusinesses in low-income countries to improve smallholder farmers' access to markets.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how the terms of the agreement to lease the Chagos Islands differs from the deal that the Permanent Representative of Mauritius to the UN offered to the United States in July 2020.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Once an agreement is reached and the Treaty is signed, the Treaty will be put before both Houses for scrutiny under the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act (CRaG) process in the usual way.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has faced legal challenge on the use of assets derived from sanctioned (a) individuals and (b) entities.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

UK financial sanctions limit the provision of certain financial services and restrict access to financial markets, funds, and economic resources. Financial sanctions do not involve a change in ownership of the frozen funds, or economic resources, nor are they confiscated or transferred to the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation for safekeeping.

The G7 is providing Ukraine with $50 billion of funding as part of the Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration scheme. The first £752 million of the UK's £2.26 billion contribution was received by Ukraine earlier this month and will be used to strengthen their defence capabilities in the face of Russian aggression. The G7's funding will be repaid by the profits generated on holdings of immobilised Russian sovereign assets in the EU.

Separately, we continue our work at pace with allies to consider all lawful routes to ensure Russia pays for the damage it is causing Ukraine. The Foreign Secretary is having regular discussions with key partners on this issue, including at the Weimar+ Group on Monday 31 March.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to monitor the safety and well-being of family members of individuals who worked with the UK Government in Afghanistan prior to Taliban rule.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We are continuing to support eligible Afghans who worked with us to resettle in UK. His Majesty's Government has welcomed over 31,000 eligible individuals, including family members, to the UK and continue to support relocation of the remaining eligible Afghans through our schemes.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the [humanitarian OR security] situation in (a) Zamzam and (b) El Fashir in north Darfur.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The security situation in El Fasher and around the ZamZam camp remains tense and civilians are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. The UK led a United Nations Security Council press statement on 31 January 2025 to condemn the intensifying assaults on El Fasher by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), and the attack on the Saudi Teaching Maternal Hospital. This followed our leadership on resolution 2736 in June 2024 which demanded the RSF ends its siege on El Fasher, and that the crucial Adre border crossing be re-opened for humanitarian delivery. All sides must commit to protecting civilians. The UK continues to engage with all sides in this conflict to ensure this is the case.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions (a) he has and (b) his ministerial colleagues have had with counterparts from countries in the Middle East on the ending of Hamas' role in the future governance of Gaza.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Foreign Secretary welcomed the Arab initiative of a Recovery and Reconstruction Plan for Gaza, alongside Foreign Ministers of France, Germany and Italy on 8 March. Reconstruction efforts must be based upon a solid political and security framework that provides long-term peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians alike. We are committed to working with the Arab initiative, Palestinians and Israel, including on security and governance, and are engaging international partners to support efforts. We are clear there can be no role for Hamas. The UK supports a central role for the Palestinian Authority.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will list which of his counterparts from countries in the Middle East region (a) he and (b) his ministerial colleagues have met with to discuss (i) the release of hostages held and (ii) securing a lasting peace in Gaza.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Securing an immediate ceasefire and the safe release of all hostages has been a priority for this government since the start of this conflict. We will not stop until they are all home.

We thank Qatar, Egypt, and the US for their support in bringing these individuals' and their families' horrific ordeal to an end. Our thoughts are also with those still waiting to be reunited with their loved ones, including the family of UK linked hostage's. Since the renewed outbreak of hostilities, the Foreign Secretary has spoken to Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs, Ron Dermer on 20 March and to his Israeli counterpart Foreign Minister Sa'ar on 21 March during which he urged that Israel do all it can to return to a ceasefire in Gaza. The Foreign Secretary also remains in regular contact with US Secretary of State Rubio.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to support a cessation of hostilities between Israel and Lebanese Hizballah.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK has made clear the importance that all sides maintain a cessation of hostilities and work towards securing a lasting peace. This is the only way to restore security and stability for the people living on either side of the border. The UK continues to engage Israel and Lebanon to urge them to build on the progress made and implement fully the terms of the ceasefire agreement.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to review the status of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham as a proscribed terrorist group.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Government does not routinely comment on whether a group is being considered for proscription or de-proscription.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps he is taking to prevent Iran from providing (a) weapons and (b) resources to terrorist proxies in the Middle East.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary have both made clear to their Iranian counterparts that Iran must restrain its proxies and partners and cease providing them with weaponry and other resources.

We will continue to work with our international partners to tackle this malign behaviour, including by holding Iran to account in multilateral fora and through sanctions; addressing Iranian weapons proliferation and illicit finance channels; and maintaining our permanent defence presence in the region.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help prevent a breakdown of the peace agreement in Tigray.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK is working with partners to prevent a return to conflict in the region by supporting implementation of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement. On 13 March, the UK issued a joint statement with the European Union and 23 other countries emphasising our support for the agreement and urging all parties to refrain from violence and engage in urgent dialogue.

We regularly engage all parties and the African Union guarantors of the agreement, to encourage implementation on the return of internally displaced persons and other outstanding issues. The UK also provides support for the demobilisation, disarmament, and reintegration process and funds the African Union's monitoring of the agreement as well as international and Ethiopian human rights monitoring. We also support investigatory capacity building across the country.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of proposed funding reductions to (a) Overseas Development Assistance and (b) USAID on the rebuilding of Tigray following the cessation of the civil war in Ethiopia.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Women and girls are a priority focus of UK aid across Ethiopia. UK aid is providing safe spaces for women and girls as well as support across health, social and legal services.

Detailed decisions on how the future Official Development Assistance budget will be used will be determined as part of the ongoing Spending Review. We are assessing implications of the US funding pause across development sectors and geographic regions including Ethiopia. We are gathering information and working with donor partners to share analysis of the pause and understand its impact.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what development aid his Department is providing to Tigray in Ethiopia to help (a) support the victims of sexual violence and (b) tackle violence against women and girls.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Women and girls are a priority focus of UK aid across Ethiopia. UK aid is providing safe spaces for women and girls as well as support across health, social and legal services.

Detailed decisions on how the future Official Development Assistance budget will be used will be determined as part of the ongoing Spending Review. We are assessing implications of the US funding pause across development sectors and geographic regions including Ethiopia. We are gathering information and working with donor partners to share analysis of the pause and understand its impact.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department is taking steps to harmonise sanctions against Belarus with those imposed on Russia; and if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of such harmonisation on (a) the protection of human rights, (b) support for political prisoners and (c) other UK foreign policy objectives in Belarus.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK has sanctioned over 200 Belarusian individuals and entities to date, in response to both human rights abuses in Belarus, and the Lukashenko regime's support for Putin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. There are also a range of broad UK sanctions measures in place in Belarus, targeting goods and technologies. We keep further sanctions against Belarus under review.

Sanctions are just one of the tools we use. Alongside our partners and multilateral organisations, the UK consistently calls for human rights abuses to be investigated and for the release of all political prisoners immediately and unconditionally. In August 2024, the UK announced £2.5 million of funding to support the survival of Belarusian human rights and civil society causes in the face of continued political pressure.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the implications for its policies of the human rights situation in Egypt.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Egypt is a human rights priority country for the UK. This informs our policies towards the country, and we do not shy away from raising our human rights concerns with the Government; our strong relationship with Egypt enables us to do so. The Prime Minister raised a human rights concern with President Sisi on 28 February. The National Security Advisor raised a human rights concern with the Foreign Minister Abdelatty on 2 March. The UK participated in the Universal Periodic Review of Egypt at the UN Human Rights Council on 28 January, expressing concern about the arbitrary detention of journalists, activists and human rights defenders, recommending that Human Rights Defender Alaa Abd El-Fattah be released, that all detainees held for exercising their right to freedom of expression are released, that restrictions on news and social media websites be lifted, and that the new Criminal Procedures Code guarantees fair trial standards, and ends the practice of 'rotating' detainees in pre-trial detention.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of his policy on arms trade with Israel.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We have continued to review export licences for items to Israel and assess that there are no extant licences for items that might be used to commit or facilitate a serious violation of International Humanitarian Law. This is subject to the specific measures set out to Parliament excluding exports to the global F-35 programme from the scope of the suspension. There are a number of export licences which we have assessed are not for use by the Israeli Defense Forces in military operations in Gaza and therefore do not require suspension. These include military items such as components for trainer aircraft or components for air defence systems, and other, non-military, items such as food-testing chemicals, telecoms, and data equipment.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether UK-made F-35 parts have been used in airstrikes in Gaza since 18 March 2025.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK's robust export licensing criteria states that the Government will not issue export licences if there is a clear risk that the items might be used to commit or facilitate serious violations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL). In September 2024, following an IHL review, we have suspended certain export licences to Israel where we have assessed there is a clear risk that they might be used to commit or facilitate serious violations of IHL. The suspension of relevant export licences for Israel will be kept under review and we hope to see evidence of sustained improvements that address concerns relating to IHL. We would not comment on speculation about future export licencing decisions.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the International Criminal Court’s granting of arrest warrants for the Israeli prime minister and former defence minister.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We respect the independence of the International Criminal Court (ICC) which is the primary international institution for investigating and prosecuting the most serious crimes of international concern. As the Foreign Secretary said last week, we urgently want to see a return to a ceasefire. Our focus is on urging all parties to return to talks, implement the ceasefire agreement in full and work towards a permanent peace.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make representations to his Iranian counterparts on the findings of the UN Special Rapporteur’s report A/HRC/58/49 on the obstruction of Baha’i burials in Iran; and whether he plans to call for international action to help tackle the desecration of Baha’i cemeteries and wider religious persecution in Iran.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We are aware of the United Nations Special Rapporteur's report which details the severe repression Baha'is face in Iran. We continue to make representations to Iran in multilateral fora regarding our opposition to its treatment of Baha'is, including at the Human Rights Council on 18 March 2025. We were integral to the delivery of the Iran human rights resolution, adopted by the United Nations Third Committee in November 2024, which spotlighted Iran's restrictions against Freedom of Religion or Belief, particularly the undue restrictions on burials carried out under religious tenets, and called on Iran to cease the desecration of cemeteries. The UK raised the ongoing repression of Baha'is at Iran's Universal Period Review on 24 January. We continue to raise human rights directly with the Iranian government, including through our Ambassador in Tehran.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support vaccine distribution in conflict affected areas of Sudan.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The conflict in Sudan and the widespread destruction of sanitation and health services has caused a devastating cholera outbreak. Two-thirds of states in Sudan are experiencing more than three different disease outbreaks, which are exacerbated by the widening climatic shocks. In response, the UK is supporting United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and others who are delivering lifesaving emergency health interventions including cholera vaccines, treatment, and prevention. Specifically, we are also contributing to an ongoing cholera vaccination campaign in Kosti and Rabak, targeting one million people. UK aid is also addressing related needs across the region given the cross-border risks of Sudan's cholera outbreak. We continue to urge all parties in Sudan to facilitate humanitarian access so that aid reaches those most in need.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what support his Department is providing to GAVI to ensure equitable vaccine distribution in Sudan.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The conflict in Sudan and the widespread destruction of sanitation and health services has caused a devastating cholera outbreak. Two-thirds of states in Sudan are experiencing more than three different disease outbreaks, which are exacerbated by the widening climatic shocks. In response, the UK is supporting United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and others who are delivering lifesaving emergency health interventions including cholera vaccines, treatment, and prevention. Specifically, we are also contributing to an ongoing cholera vaccination campaign in Kosti and Rabak, targeting one million people. UK aid is also addressing related needs across the region given the cross-border risks of Sudan's cholera outbreak. We continue to urge all parties in Sudan to facilitate humanitarian access so that aid reaches those most in need.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to tackle vaccine preventable diseases including (a) measles and (b) cholera in hard to reach areas of Sudan.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The conflict in Sudan and the widespread destruction of sanitation and health services has caused a devastating cholera outbreak. Two-thirds of states in Sudan are experiencing more than three different disease outbreaks, which are exacerbated by the widening climatic shocks. In response, the UK is supporting United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and others who are delivering lifesaving emergency health interventions including cholera vaccines, treatment, and prevention. Specifically, we are also contributing to an ongoing cholera vaccination campaign in Kosti and Rabak, targeting one million people. UK aid is also addressing related needs across the region given the cross-border risks of Sudan's cholera outbreak. We continue to urge all parties in Sudan to facilitate humanitarian access so that aid reaches those most in need.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with his Israeli counterparts on reported Israeli settler attacks on Masafer Yatta in the West Bank.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Foreign Secretary continues to raise the rights of Palestinians and the need for Israel to hold settler violence to account in his engagements with Israeli counterparts. and The Foreign Secretary has also met Palestinian community members in the West Bank where he heard how communities are affected. We have always been clear that Israeli settlements are illegal under international law and harm prospects for a two-state solution. We condemn settler violence, and we are clear that the Israeli government must crack down on settler violence, stop settlement expansion and reject annexation of the West Bank. The demolitions of Palestinian homes causes unnecessary extensive suffering to Palestinians. In all but the most exceptional of cases, demolitions by an occupying power are contraryct to international law. Israel must cease its policy of demolitions and provide a clear route to construction for Palestinians in Area C.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of (a) Hezbollah’s presence and (b) Israeli military action on the (i) civilian and (ii) refugee populations of southern Lebanon.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

A political solution consistent with resolution 1701 is the only way to ensure lasting security and stability for the people living on either side of the Israel-Lebanon border. The devastation from this conflict and the human suffering must be addressed. The UK has played a leading role in addressing the humanitarian situation in Lebanon. In total, UK government has announced £41 million of support for Financial Year 24/25 so far, this includes £25 million to respond to the widespread lack of shelter, reduced access to clean water, hygiene and healthcare, and to address basic needs. The UK will continue to play its part to support those in need.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions his Department has had with (a) officials and (b) Ministerial counterparts in (i) Israel and (ii) Lebanon about the situation in southern Lebanon.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK has raised the ceasefire and other related issues with Israeli and Lebanese counterparts and will continue to do so. The Foreign Secretary has discussed ceasefire implementation with President Aoun. Most recently, the Foreign Secretary discussed a range of issues with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar and Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer. I have also discussed the ongoing situation with Lebanese Prime Minister Salam and recently spoke with the Lebanese Foreign Minister. Officials maintain regular contact with their Israeli and Lebanese counterparts.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the (a) presence and (b) military capacity of Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK expects Lebanese Hizballah to abide fully by the terms of the ceasefire agreement. This means withdrawing from areas of southern Lebanon and to enable an enhanced Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) deployment into these areas as stipulated under the terms of the ceasefire agreement and support implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701. The LAF are essential to the future security and stability of Lebanon and the UK stands ready to support their deployment to southern Lebanon.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to facilitate safe humanitarian access and protection of civilians in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The UK is deeply concerned by the limited ability of humanitarian actors to get help to civilians. On 25 February, the UK issued a statement following the Foreign Secretary's visits to Kinshasa and Kigali to announce measures against Rwanda and call for an immediate cessation of hostilities, humanitarian access, respect for international humanitarian law, meaningful engagement with African-led peace processes, and the withdrawal of all Rwanda Defence Forces from Congolese territory. The UK has committed £20 million to International Committee of the Red Cross for their 2025 appeal, a proportion of which will support a programme that includes mediating safe passage. The UK condemns human rights abuses by all armed groups in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We call on all parties to uphold International Humanitarian Law, protect women and girls and combat impunity.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, for what reason the Chagos Islands agreement was not finalised in early March 2025.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon. Member to the response given to his previous Question 41388, which remains the same.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of ongoing human rights abuses in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, particularly in North and South Kivu, on freedom of religion or belief; and what representations they have made to international partners regarding the protection of religious minorities in areas affected by violence from M23 and other armed groups.

Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Human rights in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), including promoting respect between different religious and non-religious groups, are a priority for the UK. We work with the United Nations and other multilateral bodies to promote and protect them. Our Ambassador in Kinshasa and Ministers regularly raise protection of human rights with the government of DRC. We are alarmed and saddened by the attacks by IS-affiliated Allied Democratic Forces on Christian communities and the resulting loss of life. There is no evidence so far that churches have been specifically targeted by M23 rebels. The UK continues to remind all parties of their obligations under international humanitarian law and make clear that all those who have committed human rights violations and abuses must be held accountable.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what specific legal and judicial expertise they are funding to support legislative changes aimed at protecting freedom of religion or belief in countries with blasphemy laws.

Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Government is deeply concerned by the use of blasphemy laws that undermine human rights including freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) and freedom of expression. The UK regularly raises FoRB issues in multilateral fora and our important bilateral work.

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office continues to work with countries (or governments) that request support on legislative reform through our programme funding, including the John Bunyan Fund, a designated programme for FoRB-focused overseas projects, and the Rule of Law Expertise (ROLE UK) programme.

Together with our partners, including the International Bar Association Human Rights Institute and the UK legal sector, we are supporting efforts across seven countries in this area, including on increasing knowledge on international standards and protections through existing legislation.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with his EU counterparts on the potential merits of introducing a special envoy on the freedom of religion or belief.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK is committed to championing freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all. No one should live in fear because of what they do or do not believe in.

The appointment of David Smith MP as the UK Special Envoy for FoRB in December 2024 is a clear signal of the UK's ongoing commitment to the promotion of this right around the world. Many of our European partners, including the EU itself, have also appointed envoys focusing on FoRB. The UK Envoy works closely with his international counterparts, including through the Article 18 Alliance, to promote FoRB for all.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential impact of reported attacks on religious communities and places of worship in Ukraine by Russian forces on freedom of religion or belief in that country.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We are deeply disturbed by the impact of Russia's illegal war on Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB), as well as the damage done to places of worship and religious significance. Following Russia's extension into the occupied territories in Ukraine, its domestic repression of FoRB sees Orthodox Church of Ukraine clergy, Crimean Tatars, the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church and Protestant Churches suffer repression and physical abuse. This includes the prohibition of religious literature and arbitrary arrests and detentions, where religious figures are reportedly subjected to torture. Jehovah's Witnesses have been banned altogether. Russia's war is not just an attempt to destroy Ukraine's democracy, but their identity and culture - extending to Ukraine's religious and belief communities.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on increased tax receipts as a result of new registers of beneficial ownership in overseas territories and crown dependencies.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Home Office and Treasury officials coordinate regularly on work around advancing beneficial ownership transparency. We are clear on the benefits of accessible registers of beneficial ownership, which not only include tackling illicit finance and corruption, but also fighting tax and sanctions evasion.

At the Overseas Territories Joint Ministerial Council (JMC) in November 2024, the Falkland Islands and Saint Helena committed to join Montserrat and Gibraltar in implementing fully public registers by April 2025. The British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Bermuda, Anguilla and Turks and Caicos Islands agreed to implement registers of beneficial ownership, accessible to those with a legitimate interest, by June 2025. It remains our expectation that the Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies will ultimately implement fully public registers.

The Crown Dependencies have committed to increasing the transparency of their beneficial ownership registers and are working towards implementing access to those with legitimate interest, in line with the EU's 6th Anti-Money Laundering Directive.

I have and will continue to raise this directly with elected leaders across the Overseas Territories, and Home Office Ministers and officials will continue to engage with the Crown Dependencies. I regularly engage with Ministerial colleagues on matters related to the Overseas Territories, including in HM Treasury.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has considered alternative (a) funding strategies and (b) partnerships to help tackle HIV/AIDS, in the context of the proposed reduction in Official Development Allowance funding.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK remains committed to the global HIV response and regularly engages in dialogue, and works in partnership, with other likeminded countries towards achieving a collective goal of ending HIV and AIDS as a public health threat globally, including in developing countries. The UK looks forward to co-hosting the Global Fund's 8th replenishment (2026-28) alongside South Africa. It will be the first time that the Global Fund replenishment has been co-hosted in partnership with the Global South, reflecting the UK Government's commitment to working in genuine partnership with the Global South as part of its modernised development agenda, and our new approach to Africa. The reduced ODA settlement is for 2026/27 onwards and we will be taking a rigorous approach to ensuring all ODA delivers value for money. The impact on specific programmes will be informed by the ongoing Spending Review and departmental resource allocation processes. We will set out plans in the usual way in due course.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of changes to Overseas Development Assistance on the Africa Strategy.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Official Development Assistance (ODA) allocations and the impact on programmes are being worked through following the decision to reduce UK ODA from 0.5 per cent of GNI to 0.3 per cent in 2027.

We will set out our spending plans following the completion of the spending review.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when he plans to appear before the International Development Committee.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office officials are in contact with the International Development Committee clerks to identify a date for the Foreign Secretary to give evidence.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department is taking steps to help mitigate the impact of reductions in funding for global HIV/AIDS programmes.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The reduced ODA settlement is for 2026/27 onwards and we will be taking a rigorous approach to ensuring all ODA delivers value for money. The impact on specific programmes will be informed by the ongoing Spending Review and departmental resource allocation processes. We will set out plans in the usual way in due course.

We remain committed to our long-standing support to global health organisations at the core of the response to HIV and AIDS, and we continue to support efforts to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030. We are excited to be co-hosting the 8th replenishment of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria together with South Africa. In countries where the Global Fund invests, AIDS-related deaths have declined by 73 per cent since 2002.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how he plans to (a) monitor and (b) enforce the prohibition on the presence of foreign security forces on the outer Chagos islands.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Honourable Member to the answer I gave to the Urgent Question on the British Indian Ocean Territory on 2 April 2025.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure that activities on the outer Chagos islands do not impact the operation of Diego Garcia.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Honourable Member to the answer I gave to the Urgent Question on the British Indian Ocean Territory on 2 April 2025.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his international counterparts on tackling the persecution of Christians across the world.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

There is no space for religious intolerance in pluralistic, modern societies. We are championing the right to freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) and promoting tolerance and mutual respect through our engagement in multilateral fora, our bilateral work, and our programme funding. We will continue to recognise the issue of Christian persecution globally, alongside the persecution of other individuals on the basis of their religion or belief. The Special Envoy for FoRB met with European and US counterparts in the margins of the 58th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in March. We actively participate in the Article 18 Alliance - bringing together 38 Member States, 26 of whom are European, to discuss actions our nations can take so that together we can promote respect for FoRB worldwide. Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office officials attended the Article 18 Alliance and International Contact Group meetings in Geneva in March.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to tackle HIV-related deaths and infection, in the context of the proposed reduction in Official Development Allowance funding.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The reduced ODA settlement is for 2026/27 onwards and we will be taking a rigorous approach to ensuring all ODA delivers value for money. The impact on specific programmes will be informed by the ongoing Spending Review and departmental resource allocation processes. We will set out plans in the usual way in due course.

We remain committed to our long-standing support to global health organisations at the core of the response to HIV and AIDS, and we continue to support efforts to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030. We are excited to be co-hosting the 8th replenishment of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria together with South Africa. In countries where the Global Fund invests, AIDS-related deaths have declined by 73 per cent since 2002.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he is taking steps to integrate cooperative models into UK international development programmes.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Government recognises the important contribution cooperatives have made in serving local communities around the world. Cooperatives are a tried-and-tested model in international development, that can enable citizens and producers to access services or markets and strengthen their voice in local processes. Cooperatives can enable sustainable and inclusive development centred on self-help, democratic ownership, and concern for the community. The UK has supported cooperatives and producer organisations in developing countries, including, for example in agriculture through funding to the Global Agriculture and Food Security Programme (GAFSP), which supports producer organisations, and the Commercial Agriculture for Smallholders and Agribusiness Programme (CASA), which partners with cooperatives and small agribusinesses in low-income countries to improve smallholder farmers' access to markets.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 24 March 2025 to Question 38981 on China: Foreign Influence Registration Scheme, whether his Department has received representations from China on (a) the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme and (b) that country being included in the enhanced tier.

Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the response given to her previous Question 36631, which remains the same.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, following reports that China has used the death penalty on four Canadian citizens this year, whether they will direct the Great Britain–China Centre to suspend its training and cooperation with members of China's judiciary until executions cease.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK is opposed to the death penalty in all circumstances as a matter of principle. This Government believes that the death penalty's use undermines human dignity, that there is no conclusive evidence of its deterrent value, and that any miscarriage of justice leading to its imposition is irreversible and irreparable.

Great Britain-China Centre (GBCC) has for many years worked to reduce the application of the death penalty in China, with the ultimate goal of abolition, by providing technical legal training to defence lawyers and support to legislative reforms that restrict the use of the death penalty. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office does not provide funding to this work within GBCC's Grant-in-Aid.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they are committed to maintaining the Global Mine Action Programme.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's Global Mine Action Programme is being maintained through the financial year 25/26. Beyond this, Official Development Assistance (ODA) allocations and the impact on programmes are being worked through following the decision to reduce UK ODA from 0.5 per cent of GNI to 0.3 per cent in 2027. We will be taking a rigorous approach to ensure all ODA delivers value for money. We will set out our spending plans following the completion of the Spending Review and departmental resource allocation processes.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the Minister for International Development’s letter of 14 March 2025 to the International Development Select Committee, how many (a) business cases, (b) contracts and (c) agreements for aid programmes were put on hold following the instruction issued to aid programmes.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

As an immediate step to prepare for the reduction to the UK's Official Development Assistance (ODA) budget, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) issued an instruction on 7 March to all ODA programme teams in FCDO not to approve new business cases, contracts or agreements, or announce new funding until initial allocations for FCDO ODA in the financial year 2025/26 are set. Payments under existing agreements has continued. In the Minister for Development's letter of Thursday 27 March to the International Development Committee, she confirmed FCDO's approach to setting initial ODA allocations for the financial year 2025/26, including the broad criteria against which new business cases, contracts and agreements will be considered through an exemption process. Given the ongoing exemption process, it is not possible to set out a total number of new business cases, contracts and agreements that FCDO ODA programme teams may have progressed but did not do so as a result of this approach. Guidance has been provided to teams to enable the ongoing development of business cases in high priority areas.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the oral statement by the Prime Minister of 25 February 2025 on Defence and Security, Official Report, column 634, what steps he plans to take to provide humanitarian support in Sudan; and which aid programmes will continue to operate.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Sudan conflict has created the largest and most severe humanitarian crisis in the world with over 30 million people in need of assistance. UK funded organisations are providing life-saving assistance in Sudan and to those who have sought refuge in Chad and other neighbouring countries. This financial year (FY) the UK will provide £226.5 million towards the crisis. This funding includes support to key UN agencies such as the World Food Programme (WFP) and UNICEF who are providing critical food assistance and other support. We are also one of the largest donors to the UN-led Sudan Humanitarian Fund (SHF) which provides support to local and national responders, Emergency Response Rooms and international non-governmental organisations. The UK continues to support the International Committee of the Red Cross, including their work on emergency preparedness and response, protection of civilians, and providing life-saving healthcare across Sudan. Once budgets for FY 25/26 have been finalised we will be able to share information about those programmes that will continue.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking with international partners to help ensure that UN Member States pay assessed contributions (a) in full and (b) on time.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK is proud of its longstanding support to the UN. We continue to show leadership and, together with partners, call on Member States to pay their Regular Budget contributions "in full and on time", as the UK has done consistently. We unambiguously assert this at all international meetings that include discussions on UN budgetary issues, particularly in the current UN liquidity crisis.

The UK submitted its regular budget contribution of USD $137 million for 2025 "in full and on time"; the first permanent UN Security Council member to do so and 7th overall.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of establishing a Western-led initiative to provide nuclear energy infrastructure to the Global South.

Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office monitors international interest in nuclear energy and engages with western partners to understand and discuss this context. We expect nuclear energy to be part of the future energy mix for some countries and support the work done to ensure its safe and secure development.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions his Department has had with developing countries on identifying UK-backed nuclear energy partnerships.

Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is keen to understand and support countries with their transition to low carbon energy and engages in regular conversations with many countries, including developing countries. Understanding if, when, where and how civil nuclear plays a role in that transition is an important part of this conversation.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his counterpart in Israel on the rights of residents in Masafer Yatta in the West Bank.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Government condemns settler violence, and we are clear that the Israeli government must crack down on settler violence, stop settlement expansion, halt demolitions of Palestinian homes and reject annexation of the West Bank. The Foreign Secretary continues to raise the rights of Palestinians and the need for Israel to hold settler violence to account in his engagements with Israeli counterparts. We have always been clear that Israeli settlements are illegal under international law and harm prospects for a two-state solution. The demolitions of Palestinian homes causes unnecessary suffering to Palestinians. In all but the most exceptional of cases, demolitions by an occupying power are contrary to international law. Israel must cease its policy of demolitions and provide a clear route to construction for Palestinians in Area C.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 20 March 2025 to Question 36369 on Guyana: Politics and Government, what steps he plans to take with international counterparts to de-escalate tensions related to Guyana's territorial integrity.

Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Foreign Secretary reiterated UK support for Guyana's territorial integrity on 2 March following the incursion of a Venezuelan coast guard vessel into Guyanese waters. The Joint Statement of the G7 Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Charlevoix further underlined support for Guyana. The UK will continue to work with our international partners to de-escalate tensions and underline support for the ongoing International Court of Justice process, for which Venezuela is due to submit their final written submission in August, as the lawful means of resolving this controversy.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help children maintain access to essential public services in countries impacted by climate change.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Climate change is one of the most significant challenges facing children around the world. We know that children are disproportionately at risk from the effects of climate change, and children and young people will be at the forefront of shaping a resilient, sustainable future. The UK-led Glasgow Climate Pact urges Parties and stakeholders to ensure meaningful youth participation and representation in multilateral, national and local decision-making processes. We championed this approach at COP29, with the former Minister of State for Development meeting youth climate activists from developing countries, and UK Special Representative for Climate Rachel Kyte attending events alongside universities and the UN Youth Office to highlight the critical role of youth in climate action. I have also met with young people to discuss the impacts of climate change during my first to our overseas territories in the Caribbean.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 20 March 2025 to Question 36369 Guyana: Politics and Government, what steps have been taken by the Commonwealth Ministerial Group on Guyana to support Guyana's territorial integrity.

Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Commonwealth Ministerial Group on Guyana (CMGG) met on 3 September 2024 to discuss developments in the border controversy between Guyana and Venezuela. The group reiterated its support for Guyana's territorial integrity and for the ongoing International Court of Justice process. The Group also encouraged the Commonwealth Secretary-General to continue to use her Good Offices to support Guyana in upholding its territorial integrity. On 2 March 2025, the Secretary-General firmly condemned the entry of a Venezuelan coast guard vessel into Guyanese waters. Commonwealth support for Guyana's territorial integrity was also amplified by the Leaders' Statement following the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2024.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his (a) EU and (b) US counterparts on the use of (i) proceeds from the sale of Chelsea Football Club and other (ii) assets (A) frozen and (B) seized via sanctions.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We are determined to see the proceeds from the sale of Chelsea FC reach humanitarian causes in Ukraine as soon as possible. The Government is working closely with the European Commission and Portugal on this issue. Separately, we continue our work at pace with allies to consider all lawful routes to ensure Russia pays for the damage it is causing Ukraine. The Foreign Secretary is having regular discussions with key partners on this issue, including at the Weimar+ Group on Monday 31 March.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to help secure the release of Peter and Barbie Reynolds from Afghan authorities.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We are supporting the family of two British nationals who are detained in Afghanistan. I met their family on 2 April and I am closely monitoring this case. We are unable to provide comment on the detail of individual consular cases in line with relevant UK data protection legislation: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/foreign-commonwealth-development-office/about/personal-information-charter.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will take steps to help prevent the religious persecution of Christians in Bangladesh.

Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK has a long-standing commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights, including Freedom of Religion or Belief. In November 2024, I visited Bangladesh and discussed the importance of the protection of religious minorities, including Christians, with Chief Adviser Yunus.

The UK is providing up to £27 million under the Bangladesh Collaborative, Accountable and Peaceful Politics programme for protecting civic and political space, fostering collaboration, reducing corruption, and mitigating tensions that lead to violence. We support the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and their report on the violations that occurred last year.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his international counterparts on promoting education that fosters respect between different faiths and genders.

Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK champions the right to freedom of religion or belief for all through our engagement in multilateral fora and our programme funding. We are committed to empowering women and girls around the world through our international work. The UK seeks to support quality, inclusive, and safe education systems that provide the knowledge and skills children need to thrive. Key to this is inclusive education which fosters respect between genders, which we support through several of our programmes and investments. For example, the UK's Education Quality Improvement Programme in Bangladesh (2021-2027) programme is enabling adolescent girls to stay in school by integrating gender-responsive approaches in national curricula and trialling innovative methods to support girls to remain and learn in schools.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to support humanitarian organisations in providing mental health support for workers who experience trauma in conflict zones.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We recognise the courage and commitment of those who take part in humanitarian operations and take their health and safety, including mental health and psychosocial well-being and safeguarding seriously.

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) funding arrangements require partners to demonstrate sufficient capacity and capability to meet their obligations, including those relating to the physical and mental health of staff. This is tested through the FCDO's due diligence framework, which considers risks relevant to the programme in question.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking with international counterparts to help tackle HIV/AIDS.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We are proud of our long-standing support to global health organisations at the core of the response to HIV and AIDS, including the Global Fund, Unitaid and UNAIDS which have helped reduce AIDS-related deaths by 69 per cent since the peak in 2004. The UK has played, and continues to play, a significant role in this success. We are pleased to be co-hosting the 8th replenishment of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria together with South Africa. In 2023, 25 million people were on lifesaving antiretroviral therapy in countries where the Global Fund invests.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of changes to Overseas Development Assistance on WASH funding worldwide.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK recognises the fundamental role that clean water, sanitation and good hygiene play in terms of improving people's health and wellbeing, in helping communities adapt to the impacts of climate change, and in empowering women and girls. Official Development Assistance (ODA) allocations and the impact on programmes are being worked through following the decision to reduce UK ODA from 0.5 per cent of gross national income to 0.3 per cent in 2027. We will set out our spending plans following the completion of the spending review.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 19 March 2025 to Question 36412 on Climate Change: Finance, when he plans to publish this data for the 2024-25 financial year.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

International Climate Finance spend for financial year 2024-25 will be available after the publication of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's Annual Report and Accounts later this year.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what support they are providing to (1) grassroots organisations, (2) local non-governmental organisations, (3) international non-governmental organisations, and (4) development partners, who advocate for sexual and reproductive health and rights in the Philippines.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK has supported efforts to advance sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in post-conflict areas of the Bangsamoro region, recognising that gender equality is essential to sustainable peace. The Integrated Security Fund Philippines programme has contributed to the development of the Bangsamoro Gender and Development Code and the Gender Ombud Guidelines, supported awareness-raising initiatives to end harmful practices such as child marriage, and worked with communities to strengthen the capacity of women's desks to provide better support for survivors of gender-based violence. The UK has also engaged with UNFPA to discuss how they can protect and promote SRHR in the Philippines further.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to release funds currently held by Roman Abramovich’s company Fordstam to Ukraine.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We are determined to see the proceeds from the sale of Chelsea FC reach humanitarian causes in Ukraine as soon as possible. We are doing everything we can to bring that about quickly. This is a complex legal issue, but the UK is working with international partners, has engaged with Abramovich's team, and is exploring all options to ensure the proceeds reach vulnerable people in Ukraine.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential role of cooperative models in strengthening economic resilience in developing countries.

Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Cooperatives and producer organisations have an important role to play in enabling smallholder farmers and communities to access services and markets and raise productivity sustainably. The UK has supported cooperatives and other forms of collective action through the Global Agriculture and Food Security Programme (GAFSP) managed by the World Bank, which has a dedicated funding facility for producer organisations, and the Commercial Agriculture for Smallholders and Agribusiness Programme (CASA), which provides support to help producer organisations in Africa access markets.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking with his European counterparts to help tackle (a) intolerance and (b) other discrimination against Christians in Europe.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

There is no space for religious intolerance in pluralistic, modern societies. We are championing the right to freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) and promoting tolerance and mutual respect through our engagement in multilateral fora, our bilateral work, and our programme funding. We will continue to recognise the impact of the issue of Christian persecution globally, alongside the persecution of other individuals on the basis of their religion or belief. The Special Envoy for FoRB met with European and US counterparts in the margins of the 58th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in March. We actively participate in the Article 18 Alliance - bringing together 38 Member States, 26 of whom are European, to discuss actions our nations can take so that together we can promote respect for FoRB worldwide. Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office officials attended the Article 18 Alliance and International Contact Group meetings in Geneva in March.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to apply further sanctions to assets associated with (a) the (i) owners and (ii) affiliated entities of Chelsea Football Club and (b) other Russian (A) people and (B) entities.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK has been clear that we need to keep the economic pressure on Russia to hinder its ability to wage war. The UK has sanctioned over 2,200 individuals and entities under the Russia sanctions regime, over 2,000 of which were sanctioned since Putin's full-scale invasion. We will not comment or speculate on future designations as to do so could reduce their impact. We are determined to see the proceeds from the sale of Chelsea FC reach humanitarian causes in Ukraine as soon as possible and we are doing everything we can to bring that about quickly.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps he is taking to help prevent the deterioration of the situation in southern Lebanon.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK has made clear that all sides must maintain a cessation of hostilities and work towards securing a lasting peace.  That is the only way to ensure security and stability for the people living on either side of the border. The UK continues to engage Israel and Lebanon to urge them to build on the progress made and implement fully the terms of the ceasefire agreement.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to address the causes of marginalisation of minority communities in Iran.

Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The UK remains committed to holding Iran accountable for its systemic targeting and repression of religious and ethnic minorities. We were integral to the delivery of the Iran human rights resolution, adopted by the United Nations Third Committee in November 2024, which called on Iran to cease monitoring individuals on account of their religious identity and to ensure rights are upheld, and to eliminate all forms of discrimination and human rights violations against ethnic minorities, including but not limited to, Ahwazi Arabs, Azerbaijani Turks, Baluchis and Kurds. In January, the Foreign Secretary raised human rights directly with his Iranian counterpart.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to change funding committed to the International Development Association.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK is strongly committed to the International Development Association and its centrality in development finance. The impacts of the decision to reduce UK Official Development Assistance (ODA) from 0.5 per cent of gross national income to 0.3 per cent are still being worked through and we will be taking a rigorous approach to ensure all ODA delivers value for money. We will set out our spending plans following the completion of the Spending Review and departmental resource allocation processes.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make representations to the Government of Japan to respond to longstanding correspondence relating to the sinking of the SS Tilawa.

Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The sinking of the S.S. Tilawa is a tragedy that has touched the lives of so many. Alongside the Prime Minister, I reiterate my heartfelt condolences to all the victims and families affected. On the 80th Anniversary of VEVJ Day this year, the UK will honour the lives lost in all conflicts, including those from the S.S. Tilawa on its important 83rd Anniversary. I cannot comment on the subject of correspondence to the Government of Japan regarding S.S. Tilawa, which is a private and reserved matter.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to mark the 83rd anniversary of the sinking of the SS Tilawa.

Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The sinking of the S.S. Tilawa is a tragedy that has touched the lives of so many. Alongside the Prime Minister, I reiterate my heartfelt condolences to all the victims and families affected. On the 80th Anniversary of VEVJ Day this year, the UK will honour the lives lost in all conflicts, including those from the S.S. Tilawa on its important 83rd Anniversary. I cannot comment on the subject of correspondence to the Government of Japan regarding S.S. Tilawa, which is a private and reserved matter.

Found: Given the important scrutiny role that the Committees play, I welcome your interest in the FCDO Spending

Found: Emma Hardy: With respect to Chagos, I will defer to the Minister from the FCDO.

Found: Emma Hardy: With respect to Chagos, I will defer to the Minister from the FCDO.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 13 February 2025 to Question 29029 on FCDO: Speeches, what guidance his Department has issued on whether substantive and scripted Ministerial speeches in government buildings which are not ministerial residences can include party political content where such speeches are being broadcast live using government resources.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

As outlined in the Ministerial Code, Government property should not generally be used for work that is in its essential nature about constituency or party political activities. The Permanent Secretary at the FCDO has explained that the essential nature of the speech in question was not party political. In line with the Government Communication Service Propriety & Ethics guidance, party political messaging should be removed before publication on gov.uk and was in this case.

Found: The FCDO estimates that around £10.3 million of UK aid spending may have benefited Myanmar in this way

Found: strategy 2023 to 2030 set out further aims for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO

Found: enquiries Email newsdesk@fcdo.gov.uk Telephone 020 7008 3100 Contact the FCDO

Found: Britain and Northern Ireland, that has a Memorandum of Understanding currently in place with the FCDO

Found: Britain and Northern Ireland, that has a Memorandum of Understanding currently in place with the FCDO

Found: From: FCDO Services Published 16 April 2025 Get emails about this page Documents

Found: ,Customer Number: 811065 ,Invoice Date:28/01/2025161571FOREIGN, COMMONWEALTH & DEVELOPMENT OFFICE (FCDO

Found: Customer no: 811065161571FOREIGN, COMMONWEALTH & DEVELOPMENT OFFICE (FCDO)GOVERNMENTYSTANDARD174021.75Management

Found: FCDO Services prompt payment data January to March 2025

Found: International Maritime Organization of 4 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7SR or found on the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office

Found: Mitchell, Andrew - Minister of State in the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office - ACOBA advice

Found: Mitchell, Andrew - Minister of State in the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office - ACOBA advice

Found: Mitchell, Andrew - Minister of State in the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office - ACOBA advice

Found: Mitchell, Andrew - Minister of State in the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office - ACOBA advice

Found: Mitchell, Andrew - Minister of State in the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office - ACOBA advice

Found: Mitchell, Andrew - Minister of State in the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office - ACOBA advice

Found: Mitchell, Andrew - Minister of State in the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office - ACOBA advice

Found: spokesperson for Equalities and Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Africa), Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office

Found: spokesperson for Equalities and Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Africa), Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office

Found: Scotland House London No Scottish Business Network Catering £443.70 27/Feb/2024Scotland House London FCDO