Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they plan to make to the government of Nigeria during the state visit by the President of Nigeria about reports of violence and persecution in the country and the important of protecting freedom and democratic standards ahead of the elections in 2027.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The State Visit provided an important opportunity to strengthen the UK-Nigeria Strategic Partnership across growth, security, migration, and foreign policy. As part of the programme, an interfaith serial, attended by President Tinubu and His Majesty the King, was hosted at Vicars Hall in Windsor, demonstrating the shared UK and Nigerian commitment to fostering constructive interfaith dialogue. The UK condemns violence against civilians of all religions in Nigeria. On democratic standards and the 2027 elections, I refer the Noble Lord to the answer provided in the House of Commons on 16th March 2026 in response to Question 118699, reproduced below:
The State Visit will provide an important opportunity to strengthen the UK-Nigeria Strategic Partnership across growth, security, migration, and foreign policy. As the largest democracy in Africa, Nigeria has an important role to play in upholding democratic norms, including ensuring a free, fair and credible Presidential election in 2027. The UK is supporting key legislative and institutional reform processes in the Nigerian National Assembly, with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Judiciary and other key institutions to strengthen Nigeria's democracy.
Asked by: Lord Bates (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the prime beneficiaries of UK aid are women and children.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The UK is committed to putting women and girls at the heart of everything we do, including our development spending. The Foreign Secretary recently announced that women and girls will be a central theme across all the FCDO's work - including development. She also announced a new target that at least 90 per cent of our bilateral Official Development Assistance programmes will have a focus on women and girls by 2030.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has made an assessment of the potential implications for UK policy towards Hong Kong of reports of restrictions on visits, legal access, religious practice and correspondence for political prisoners.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Reports of mistreatment in Hong Kong's prisons are deeply concerning. China's imposition of the National Security Law on Hong Kong has seen opposition stifled and dissent criminalised. The UK has called for the National Security Law to be repealed and for an end to the prosecution of all individuals charged under it. We continue to raise our concerns directly with the Chinese and Hong Kong authorities, as well as engaging with our international partners. The next Six-monthly Report to Parliament will be published in due course.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has made representations to the Hong Kong authorities on reported medical neglect, including delays in treatment and denial of prescription medication, to political prisoners in Hong Kong.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Reports of mistreatment in Hong Kong's prisons are deeply concerning. China's imposition of the National Security Law on Hong Kong has seen opposition stifled and dissent criminalised. The UK has called for the National Security Law to be repealed and for an end to the prosecution of all individuals charged under it. We continue to raise our concerns directly with the Chinese and Hong Kong authorities, as well as engaging with our international partners. The next Six-monthly Report to Parliament will be published in due course.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department plans to publish updated guidance on prison conditions and the treatment of political prisoners in Hong Kong in its next Six-Monthly Report.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Reports of mistreatment in Hong Kong's prisons are deeply concerning. China's imposition of the National Security Law on Hong Kong has seen opposition stifled and dissent criminalised. The UK has called for the National Security Law to be repealed and for an end to the prosecution of all individuals charged under it. We continue to raise our concerns directly with the Chinese and Hong Kong authorities, as well as engaging with our international partners. The next Six-monthly Report to Parliament will be published in due course.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has raised with the Chinese government reports that political prisoners in Hong Kong are being subjected to political indoctrination and so-called deradicalisation programmes.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Reports of mistreatment in Hong Kong's prisons are deeply concerning. China's imposition of the National Security Law on Hong Kong has seen opposition stifled and dissent criminalised. The UK has called for the National Security Law to be repealed and for an end to the prosecution of all individuals charged under it. We continue to raise our concerns directly with the Chinese and Hong Kong authorities, as well as engaging with our international partners. The next Six-monthly Report to Parliament will be published in due course.
Asked by: James Naish (Labour - Rushcliffe)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has discussed with international partners the potential merits of coordinated action in response to reported human rights abuses in Hong Kong prisons.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Reports of mistreatment in Hong Kong's prisons are deeply concerning. China's imposition of the National Security Law on Hong Kong has seen opposition stifled and dissent criminalised. The UK has called for the National Security Law to be repealed and for an end to the prosecution of all individuals charged under it. We continue to raise our concerns directly with the Chinese and Hong Kong authorities, as well as engaging with our international partners. The next Six-monthly Report to Parliament will be published in due course.
Asked by: Monica Harding (Liberal Democrat - Esher and Walton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of allocating the majority of the UK’s pledge to the Eighth Replenishment of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria in 2028/29 on the ability of the Global Fund to scale up innovations.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Official Development Assistance (ODA) allocations announced by the Foreign Secretary on 19 March take a strategic, multi‑year approach, which will provide greater predictability and support effective planning by our partners, including multilateral organisations such as the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, which the UK continues to back as a high‑impact institution delivering strong results. These allocations were considered in the round alongside other multilateral commitments and priorities, within a highly constrained overall ODA settlement.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 17 February 2026 to Question 108739 on UK Relations with EU: Fines, how many international agreements and treaties the UK has signed that included a termination provision since July 2024.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The texts of treaties that have been signed since July 2024 and laid before Parliament for scrutiny can be found on GOV.UK, including details of any termination provisions.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the full termination payments to Lord Mandelson will be listed with direct reference to his name and the final amounts paid in the FCDO annual report and accounts.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 27 January in response to HL13467.