Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what support she is providing to independent election monitoring of the 2027 Nigerian Presidential Election.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are closely monitoring preparations for Nigeria's 2027 presidential elections. Our High Commission in Abuja will, as in previous elections, deploy observation teams across the country, working alongside international partners and Nigerian civil society organisations.
We will continue to engage with the Independent National Electoral Commission and civil society partners to support initiatives that strengthen a credible, transparent and inclusive electoral process.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department has undertaken any impact assessment ahead of the proposed reduction in financial support in the upcoming financial year to organisations providing disability support globally.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has funded disability inclusion activities in the Commonwealth through the Commonwealth Disabled People's Forum (CDPF) since 2019, and provided around £2 million to support disabled people's organisations in the Commonwealth through the Disability Rights Fund (DRF) between 2021 and 2024. The FCDO, alongside the Disability Unit in the Office for Equal Opportunities, has been an active member of the Expert Working Group developing the Commonwealth Disability Inclusion Action Plan.
We plan to publish indicative allocations for the next three years shortly, but in the interim, we will not speculate on the potential impact of hypothetical funding scenarios on different programmes and countries. The specific funding percentage requested by the Hon Member is not readily available, and could only be calculated and verified at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what criteria her Department uses to determine the distribution of UK aid funding.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has funded disability inclusion activities in the Commonwealth through the Commonwealth Disabled People's Forum (CDPF) since 2019, and provided around £2 million to support disabled people's organisations in the Commonwealth through the Disability Rights Fund (DRF) between 2021 and 2024. The FCDO, alongside the Disability Unit in the Office for Equal Opportunities, has been an active member of the Expert Working Group developing the Commonwealth Disability Inclusion Action Plan.
We plan to publish indicative allocations for the next three years shortly, but in the interim, we will not speculate on the potential impact of hypothetical funding scenarios on different programmes and countries. The specific funding percentage requested by the Hon Member is not readily available, and could only be calculated and verified at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to support disabled people across the Commonwealth.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has funded disability inclusion activities in the Commonwealth through the Commonwealth Disabled People's Forum (CDPF) since 2019, and provided around £2 million to support disabled people's organisations in the Commonwealth through the Disability Rights Fund (DRF) between 2021 and 2024. The FCDO, alongside the Disability Unit in the Office for Equal Opportunities, has been an active member of the Expert Working Group developing the Commonwealth Disability Inclusion Action Plan.
We plan to publish indicative allocations for the next three years shortly, but in the interim, we will not speculate on the potential impact of hypothetical funding scenarios on different programmes and countries. The specific funding percentage requested by the Hon Member is not readily available, and could only be calculated and verified at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Anneliese Dodds (Labour (Co-op) - Oxford East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations she has made on recent restrictions placed on humanitarian access in South Sudan.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are deeply concerned by reports of escalating violence and constrained humanitarian access in South Sudan. Alongside international partners, we remain in constant engagement with the Transitional Government to press for de-escalation, sustained aid access, and an inclusive political dialogue, and we have made clear that the Transitional Government, and all those with influence over armed groups, must allow humanitarian operators to operate freely and safely across the country.
The Foreign Secretary raised these issues directly with South Sudanese Foreign Minister Semaya Kumba during a bilateral meeting in Addis Ababa on 1 February, and on 6 February, we joined the US, Norway and other likeminded partners, in a joint statement condemning recent attacks on humanitarian operations and calling for unimpeded humanitarian access.
Asked by: Charlie Dewhirst (Conservative - Bridlington and The Wolds)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether changes have been made to the number and location of portraits of (a) Queen Elizabeth II and (b) King Charles III within her Department’s HQ since 4 July 2024.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The official portrait of His Majesty The King resides in the reception area of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office headquarters. On portraits that are part of the Government Art Collection, I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 21 May 2025 in response to Question 52692.
Asked by: Charlie Dewhirst (Conservative - Bridlington and The Wolds)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the International women and girls strategy 2023 to 2030 remains government policy; and whether she plans to publish an updated strategy.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign Secretary has made clear that advancing the rights and safety of women and girls around the world will be a top priority for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office over the coming years. We are refreshing our international strategic approach on Women and Girls and will set this out in due course.
Asked by: Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice - North Antrim)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the British Council’s international education programmes, including the International School Award, Study USA and UK–Ukraine school partnerships, on the UK’s soft power and diplomatic objectives.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The British Council plays a crucial role supporting the UK's interests around the world, supported by its work on UK education, as well its work to promote UK arts and culture, and the English language. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is providing over £160 million Grant-in-Aid to the British Council this financial year, which underlines our continued support for their important work.
Asked by: Tom Morrison (Liberal Democrat - Cheadle)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how she is ensuring that UK-supported humanitarian programmes provide timely and effective support to survivors of gender-based violence.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
As part of the Foreign Secretary's focus on preventing violence against women and girls, we continue to prioritise support to survivors of gender-based violence in humanitarian settings. From April 2023 to March 2024, 3.21 million people were reached with gender-based violence prevention or response services through bilateral Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office support. More information can be found on GOV.UK at https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/68af15d3969253904d1558dd/FCDO_gender_based_violence_results_factsheet_2023_to_2024.pdf.
Another recent example is the UK's effort to step up support and improving frontline services for survivors of sexual violence in Sudan. In February 2026, the Foreign Secretary announced a new £20 million multi-year programme to support survivors of rape and sexual violence in Sudan.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help reduce disability discrimination across the Commonwealth.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has funded disability inclusion activities in the Commonwealth through the Commonwealth Disabled People's Forum (CDPF) since 2019, and provided around £2 million to support disabled people's organisations in the Commonwealth through the Disability Rights Fund (DRF) between 2021 and 2024. The FCDO, alongside the Disability Unit in the Office for Equal Opportunities, has been an active member of the Expert Working Group developing the Commonwealth Disability Inclusion Action Plan.
We plan to publish indicative allocations for the next three years shortly, but in the interim, we will not speculate on the potential impact of hypothetical funding scenarios on different programmes and countries. The specific funding percentage requested by the Hon Member is not readily available, and could only be calculated and verified at disproportionate cost.