Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has had recent discussions with the BBC on the impartiality of the BBC World Service.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The BBC is editorially and operationally independent. The BBC World Service is bound by the same requirements of impartiality and accuracy as all other parts of the BBC, as set out in the organisation's editorial guidelines, available here: https://www.bbc.com/editorialguidelines/guidelines/
Asked by: Lord Callanan (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that opposition parties in Nigeria are being subjected to sustained litigation, judicial injunctions and candidate recognition disputes ahead of the 2027 presidential elections; and what discussions they have had with the government of Nigeria about the protection of full opposition participation.
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 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. On the issue of violence against Christian communities, I refer the Hon Member to the written ministerial statement published on 27 November 2025 (HCWS1105).
Asked by: Lord Callanan (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the importance of free and fair presidential elections in Nigeria in 2027 to (1) Nigeria's democratic stability, (2) regional security in West Africa, and (3) the UK's strategic and economic interests; and what steps they are taking with the government of Nigeria to support those objectives.
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 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. On the issue of violence against Christian communities, I refer the Hon Member to the written ministerial statement published on 27 November 2025 (HCWS1105).
Asked by: Baroness Hodgson of Abinger (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what consultations they are carrying out to update approach of the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative beyond 2026; and when they will publish that update.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
Work to refresh the UK's approach to preventing sexual violence in conflict is underway. External consultation to inform that process has been conducted with the preventing sexual violence Initiative's (PSVI) Survivor Advisory Group, key civil society and academic partners, and former PSVI Special Representatives, and there will be further such consultation - including with parliamentary stakeholders - before the refreshed approach is finalised.
Asked by: Baroness Anelay of St Johns (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the current humanitarian and security situation in Sudan.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
I refer the Noble Baroness to the answer provided on 9 March in response to Questions HL14828-30.
Asked by: Caroline Johnson (Conservative - Sleaford and North Hykeham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what (a) number and (b) proportion of staff in her Department are eligible to receive Continuity of Education Allowance.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Under the long-standing arrangements for continuity of education, 237 officers received Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) in academic year 2024-25. This figure represents approximately 11 per cent of officers posted overseas. Eligibility for CEA is based on a range of factors that vary over time, so the Department does not hold a centrally maintained figure for the total number of overseas staff who may be eligible for CEA at any given point.
Asked by: Caroline Johnson (Conservative - Sleaford and North Hykeham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what (a) number and (b) proportion of staff in her Department that are posted overseas receive Continuity of Education Allowance.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Under the long-standing arrangements for continuity of education, 237 officers received Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) in academic year 2024-25. This figure represents approximately 11 per cent of officers posted overseas. Eligibility for CEA is based on a range of factors that vary over time, so the Department does not hold a centrally maintained figure for the total number of overseas staff who may be eligible for CEA at any given point.
Asked by: Caroline Johnson (Conservative - Sleaford and North Hykeham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many staff in her Department are in receipt of Continuity of Education Allowance.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Under the long-standing arrangements for continuity of education, 237 officers received Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) in academic year 2024-25. This figure represents approximately 11 per cent of officers posted overseas. Eligibility for CEA is based on a range of factors that vary over time, so the Department does not hold a centrally maintained figure for the total number of overseas staff who may be eligible for CEA at any given point.
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, for what reason her Department’s contracts with Inter Mediate are not on Contract Finder.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Contracts Finder is used for the publication of commercial contracts, rather than government grants, such as the Accountable Grant Agreements typically used by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to administer partnerships with NGOs.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has had discussions with her (a) Mauritian and (b) US counterpart on changes to the representation and voting rights on the Joint Commission proposed in the UK-Mauritius Treaty.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answers she received on 13 February in response to Question 110763, and on 12 November 2025 in response to Question 88232.