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, with reference to the letter to appointment of 4 February 2025 on page 76 of Volume 1 of the Government response to the Humble Address on Lord Mandelson, whether Lord Mandelson's requirement to have DV+STRAP security clearance was STRAP level (a) 1, (b) 2, (c) 3a and (d) 3b.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the statement made by the Prime Minister on 20 April, and his answers to the questions raised in response, including his commitment that the Government would continue to comply with the instructions of Parliament in the Humble Address of 4 February.
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, with reference to the letter to appointment of 4 February 2025 on page 76 of the Volume 1 of the Government response to the Humble Address on Lord Mandelson, whether Lord Mandelson fully passed his STRAP clearance process.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the statement made by the Prime Minister on 20 April, and his answers to the questions raised in response, including his commitment that the Government would continue to comply with the instructions of Parliament in the Humble Address of 4 February.
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, when Ministers in her Department were informed of the final outcome of Lord Mandelson's national security vetting.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the statement made by the Prime Minister on 20 April, and his answers to the questions raised in response, including his commitment that the Government would continue to comply with the instructions of Parliament in the Humble Address of 4 February.
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, pursuant to the answer of 7 November 2025, to Question 86672, on Palantir, whether Officials from the UK Embassy in Washington communicated with Global Counsel over the visit.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the Government's statement and release of information on 11 March, providing an update on the response to the Humble Address. The Government is working to ensure that Parliament's instruction is met with the urgency and transparency that it deserves.
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 nominated three referees were nominated as part of the vetting process for Lord Mandelson.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the Government's statement and release of information on 11 March, providing an update on the response to the Humble Address. The Government is working to ensure that Parliament's instruction is met with the urgency and transparency that it deserves.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether Peter Mandelson's business and personal relationships with (a) individuals, (b) organisations and (c) government of the People's Republic of China were cited as reasons for his failed vetting.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the Prime Minister's statement to the House on 20 April and his answers to the questions raised in response.
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, with reference the UK Security Vetting document entitled DV - Guidance Pack for Applicants, updated 23 September 2024, whether Lord Mandelson's Developed Vetting security clearance application was (a) awarded, (b) awarded with aftercare, (c) clearance awarded with caveats and/or restrictions, (d) refused, or (e) clearance refused resulting in a review.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the statement made by the Prime Minister on 20 April, and his answers to the questions raised in response, including his commitment that the Government would continue to comply with the instructions of Parliament in the Humble Address of 4 February.
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, on what date Ministers in her Department first became aware that Lord Mandelson had not received full security vetting clearance.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the statement made by the Prime Minister on 20 April, and his answers to the questions raised in response, including his commitment that the Government would continue to comply with the instructions of Parliament in the Humble Address of 4 February.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
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 reported increased restrictions on religious leaders in Nicaragua; and what steps her Department is taking to support and strengthen freedom of religion or belief and religious voices in the country.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 3 November 2025 to Question 85308. We share widespread international concern about the suppression of democratic, religious, and other fundamental freedoms in Nicaragua.
Asked by: Kate Osamor (Labour (Co-op) - Edmonton and Winchmore Hill)
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 prioritise issues concerning freedom of religion or belief in future Human Rights and Democracy Reports.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The championing of Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) for all is a key element of the UK's human rights work overseas, for the funding of that work, and for the reporting to Parliament that we do on that work. For further detail, I refer the Hon. Member to the strategy for the Government's international FoRB work set out by the UK Special Envoy for FoRB in July 2025:
https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/uk-approach-to-freedom-of-religion-or-belief-uk-special-envoy-on-freedom-of-religion-or-belief-speech-july-2025