Asked by: Baroness Finn (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether there was any communication between No 10 or the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and Global Counsel in relation to the visit by the Prime Minister and Lord Mandelson to Palantir in Washington DC in February 2025.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
I refer the Noble Baroness to the Government's statement (Official Report, vol. 854, cols. 769-783) 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: Lord Redwood (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the (1) tax rises, and (2) handling charges, Gibraltar would need to impose under the draft UK–EU Agreement in respect of Gibraltar if it were implemented.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
I refer the Noble Lord to the statement made by the Minister of State for Europe, North America and Overseas Territories to the House on 26 February, repeated in the House of Lords on 3 March (Official Report, Volume 853, column. 1150-1160), and the draft treaty documents published on the same day. The Noble Lord will have ample opportunity to scrutinise the final text when it is brought before the House in due course. I note that on 4 March the Parliament of Gibraltar unanimously voted to support a motion calling on the UK to ratify the Treaty.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Chelmsford (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of the United States about risks to Iran's territorial integrity of arming separatist groups in Iran.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
I refer the right reverend Prelate to the public and parliamentary statements made by the Prime Minister on 28 February, 1 March, 2 March (repeated in the House of Lords, Official Report, Volume 853, Column. 1076) and 5 March, where he set out in depth the UK's position on this conflict.
Asked by: Baroness Finn (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, in regard to page 101 of Part of a Return to an Address of the Honourable the House of Commons dated 4 February 2026 relating to the appointment of Lord Mandelson as HM Ambassador to Washington, published on 11 March (HC1774-1), what was the value of the end of tour leave payments made to Lord Mandelson after he was dismissed as Head of Mission and before he left the Civil Service; whether those payments were taxable; and whether any other resettlement payments or allowances were made to Lord Mandelson.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
I refer the Noble Baroness to the Government's statement (Official Report, vol. 854, cols. 769-783) 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: Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many UK citizens currently located in Iran and neighbouring countries affected by recent military hostilities have asked the UK government for assistance in returning to the UK; how many have been promised such assistance; and how many have returned to the UK to date.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
I refer the Noble Lord to the statement Lord Collins made to the House on 19 March (Official Report, vol. 854, cols. 1121-1124), where he provided the latest details on our consular support to British nationals in the region.
Asked by: Lord Bates (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what contribution from the UK aid budget they intend to make to the Global Humanitarian Overview 2026 Appeal launched by the United Nations Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
I refer the Hon Member to the statement made to the House by the Foreign Secretary on 19 March outlining the UK's Official Development Assistance (ODA) allocations for the period up to 2028-29, HLWS1431, and the accompanying documentation setting out the impact of those allocation decisions. I also refer him to the evidence provided by the Foreign Secretary and I to the International Development Committee on 24 March, where we addressed questions at length about the Government's ODA policies and allocation decision: https://committees.parliament.uk/event/26907/formal-meeting-oral-evidence-session/.
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: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations she has made to the Government of Vietnam regarding the release of political prisoners requiring medical care; and what steps she is taking to promote freedom of religion or belief in Vietnam.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Vietnam is a focus country in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's Freedom of Religion and Belief Strategy, launched in July 2025, and we raise the issue on a regular basis with the Government of Vietnam. We also regularly raise concerns about the treatment of political prisoners, including access to appropriate medical care, through bilateral engagement and also jointly with the support of other diplomatic missions.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the average staffing complement is for a ministerial private office within their Department; what grades those staff are appointed at; what the typical remuneration and contracted working hours are for those posts; and what the staff turnover rate is.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The size, grading and remuneration of ministerial office staffing vary depending on the responsibilities of the Minister.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, on what date Lord Mandelson (a) was appointed to and (b) commenced his role as Ambassador to the United States of America.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Peter Mandelson's appointment was announced on 20 December 2024 and he commenced his role as Ambassador to the United States of America on 10 February 2025.