Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many and what proportion of foreign nationals are employed by her Department within its UK operations.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office does not routinely capture or hold nationality data. Nationality requirements arise only where necessary to meet security clearance criteria and are set out at recruitment. Visa information is not held centrally and, in the absence of a specified timeframe, could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many visas has her Department sponsored for foreign nationals employed in the UK.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office does not routinely capture or hold nationality data. Nationality requirements arise only where necessary to meet security clearance criteria and are set out at recruitment. Visa information is not held centrally and, in the absence of a specified timeframe, could only be provided 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 information is collected by her Department on incidences related to transnational repression.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer provided on 11 December 2025 in response to Question 97660.
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 definition has her Department used to identify instances of transnational repression.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer provided on 11 December 2025 in response to Question 97660.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department has had discussions with the Government of Montserrat on the adequacy of levels of education funding in Montserrat; and if she will make an assessment of whether funding levels are adequate to meet the educational needs and aspirations of the Government and people of Montserrat.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
As part of the UK's ongoing support to Montserrat, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) provides annual Budget Support to cover the provision of key services, including education. FCDO officials work with the Government of Montserrat (GoM) on annual budget allocations, but ultimately it is for GoM to determine those allocations, including what goes to the Education Ministry. Over the last five years the FCDO has provided the following:
FY 25/26 | £37m |
FY 24/25 | £31.2m |
FY 23/24 | £30.2m |
FY 22/23 | £24.1m |
FY 21/22 | £23.6m |
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the development needs of the Overseas Territories have first call on the UK’s Official Development Assistance programme.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK remains committed to meeting the reasonable needs of the Overseas Territories (OTs) where financial self-sufficiency is not possible. As such, the OTs continue to have the first call on Official Development Assistance to facilitate sustainable economic growth and development.
We have recently informed Montserrat of their new allocation, and I held a positive and constructive call with Premier Meade on 25 March.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether there is a limit to the Official Development Assistance available to Montserrat.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK remains committed to meeting the reasonable needs of the Overseas Territories (OTs) where financial self-sufficiency is not possible. As such, the OTs continue to have the first call on Official Development Assistance to facilitate sustainable economic growth and development.
We have recently informed Montserrat of their new allocation, and I held a positive and constructive call with Premier Meade on 25 March.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether any patients in Montserrat who are (a) naturalised and (b) full British citizens and must travel to the United Kingdom for specialist treatment unavailable locally but fall outside the NHS–Montserrat referral scheme have been (i) denied (A) accommodation and (B) welfare support and (ii) advised to return to Montserrat.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon. Member to the answers he was previously provided on these issues on 6 November and 1 December 2025.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of maritime safety, search and rescue capability, and maritime security resources available to the British Overseas Territory of Montserrat; and if she will take steps to ensure that the territory retains an appropriately equipped maritime patrol and rescue vessel in order to meet the UK’s constitutional responsibilities for the security and good governance of the territory and its obligations under international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue, to protect life at sea.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Since 2016 the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has established a programme of activities to improve Montserrat's capacity to meet its international maritime safety and search and rescue (SAR) obligations. Montserrat has three UK-funded multipurpose vessels including two new fast police patrol boats provided by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office which improve the Royal Montserrat Police Service's capability to respond to maritime threats more efficiently and effectively, as well as fulfilling international obligations in relation to search and rescue.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department has used artificial intelligence to assist with drafting (a) legislation and (b) policy in the last 12 months.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Artificial Intelligence tools are routinely used to assist with administrative tasks, subject research, and the arrangement of information into standard templates, but they are not used to draft policy advice, or to prepare draft legislation.