Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much aid has been allocated to education provision for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh in each of the last five financial years.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We remain concerned by the challenges faced by Rohingya refugees and committed to improving their situation in Bangladesh. In September, the Foreign Secretary announced £27 million in new funding for these efforts, bringing the UK's total support to £447 million. This includes assistance to help refugees access to essential services. In December, the UK also announced joint funding with Saudi Arabia and Qatar of £6.96 million to support the response to the Rohingya crisis.
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much aid has been allocated to programmes supporting Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh in each of the last five financial years.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We remain concerned by the challenges faced by Rohingya refugees and committed to improving their situation in Bangladesh. In September, the Foreign Secretary announced £27 million in new funding for these efforts, bringing the UK's total support to £447 million. This includes assistance to help refugees access to essential services. In December, the UK also announced joint funding with Saudi Arabia and Qatar of £6.96 million to support the response to the Rohingya crisis.
Asked by: Luke Taylor (Liberal Democrat - Sutton and Cheam)
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 her Chinese counterpart on the release of Chow Hang-tung.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
China's imposition of the National Security Law on Hong Kong has seen opposition stifled and dissent criminalised. Ministers have repeatedly called for the National Security Law to be repealed and for an end to the prosecution of all individuals charged under it, including Chow Hang-tung.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether Lord Mandelson used a non-corporate email address for government business whilst Ambassador.to the United States.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 27 February in response to Question 110419.
Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she and Cabinet colleagues have had with their Chinese counterpart on the expansion of China's nuclear weapons.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We engage in regular dialogue with China on security matters at both official and ministerial levels. These exchanges include discussions on nuclear weapons, conducted bilaterally as well as through the P5 process, which brings together the five nuclear weapon states recognised by the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) to discuss their obligations under it. We also hold an annual Counter‑Proliferation and Arms Control Dialogue with China, which covers nuclear issues. During his recent visit to Beijing, the Prime Minister raised broader issues of global stability with President Xi.
Asked by: Brendan O'Hara (Scottish National Party - Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with her Chinese counterpart on the arrest and charging of people affiliated with the Atajurt movement.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK remains concerned about human rights abuses in China, including in Xinjiang, where Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim minorities remain subject to arbitrary detention and persecution. We also condemn the use of transnational repression, including the intimidation or harassment by foreign governments of their critics overseas. We continue to raise our concerns with China at the highest levels, most recently in the Prime Minister's meeting with President Xi Jinping in January.
Asked by: Euan Stainbank (Labour - Falkirk)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent representations her Department has made to the Chinese authorities regarding the prosecution and imprisonment of British citizen Jimmy Lai under the National Security Law; and what steps he is taking to secure his release.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answers I provided in the Urgent Question debate on 9 February.
Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with the Government of India on the killing of Dipu Chandra Das and measures to protect members of the Hindu community.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 12 January in response to Question 101933.
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, if she will publish the declaration of interest form completed by Lord Mandelson when Ambassador to the United States.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon. Member to the Government's response to the Urgent Question tabled on 12 February, the Written Ministerial Statement in the name of the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister that same day, and Oral Statement on the 23 February which set out an update on the Government's process. We will set out further details in due course. The Government wishes to ensure that Parliament's instruction is met with the urgency and transparency that it deserves.
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, what progress has she made in building the new British Embassy in Beijing.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the response to Question 22931 on 16 January 2025.