Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of reductions to Official Development Assistance Spending on (a) Gavi, (b) the Global Fund and (c) other programmes.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK remains committed to tackling global health challenges and will continue to work with all international partners towards the collective goal of a healthier, safer and more prosperous world. As part of this, we are proud to be co-hosting the 8th replenishment of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria with South Africa. Decisions on how the Official Development Assistance budget will be used will be worked through as part of the ongoing Spending Review, based on various factors including impact assessments.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made recent representations to the United Nations on UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Foreign Secretary has not made representations to the United Nations (UN) on UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 24 October 2024 to Question 9120 on Francesca Albanese, whether (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have (i) met and (ii) had discussions with UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese since 24 October 2024.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

There have been no meetings between FCDO Ministers/Officials and UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese since 24 October 2024.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has met with the Human Rights Council of the United Nations to discuss the reappointment of UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Foreign Secretary has not met with the Human Rights Council to discuss the reappointment of the UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese. UN Appointments are a matter for the UN.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment they have made of the potential impact of the use of AI in their Department on security.

Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK government is dedicated to leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance public services safely and securely. The AI Playbook for the UK Government security section (p. 74) includes an assessment of the risks coming from the use of AI. The Playbook includes worked scenarios for AI use which detail potential impacts for the different types of risk. All AI services must adhere to Secure by Design principles and conduct risk assessments, including Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs). The FCDO is working to ensure that it has appropriate security controls, policies, culture and capabilities to protect our information and our ability to operate and to develop these as the technology and the threat landscape evolves.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) will transform diplomatic practice and FCDO's delivery, enhancing our diplomatic impact and increasing individual productivity and corporate efficiency. However, it will also create new and enhance existing cyber security threats. The FCDO is working to ensure that it has appropriate security controls, policies, culture and capabilities to protect our information and our ability to operate and to develop these as the technology and the threat landscape evolves. The FCDO has a dedicated and continuously evolving Risk Management capability within its Information and Cyber Security function.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to support the development of phage therapy solutions for low-to-middle-income countries.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) is not directly supporting the development of phage therapy solutions currently. The FCDO is monitoring research developments, which may prove phage therapy solutions useful for tackling antimicrobial resistance, other anti-infective uses, vaccines and cancer therapies, however this work is at an early stage.

The Prime Minister has set out a clear path to spending 2.5 per cent of Gross Domestic Product on defence spending. Doing so demands the difficult but necessary decision to reduce our Official Development Assistance (ODA) spending from 0.5 per cent to 0.3 per cent of Gross National Income by 2027. Decisions on how the ODA budget will be used in future will be worked through as part of the ongoing Spending Review and resource allocation processes. We will be taking a rigorous approach to ensure all ODA delivers value for money.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the effectiveness of the work of the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian Territories.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Foreign Secretary has not conducted an assessment on the effectiveness of the work of the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made recent representations to the United Nations on statements by UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese on (a) Israel and (b) the causes of the 7 October attacks.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Foreign Secretary has not made representations to the United Nations (UN) on UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what plans he has for the funding of (a) the Global Fund and (b) other global HIV programmes, in the context of the planned reduction in Official Development Assistance spending.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK remains committed to tackling global health challenges and will continue to work with all international partners towards the collective goal of a healthier, safer and more prosperous world. As part of this, we are proud to be co-hosting the 8th replenishment of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria with South Africa. Decisions on how the Official Development Assistance budget will be used will be worked through as part of the ongoing Spending Review, based on various factors including impact assessments.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of draft law on foreign agents introduced on 31 March by the government of Georgia, and what assessment they have made of the impact of the legislation on political opposition.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

A vibrant opposition and civil society in Georgia, is an essential attribute of a healthy democracy. We have serious concerns over the recent repressive legislation Georgian Dream have rushed through parliament, including the Georgian Foreign Agents Registration Act legislation and Successor Parties Law. The Minister of State, Stephen Doughty MP raised concerns over the plans and civil society and democratic freedoms with Georgian Dream Foreign Minister Botchorishvili on 16 December 2024.

The proposed laws would place extreme constraints on civil society and opposition parties, while undermining a democratic and prosperous future for all Georgians.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support the people of Myanmar and the wider region following the earthquake on 28 March.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK pledged an initial £10 million worth of life saving support to Myanmar in response to the earthquake. This package will be delivered via long standing UK-funded local partners and through the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), which will fund life-saving support to some of the most urgent humanitarian needs. The UK also supports the Disaster Emergency Committee and will match public donations up to £5 million. The UK is providing consular assistance to the small number of British nationals in Myanmar and Thailand affected by the earthquake. On 4 April, we announced a further £10m of funding, bringing our total response to up to £25 million.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have had discussions with the European Union about the Memorandum of Understanding on Sustainable Raw Materials Value Chains that the EU signed with the government of Rwanda on 19 February 2024.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK has discussed the Memorandum of Understanding on Sustainable Raw Materials Value Chains with the EU at official level. Illicit mining remains a problem and supports the business models of armed groups. As well as being a barrier to economic growth, this has appalling humanitarian consequences. The UK supports the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, which aims to improve transparency and governance in the mining sector. This is an issue that the UK regularly raises in multilateral fora.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that the Burmese military junta has bombed civilian areas affected by the earthquake in Burma; and what further assessment they have made of (1) the number of fatalities and casualties, and (2) how much humanitarian assistance is reaching victims.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK was concerned by reports of continuing airstrikes by the Myanmar military after the earthquake. On 2 April, the Myanmar military announced a temporary ceasefire which we welcome. We now call on the Myanmar military to fully respect the ceasefire. We estimate 4,346 people have lost their lives so far (as of 10 April), but we expect this to increase significantly. Our initial £10 million of humanitarian assistance is already reaching those directly affected by the earthquake as we channel funding to long standing local partners (local civil society organisations, faith groups and education providers).

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Turkey about the detention and deportation of BBC journalist Mark Lowen.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Government provided consular assistance to Mark Lowen, a British journalist detained and subsequently deported from Turkey. The Foreign Secretary spoke with Turkish Foreign Minister Fidan on Saturday 29 March. The UK expects Turkey to uphold its international commitments and the rule of law, including the protection of the fundamental rights to free speech, peaceful assembly and media freedom.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of recent settler violence in the West Bank.

Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Settler violence is unacceptable, and settlements are illegal under international law. The Foreign Secretary has been clear with Israeli ministers that they must clamp down on settler violence and end settler expansion and has previously met with Palestinian communities in the West Bank to hear how they are affected. On 15 October, the Foreign Secretary announced sanctions targeting three illegal settler outposts and four organisations that have supported and sponsored violence against communities in the West Bank. These measures will help bring accountability to those who have supported and perpetrated such heinous abuses of human rights. As the Foreign Secretary said in Parliament on 1 April, we continue to keep these issues under review but the culture of impunity for those engaged in violence is intolerable.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they are making to the government of Pakistan regarding reports that from 31 March it intends to return to Afghanistan all undocumented refugees, including women judges whose US visas have been revoked.

Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

We are aware that the Government of Pakistan has announced its intention to recommence deportations in April 2025. We are closely monitoring the Government of Pakistan's policy and are working with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to ensure Pakistan adheres to its international human rights obligations. We continue to raise concerns with the Government of Pakistan regarding the humanitarian implications of the deportation of Afghan refugees. The visa process and issuance of documentation to Afghan refugees is a matter for Pakistani authorities, who ultimately reserve the right to decide the eligibility criteria for applicants.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to prevent the exploitation of women in poorer countries involved in surrogacy.

Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The UK does not support international surrogacy involving any form of exploitation and is committed to eradicating all forms of modern slavery, forced labour and human trafficking in line with Sustainable Development Goal 8.7. Globally the UK is proud to defend and promote universal and comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights. At the multilateral level, and through our diplomatic and Official Development Assistance partnerships, we advocate that all people have the right to make informed decisions about childbearing, including if, whether and when to have children. Family planning interventions, including surrogacy, must always be voluntary and rooted in a human rights-based approach.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what meetings they have planned with Chagossians to discuss the proposed Chagos Islands deal.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Minister of State, Stephen Doughty, has met with members of the Chagossian community, and officials have also been in regular contact with Chagossians on a range of issues. We will continue to engage with Chagossians in the UK and around the world on the implementation of the agreement at both an official and Ministerial level.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what action they are taking to address the illegal extraction of minerals in Tigray; and what assessment they have made of the environmental destruction and harm to livestock caused by these activities.

Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

We are monitoring reports of the illegal extraction of minerals in Tigray. It is important that all such activity is conducted legally and with the appropriate approvals from the relevant government authorities in Ethiopia and is done in a way that protects the local environment.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what is their estimate of the total budget for the new British embassy development in China; what is the target date for the planning permission to be granted; and what is the target date for the final completion of the embassy.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We continue to work on the details of the timetable and budget for the new British embassy in Beijing. We have submitted our planning application for the new embassy and as with any project, this would be subject to due consideration by Chinese authorities.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what response they are making to the appeal to the international community regarding the Myanmar earthquake by the Interim National Unity Government of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

On 29 March the UK announced up to £10 million worth of life saving support to Myanmar in response to the earthquake. As well as delivering the humanitarian assistance via local partners, the package includes support in conjunction with other international partners to the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF). This will fund life-saving support to some of the most urgent humanitarian needs. On 4 April, we announced a further £10 million of funding, bringing our total response to up to £25 million.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government how they are working with international partners to provide support for the population in Myanmar affected by the earthquake.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

On 29 March the UK announced up to £10 million worth of life saving support to Myanmar in response to the earthquake. As well as delivering the humanitarian assistance via local partners, the package includes support in conjunction with other international partners to the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF). This will fund life-saving support to some of the most urgent humanitarian needs. On 4 April, we announced a further £10 million of funding, bringing our total response to up to £25 million.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report “More than a human can bear”: Israel's systematic use of sexual, reproductive, and other forms of gender-based violence since 7 October 2023 published by the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel on 13 March, and what representations they have made as a result to (1) the government of Israel, and (2) the United Nations and other international organisations and officials.

Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

We are deeply concerned by multiple allegations of sexual and gender-based violence against Palestinians by Israeli forces. We are also appalled by reports of sexual violence being perpetrated against hostages. These reports are horrifying.

The use of sexual violence in conflict is a breach of international law. We unequivocally condemn sexual violence in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, in Israel, and wherever it occurs in the world.

The UK has consistently called for all reports, to be fully investigated to ensure justice for victims and survivors, including during a session of the UN Security Council on 20 March. We have also raised strong concerns around treatment of detainees and International Humanitarian Law compliance with the Government of Israel.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Collins of Highbury on 26 March (HL5769), what assessment they have made of the implications for the reliability of the death statistics of the Gazan Ministry of Health reportedly removing from their March figures 3,400 deaths which it had previously listed in August and October 2024, including 1080 children.

Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

We are aware of a correction to the Gaza Ministry of Health's (MoH) data after a number of deaths were incorrectly reported. Producing reliable casualty statistics in contexts of violent conflict is often difficult. For example, prior to October 7th 2023, the MoH collected mortality figures from 8 sentinel hospitals across Gaza. Unfortunately, many of these hospitals were struck in the conflict and the capacity to collect the data was reduced. After consulting experts, we believe the MoH data to be largely accurate. Some experts have reached the view that the MoH may have underestimated the numbers of injured and dead.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government when they last assessed whether Israel has breached the humanitarian criteria for arms sales from the UK to that country.

Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

We regularly assess Israel's compliance with International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and our assessments continue to raise concerns about possible breaches of IHL in the areas of humanitarian access and treatment of detainees.

The UK's robust export licensing criteria state that the Government will not issue export licences if there is a clear risk that the items might be used to commit or facilitate serious violations of International Humanitarian Law. On 2 September 2024 we took decisive action, suspending relevant licences for the Israeli Defense Forces that might be used to commit or facilitate serious violations of IHL in Gaza. Further to the suspension decision in respect of the Gaza conflict, there are no extant licences for items that might be used to commit or facilitate a serious violation of International Humanitarian law. Our International Humanitarian Law assessments continue.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they support calls for a federal Syrian constitution in order to protect minority communities in that country.

Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The UK fully supports a Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political transition process leading to an inclusive, non-sectarian and representative government. We welcome provisions within the Constitutional Declaration on freedom of expression, freedom of belief and women's rights. Further consultation of key groups across Syria is essential as the constitutional drafting process takes place.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what meetings they have held with the new government of Syria and what steps they have taken to raise human rights concerns.

Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The UK engages regularly with the Syrian government to support them in taking steps that will deliver a more stable, free and prosperous future for the Syrian people. We have been clear that we expect those appointed to the new Syrian government to demonstrate a commitment to the protection of human rights. We will continue to judge them by their actions.

The Minister for the Middle East raised the importance of an inclusive political transition and the need to protect all civilians with the Syrian Foreign Minister al-Shaibani most recently when they met in Brussels on 17 March.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the treatment of minorities under the new government of Syria.

Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

We welcome the announcement on the formation of a new Syrian government and the provisions in the Constitutional Declaration on freedom of expression and freedom of belief. We expect those appointed to demonstrate a commitment to protect the rights of all Syrians. We will continue to encourage inclusive governance and will work with the Syrian government to this end.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to imposing sanctions and other measures against those found to be party to the persecution of minority groups in the new government of Syria.

Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

We do not comment on future designations as to do so lessens their potential impact. We keep our sanctions regime under close review and we will continue to judge the Syrian government by their actions.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many staff in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office are based in Damascus.

Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

There are currently no Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) staff permanently based in Damascus. However, FCDO staff, including our UK Special Representative for Syria, undertake visits to Damascus.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Chapman of Darlington on 21 March (HL5758), why the Baltic states were not invited to the meeting of European leaders on Ukraine on 2 March.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We welcome the strong support for Ukraine from our international partners, and the growing interest in contributing to the 'Coalition of the Willing'. The meeting of 2 March was one in a series of meetings aimed at intensifying efforts in pursuit of a just and lasting peace in Ukraine. The Prime Minister called Baltic leaders on the morning of the 2 March meeting, and Minister of State, Stephen Doughty, spoke to Baltic counterparts the next day. Minister Doughty also spoke with Ministers and representatives from the Baltic States at the Aurora Forum on 11 March. The Baltic States have been represented at subsequent discussions, including the most recent meeting in Paris on 27 March. UK Ministers and officials are in constant engagement with Baltic Allies on Ukraine.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department is taking steps to ensure funding for education is protected in the planned reduction of ODA.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office is a thought-leader in education and we continue to support harnessing educational opportunities for long-term growth and prosperity. We work in partnership with Global South governments to share policy expertise and pioneering education research and evidence to improve foundational learning, strengthen education systems, and improve quality of education particularly for the most marginalised. We are also unlocking additional education finance through mechanisms such as the innovative International Finance Facility for Education.

Detailed decisions on how the Official Development Assistance (ODA) budget will be used are being worked through as part of the ongoing Spending Review.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has instructed Official Development Assistance programme teams to pause new (a) business cases, (b) contracts, and (c) funding for programmes supporting women, peace, and security; whether any reductions or cancellations have been made to existing programmes in these areas; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of such actions.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The transition to spending 0.3 per cent of gross national income on Official Development Assistance (ODA) demands significant shifts in the scale and shape of our ODA spending. To enable us to deliver this change effectively, we are prioritising meeting legally binding commitments and delivering work already underway, and planned humanitarian spend. Further detail is set out in Baroness Chapman's 27 March letter to the International Development Committee [https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/47275/documents/245059/default/].

The UK is committed to empowering women and girls around the world through our international work.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the Treaty of Pelindaba, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the transfer of sovereignty over Diego Garcia to Mauritius on the (a) storage, (b) deployment and (c) transit of (i) nuclear weapons and (ii) nuclear-powered vessels at the UK-US base.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the response given to his earlier PQ 18902, which remains the same.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the Treaty of Pelindaba, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the transfer of sovereignty over Diego Garcia to Mauritius on restrictions on nuclear weapons at the UK-US base.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

As with his previous PQ 44207, I refer the Hon Member to the response given to his PQ 18902, which remains the same.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with the government of Pakistan on the delivery of a potential international airport in Mirpur, Pakistan.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The delivery of a potential international airport in Mirpur is an internal matter for Pakistani government authorities. Whilst the UK supports the aim of economic development in the region, it is not for the UK to influence decisions around specific infrastructure projects. This issue has not been raised by the Foreign Secretary with Pakistani counterparts.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when he plans to formally respond to the International Court of Justice judgment on Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian Territories.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK is fully committed to international law and respects the independence of the International Court of Justice. We continue to consider the Court's Advisory Opinion carefully, with the seriousness and rigour it deserves.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made representations to his Israeli counterpart on Israel's denying hon. Members entry into the West Bank.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

As the Foreign Secretary has said, it is unacceptable, counterproductive, and deeply concerning that two British MPs on a parliamentary delegation to Israel have been detained and refused entry by the Israeli authorities. On 15 April, the Foreign Secretary met with his Israeli counterpart Gideon Sa'ar in London. The Foreign Secretary has made clear to his counterparts in the Israeli government that this is no way to treat British Parliamentarians.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent steps his Department has taken to secure an end to the violence in Gaza.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

In recent weeks, the Foreign Secretary has spoken to Secretary Rubio, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar, Israeli Minister for Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer, EU High Representative Kallas and the UN emergency relief co-ordinator, Tom Fletcher.

On 15 April, the Foreign Secretary met with his Israeli counterpart Gideon Sa'ar in London. During the conversation, he pressed Israel to restore humanitarian access, raised serious concerns about the deaths of aid workers, and made clear the urgent need of returning to a ceasefire and a negotiated path forward. The Foreign Secretary plans to speak to Palestinian PM Mustafa shortly. The UK made statements in the UN Security Council on Tuesday 18 March and Friday 21 March and joined a G7 Foreign Ministers' statement the week before. An E3 Foreign Ministers statement issued on Friday 21 March calling on all parties to re-engage with negotiations to ensure the ceasefire is implemented in full and becomes permanent.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent steps his Department has taken to ensure that aid can reach people in Gaza.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Foreign Secretary met with Israeli Foreign Minister Sa'ar on 15 April to press Israel to restore the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza and raise concerns about the safety of aid workers in the region. On 21 March, the UK issued a joint statement with France and Germany, making clear that Israel should fully respect international law and allow the flow of aid immediately. We called on Israel to restore humanitarian access, restore water and electricity, and ensure access to medical care and medical evacuations in accordance with international humanitarian law. I also spoke to the Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher, about the humanitarian situation in Gaza on 14 March. We announced £129 million for the Occupied Palestinian Territories in 2024/25 Financial Year and will continue to play a key humanitarian role in Gaza.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with (a) Cabinet Colleagues and (b) his Israeli counterpart on ending hostilities in Gaza.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Foreign Secretary has raised the Israeli operations in Gaza with his Israeli counterparts. On 15 April, the Foreign Secretary met with his Israeli counterpart Gideon Sa'ar in London. During the conversation, he pressed Israel to restore humanitarian access, raised serious concerns about the deaths of aid workers, and made clear the urgent need of returning to a ceasefire and a negotiated path forward.

As he has made clear in Parliament, the UK is seriously concerned by the expansion of Israel's operations in Gaza and the displacement of Palestinians. Palestinians must be allowed home. Civilians must be protected and the destruction of civilian infrastructure minimised. We urge Israel to immediately re-start a rapid and unimpeded flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza in order to meet the needs of all civilians.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of reports of British citizens participating alongside the Israel Defense Forces during Israel's military offensive in Gaza.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) does not hold specific information on British Nationals who have served with the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). The UK recognises the right of British dual nationals to serve in the legitimately recognised armed forces of the country of their other nationality. The FCDO advises against all travel to Gaza. Israel travel advice - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). Allegations of war crimes should be submitted to the Met Police for investigation.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will take steps to ensure that British citizens potentially involved in the commission of war crimes in Gaza are prosecuted in the UK.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) does not hold specific information on British Nationals who have served with the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). The UK recognises the right of British dual nationals to serve in the legitimately recognised armed forces of the country of their other nationality. The FCDO advises against all travel to Gaza. Israel travel advice - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). Allegations of war crimes should be submitted to the Met Police for investigation.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to extradite British citizens potentially involved in the commission of war crimes in Gaza.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) does not hold specific information on British Nationals who have served with the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). The UK recognises the right of British dual nationals to serve in the legitimately recognised armed forces of the country of their other nationality. The FCDO advises against all travel to Gaza. Israel travel advice - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). Allegations of war crimes should be submitted to the Met Police for investigation.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when he plans to announce a date for the UK-hosted Berlin Process 2025 summit.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK is delighted to host the Berlin Process this year. We will organise meetings of Ministers, government officials and non-government stakeholders to build stronger economic and security ties between the countries of the Western Balkans and deepen cooperation with our European partners, working closely with the new German Government. We will invite leaders from the six Western Balkans countries, European partners, regional organisations, and EU institutions to the Berlin Process Summit in the UK later this year, where we will seek to agree initiatives to enhance regional security, tackle irregular migration, and boost economic growth. We are working to identify a date for the Summit, which we hope to announce as soon as possible.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with his Nicaraguan counterpart on the detention of (a) Carmen María Sáenz Martinez and (b) Lesbia del Socorro Gutiérrez Poveda.

Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We share widespread international concern about the relentless suppression of human rights in Nicaragua. We continue to urge the Nicaraguan authorities to re-establish democratic freedoms in our engagements with the Nicaraguan Embassy and in Managua, as well as through our public statements in international fora. Most recently, on 28 February at the 58th session of the UN Human Rights Council, we raised our grave human rights concerns, including relating to freedom of religion and belief, and arbitrary detentions. Nicaragua's declaration on 27 February that it is leaving the UN Human Rights Council does not change the need to hold the authorities accountable for the suppression of human rights in Nicaragua.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will take steps to ensure the economic stability of the Falkland Islands and other Overseas Territories when responding to US tariffs.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

HM Government is working closely with the governments of the Falkland Islands and other affected Overseas Territories to understand the impact of the US tariffs, including facilitating access to UK Department for Business and Trade expertise. I spoke with the Chair of the Falkland Islands Legislative Assembly shortly after the tariffs were announced where I offered our full support. We continue to work closely with the Governments of the Overseas Territories to support their economic development.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he has taken to assess the potential impact of US tariffs on the Falkland Islands and other Overseas Territories.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

HM Government is working closely with the governments of the Falkland Islands and other affected Overseas Territories to understand the impact of the US tariffs, including facilitating access to UK Department for Business and Trade expertise. I spoke with the Chair of the Falkland Islands Legislative Assembly shortly after the tariffs were announced where I offered our full support. We continue to work closely with the Governments of the Overseas Territories to support their economic development.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what his policy is on granting people with arrest warrants issued against them by the International Criminal Court access to UK airspace.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Airspace access is not within the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's policy responsibilities. The Civil Aviation Authority is responsible for airspace management and related policies in the UK.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of (a) the contribution of the UN Charter to the UK and (b) its future role in the UK; and what steps he is taking with international partners to help prevent the imposition of political settlements that potentially affect sovereignty without consulting the people affected.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK remains deeply committed to the United Nations and its founding principles, purposes and core values, as outlined in the UN Charter. The UN continues to play a critical role in preventing and ending conflicts, delivering lifesaving humanitarian assistance, protecting people from pandemics and disease, and supporting countries build stronger economies. Against the backdrop of an increasingly difficult global economic and geopolitical situation, multilateral cooperation is more important now than ever.

The principles of the sovereign equality of States, and the need for parties to refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State are clearly enshrined within the UN Charter. The UK works with international partners to call out any violations of these principles, including in the case of Ukraine, where we support a just and lasting peace in line with the UN Charter.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with his counterpart in Israel on whether (a) digital services, (b) cyber security and (c) Artificial Intelligence products included in a potential trade agreement have been (i) developed and (ii) deployed during military activities in Gaza and the West Bank.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Israel is an important trading and bilateral partner for the UK and remains a part of our trade negotiation programme but our Free Trade Agreement negotiations with them have not yet restarted.

In September 2024, we suspended export licenses to Israel for use in military operations in the Gaza Conflict. The suspension covers all items that we assess could be used in military operations in Gaza. This does not, however, include exports to the global F-35 programme.

We continue to use our range of diplomatic tools and bilateral dialogues with Israel to discuss issues of concern, including in relation to the Israel-Gaza conflict.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made representations to (a) his Israeli counterpart and (b) international bodies on the discovery of aid workers handcuffed in a mass grave in Gaza in March 2025; and whether he plans to call for an independent investigation into these deaths.

Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We were outraged at the recent deaths of Palestine Red Crescent medics and other humanitarian workers. At the UN Security Council meeting on 3 April, we called for this incident to be investigated fully, transparently and for those responsible to be held to account. We continue to make representations to the Government of Israel to ensure aid workers are protected, to urgently restore deconfliction systems, and to call for full investigations and accountability for the killing of humanitarian workers, including regarding the Palestine Red Crescent Society incident.

Found: • Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Cat Smith MP Chair of the Procedure Committee House

Found: under the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018, and the UK sanctions list as published by the FCDO

Found: We intend to publish final 2025/26 ODA programme allocations in the FCDO Annual Report & Accounts this

Found: DBT is also dependent on the resources within the FCDO and MOD advisory teams, and throughout 2024

Found: We are continuing to discuss with FCDO what HMG funding will be available for the period covered by

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether any revised financial commitments related to the Chagos negotiations will be included in the Comprehensive Spending Review.

Answered by Darren Jones - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

The FCDO and the MOD are the lead departments for this agreement. Any financial obligations, including departmental budgetary responsibilities, will be managed responsibly within the government’s fiscal framework through the upcoming Spending Review.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how much the Government spends on countering disinformation; and in which Departments this money is spent.

Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

A number of departments, including DSIT, Home Office and the FCDO, work together to address risks to the UK from disinformation. Activities include analysis and policy work to reduce the spread and impact of disinformation online.

We do not share our total spend on information threats publicly because of the risks inherent in revealing the scale of our efforts to adversaries. Components of this spend include £3m invested in media literacy by DSIT to drive critical engagement with online content (2022-24) and £25.5m invested by FCDO in building societal resilience to Russian interference in Eastern Europe and Central Asia (FY24-25).

Found: 15 2.4 The FCDO and “spender or saver of last resort” 17 2.5 What does moving to cash budgets mean?

Found: March 2025 52 White House says Trump “fully supports” […], Times of Israel, 20 March 2025 53 FCDO

Found: outlined in an explanatory memorandum on the European Commission’s 2024 work programme, submitted by the FCDO

Found: You also stated that there was no relationship between MTT and the FCDO and that you had no contact with

Found: grant the college an unfair advantage, that there was no relationship between the college and the FCDO

Found: relationship between the Rossendale Trust and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO

Found: Number of evaluation plans for review Departments Ecorys 20 46 BEIS, CO, DCMS, DEFRA, DKUHC DWP, FCDO

Found: From: FCDO Services Published 16 April 2025 Get emails about this page Documents

Found: International Maritime Organization of 4 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7SR or found on the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office

Found: Yours sincerely LORD LEONG CBE FROM THE LORD LEONG GOVERNMENT WHIP DBT, DEFRA, DSIT, FCDO 020-