Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she had with international counterparts concerning ongoing reports of (a) detention and (b) killing of the Falun Gong in China.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 9 April to Question 43452.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
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 the potential implications for her policies of reports of increased prison restrictions for human rights activist Zhang Zhan; and what diplomatic steps she has taken with international partners to help ensure her release.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 20 October to Question 81324.
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, whether the Government gave assurances to the Chinese Government on the proposed Chinese Embassy in London after 4 July 2024 and before the previously refused planning application was resubmitted by the Chinese Government.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 14 July 2025 to Question 65869.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with her Pakistani counterparts concerning the detention of Asif Pervaiz; and what diplomatic steps she is taking to support his release.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given on 12 June to question 58220.
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 discussions she has had with her American counterparts on securing a ceasefire in Sudan following President Trump’s meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on 19 November 2025.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We continue to work tirelessly towards securing a ceasefire, humanitarian relief, and accountability for atrocities committed in Sudan, as set out in the Foreign Secretary's statement to the House on 18 November. We will provide further updates to the House in due course.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will make it her policy to support efforts to create a Special Rapporteur for Women and Girls Living Under Occupation at the United Nations.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
In our discussions with the United Nations and other international bodies, the UK continues to push for greater priority to be given to the risks facing women and girls in conflict, as set out in the Foreign Secretary's speech on 24 November, available at the link below:
https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/twenty-five-years-of-women-peace-and-security.
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, when her Department plans to bring forward potential sanctions relating to human rights violations and abuses in Sudan.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We continue to work tirelessly towards securing a ceasefire, humanitarian relief, and accountability for atrocities committed in Sudan, as set out in the Foreign Secretary's statement to the House on 18 November. We will provide further updates to the House in due course.
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 humanitarian assistance her Department is giving to people in Sudan impacted by the conflict.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We continue to work tirelessly towards securing a ceasefire, humanitarian relief, and accountability for atrocities committed in Sudan, as set out in the Foreign Secretary's statement to the House on 18 November. We will provide further updates to the House in due course.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many staff in their Department have been on mental health leave for six months or more; and for what reason.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Civil Service publishes sickness absence statistics by organisation and by sickness reason, including mental ill-health. These figures are available in the publicly accessible Civil Service sickness absence reports on GOV.UK (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/sickness-absence). The next release of these statistics is scheduled for 18 December, and you may wish to refer to this forthcoming publication for the most up-to-date information.
Asked by: Lord Carter of Haslemere (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the reply by Baroness Chapman of Darlington on 4 November (HL Deb 1808), whether the statement setting out the Official Development Assistance allocations for 2026–27 and 2028–29 will describe the steps that the Secretary of State has taken to ensure that the 0.7 per cent target will be met by the UK in the next calendar year, as required by section 2(4) of the International Development (Official Development Assistance Target) Act 2015.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
I refer the Noble Lord to the response of 19 November 2025 to Question HL11642.