Asked by: Lord Roberts of Llandudno (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that international law is upheld in the current situation in Iran.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK has engaged with a wide range of partners during the current crisis, emphasising that stability, de-escalation and restraint are key, and urging all parties to seize the opportunity for a diplomatic solution. We have consistently stressed that all sides must abide by international law.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to table 2.6 of HM Treasury's document entitled Spending Review 2025: Departmental Efficiency Plans, published on 11 June 2025, whether he has had discussions with the BBC on proposals for potential costs savings of the BBC World Service.
Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
No decisions have been taken on the World Service Grant-in-Aid funding for the next three years (2026/27 and beyond). This was not settled in the Spending Review and will be determined alongside our other Official Development Assistance and Non-ODA allocations, in the autumn.
For the Spending Review, the Treasury asked the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (along with most departments) to identify efficiency savings and to model certain budget scenarios. The request we made - to model scenarios equivalent to flat cash and a 2 per cent per year budget reduction, equating to around £3 million per year - was in line with that Treasury request.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Pakistani counterpart on first cousin marriage involving UK and Pakistani nationals.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government has not held recent discussions with the Government of Pakistan on first cousin marriage involving UK and Pakistani nationals. The Marriage (Prohibited Degrees of Relationship) Bill, currently under consideration in the UK Parliament, is a domestic legislative matter.
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, how many evacuation flights have been arranged for UK nationals from (a) Israel, and (b) the West Bank since 13 June 2025.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government have arranged six flights from Israel since 24 June. At this time, no further flights are planned. Commercial flights are now available. This remains a fast-moving and fragile situation, and plans will be kept under constant review.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what are the Palestinian organisations and individuals that are currently subject to UK sanctions.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK currently sanctions Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine - General Command (PFLP-CG), and a number of individuals that support the use of violence. All UK sanctions designations are available to the public via the UK Sanctions List: docs.fcdo.gov.uk/docs/UK-Sanctions-List.html
Asked by: Baroness Anelay of St Johns (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how they marked the UN International Day in Support of Victims of Torture on 26 June; and what plans they have to promote the introduction of international controls on weapons and equipment that could be used for torture, including at this year’s UN General Assembly.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government remains committed to preventing torture and tackling impunity for those who torture others. It is essential for safeguarding our security and integral to a fair legal system and the rule of law.
At the UN General Assembly, we will continue to work with allies to encourage all states to uphold their international human rights obligations. As a member of the Global Alliance on Torture Free Trade, the UK supports the initiative to stop the trade of goods used for capital punishment and torture. Goods are subject to export restrictions if they can be used for torture, capital punishment, or cruel and inhuman treatment. Export licence applications are considered against the Strategic Export Licensing Criteria. The Government will not grant a licence for items where we determine there is a clear risk that the items might be used to commit or facilitate internal repression.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, which (a) international treaties and (b) obligations will apply to (i) the Chagos Archipelago and (ii) Diego Garcia as a result of the transfer of sovereignty to Mauritius; and if he has undertaken an assessment of the potential impact of those obligations on (A) the Chagos Archipelago and (B) Diego Garcia.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Treaty ensures that its terms are compatible with the other international obligations of the Parties, current and future. The United Kingdom will ensure all operations on Diego Garcia comply with its obligations under applicable international law.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Saudi Arabia about the execution of Turki al-Jasser, and about the reported increase in executions, including for non-violent offences.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
No aspect of our relationship with Saudi Arabia prevents us from speaking frankly about human rights and officials in our Embassy in Riyadh have raised Turki Al-Jasser's case with the Saudi authorities. The UK strongly opposes the death penalty in all countries and circumstances.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
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 potential merits of imposing sanctions on any British company operating in the illegal settlement activity in the West Bank.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are deeply concerned by the levels of settlement expansion and settler violence in the West Bank and continue to urge the Government of Israel to stop settlement expansion and take action to hold violence to account. Settlements are illegal under international law.
On 20 May the UK imposed sanctions on three individuals, two illegal settler outposts and two organisations supporting violence against Palestinian communities in the West Bank. On 10 June the UK, acting alongside partners Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway, imposed sanctions on Israeli government ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich in their personal capacity, in response to their repeated incitements of violence against Palestinian communities in the West Bank.
The UK does not recognise the Occupied Palestinian Territories, including Israeli settlements, as part of Israel. Goods imported from the settlements are therefore not entitled to benefit from trade preferences under the UK-Israel Trade and Partnership Agreement. The UK also supports accurate labelling of settlement goods, so as not to mislead the consumer.
Sanctions can be used to achieve a range of foreign and security policy objectives. We use sanctions when they complement other tools as part of a wider strategy. It would not be appropriate to speculate about future sanctions designations as to do so could reduce their impact. We have been clear that we keep these issues under close review.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of implications for international law of the decision of the United States of America to bomb Iran.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
It is not for the UK to comment on the US' legal position and the UK did not participate in these strikes. We expect all parties to abide by international law. Our priority is stability in the Middle East and we have been clear with all sides that restarting the conflict is in nobody's interest.