Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, how many members of the Government will be attending the Paris Olympic Games.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
We wish Team GB and ParalympicsGB every success at what promise to be very special Olympic and Paralympic Games this summer. Attendance by members of His Majesty's Government at Paris 2024 remains under consideration.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the inquiry into (a) mismanagement in the Libyan National Oil Corporation and (b) fuel smuggling.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are aware of reports about, and would welcome an inquiry being established to address, allegations regarding the National Oil Corporation (NOC), relating to fuel smuggling and the criminal gangs who benefit from it. The NOC plays a vital role in the stability and prosperity of Libya. Efforts must be made to achieve greater control over Libyan oil resources and gain information on how it is being consumed at such an alarming rate. The UK stands ready to support the Libyan Government in achieving this.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether he has made an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the estimate made by the government of Mozambique on 20 March 2024 of the number of people facing food insecurity as a result of floods and drought in that country over the last five months.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The UK is responding to the ongoing humanitarian crises in Mozambique both through direct programming and diplomatic channels. This includes prepositioning of vital supplies and, through our partnership with the World Food Programme, supporting the Government of Mozambique initiatives to give farmers cash and seeds to reduce the impacts of drought. The UK is concerned about the effects of El Nino in Mozambique, along with recent flooding, and is closely monitoring the impacts. Our High Commissioner recently met with the head of the national disaster management authority (INGD) to discuss their response and linkages with UK intervention.
Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, how many staff have left his Department since its creation.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
2,350 UK based staff have left the FCDO between the data of the merger and 31st December 2023. This includes staff who have moved to other Government Departments. As of 31st March 2024 we have 8,167 UK based staff.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, what discussions he has had with his Caribbean Community counterparts on the security situation in Haiti.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK remains concerned by the deteriorating security situation in Haiti that exacerbates pre-existing humanitarian and economic crises. I [Minister Rutley] have engaged significantly on this issue, discussing it with regional and international partners over many months. I most recently engaged with Caribbean partners during my attendance at the CARICOM Heads of Government meeting in Guyana on 26 February, where I discussed concerns about - and options to respond to - the security situation in Haiti with interlocuters. The UK strongly supported the UN Resolution to authorise a Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) to Haiti. And on 9 April, in his press conference with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the Foreign Secretary announced that the UK would be providing over £5m to the MSS.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, what assessment his Department has made of the potential implications for its policies of reports of the conscription of Rohingya boys as child soldiers by the government of Myanmar.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are concerned by credible reports of forcible detention and recruitment of the Rohingya, following the Myanmar military regime's conscription announcement. This has the potential to further stoke inter-communal tensions. On 4 April, the UK convened the UN Security Council to raise concern over the escalating conflict in Rakhine State. We are committed to supporting children in Myanmar and we continue to raise our concerns over the recruitment and use of children in armed conflict in international fora, including through our co-sponsorship of a UN Human Rights Council resolution on Myanmar in April.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what steps he is taking to support (a) human rights and (b) democracy in (i) sub-Saharan Africa and (ii) other countries.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The UK is a long-standing supporter of an open international order based on respect for democracy and human rights. Globally, our work includes holding Russia to account over its actions in Ukraine and at home and China for its actions in Xinjiang province; and supporting the Human Rights Council and the Summits for Democracy. Across Africa, our human rights work has included support to media freedom in South Sudan, human rights defenders in Zimbabwe, and tackling child exploitation in DRC. We have also partnered to support democratic institutions: for example, the judiciary in Kenya, civil society in Nigeria, and the African Union (AU), through our £7 million AU Conflict and Governance programme.
Asked by: Ellie Reeves (Labour - Lewisham West and Penge)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether he plans to endorse the revised Comprehensive School Safety Framework.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The Comprehensive School Safety Framework is well aligned with UK priorities, and we support its implementation through our funding to Education Cannot Wait. The UK has endorsed the Safe Schools Declaration which commits to reducing the impact of conflict on education and is closely linked to the Comprehensive School Safety Framework. FCDO officials will discuss endorsing the framework with The Global Alliance for Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience in the Education Sector.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, what recent representations he has made to his Israeli counterpart on steps Israel is taking to ensure aid is able to reach citizens in Gaza.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The British Government has pressed with Israeli counterparts the urgency of getting significantly more aid into Gaza to alleviate the desperate situation.
The Foreign Secretary visited Israel on 17 April and met with Israeli counterparts. During his visit he said to Prime Minister Netanyahu and Foreign Affairs Minister Katz that we must maintain focus on getting more aid into Gaza and getting hostages out.
On 5th April Israel committed to significant steps to increase the amount of aid getting to Gaza, including allowing the delivery of humanitarian aid through the Port of Ashdod and the Erez checkpoint.
The UK has urged Israel to take these steps for a long time and they are welcome. We are resolved that the international community will work with Israel to see these vital changes fully implemented.
The British Government has also called on Israel to reform its deconfliction mechanism to ensure the safety of aid workers, and to make progress on the UN's minimal operating requirements, including more visas and driver approvals granted, as well as more trucks permitted to cross into Gaza.
Palestinians are facing a devastating and growing humanitarian crisis. The UK is playing a leadership role in alleviating that suffering. We are doing everything we can to get more aid in as quickly as possible by land, sea and air.
Asked by: Patrick Grady (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, what assessment his Department has made of the situation of Hindus in Sri Lanka after the recent arrest and assault of Tamil Hindu worshippers.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Promoting Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) is a UK priority in Sri Lanka. The UK Government regularly raises human rights, including the importance of religious tolerance and protecting the rights of all Sri Lankans to practise their faith. Through UK funded programmes, we support Sri Lankan youth to advocate for FoRB and improve religious harmony.
We continue to be concerned by increasing tensions around land in Sri Lanka, including at the Vedukkunaari Aadhi Sivan temple in Vavuniya. We welcome the release of the eight arrested Hindu worshippers but note that this incident has troubling implications for FoRB.