Asked by: Baroness Sugg (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether there has been Ministerial level contact between the UK Government and the Mauritian Government since 20 January; and if so, which Ministers and which interlocutors.
Answered by Lord Wood of Anfield - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
There has been no Ministerial level contact between the UK Government and the Mauritian Government since 20 January.
All ministerial meetings with external organisations, and relevant Special Adviser meetings, are published in the usual way on gov.uk. Details of ministerial overseas visits are routinely published in each department's quarterly transparency releases
Asked by: Baroness Sugg (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will seek new legal advice on the sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territory following the appointment of a new Attorney General on 20 July.
Answered by Lord Wood of Anfield - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government's position in relation to the UK-Mauritius treaty has been informed by legal advice throughout. A summary of the Government's legal position was set out on 22 May when the treaty was signed, and can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-secures-future-of-vital-diego-garcia-military-base-to-protect-national-security. In accordance with the long-standing convention, adhered to by successive governments, whether or not the Law Officers have been, or will be, consulted, and the substance of any such advice is not disclosed outside government.
Asked by: Baroness Sugg (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the conversion of international finance grants to loans remains classed as official development assistance; and, if not, whether the official development budget will decrease.
Answered by Lord Wood of Anfield - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Loans are classed as Official Development Assistance (ODA) where they meet the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) criteria for ODA eligibility, including being provided on concessional terms and having the promotion of economic development and welfare as their primary objective.
Under current OECD rules, only the grant-equivalent element of an eligible loan is recorded as ODA, rather than the full value of the loan.
Asked by: Baroness Sugg (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what are their priorities for tackling violence against women and girls internationally.
Answered by Lord Wood of Anfield - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The International Strategic Framework, launched at the Global Partnerships Conference in May 2026, sets out how the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) will deliver its standalone Women and Girls Priority by placing them at the centre of the UK's international work. We are prioritising action across four foundations: safety, prosperity, voice and choice (education and health). The UK is working with international partners to drive progress on preventing violence against women and girls (VAWG), including announcing in May the new International Coalition to End VAWG. The coalition brings together eight countries to share expertise and drive practical action to prevent domestic abuse and sexual violence, tackle online abuse, and strengthen global efforts to prevent sexual violence in conflict and other forms of violence in humanitarian crises. The UK is committed to tackling violence domestically and internationally and remains committed to advancing women and girls' rights.
Asked by: Baroness Sugg (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether women and girls will remain one of their foreign policy priorities.
Answered by Lord Wood of Anfield - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The International Strategic Framework, launched at the Global Partnerships Conference in May 2026, sets out how the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) will deliver its standalone Women and Girls Priority by placing them at the centre of the UK's international work. We are prioritising action across four foundations: safety, prosperity, voice and choice (education and health). The UK is working with international partners to drive progress on preventing violence against women and girls (VAWG), including announcing in May the new International Coalition to End VAWG. The coalition brings together eight countries to share expertise and drive practical action to prevent domestic abuse and sexual violence, tackle online abuse, and strengthen global efforts to prevent sexual violence in conflict and other forms of violence in humanitarian crises. The UK is committed to tackling violence domestically and internationally and remains committed to advancing women and girls' rights.
Asked by: Baroness Sugg (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to continue the approach to international development set out in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office policy paper, The UK's Modern Development Approach, published on 16 July.
Answered by Lord Wood of Anfield - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government is committed to a modern approach to international development based on genuine respect and partnership with the Global South to support our common interests. In a statement on his appointment on 20 July, the Foreign Secretary reaffirmed the Government's commitment to strengthening international development partnerships and reforming international institutions so that they deliver more effectively for all countries, including the world's poorest people.
Asked by: Baroness Sugg (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what are their priorities for the UK's upcoming presidency of the G20.
Answered by Lord Wood of Anfield - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Planning for the UK's G20 Presidency in 2027 is underway, and the government will set out its priorities in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Sugg (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether any new legislation to implement the UK-Mauritius treaty on sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territory will be brought forward in this session of Parliament.
Answered by Lord Wood of Anfield - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Noble Baroness to my previous answer on 30 July to question HL2205.
Asked by: Baroness Sugg (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether Baroness Harman will continue as the UK's International Special Envoy for Women and Girls given her new domestic role as Prime Minister's Adviser on Women and Girls.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington
I am pleased to say that Baroness Harriet Harman remains the UK Special Envoy for Women and Girls, championing our objectives to protect the rights and safety of women and girls around the world, alongside her new, domestic-focused role as the Prime Minister's Adviser on Women and Girls.
Asked by: Baroness Sugg (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government when was the last ministerial meeting with the Chief Commissioner of the Independent Commission for Aid Impact.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington
I refer the Noble Baroness to my appearance before the International Development Committee on 20 January, where I addressed these issues at length.
The Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office are working through detailed decisions on how the Official Development Assistance budget will be used from 2026/27 to 2028/29, informed by internal and external consultation and impact assessments. Funding decisions relating to the Independent Commission for Aid Impact (ICAI) are part of this process. We plan to publish indicative allocations in the coming months.
I met ICAI's Chief Commissioner on 18 September at ICAI office.