Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
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 level of night time medical evacuation capability in Montserrat, and what steps she is taking to ensure that residents have access to safe and timely emergency medical evacuation comparable to that available in other UK Overseas Territories.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is supporting the Government of Montserrat and Air Safety Support International to scope extending Montserrat's airport operations to night time, including to enable night time medical evacuations. The FCDO has also supported construction of a new air traffic control tower to ensure regulatory compliance, operational readiness and staff safety, due to complete this year.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department will undertake a review of Montserrat’s emergency medical evacuation arrangements including (a) nighttime capability and (b) the use of pre-evacuation financial liability agreements.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is supporting the Government of Montserrat and Air Safety Support International to scope extending Montserrat's airport operations to night time, including to enable night time medical evacuations. The FCDO has also supported construction of a new air traffic control tower to ensure regulatory compliance, operational readiness and staff safety, due to complete this year.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the Government will consider providing technical or financial assistance to establish night time air or sea medical evacuation capability in Montserrat.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is supporting the Government of Montserrat and Air Safety Support International to scope extending Montserrat's airport operations to night time, including to enable night time medical evacuations. The FCDO has also supported construction of a new air traffic control tower to ensure regulatory compliance, operational readiness and staff safety, due to complete this year.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to engage with Belarusian civil society and democratic forces in exile.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We welcome the release of political prisoners in September, secured through US diplomatic efforts in close coordination with the UK and other international partners, and call for the immediate and unconditional release of all remaining political prisoners. Our Embassy in Minsk regularly attends trials and engages with the families of political prisoners.
We regularly engage with Belarusian civil society and democratic forces in exile.
We do not comment on other countries' sanctions. To date, the UK has issued over 200 sanctions in response to human rights violations in Belarus and activities destabilising or threatening to destabilise Ukraine, including through the Government of Belarus' support for Russia's aggression in Ukraine.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to support the release of political prisoners detained in Belarus.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We welcome the release of political prisoners in September, secured through US diplomatic efforts in close coordination with the UK and other international partners, and call for the immediate and unconditional release of all remaining political prisoners. Our Embassy in Minsk regularly attends trials and engages with the families of political prisoners.
We regularly engage with Belarusian civil society and democratic forces in exile.
We do not comment on other countries' sanctions. To date, the UK has issued over 200 sanctions in response to human rights violations in Belarus and activities destabilising or threatening to destabilise Ukraine, including through the Government of Belarus' support for Russia's aggression in Ukraine.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 6 November 2025 to Question 86191, what steps her Department has taken to improve the development of health services and specialist medical care in Montserrat.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave on 6 November to Question 86192.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to coordinate with allies, including Japan and the United States, to uphold peace and security in the Taiwan Strait.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK's longstanding position on Taiwan has not changed. The UK has a clear interest in peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and considers the Taiwan issue one to be settled by people on both sides of the Strait through constructive dialogue, without the threat or use of force or coercion in any context. We support all actions to de-escalate tensions that are not conducive to peace and stability.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what conversations she has had with her counterpart in Bangladesh following the International Crimes Tribunal sentencing of Sheikh Hasina to death.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Minister of State for International Development visited Bangladesh on 13-14 November, reasserting the strong partnership between our two countries, and emphasising the UK's support for human rights and democracy. The UK Government's policy on the death penalty is clear: we oppose it in all circumstances, as a matter of principle.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has had discussions with her Japanese counterparts concerning the proposed new Embassy of the People's Republic of China.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 19 May 2025 to Question 51656.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the treatment of Christians in North Korea; and what steps the Government is taking to raise freedom of religion or belief with international partners.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK remains deeply concerned by unacceptable reports of ongoing, widespread, and systematic human rights violations in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). Defending the right to freedom of religion or belief for all is a priority for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and a key strand of our DPRK human rights strategy. The UK regularly raises concerns about the DPRK's human rights violations, including the lack of freedom of religion or belief, both with the DPRK embassy in London and in multilateral fora. On 20 November 2025, the UK co-sponsored the UN General Assembly's Third Committee resolution condemning North Korea's human rights abuses.