Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if his Department will support the request by over 500,000 Serbian petitioners to the UN for an international investigation into the use of sonic weaponry against protestors by the Serbian police.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK consistently advocates for the rights to freedom of expression and assembly, globally. During his recent visit to Serbia, the Foreign Secretary underlined to government interlocutors the importance of protecting and respecting these rights, and of maintaining high standards in policing peaceful demonstrations accordingly.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has met with the family of Jagtar Singh Johal since his acquittal on 4 March 2025.
Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government remains committed to working for faster progress on Jagtar Singh Johal's case, and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office continue to provide support to Mr Johal and his family. The Foreign Secretary last met Mr Johal's family on 30 October 2024 and is due to meet them again in early May.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether any Cabinet colleagues have asked his Department to delay the China audit.
Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The China Audit is a comprehensive cross-government process. The timeline is driven by the need for sufficient consultation and analysis, across government and beyond, in order to inform Audit conclusions.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with his Indian counterpart on Jagtar Singh Johal’s continuing detention following his acquittal 4 March 2025.
Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign Secretary has raised Mr Johal's case with his Indian counterpart on several occasions, most recently on 5 March immediately following the acquittal in one of the cases faced by Mr Johal. We continue to make clear to the Government of India that faster progress is needed towards a full resolution of Mr Johal's cases.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when he expects the China audit to be (a) completed and (b) published.
Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are carrying out an audit of the UK's interests with China, so we can understand and respond to the challenges and opportunities China poses. This is a comprehensive exercise, which is important to get right. Whilst we have never committed to a specific date, the process will conclude in due course and we intend to share elements of the Audit publicly. Some parts will remain confidential, in order not to compromise UK interests.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the implications of the Budapest Memorandum for his policies.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
In the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, in return for Ukraine giving up its nuclear weapons, Russia committed to "refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of Ukraine." Russia has clearly breached those commitments. When the war ends Ukraine will need robust security guarantees to ensure Russia is never able to invade again. The UK is ready to play a leading role in accelerating work on security guarantees, as well as further support for Ukraine's military.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will call in the Ambassador of the People's Republic of China following reporting of cash offered by the Chinese Embassy for information on Hong Kong activists living in the UK.
Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We will not tolerate attempts by foreign powers to intimidate, harass, or harm their critics overseas. Following the issuing of arrest warrants on Christmas Eve, the Foreign Secretary strongly condemned the targeting of Hong Kongers in the UK.
Following recent reports, FCDO officials again raised the matter with the Chinese Embassy. The Hong Kong Police's issuing of arrest warrants encourages reckless behaviour on UK soil and damages Hong Kong's reputation.
The safety of Hong Kongers in the UK is of upmost importance for the Government. This has been referred to the police who are dealing with this matter.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 31 January 2025 to Question 24486 on Republika Srpska and Serbia: Politics and Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the joint committees between the Republic of Serbia and Republika Srpska legislatures on the (a) sovereignty and (b) territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Efforts to develop regional cooperation, economic integration and inter-connectivity initiatives which raise living standards across the Western Balkans are important.
However it is vital that any such initiatives and related structures do not privilege individual groups or violate the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), or undermine the Dayton Peace Agreement, for which the UK remains steadfast in its support.
We urge all political leaders in BiH, Serbia and the wider region to work constructively to strengthen federal institutions in BiH, use their influence positively with Republika Srpska leaders to promote continued adherence to the established constitutional framework in BiH, and to refrain from actions that could undermine this.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with his (a) American, (b) European Union and (c) NATO counterparts on the DeepSeek artificial intelligence model.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We maintain regular dialogue with our international partners on all aspects of policy including the emergence of new technologies.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when he plans to provide an answer to Question 24486 on Republika Srpska and Serbia: Politics and Government, tabled on 16 January 2025.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The answer to this written parliamentary question was published on 31 January.