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 (a) offered assistance to the Spanish Government following the recent flooding and (b) held discussions with his Spanish counterpart on the floods.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign Secretary and I were shocked and saddened to see the devastating scenes in Spain, and by the deaths and damage caused by heavy flooding. The Foreign Secretrary has been in touch with the Foreign Minister of Spain to express the UK's condolences and offer our support, the Prime Minister and I have also contacted our counterparts. Our thoughts are with all those who have been affected. The British Embassy in Madrid and Consulates in affected areas are providing consular support to affected British Nationals.
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 2 September 2024 to Question 2311 on British Nationals Abroad: Departmental Responsibilities, whether the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan and Pakistan) is responsible for cross-departmental representation of British expats within the Government on matters other than consular and crisis operations.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I am the Minister responsible for consular and crisis operations. My Ministerial responsibilities do not include cross-departmental representation of British expats beyond consular and crisis operations.
The Government has no plans to make an assessment of the potential merits of creating a ministerial portfolio for representing the interests of UK citizens living abroad. Detailed information for British Nationals living abroad can be found on GOV.UK. Our Consular operation offers British Nationals a 24/7, 365 days a year service.
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 2 September 2024 to Question 2311 on British Nationals Abroad: Departmental Responsibilities, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of creating a ministerial portfolio for representing the interests of UK citizens living abroad.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I am the Minister responsible for consular and crisis operations. My Ministerial responsibilities do not include cross-departmental representation of British expats beyond consular and crisis operations.
The Government has no plans to make an assessment of the potential merits of creating a ministerial portfolio for representing the interests of UK citizens living abroad. Detailed information for British Nationals living abroad can be found on GOV.UK. Our Consular operation offers British Nationals a 24/7, 365 days a year service.
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 take diplomatic steps to reduce Iranian influence in Lebanon.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
During recent calls, the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary have made it clear to Iran that it must cease its support for its proxies and partners. We will continue to work alongside international partners to hold Iran to account for its escalatory behaviour through its support for its proxies and partners, including Lebanese Hezbollah, in the Middle East and its attempts to undermine global security. On 2 September, the UK imposed sanctions against four Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corp (IRGC) Quds Force targets who have a role in supporting Iranian proxy actions. Furthermore, the UK has proscribed Lebanese Hezbollah and sanctioned the IRGC in its entirety.
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 16 October 2024 to Question 7857 on British Indian Ocean Territory: Sovereignty, how much funding he plans to allocate to that new trust fund.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We recognise the importance of the British Indian Ocean Territory / Chagos Archipelago to Chagossians and we have worked to ensure this agreement reflects their interests. The government will endeavour to provide Parliament with appropriate details about the new trust fund for Mauritius in support of Chagossians, including additional support for Chagossians in the UK when the Treaty is laid before Parliament.
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 the Government considers that the All-Serb Assembly Declaration of June 2024, made by the Republic of Serbia and Republika Srpska, is compatible with the Dayton Agreement.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government considers that a number of elements in the Declaration of 8 June do not align with the Dayton Peace Agreement. The UK is firmly committed to supporting Bosnia and Herzegovina's sovereignty, territorial integrity, and multi-ethnic character and completely oppose statements supporting secessionism or stoking division. We will continue to work closely with our allies in the EU and US to ensure the upholding of the Dayton Peace Agreement.
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 held meetings with representatives of the Chagossian community in the period between his appointment as Foreign Secretary and 7 October 2024.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
As Minister for the Overseas Territories, I have met with members of the Chagossian community twice since the election. The Foreign Secretary has not yet had the opportunity to do so. We recognise the importance of the British Indian Ocean Territory / Chagos Archipelago to Chagossians and we have put their interests at the heart of this Agreement. Under this agreement, Mauritius will (for the first time) be free to develop a resettlement programme on the islands, other than Diego Garcia. We will also finance a new trust fund for Mauritius in support of Chagossians, as well as increase our support to Chagossians in the UK and around the world, through new and existing projects. All Chagossians remain eligible for British citizenship & to make home in UK. Mauritius and the UK will now work to start a new programme of visits for Chagossians to the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia.
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, how much funding the Government will contribute to Italy's Rome Process; and what that funding will be used for.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK will contribute up to £4 million to the Rome Process, the Italian government's initiative bringing together international partners to tackle drivers of irregular migration. The funding will be channelled through a new multi-donor fund - the Rome Process Financing Facility - that will support climate-related development projects in Africa.
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 answer Question 6569 on Armenia: Azerbaijan tabled by the hon. Member for Rutland and Stamford on 4 October 2024.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I [Minister Doughty] responded to Question 6569 on 14/10/2024.
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 the Government has offered assistance to Bosnia and Herzegovina following recent flooding and landslides.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I [Minister Doughty] was in contact with the Foreign Minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) on 5 October and expressed the UK's condolences for the loss of life and damage caused by flooding and landslides. On 4 and 5 October, British search and rescue specialists (in BiH as a short-term training team arranged by the British Embassy in Sarajevo) provided advice and expertise to BiH armed forces and emergency services on the ground. The UK's Ambassador to BiH visited the worst affected sites on 5 October, meeting the UK team and local mayors. The UK Government is considering, with BiH authorities and international partners, how it might support further responses.