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 many new allegations of (a) torture and (b) mistreatment were received by his Department in relation to British nationals in 2025.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
In 2025 consular officials were made aware of 34 new allegations in which the reported treatment appeared to amount to torture, and 212 new allegations where the report appeared to amount to mistreatment worldwide. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) does not have investigatory powers in relation to allegations of torture or mistreatment overseas, and takes all allegations at face value.
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, with reference to the Answer of 27 October 2026 to Question 37430 Grandview Institution, if he could publish the government policies and procedures referred to, and whether these have been reviewed since 30 September 2026.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
There is no single, standalone set of policies and procedures governing engagement with overseas research institutes and policy organisations. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office engages with a wide range of institutions, in the UK and overseas, to understand different perspectives and to inform policy development. In doing so, we consider the risks of each engagement robustly, taking into account the nature of the organisation, the purpose of the engagement and the UK's national security interests. Engagement does not imply endorsement of any organisation or its views.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her oral contribution of 26 October 2026, Official Report, column 4, whether any of the outstanding issues in the case of Mohammed Yaseen relate to deportation restrictions stemming from membership of the ECHR.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister of State (Home Office)
It is longstanding government policy that we do not routinely comment on individual cases.
Any foreign national who receives a prison sentence in the UK is referred for deportation at the earliest opportunity and will be barred from ever returning.
Over 11,000 foreign criminals including murderers and rapists have been returned or deported in the two years since the last election – a 41 percent increase on the two years prior.
Where individuals cannot be immediately removed, they will be subject to strict conditions while they remain in the UK, such as electronic monitoring with curfew, reporting at regular intervals and subject to exclusion zones.
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 his Department plans to establish a dedicated market-entry programme for British businesses seeking to participate in Guyana's infrastructure development over the next decade.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Guyana is the UK's largest trading partner in the Commonwealth Caribbean, accounting for 43.7 per cent of UK trade with the region. The UK-CARIFORUM Economic Partnership Agreement provides the framework for our trading relationship. We continue to promote trade and investment across sectors including infrastructure, renewable energy, and financial and professional services. This includes trade missions connecting UK firms with local partners and working closely with UK Export Finance, which has increased its capacity for Guyana to £3.5 billion. The UK's Trade Envoy for the Commonwealth Caribbean led a trade mission to Guyana in November 2025. The UK is also developing a successor to the UK Caribbean Infrastructure Fund.
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 steps his Department is taking to support British companies seeking to invest in Guyana's (a) energy, (b) infrastructure, (c) financial services and (d) professional services sectors.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Guyana is the UK's largest trading partner in the Commonwealth Caribbean, accounting for 43.7 per cent of UK trade with the region. The UK-CARIFORUM Economic Partnership Agreement provides the framework for our trading relationship. We continue to promote trade and investment across sectors including infrastructure, renewable energy, and financial and professional services. This includes trade missions connecting UK firms with local partners and working closely with UK Export Finance, which has increased its capacity for Guyana to £3.5 billion. The UK's Trade Envoy for the Commonwealth Caribbean led a trade mission to Guyana in November 2025. The UK is also developing a successor to the UK Caribbean Infrastructure Fund.
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 considered appointing a dedicated UK Trade Envoy to Guyana to strengthen bilateral trade and investment relations.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Guyana is the UK's largest trading partner in the Commonwealth Caribbean, accounting for 43.7 per cent of UK trade with the region. The UK-CARIFORUM Economic Partnership Agreement provides the framework for our trading relationship. We continue to promote trade and investment across sectors including infrastructure, renewable energy, and financial and professional services. This includes trade missions connecting UK firms with local partners and working closely with UK Export Finance, which has increased its capacity for Guyana to £3.5 billion. The UK's Trade Envoy for the Commonwealth Caribbean led a trade mission to Guyana in November 2025. The UK is also developing a successor to the UK Caribbean Infrastructure Fund.
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 steps his Department is taking to facilitate partnerships between British and Guyanese (a) universities and (b) professional institutions.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK values educational and professional links with Guyana and supports collaboration between UK and Guyanese institutions. Chevening and Commonwealth Scholarships help strengthen long-term academic and professional connections between our countries. Since 1984, around 200 Guyanese scholars have received Chevening Scholarships.
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 assessment he has made of the adequacy of staffing and resources at the British High Commission in Georgetown to support the UK's diplomatic and commercial interests in Guyana.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK and Guyana enjoy a close and longstanding partnership working together on shared priorities including economic growth, climate and biodiversity, security and regional issues. His Majesty The King's State Visit to Guyana marks 60 years of bilateral relations and reflects the strength of our modern partnership. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) keeps the resourcing of its overseas network under regular review to ensure it can deliver UK priorities effectively.
The UK and Guyana share a firm commitment to tackling serious and organised crime. International Security Fund-funded activity supports international law enforcement cooperation to disrupt serious and organised crime networks involved in illicit trafficking, including narcotics trafficking and human trafficking, contributing to efforts to tackle exploitation and strengthening security and stability across the Caribbean region.
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 his Department plans to develop a formal bilateral strategy for Guyana.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK and Guyana enjoy a close and longstanding partnership working together on shared priorities including economic growth, climate and biodiversity, security and regional issues. His Majesty The King's State Visit to Guyana marks 60 years of bilateral relations and reflects the strength of our modern partnership. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) keeps the resourcing of its overseas network under regular review to ensure it can deliver UK priorities effectively.
The UK and Guyana share a firm commitment to tackling serious and organised crime. International Security Fund-funded activity supports international law enforcement cooperation to disrupt serious and organised crime networks involved in illicit trafficking, including narcotics trafficking and human trafficking, contributing to efforts to tackle exploitation and strengthening security and stability across the Caribbean region.
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 discussions he has had with his Guyanese counterpart on strengthening bilateral cooperation to tackle (a) narcotics trafficking, (b) human trafficking and (c) organised crime linked to illegal gold mining.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK and Guyana enjoy a close and longstanding partnership working together on shared priorities including economic growth, climate and biodiversity, security and regional issues. His Majesty The King's State Visit to Guyana marks 60 years of bilateral relations and reflects the strength of our modern partnership. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) keeps the resourcing of its overseas network under regular review to ensure it can deliver UK priorities effectively.
The UK and Guyana share a firm commitment to tackling serious and organised crime. International Security Fund-funded activity supports international law enforcement cooperation to disrupt serious and organised crime networks involved in illicit trafficking, including narcotics trafficking and human trafficking, contributing to efforts to tackle exploitation and strengthening security and stability across the Caribbean region.