Asked by: Anna Gelderd (Labour - South East Cornwall)
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 help prevent forest fires in tropical forest biomes.
Answered by Catherine West
Wildfires were responsible for record-breaking levels of tropical forest loss in 2024, as highlighted in a recent World Resources Institute (WRI) report (https://gfr.wri.org/latest-analysis-deforestation-trends). Rising temperatures and environmental degradation are increasing the likelihood, severity and frequency of wildfires globally.
Protecting and restoring tropical forest biomes makes them more resistant to damaging wildfires. The UK is supporting delivery of the shared commitment to halt and reverse deforestation and forest degradation by 2030. We are working with partners to protect, restore, and sustainably manage tropical forest biomes, as well as supporting deeper collaboration to prevent wildfires through the G7 and the Food and Agriculture Organization's Global Fire Management Hub.
Asked by: Anna Gelderd (Labour - South East Cornwall)
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 counterparts in countries with tropical forests on steps to prevent forest fires since 5 July 2024.
Answered by Catherine West
The UK is determined to ensure action to protect and restore tropical forests is an international priority ahead of COP30 in Brazil in November 2025. Wildfires are a focus of the Canadian G7 Presidency in 2025 and the UK supports regional and international efforts to deepen collaboration to prevent forest fires.
The UK participated in a meeting of the Food and Agriculture Organization's Global Fire Management Hub in mid-June to discuss research findings and practical areas of cooperation to prevent forest fires. The UK is also co-chairing the Forests and Climate Leaders' Partnership with Guyana, where wildfires were discussed at a meeting in May, ahead of COP30 in Brazil.
Asked by: Anna Gelderd (Labour - South East Cornwall)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps he is taking to help (a) ensure that medical aid reaches people who are most in need in and (b) evacuate (i) people and (ii) children who need more extensive medical support from Gaza.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK continues to urge Israel to let Gazans receive urgent healthcare, including allowing the sick and wounded to temporarily leave the Gaza Strip for treatment. On 19 May, the UK, Canada, and France jointly called for Israel to cease its renewed military offensive and lift restrictions on humanitarian aid. It is vital there is a full resumption of aid with Israel allowing the United Nations and other aid organisations to operate independently.
We announced a £7.5 million package of support to bolster medical care in Gaza and the region including additional funding for UK-Med, World Health Organization Egypt, and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Occupied Palestinian Territories Humanitarian Fund.
The UK has supported an initiative by Project Pure Hope to bring a small number of children from Gaza to the UK for privately funded specialist care. On 1 May, I announced that two children have arrived in the UK to begin privately funded medical treatment.
Asked by: Anna Gelderd (Labour - South East Cornwall)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will list the project (a) title, (b) code, (c) Overseas Development Assistance value and (d) International Climate Finance value of all Blue Belt Programme expenditure in the (i) 2021-22, (ii) 2022-23, (iii) 2023-24 and (iv) 2024-25 financial years.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
From Financial Year (FY) 21/22 to FY 24/25, the Blue Belt Programme was funded through the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's International Programme. For each of these FYs, the budget for the Programme was £8 million, of which £2 million was Overseas Development Assistance. Annual reports, which set out the main activities conducted through the programme, are available on the GOV.UK Blue Belt Programme webpage, with the 24/25 report due to be published in the summer. The Blue Belt Programme does not receive funding from International Climate Finance.
Asked by: Anna Gelderd (Labour - South East Cornwall)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will list the (a) title (b) location and (c) value of projects funded by the Green Climate Fund as part of the International Climate Finance spend on nature and biodiversity.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Details, including title, location, and value, of all projects funded by the Green Climate Fund (GCF) are available on the Fund's website: [https://www.greenclimate.fund/countries]. The GCF's Open Data Library, is also available via the website.
Asked by: Anna Gelderd (Labour - South East Cornwall)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will list the project (a) title, (b) code and (c) cost of International Climate Finance projects under the international forest (i) indigenous peoples and local communities, (ii) Congo basin and (ii) Amazon pledge in (A) 2021-22, (B) 2022-23, (C) 2023-24 and (D) 2024-25 financial year.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
At COP26, the UK committed £1.5 billion International Climate Finance (ICF) for forests from April 2021 to March 2026, including £200 million for the Congo Basin (to 2029) and £300 million for the Amazon. This forms the UK's contribution toward the Global Forest Finance Pledge, Congo Basin Pledge, and Indigenous People and Local Communities Forest Tenure Pledge. The UK invested £682 million over financial years 2021/22 (£155 million), 2022/23 (£200 million), 2023/24 (£327 million). Data is not yet finalised for 2024/2025. The UK Government publishes detail of ICF programmes through our online resource DevTracker and pledge reports can also be found online for consultation.
Asked by: Anna Gelderd (Labour - South East Cornwall)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to support the creation of an additional protocol to the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime to help tackle wildlife trafficking.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK remains committed to tackling the illegal wildlife trade and supporting efforts to strengthen legal frameworks, including through the United Nations. The Conference of Parties to the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime met in Vienna from 14-18 October 2024. The UK played an active role in the Conference, which agreed to convene an expert group on environmental crimes that will identify any gaps in the international legal framework and consider how these can be addressed.