Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)
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 Cabinet colleagues on the role of scientific research collaborations with African institutions in supporting the International Development Strategy and the Science and Technology Framework.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell
Science and technology play a vital role in helping deliver against the UK's development and diplomatic priorities, and contribute to resilience by tackling global challenges. We work with partners across Government to strengthen equitable UK-Africa scientific collaborations and ensure the power of science delivers impactful and transformative change. The UK is a proud advocate for Open Science, deploying our world class expertise to drive open standards for critical and emerging technologies while protecting research security. We have dedicated teams across the continent, including in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa, who coordinate our research and investment across His Majesty's Government with other major funders such as Department for Science Innovation and Technology, Department for Environment. Food and Rural Affairs, and Department of Health and Social Care, and deliver our mutual objectives aligned with the International Development Strategy and the Science and Technology Framework.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)
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 potential impact of research collaborations between UK universities and stakeholders in Africa on the level of UK influence in that continent.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell
We have a strong record of collaboration in science and technology with a history of using our scientific strengths, world-renowned finance and tech sectors, and global partnerships to uncover solutions to global challenges. We have witnessed first-hand the effectiveness of scientific collaboration during the covid-19 pandemic and how transparency can open diplomatic dialogue and accelerate solutions to our shared problems. We have decades of partnership with Africa's leading universities and science institutions including the Science Foundation for Africa with support to 14 consortia with 75 institutions across 36 countries in Africa including countries in the Sahel. These research partnerships can help to open doors to more complex diplomatic conversations on issues like freedom and democracy, and LGBT rights.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many seats were empty on each evacuation flight from Sudan since 25 April 2023.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell
Between the 15 April and 3 May, the UK supported the departure of 2,450 people, including British nationals, dependants and other eligible nationals in the largest Western lead evacuation operation. We do not have a number for empty seats, our priority throughout was to ensure maximum capacity on every plane within the usual operational constraints (for example safe loading weight and broader security considerations).
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)
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 impact of the UK Science and Innovation Network in Africa.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell
In Africa, the Science and Innovation Network has delivered a refreshed UK-South Africa science and tech cooperation through an MoU signed during the State visit last November. In March 2023 we agreed an action plan to realise mutual objectives of the UK and South Africa including cooperation in space, health, environment, and energy. At the Kenya Innovation Week in December 2022, the UK was awarded the Innovation Development Partner of the Year award, recognising our long-term, strategic engagement with the Kenyan Government on science and innovation, including the development of a digital platform connecting young tech talent to businesses and government.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to utilise UK research collaborations with African universities to support social and economic development on that continent.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell
UK research collaborations with African universities support extensive development on the continent. We partner with other Government Departments to deliver a whole of UK approach across a broad range of issues. On energy, we collaborate with the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology to support UK-Africa research partnerships to develop clean energy solutions to address energy poverty on the continent. On health, we work with the Hygiene Hub at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, alongside Africa CDC, the Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia and the Malawi University for Business and Applied Sciences to prevent the spread of transmissible diseases including covid-19 and cholera.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to support African leaders in responding to the conflict in Sudan.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell
We are pursuing all diplomatic avenues to bring about a cessation of violence and pave the way for meaningful talks.The Prime Minister, Foreign Secretary, senior officials and myself have engaged frequently with counterparts in the region with partners such as Kenya, Djibouti and Egypt.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many UK Tech Envoys his Department currently has; and whether his Department plans to take steps to increase the number of Tech Envoys.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell
It is a priority action of the UK's International Technology Strategy to create the world's most extensive and capable technology diplomacy network, increasing the number of Tech Envoys, increasing our tech expertise across our global network, and uplifting the capability of our diplomats through training, secondments and recruitment. We currently have one Envoy, Joe White, who is based in San Francisco and leads our work with the tech industry in Silicon Valley and we recently announced our intention to recruit a further Envoy in the Indo-Pacific.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the UK International Technology Strategy published on Published 22 March 2023, where the Technology Centre of Expertise will be based.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell
A top priority of the International Technology Strategy is to establish the Technology Centre of Expertise, part of British Investment Partnerships, to support sustainable economic growth around the world. The Technology Centre of Expertise will be a digital platform hosted by the FCDO that will signpost our network and partners to repositories of knowledge, evidence and learning resources and provide access to digital and technology expertise from the UK Government, private sector, civil society and academia. Further details will be confirmed in due course as the business case for Technology Centre of Expertise is developed.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to The UK’s International Technology Strategy, published on 22 March 2023, CP 810, what estimate his Department has made of the cost of (a) establishing and (b) running the Technology Centre of Expertise; by what criteria priority nations for delivering an International Technology Strategy implementation plan were identified; and whether his Department plans to publish a list of those nations.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell
The FCDO has an opening budget of £1.8 million of Official Development Assistance (ODA) from existing allocations to establish the Technology Centre of Expertise. A business case is being developed to agree the future spend profile.
The International Technology Strategy commits us to delivering a prioritised set of technology-based partnerships with key partners around the world. We will take an effective, coordinated and strategic approach to the partnerships we invest in to deliver mutually beneficial objectives and to achieve the UK's technology ambitions and secure the UK's place as a science and technology superpower.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the UK International Technology Strategy published on 22 March 2023, what estimate his Department has made of the (a) cost of establishing and (b) annual running costs of the Technology Centre of Expertise.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell
The FCDO has an opening budget of £1.8 million of Official Development Assistance (ODA) from existing allocations to establish the Technology Centre of Expertise. A business case is being developed to agree the future spend profile.
The International Technology Strategy commits us to delivering a prioritised set of technology-based partnerships with key partners around the world. We will take an effective, coordinated and strategic approach to the partnerships we invest in to deliver mutually beneficial objectives and to achieve the UK's technology ambitions and secure the UK's place as a science and technology superpower.