Asked by: David Taylor (Labour - Hemel Hempstead)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of (a) the International Finance Facility for Education and (b) other innovative finance models on delivering value for money in education spending.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
It is too early to assess the impact of the International Finance Facility for Education (IFFEd) which was established only in 2024. The first investment cases will be approved by IFFEd's Board at the end of 2025 and projects will then begin implementation by the Asian Development Bank. An evaluation of IFFEd will take place over the next three years to understand impact.
The value for money assessments of our Results-Based Finance pilots through the Education Outcomes Fund (EOF) in Ghana and Sierra Leone are ongoing. Early analysis suggests the approach, which pays only for results achieved, leads to greater impact on children's learning outcomes. The final analysis will be available in 2026.
The Global Partnership for Education (GPE) Multiplier was externally evaluated in 2023. The Multiplier was found to be an effective mechanism for unlocking additional education finance, including from new philanthropic and private sector sources, of which 30% has been non-Official Development Assistance.
Asked by: David Taylor (Labour - Hemel Hempstead)
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 make use of innovative financing mechanisms to support global education outcomes.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Generating more innovative finance is a priority for the UK to address the $97 billion annual financing gap for global education.
The UK is a founding donor to the International Finance Facility for Education (IFFEd). This innovative guarantee mechanism unlocks $7 in new concessional lending from Multilateral Development Banks, for every $1 of Official Development Assistance. In the start-up phase, IFFEd will unlock $1 billion.
The UK is also engaging with philanthropy and the private sector to channel more finance to education. Through our support to the Global Partnership for Education Multiplier, the UK has helped raise a further $3.7 billion from 64 co-financers across 52 partner countries since 2021.
In Sierra Leone and Ghana, we support the Education Outcomes Fund to mobilise impact investment to improve children's learning outcomes. In Kenya, we are testing disaster risk finance to protect school infrastructure, keeping children safe and learning when climate disasters hit.
Asked by: David Taylor (Labour - Hemel Hempstead)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he he has made of the potential merits of establishing a bilateral security agreement with Kosovo as an additional mechanism for the KFOR mission.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Kosovo Force (KFOR) plays a vital part in maintaining a safe and secure environment in Kosovo, with a significant UK contribution including provision of the bulk of KFOR's Strategic Reserve Force which deployed to help manage down tensions in 2023. The UK provides a substantial package of bilateral security support to Kosovo through defence education, training, and advice under a bilateral Memorandum of Understanding. In Kosovo in April, the Foreign Secretary discussed with Kosovo's President Osmani the potential for enhancing the UK-Kosovo bilateral relationship, including through defence and security cooperation. We will take forward further discussions once a new Kosovan government is in place.
Asked by: David Taylor (Labour - Hemel Hempstead)
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 help ensure that Lukoil is not able to avoid UK sanctions.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We cannot comment on future designations. The UK has targeted Russian oil and those who produce it, by banning its import, implementing the Oil Price Cap, sanctioning two Russian oil majors, and specifying 251 shadow fleet oil tankers. Ships sanctioned by the UK in 2024 collectively carried $1.6 billion less year-on-year in Russian oil and oil products in Q1 2025.
We have also targeted those enabling Russia's illicit oil trade. These include a British national involved in procuring vessels for Russia's shadow fleet on behalf of Lukoil and networks established to enable the trade of Russian oil via the shadow fleet.
Asked by: David Taylor (Labour - Hemel Hempstead)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he is taking steps with his international partners to reduce arms sales to warring parties in Sudan.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Support from external actors to both warring parties only prolongs the conflict and the terrible human suffering. In our engagement with international partners, the UK continues to emphasise the importance of refraining from activity that prolongs the fighting and rather use their influence to support a peaceful resolution to the conflict. We will continue to work closely with partners at the UN Security Council to enforce the existing UN sanctions regime and arms embargo on Darfur. There is also a longstanding UK arms embargo in place for the whole of Sudan.
Asked by: David Taylor (Labour - Hemel Hempstead)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what information his Department holds on the level of Russian involvement in the attack by pro-Assad forces prior to the outbreak of violence on the west coast of Syria in March 2025.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The events in Syria at the start of March 2025 were deeply concerning, and reports that large numbers of civilians have been killed are horrific. We are working as quickly as possible to establish from reliable sources of information what exactly happened and who was responsible.
Asked by: David Taylor (Labour - Hemel Hempstead)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 28 October 2024 to Question 10916 on Chelsea Football Club: Sales, for what reason the Government is unable to access these funds.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The proceeds from the sale of Chelsea Football Club are currently frozen in a UK bank account. A licence from the Office for Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) is needed to move or use the proceeds, but they are not Government funds.
Asked by: David Taylor (Labour - Hemel Hempstead)
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 (a) North Korean troops in Ukraine and (b) transactional support with Russia for those troops on the security of (i) Japan and (ii) South Korea.
Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The direct participation of DPRK troops in combat operations is another dangerous expansion of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, with serious consequences for European and Indo-Pacific security. This is a grave error by DPRK, who have already begun to suffer significant casualties. In return, Russia's deepening cooperation with DPRK and increased political, military, and economic support further exacerbates tensions on the Korean Peninsula and poses a greater risk to stability in the region and beyond. The Government will continue to consult and coordinate with our close partners in response to this dangerous development, including Japan and South Korea.
Asked by: David Taylor (Labour - Hemel Hempstead)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to help protect the safety and wellbeing of all Syrians including (a) religious minorities, (b) women and (c) ethnic minorities following the fall of the Assad regime.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The FCDO has consistently underlined the importance of protecting all civilians, including religious and ethnic minorities, publicly and in our engagement with regional and international partners. The UK joined talks in Aqaba on 14 December, hosted by Jordan, with Arab, US, UN and EU partners during which we collectively expressed commitment to supporting a Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political transition process based on the principles of UN Security Council Resolution 2254, and leading to an inclusive, non-sectarian and representative government. We also underlined the importance of respect for human rights, including for women and minorities. Senior FCDO officials recently travelled to Damascus, where they discussed the importance of an inclusive transitional political process, protecting the rights of all Syrians.
Asked by: David Taylor (Labour - Hemel Hempstead)
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 convene an inaugural meeting in London to support civil society in Israel-Palestine in working towards a two-state solution.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Prime Minister has pledged his support for the establishment of an International Fund for Israeli-Palestinian Peace. Speaking on December 2, 2024, he announced plans for the Foreign Secretary to convene an "inaugural meeting in London to support civil society in the region, as part of that work to negotiate a two-state solution." This government has been clear; we are committed to pursuing a lasting solution to the Israeli/Palestinian Conflict, including through achieving a two-state solution. We continue to support efforts to this end through our aid programmes, which assist civil society in Israel and Palestine on a range of issues, including peacebuilding and conflict resolution. In June 2024, the G7 Heads of Government included milestone new language in their communiqué, committing to "working together and with other international partners to closely coordinate and institutionalize our support for civil society peacebuilding efforts, ensuring that such efforts are part of a larger strategy to build the foundation necessary for a negotiated and lasting Israeli-Palestinian peace."