Asked by: Dean Russell (Conservative - Watford)
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 girls and women access education in Afghanistan.
Answered by Leo Docherty
The Government has repeatedly condemned the Taliban's decisions to restrict women and girls' access to education, including through UN Security Council and Human Rights Council resolutions and public statements, most recently on 13 January 2022. The Government continues to support the delivery of education, including through bilateral and multilateral contributions to non-governmental organisations (NGOs), UN partners, the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, Education Cannot Wait, and the Global Partnership for Education.
Asked by: Dean Russell (Conservative - Watford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the impact of sanctions on (a) Russia and (b) individuals connected to that country on its (i) economy and (ii) war in Ukraine.
Answered by Leo Docherty
Sanctions by the UK and its international partners have starved Russia of key Western goods and technology, hindered its military-industrial complex and future economic development. Russia's military is facing significant logistical and replenishment challenges in the face of sanctions. Over 1,200 individuals have been sanctioned by the UK, including over 120 oligarchs and family members with a global net worth of over £140bn. The International Monetary Fund forecasts that Russia's GDP will be 11% smaller in 2026 compared to pre-invasion forecasts and won't return to its pre-invasion level until 2027 at the earliest.