Asked by: Emily Darlington (Labour - Milton Keynes Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what percentage of Gross National Income the Government spent as Official Development Assistance in the calendar years (a) 2024 and (b) 2025; how much UK Official Development Assistance was spent on research and development in the calendar years (i) 2024 and (ii) 2025: what percentage of Gross National Income the Government plans to spend as Official Development Assistance in the calendar years (A) 2026, (B) 2027, (C) 2028 and (D) 2029; and how much UK Official Development Assistance the government plans to spend on research and development in the calendar years (1) 2026, (2) 2027, (3) 2028 and (4) 2029.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
If my Hon. Friend is seeking the provisional Official Development Assistance (ODA): Gross National Income (GNI) ratio for 2025 (and final ratio for 2024) this information can be found within the Statistics on International Development at this link: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-on-international-development.
In February 2025, the UK Government took the difficult decision to reduce ODA spending to 0.3 per cent of GNI by 2027 to fund a necessary increase in defence spending. We also stated our commitment to restore ODA spending to 0.7 per cent of GNI as soon as fiscal circumstances allow. The Government has acted to improve budget stability for ODA to allow for better long-term planning of programming, meaning that ODA budgets will no longer be automatically adjusted for GNI fluctuations.
For 2024/25 the total ODA Research and Development (R&D) spend across HM Government was £985 million. Projected spending for 2025/26 was £0.8 billion, and current spending plans are £0.5 billion for 2026/27, and £0.4 billion for 2027/28, 2028/29 and 2029/30.
Asked by: Emily Darlington (Labour - Milton Keynes Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will implement Magnitsky-style sanctions against the Hong Kong officials responsible for the sentencing of 69-year-old Kwok Yin-sang, father of exiled activist Anna Kwok with BN(O) status; and what steps she is taking to help tackle 'guilt by blood' tactics as a tool of repression against Hong Kongers.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The National Security Law has stifled opposition and criminalised dissent in Hong Kong. We have called for it to be repealed, and for an end to the prosecution of all individuals charged under it.
We will not tolerate attempts by foreign governments to intimidate or harm individuals in the UK, and we are committed to protecting the safety of the Hong Kong community who have made their home here. We continue to raise these concerns directly with the Chinese authorities, and the Government has strengthened the legal and operational tools needed to deter, detect and disrupt modern state threats.
It is the UK's long-standing policy not to comment on potential sanctions designations, as to do so would risk undermining their impact.
Asked by: Emily Darlington (Labour - Milton Keynes Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will issue a formal condemnation of the eight-month prison sentence handed to Kwok Yin-sang, father of BN(O) status holder Anna Kwok; and if she will coordinate a joint demarche with likeminded governments to demand his immediate and unconditional release.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The National Security Law has stifled opposition and criminalised dissent in Hong Kong. We have called for it to be repealed, and for an end to the prosecution of all individuals charged under it.
We will not tolerate attempts by foreign governments to intimidate or harm individuals in the UK, and we are committed to protecting the safety of the Hong Kong community who have made their home here. We continue to raise these concerns directly with the Chinese authorities, and the Government has strengthened the legal and operational tools needed to deter, detect and disrupt modern state threats.
It is the UK's long-standing policy not to comment on potential sanctions designations, as to do so would risk undermining their impact.
Asked by: Emily Darlington (Labour - Milton Keynes Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to protect the families of British National (Overseas) status holders from judicial harassment in Hong Kong; and what guarantees of safety the Government is providing to activists with BN(O) status like Anna Kwok whose families are being targeted as political hostages.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The National Security Law has stifled opposition and criminalised dissent in Hong Kong. We have called for it to be repealed, and for an end to the prosecution of all individuals charged under it.
We will not tolerate attempts by foreign governments to intimidate or harm individuals in the UK, and we are committed to protecting the safety of the Hong Kong community who have made their home here. We continue to raise these concerns directly with the Chinese authorities, and the Government has strengthened the legal and operational tools needed to deter, detect and disrupt modern state threats.
It is the UK's long-standing policy not to comment on potential sanctions designations, as to do so would risk undermining their impact.