Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 30 June 2025 to Question 62275 on Defence: Finance, whether the his Department's contribution will be included in the defence budget after 2027.
Answered by Catherine West
A proportion of Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) non-Official Development Assistance (ODA) programme spend will contribute to the UK NATO target across the Spending Review period. This spend will be part of the FCDO budget, not the Defence budget. The final total quantum will be determined through the multi-year programme allocations process. The FCDO will continue to publish non-ODA programme spending plans in the normal way through the Annual Report and Accounts.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 30 June to Question 62275 on Defence: Finance, whether the FCDO contribution referred to will be included in the Defence budget in 2028.
Answered by Catherine West
A proportion of Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) non-Official Development Assistance (ODA) programme spend will contribute to the UK NATO target across the Spending Review period. This spend will be part of the FCDO budget, not the Defence budget. The final total quantum will be determined through the multi-year programme allocations process. The FCDO will continue to publish non-ODA programme spending plans in the normal way through the Annual Report and Accounts.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 30 June 2025 to Question 62275 on Defence: Finance, when the amount of his Department's contribution will be (a) determined and (b) published.
Answered by Catherine West
A proportion of Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) non-Official Development Assistance (ODA) programme spend will contribute to the UK NATO target across the Spending Review period. This spend will be part of the FCDO budget, not the Defence budget. The final total quantum will be determined through the multi-year programme allocations process. The FCDO will continue to publish non-ODA programme spending plans in the normal way through the Annual Report and Accounts.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 11 June 2025 to Question 59107 on Defence: Finance, if he will specify the total financial quantum of the elements of the FCDO’s programming budget referred to.
Answered by Catherine West
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO)'s non-Official Development Assistance budget primarily funds operating costs, including the UK's diplomatic capability, 24/7 consular services and rapid crisis response to support British nationals worldwide. The settlement also supports the FCDO's priorities across security, growth, migration and the UK's relationship with Europe, alongside constitutional obligations to the Overseas Territories. A portion of this funding will contribute to the UK's NATO-attributed defence spending, including FCDO-led programming in partnership with the Ministry of Defence and the Intelligence Community to counter cyber-attacks, election interference, disinformation and other threats to stability. The amount of the FCDO contribution is being worked though. It will not be included in the Defence budget for 2027.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 11 June 2025 to Question 59107 on Defence: Finance, whether the elements of FCDO’s programming budget will be formally included in the defence budget for 2027.
Answered by Catherine West
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO)'s non-Official Development Assistance budget primarily funds operating costs, including the UK's diplomatic capability, 24/7 consular services and rapid crisis response to support British nationals worldwide. The settlement also supports the FCDO's priorities across security, growth, migration and the UK's relationship with Europe, alongside constitutional obligations to the Overseas Territories. A portion of this funding will contribute to the UK's NATO-attributed defence spending, including FCDO-led programming in partnership with the Ministry of Defence and the Intelligence Community to counter cyber-attacks, election interference, disinformation and other threats to stability. The amount of the FCDO contribution is being worked though. It will not be included in the Defence budget for 2027.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the design of the Chagos Islands flag will change following the ratification of the Chagos treaty.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
A British flag will continue to be flown at the UK-US Base on Diego Garcia as it has always done.
The British Indian Ocean Territory will cease to exist as a British Overseas Territory upon ratification of the treaty agreed between the UK and Mauritius.
No decision has yet been taken on any future use or adaptation of the current BIOT flag.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to hold discussions with the (a) Fairtrade Foundation and (b) other stakeholders on the fair treatment of workers around the world.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government is committed to working closely with international labour organisations, including the Fairtrade Foundation, to advance free and fair trade around the world that is inclusive, sustainable and reduces poverty.
Lord Collins' priority of championing equal rights for all extends to workers globally and is reflected in our work with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) to promote more and better jobs for workers globally, including raising workers' rights issues, and promoting equal pay for equal work for women. The Government acts globally to prevent forced labour in supply chains, including, for example, by supporting reform of labour migration policies in South East Asia to ensure fair treatment of migrant workers.
Many female dominated sectors include precarious, informal and isolated work. The UK is pressing for better representation and leadership within union movements, including for paid care workers. The UK's new Trade Centre of Expertise will build the capacity of producers, businesses and governments in developing countries to participate in and prosper from global trade.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 30 January 2025 to Question 25988 on British Indian Ocean Territory: Sovereignty, how much and what proportion of spend to date on the Chagos Islands negotiations will be borne by the (a) his Department and (b) the Ministry of Defence.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Costs, including those of staffing, legal counsel, travel and accommodation and other expenses arising from the negotiations have been incorporated into the budgets of those Departments involved in the negotiations. There has been no central aggregation of those costs.
To go back over costs and expenses for the last three years in different parts of FCDO, different finance systems, and data that would have to be manually checked would exceed reasonable costs.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 30 January to Question 25988 on British Indian Ocean Territory: Sovereignty, how much has been spent on the Chagos Islands negotiations by his Department.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The costs to which I referred in the Answer to Question 25988 have not been centrally aggregated between Departments or within the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. The negotiations began in 2022, and to identify the costs would incur disproportionate expense.
Asked by: James Cartlidge (Conservative - South Suffolk)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 5 December 2024 to Question 16475 on China: Mauritius, whether he plans to monitor the (a) implementation and (b) potential implications for his policies of paragraph 3.4.4.2 of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Beijing Action Plan 2025-27; and what information his Department holds on the commitment of the government of Mauritius to these aims for Diego Garcia.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
As with previous FOCAC commitments we will monitor their implementation and implications for UK policy. The UK will take a consistent and pragmatic approach to China's role in Africa - we will cooperate where we can, compete where we have different interests, and challenge where we must.
The UK continues to support the principle and practice of Nuclear Weapon Free Zones as a way to build confidence between regional states, and as a successful tool of non-proliferation. This includes the Pelindaba Treaty, of which we have signed and ratified the first and second Protocols, giving legally binding Negative Security Assurances to all signatory states in the region.
It is for Mauritius to comment on its own national approach.
The British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) agreement between the UK and Mauritius protects the long-term secure operation of the UK-US base that plays a vital role in regional and international security.