Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what plans she has for the recruitment process for the next permanent US Ambassador.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The process for the appointment of our Ambassador to the United States of America will be determined in due course.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 9 September 2025 to Question 73318 on Diplomatic Service: Political Impartiality, whether any members of his Department or the Diplomatic Service have been given permissioned to attend the Labour Party Conference 2025.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
No such permissions have been issued within the reporting period.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 8 March 2025 to Question 70574 on Diplomatic Service: Political Impartiality, whether the political restrictions on ambassadors extend to a prohibition on (a) speaking in public in favour of a political party and (b) fundraising for a political party.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon. Member to the Answer of 8 September 2025 to question 70574.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department responded to the correspondence from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government of 6 August 2025 on the proposed Chinese Embassy.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
On 20 August, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the Home Office submitted written representations to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government in response to its correspondence of 6 August.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has issued guidance to ambassadors on their participation in (a) fundraising and (b) other party political activity.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
All members of the Senior Civil Service are subject to the Civil Service Management Code.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the Downing Street press release entitled PM call with President Xi Jinping of China: 23 August 2024, what discussions the Prime Minister had with President Xi Jinping during the telephone call on the proposed Chinese Embassy in London.
Answered by Catherine West
During his phone call with President Xi on 23 August 2024, the Prime Minister set out his priorities for his government, including national security, secure borders and economic stability.
The leaders discussed areas of shared collaboration, and potential areas of cooperation between the UK and China, including on trade, the economy and education.
As permanent members of the UN Security Council, the leaders agreed on the importance of close working in areas such as climate change and global security.
A readout of this discussion can be found on gov.uk.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
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 May 2025 to Question 53071 on Youth Mobility Scheme: EU Countries, whether he plans to make further bilateral agreements.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We have existing bilateral agreements with Denmark, Spain, Portugal, Poland and Luxembourg, which were negotiated by the previous government. The UK is open to further, fully reciprocal bilateral voting agreements but these would be subject to the detail of future negotiations.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 13 June 2025 to Question HL8020 on Embassies: Planning Permission, whether his Department holds such information.
Answered by Catherine West
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office does not record such information.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will submit a copy of the China Audit to the designated Planning Minister who is now considering the called-in planning application for the Chinese Embassy at the Royal Mint, London.
Answered by Catherine West
The Foreign Secretary will not be submitting a copy of the China Audit to the designated Planning Minister. However, on 14 January, the Foreign Secretary and Home Secretary submitted written representations to the Planning Inspector to ensure national security concerns are fully considered. These representations are publicly available on the Tower Hamlets website and form part of the evidence that will be reviewed by the Planning Minister.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament will be given a full copy of the China Audit; whether it will be shared with HM Opposition on Privy Council terms; and if he will publish a security redacted version.
Answered by Catherine West
It is right that Parliament should have the opportunity to scrutinise the work of the Government, as its responsibility. There are mechanisms in place for certain parliamentarians to have access to classified Government material, such as parts of the Audit. It is not unusual that our China strategy - or that of any other country - remains internal. This is consistent with our Five Eyes partners.