Asked by: Lisa Smart (Liberal Democrat - Hazel Grove)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking with (a) European and (b) international counterparts to encourage the Serbian Government to (i) investigate ongoing political violence and (ii) take concrete steps to protect human rights.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign Secretary and I met Foreign Minister Djuric at the Berlin Process meeting of Western Balkans Foreign Ministers on 9 October, and I met Serbian MPs at the parliamentary meetings of the Berlin Process on 16 October where we discussed a range of issues.
We have repeatedly emphasised to the Serbian leadership that all action to manage protests should be proportionate, legal, and respect fundamental rights to peaceful freedom of expression and assembly. Noting with concern recent violent clashes, including with the police, we have continued to be clear - including in our contact through our Embassy in Belgrade - that incidents should be fully investigated and perpetrators of crimes held to account.
Asked by: Lisa Smart (Liberal Democrat - Hazel Grove)
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 help prevent further political violence in Serbia.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign Secretary and I met Foreign Minister Djuric at the Berlin Process meeting of Western Balkans Foreign Ministers on 9 October, and I met Serbian MPs at the parliamentary meetings of the Berlin Process on 16 October where we discussed a range of issues.
We have repeatedly emphasised to the Serbian leadership that all action to manage protests should be proportionate, legal, and respect fundamental rights to peaceful freedom of expression and assembly. Noting with concern recent violent clashes, including with the police, we have continued to be clear - including in our contact through our Embassy in Belgrade - that incidents should be fully investigated and perpetrators of crimes held to account.
Asked by: Lisa Smart (Liberal Democrat - Hazel Grove)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department plans to establish an award scheme to recognise people overseas (a) fostering and (b) strengthening cultural links with the United Kingdom.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We value the many individuals, both British and foreign, who foster cultural links between the UK and other countries. Exceptional and sustained achievements in this area are already recognised through the UK Honours System, including through regular honorary awards for foreign and Commonwealth nationals. Anyone may nominate an individual for a UK Honour for consideration by the independent honours committees.
Asked by: Lisa Smart (Liberal Democrat - Hazel Grove)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when the Minister for Europe, North America and Overseas Territories plans to respond to the correspondence of 7 May 2025 from the hon. Member for Hazel Grove, Ref LS06171.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
A response to the hon. member for Hazel Grove's correspondence of 12 May 2025, ref LS06171, was sent on 22 August.
Asked by: Lisa Smart (Liberal Democrat - Hazel Grove)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when the Minister for Europe, North America and Overseas Territories plans to respond to the correspondence of 12 May 2025 from the hon. Member for Hazel Grove, ref LS06284.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
A response to the hon. member for Hazel Grove's correspondence of 12 May 2025, ref LS06284, was sent on 22 August.
Asked by: Lisa Smart (Liberal Democrat - Hazel Grove)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of proposed reductions to Official Development Assistance on women and girls’ reproductive (a) health and (b) rights.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is committed to promoting sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), recognising that health and rights are co-dependent and mutually reinforcing. Official Development Assistance (ODA) is one of multiple levers to achieve this. We will continue to work with international partners and use targeted funding, technical partnership and diplomatic engagement to provide leadership on SRHR.
Following the recent Spending Review, detailed decisions on how the ODA budget will be used are being worked through as part of ongoing resource allocation processes. Decisions on individual programmes and thematic areas, such as sexual and reproductive health and rights, will be based on various factors including equality impact assessments. We will publish the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office ODA allocations for Financial Year 2025/26 in the Annual Report & Accounts in July.
Asked by: Lisa Smart (Liberal Democrat - Hazel Grove)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he is taking steps to help facilitate safe passage to Jordan for refugees fleeing Gaza.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government has been clear that civilians in Gaza must be protected, and that Palestinians should not be forced to relocate from Gaza to third countries. Jordan is a generous host to several million refugees from regional conflicts, and entry of refugees from Gaza into Jordan is a matter for the Government of Jordan. We continue to call on all parties in Gaza to protect civilians and urge the Government of Israel to enable life-saving aid to enter Gaza at scale, and to enable the seriously ill and wounded to leave Gaza for medical care.
Asked by: Lisa Smart (Liberal Democrat - Hazel Grove)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps he is taking to help support the rights of women in Afghanistan.
Answered by Anneliese Dodds
We condemn the Taliban’s destruction of nearly every element of women and girls’ freedoms. FCDO officials engage with the Taliban to urge them to reverse their barbaric decisions and we work with our international partners to maintain collective pressure. The UK uses its prominent position in multilateral forums, such as the UN Security Council, to hold the Taliban to account for their deeply repressive policies.