Asked by: Maria Miller (Conservative - Basingstoke)
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 strengthen the UK's relationship with Commonwealth countries.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The UK is deeply committed to the Commonwealth. We provide significant bilateral aid to Commonwealth countries, totalling over £608 million in 2022. We continue to support a range of Commonwealth initiatives, as the largest donor to many Commonwealth inter-governmental organisations. Our focus is on increasing intra-Commonwealth trade & investment, building resilience to climate change and promoting our shared values.
Asked by: Maria Miller (Conservative - Basingstoke)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to strengthen relations with Commonwealth countries.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are committed to deepening our ties with all Commonwealth countries, including on trade. Since April last year, we have signed free trade agreements with Australia and New Zealand and are negotiating further FTAs with India and Canada.
We are also working with Commonwealth partners to deliver on the commitments made at CHOGM, including on climate, health and human rights.
Asked by: Maria Miller (Conservative - Basingstoke)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
What steps her Department is taking to help ensure that girls throughout the world receive a high-quality education.
Answered by Wendy Morton
2021 is a year of UK leadership. With the G7, we agreed new targets to get 40 million more girls in school and 20 million more girls reading by 2026.
We raised $4 billion [£2.9 billion] for the Global Partnership for Education, boosting the world’s poorest countries’ COVID recovery. At COP26, we will show girls’ education is essential for responding to the climate crisis.
Asked by: Maria Miller (Conservative - Basingstoke)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has made representations to the Government of Belarus on the arrest and detention in prison of students in Minsk on 28 June 2018; what steps the Government is taking to promote the importance of equal rights for LGBT+ people internationally; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Alan Duncan
The UK is working through our Diplomatic Missions to monitor and raise human rights issues, including the promotion of LGBT+ rights, in host countries. The UK is also working with the UN, EU, OSCE, The Council of Europe and the Commonwealth to promote tolerance and non- discrimination against LGBT+ people. With regard to Belarus, our Embassy in Minsk is closely monitoring the situation of LGBT+ people, including this latest case of four Belarussian nationals arrested following a protest in support of LGBT+ rights outside the Belarus Ministry of Interior, and regularly raises this issue with the Belarusian authorities. The Embassy flew the Rainbow flag on 17 May to mark of International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia.
Asked by: Maria Miller (Conservative - Basingstoke)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to support the human rights of opposition group members in Cameroon.
Answered by Rory Stewart
Our High Commission in Cameroon meets regularly with opposition groups to discuss the human rights challenges facing the country. We are monitoring the trial of Anglophone protesters at the military tribunal in Yaoundé very closely and lobbied the government to resolve issues raised by recent protests through inclusive dialogue.