Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the political situation in Georgia.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Democracy in Georgia is under threat, and we are working closely with our European allies to respond to that concern.

Last October, I reiterated my concerns to Georgian Foreign Minister Botchorishvili over democratic backsliding, opposition arrests and attacks on allied Ambassadors.

We urge Georgia’s leadership to reverse repressive legislation, release political prisoners, and return the country to a democratic path.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will publish the number of UK Ambassadors and High Commissioners appointed in May, June and July 2024.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

All appointments of Ambassadors and High Commissioners made by His Majesty The King are routinely announced on GOV.UK.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is able to take to encourage Ofcom to sanction Royal Mail if it fails to fulfil its Universal Service Obligation.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

It is for Ofcom, as the independent regulator of postal services, to decide how to use its powers to investigate and take enforcement action should Royal Mail fail to achieve its obligations without good justification.

In October last year, Ofcom fined Royal Mail £21 million for failing to meet its quality of service targets and has told Royal Mail it must urgently publish and implement a credible plan that delivers major and continuous improvement. This is the third consecutive fine issued by the regulator after Royal Mail failed to meet service levels in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 financial years.