Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he has made to the Egyptian Government on consular access for Alaa Abd el-Fattah.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government continues to raise Mr Alaa Abd El-Fattah's case at the highest levels with the Egyptian government. We have been consistently clear in calling for his release and continue to press for consular access. The Prime Minister raised the case in a phone call with President Sisi on 28 February 2025 and previously wrote to President Sisi on 26 December 2024 and 8 January 2025. The Foreign Secretary raised this case with the Egyptian Foreign Minister on 23 January 2025; I raised the case with the Egyptian Ambassador to London on 18 February 2025. National Security Advisor Jonathan Powell raised this with the Egyptian Foreign Minister on 2 January 2025.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the withdrawal of US support on Ukrainian independence.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Europe has provided two thirds of all aid, and over half of all military aid to Ukraine. The $50 billion G7 ERA loans puts Ukraine in a good position for 2025, of which the UK's $3 billion contribution will be earmarked for military spending, giving Ukraine more of the vital kit it needs to fight off Russian aggression.
A just and lasting peace is only possible if we continue to show strength and provide Ukraine with the support it needs. There will be no let-up in our support, which we will continue for as long as it is necessary.
The UK notes the US decision to pause foreign aid funding for 3 months, pending a review. This is a matter for the US. We are currently working to assess the implications and are working with other partners to share analysis of the pause. We continue to engage with the US Administration at the highest levels on Ukraine.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he is taking steps with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to (a) support and (b) provide training to medical practitioners on the use of (i) prosthetic and (ii) other medical technologies in Ukraine.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) partners continue to support medical practitioners in Ukraine. For example, the FCDO contributed to £320,000 of funding to the Superhumans War Trauma Centre in Ukraine last year. The clinic provides innovative rehabilitation services to people who have been impacted by war, including training surgeons on prosthetics. In addition, the Ukraine Red Cross Society, funded by UK assistance, provides specialised training at the Burns Unit in Kyiv and was recently visited by the Prime Minister.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
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 (a) fund and (b) support the Superhumans war trauma centre in Ukraine.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Superhumans War Trauma Centre in Ukraine provides innovative rehabilitation services to people who have been impacted by war. Last year, FCDO-led, multi-donor programme - the Partnership Fund for a Resilient Ukraine (PFRU) - supported the Superhumans clinic. PRFU provided £320,000 of funding for the Superhumans clinic, 40 percent of which was UK support. We remain in regular contact with the centre.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if the Government will ratify the agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction.
Answered by Catherine West
The Government is completely committed to ratification of the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement, also known as the "High Seas Treaty" or "Global Ocean Treaty"), which is in line with our determination to reinvigorate the UK's wider international leadership on climate and nature. Legislation to implement the BBNJ Agreement will be introduced as soon as the legislative timetable allows.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of President Trump's call for a peace agreement on the war between Ukraine and Russia.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We share President Trump's desire to bring this barbaric war to an end. Russia could do this tomorrow by withdrawing its forces and ending its illegal invasion. We are working closely with the US, and both the UK and the US remain focused on bringing a just and lasting peace to Ukraine. We are clear that there can be no negotiation about Ukraine without Ukraine.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment they have made of the impact of the new US president on escalation in the Ukraine-Russian war.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We share President Trump's desire to bring this barbaric war to an end. Russia could do this tomorrow by withdrawing its forces and ending its illegal invasion. We are working closely with the US, and both the UK and the US remain focused on bringing a just and lasting peace to Ukraine. We are clear that there can be no negotiation about Ukraine without Ukraine.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what kind of shipping trade (a) to and (b) from Russia is not covered by the sanctions regime.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
In response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the UK has introduced an unprecedented package of sanctions. Sanctions have deprived Russia of over $400 billion since February 2022. Sanctions on trade to and from Russia are designed to undermine Russia's war effort by inflicting economic cost on the regime and denying it the equipment, services, and technology critical for its military development. Russian imports into the UK have fallen by more than 99 per cent, and UK exports to Russia are down by more than 75 per cent. Since July, the UK has sanctioned over 125 oil tankers, as well as a number of vessels carrying Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and military goods.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make it his policy to publish a deadline for the implementation public registers of beneficial ownership in the Overseas Territories.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
At the Joint Ministerial Council (JMC) in November 2024, the Falkland Islands and St Helena committed to join Montserrat and Gibraltar in implementing fully public registers by April 2025.
Other OTs, including the British Virgin Islands, Cayman, Bermuda, Anguilla and Turks & Caicos Islands, agreed to implement registers of beneficial ownership, accessible to those with a legitimate interest, by June 2025. The details of this commitment are set out in the JMC communique published on gov.uk. We are working with OT Governments to ensure proposals for the registers meet the requirements agreed at the Joint Ministerial Council.
Our expectation is that all OTs will ultimately implement registers that are fully accessible to the public.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with the French ambassador on a European peacekeeping force in Ukraine.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are in close touch with our European partners, including France, to help defend Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression. As the Prime Minister has said, the UK is ready to play a leading role in accelerating work on security guarantees for Ukraine, including being ready and willing to contribute to security guarantees to Ukraine by putting our own troops on the ground if necessary.