Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will publish the letter of 16 May 2025 from FCDO staff to the former Foreign Secretary on HM Government's Middle East policy.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
It is a long-standing principle that Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office staff should be free to express their views internally without concern that their views will be made public.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 14 October 2025 to Question HL10630, on Lord Mandelson, what role her Department played in the due diligence undertaken prior to the appointment of the former Ambassador to the United States.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 22nd September to question 74188.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether Inter-Mediate has received funding from the Government for work on (a) China and (b) North Korea.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer he was provided on 25 September to Question 70454.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the US Government will be charged for use of the military base on Diego Garcia under the terms of the draft UK-Mauritius Treaty.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK does not charge the US Government for the use of the military base on Diego Garcia and does not intend to do so. The US pays for the significant operating and maintenance costs of the base and the UK benefits considerably from this arrangement.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference his Department's document entitled Conflict Resolution Department (CRD) Conflict Resolution Programme, Annual review (D0006064) 400035, published in October 2024, in which countries Inter Mediate has (a) organised strategy sessions with foreign governments and (b) undertaken backchannel engagement with non-state armed groups; and if he will publish a list of countries in which Inter Mediate is commissioned to operate.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office funds a number of different civil society and non-governmental organisations for its mediation and conflict resolution work. We have partnered with Inter Mediate for over 10 years to advance peace efforts in conflicts around the globe. We do not share details of the individual projects funded.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much his Department has paid to Inter Mediate since July 2024; and what (a) programmes and (b) purposes this funding was for.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
For over ten years, Inter Mediate and the UK Government have successfully partnered to advance peace efforts in conflicts around the globe. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office funds a number of different civil society and non-governmental organisations for its mediation and conflict resolution work. We do not share details of the individual projects funded.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 19 May 2025 to Question 51154, if he will publish the declaration by the Ambassador to the United States of America.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
It has been the long-standing policy under successive governments to require ambassadors to declare personal or business interests and report gifts and hospitality. These declarations are reviewed internally on a regular basis.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the Answer of 12 November 2024 to Question HL2064 on Diego Garcia: Military Bases, how many letters were sent between the two governments on the draft treaty that have not been published alongside the treaty.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
In line with the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010, the government published the treaty and documentation required to inform the ratification of the treaty, including the full costs of the deal, on the day of signature.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether (a) his Department and (b) the British Council has provided funding to Common Purpose since 4 July 2024.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has not provided any direct funding to Common Purpose since 4 July 2024.
The British Council has provided £7,650 to Common Purpose since July 2024. This was to deliver three workshops under the Study UK GREAT Scholarships programme, which is part of the Government's Great Britain and Northern Ireland (GREAT) Campaign. The workshops were delivered as part of an event to support postgraduate scholars in their transition from academia to work.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 22 August 2025 to Question 69070 on Syria: Inter Mediate, for what reason his Department does not disclose details of the individual projects funded.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
In circumstances where sharing details of projects would present personal risks to partners working in sensitive contexts, or prejudice national security, international relations or data protection rights, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office does not share this information publicly.