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 11 June 2025 to Question 54790 on FCDO: Holidays, whether there is any further internal guidance to Ministers on this issue.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
No. The position remains the same as under previous governments.
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 many (a) ambassadors and (b) high commissioners are not (a) civil servants and (b) members of the Diplomatic Service.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
All those appointed to Ambassador or High Commissioner roles are appointed as civil servants.
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 policy paper entitled Profile: GRU cyber and hybrid threat operations, published on 18 July 2025, whether the GRU has (a) engaged with and (b) targeted UK (i) trade unions, (ii) political parties and (iii) party political activists.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government does not comment on specific operational national security matters and cannot comment on individual cases of victims.
In July, the UK exposed Russia's persistent and increasing use of cyber and information operations for irresponsible, destructive and destabilising hybrid activity targeting the UK, Ukraine, and across the world. Our long-held position is that we respond to malicious cyber activity strategically, at a time of our choosing, and in a manner of our choosing but the UK and our allies will continue to expose those that aim to do us and our institutions harm. The UK is fully committed to combatting the full spectrum of malign activity emanating from Russia.
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 17 July 2025 to Question 66657 on Civil Service: Resignations, if he will publish the responses from the Permanent Under-Secretaries.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The letter of the Permanent Under-Secretaries of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, dated 29 May, will be deposited in the Library.
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 many and what proportion of staff in his Department are assigned to work on the China strategy.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
China cuts across the work of all parts of government, from national security, to secure growth, to climate and clean energy, to science and technology, and teams across the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and in many other government departments are working together to deliver our strategic approach to China. As such, it is not possible to provide an exact figure for the number of staff working on the China Strategy. China is one of the UK's top foreign policy priorities. That is why this Government is investing in our China capabilities in the FCDO and beyond to effectively deliver the China Strategy and for our national interest.
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 his Department has spent money on (a) digital and (b) social influencers since 4 July 2024.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office's central communication team has not paid any social media influencers for promotion since July 2024.
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, in what circumstances would the (a) Mauritius and (b) UK Government be able to terminate the UK/Mauritius: Agreement concerning the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia once it is in force.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Details of grounds for termination can be found under Article 15 of the Agreement.
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 11 June 2025 to Question 57229 on Lord Mandelson, whether Lord Mandelson is permitted to (a) speak publicly at Labour Party fundraising events and (b) raise funds for the Labour Party.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
All senior civil servants, including members of the Diplomatic Service, are subject to the Civil Service Management Code.
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 he has had discussions with the Syrian Ambassador on the suicide bombing in Damascus on 22 June 2025; and what diplomatic steps he is taking to help protect people practicing minority religions in Syria.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK strongly condemned the terrorist attack at Mar Elias Church, and remains committed to combatting terrorism. There is not currently a Syrian Ambassador to the UK, but during the Foreign Secretary's recent visit to Damascus, he expressed his condolences to President Al-Sharaa. He also underlined the importance of an inclusive political transition and protecting the rights of all Syrians, and offered the Syrian Government our support in achieving this. We continue to press the Syrian Government on the need to improve their response to sectarian violence, protect human rights and hold those responsible to account.
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 Prime Minister’s oral contribution of 4 June 2025, Official Report, Column 301, if he will provide evidential basis for his comment on China.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to my answer given to PQ 61199.