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, what assessment he has made of the potential risks to Ministers of undertaking personal foreign travel without a security detail; what guidance he has provided to Ministers on this matter; and whether he plans to update his Department's guidance.
Answered by Catherine West
It is the Government's long-standing policy not to provide detailed information on matters of protective security. To do so could compromise the integrity of those arrangements and affect the security of the individuals concerned.
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 FCDO press release LGBTQIA+ Legal Guidebook launched in Philippines for Pride Month published on 23 June 2025, if he will publish the legal guidebook.
Answered by Catherine West
The LGBTQIA+ Legal Guidebook has been published online on the website of TrustLaw, the Thomson Reuters Foundation's global pro-bono legal network.
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 Government property was stolen during his disputed taxi journey from Italy to France.
Answered by Catherine West
No government property or material was stolen. The incident in question was reported to local Police authorities at the time and as far as we are aware is currently subject to an investigation, it would be inappropriate to discuss any matters regarding an ongoing case.
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 his Mauritian counterpart on flying the (a) Mauritius Flag and (b) United Kingdom Union flag on the Chagos Archipelago after the UK/Mauritius treaty on the Chagos Archipelago comes into force.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
A British flag will continue to be flown at the UK-US Base on Diego Garcia, alongside the US flag, as it has always done.
After the treaty enters into force, Mauritius will be free to resettle on the outer islands. It will be for Mauritius to decide what flag they fly over these islands.
Mauritius will be free to fly the Mauritian flag on the Chagos Archipelago other than on the Diego Garcia base.
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, on how many occasions he has taken a personal holiday following an official visit; and how the travel costs were paid for in those circumstances.
Answered by Catherine West
The standards of conduct expected of ministers are set out in the Ministerial Code. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office does not routinely comment on the personal travel arrangements of protected individuals.
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 is taking steps to improve the (a) transparency and (b) accountability of Official Development Assistance.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Aid Transparency remains a high priority for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). The FCDO was rated "Very Good" in the most recent Aid Transparency Index and was the leading foreign ministry on the Index.
We publish detailed data on all FCDO Official Development Assistance (ODA) projects and programmes monthly in line with the International Aid Transparency Initiative standard. We continually review the quality of published information. The FCDO is also funding an Aid Transparency Review of other UK government departments. This will make recommendations to improve the overall quality of information published on UK ODA.
All FCDO ODA projects and programmes are managed in line with the FCDO Programme Operating Framework. The Programme Operating Framework sets out accountability for ODA delivery including at project approval, annual review and project completion. Relevant documents are published as part of our transparency commitments. The Programme Operating Framework is formally reviewed every 6 months.
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 Agreement between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the Republic of Mauritius concerning the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia, CP 1334, whether payments to be made will be allocated to the (a) defence and (b) official development assistance budget.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The costs associated with the deal will be split between the Ministry of Defence and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. None of the funds will be classed as development aid.
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 Agreement between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the Republic of Mauritius concerning the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia, CP 1334, what estimate his Department has made of the monetary value of each payment in cash terms to be made in each year of the agreement.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
As stated in the Explanatory Memorandum, the average annual cost to the UK during the initial 99-year period of the treaty is £101 million in 2025/2026 prices.
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, what the (a) type of alcohol, (b) make and (c) vintage was of each bottle of alcohol consumed from the Government Wine Cellar at each Number (i) 10 and (ii) 11 Downing Street reception other than diplomatic hospitality since 4 July 2024; when each reception took place; and what the theme was of each reception.
Answered by Catherine West
No alcohol from the Government Wine Cellar has been consumed at receptions held at Number 10 and Number 11 Downing Street since 4 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, pursuant to the Answer of 8 April 2025 to Question 43485 on Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Flags, whether his Department has had discussions with Westminster City Council on this matter.
Answered by Catherine West
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has had no discussions with Westminster City Council on this matter.