Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the level of funding in the International Climate Finance budget to support countries in ceasing deforestation.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 22 July to Question 68327.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Israeli counterpart on the continued detention of Chloe Fiona Ludden in Israel following the interception of the Freedom Flotilla boat Handala.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Consular staff were in contact with the Israeli authorities and others during the period of detention and were in contact with the family. We understand that Ms Ludden left Israel on 29 July 2025.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Israeli counterpart on reports that IDF forces opened fire on children at aid distribution points.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
It is horrifying that 875 people have been killed at or near the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) distribution sites. We regularly engage with Israeli counterparts to urge them to improve the situation on the ground. Most recently, on 21 July, the Foreign Secretary spoke to Foreign Minister Sa'ar, to once again reiterate his grave concern over civilian casualties while collecting aid in Gaza.
On 11 July, I called for an independent investigation into the killing of women and children while collecting aid in central Gaza.
We have repeatedly called for an immediate investigation into theses mass casualty incidents, and we expect the perpetrators to be held to account.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Turkish counterpart on the arrest of Ekrem Imamoglu.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
As a close friend and ally of Turkey, the Government is closely monitoring the situation. Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu is subject to an ongoing domestic Turkish legal process. The UK expects Turkey to uphold its international commitments and the rule of law, including swift and transparent judicial processes. The Government has been engaging with the Turkish Government and Foreign Secretary spoke with Foreign Minister Fidan on 29 March to raise these issues. The UK supports democracy, human rights and the rule of law across the world and will always support the fundamental rights to freedom of speech, peaceful assembly and media freedom.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made recent representations to his (a) French and (b) Spanish counterpart on long-stay visas for UK citizens who need to spend more than 90 days within a given 180-day period in those countries.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government recognises that our partnerships are strengthened when our citizens legally live in, work in, and visit our respective countries. My officials and I regularly engage our French and Spanish counterparts on a range of issues affecting UK nationals, including on visa matters. Whilst the Government recognises frustrations around accessing long-stay visas in some countries, this is ultimately a matter for national governments and parliaments.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of negotiating a reciprocal agreement with his Spanish counterpart to allow British citizens with properties in Spain to spend up to six months in Spain each year.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement provides for visa-free travel for short-term visits for each other's nationals. British citizens can travel visa-free and stay for up to 90 days in a rolling 180-day period, in accordance with the Schengen Borders Code. This is the standard length of stay that the EU offers to third countries travelling visa-free. Whilst the UK government remains supportive of any Member State changes to their domestic visa system that benefits UK Nationals living in and traveling to EU Member States, it is for Member State governments to decide the rules.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether officials of the UK Mission to Afghanistan have asked the Taliban to reconsider its decision to ban women from accessing midwifery education.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is deeply concerned at reports of a ban on women accessing medical training in Afghanistan, including midwifery education. We strongly condemn the decision and officials from the Doha-based UK Mission to Afghanistan have met with Taliban leaders to urge them to reverse this decision. We have made clear that this is yet another affront to girls' right to education and will threaten the lives of countless women and girls who will be denied critical medical care, as well as their children. Officials continue to press the Taliban on human rights abuses in Afghanistan.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what recent steps the Department has taken to support the work of the Global Partnership for Education.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell
Ensuring access to quality education is an FCDO priority. The UK is a founding member and top bilateral donor to the Global Partnership for Education (GPE). GPE estimates that its support will help partner countries get 40 million more girls into school and support 17 million more girls to read in low and lower-middle income countries by 2025. In 2021, the UK co-hosted the Global Education Summit, helping to raise a historic $4 billion in donor pledges for GPE, including the UK's pledge of £430 million to GPE over five years. So far, the UK has disbursed £60 million in line with the FCDO Spending Review allocation.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policies of the recent activities of the Grey Wolves organisation in Turkey.
Answered by Leo Docherty
We keep the situation in Turkey, including reports of alleged activities of far right groups, under close scrutiny. Turkey is an indispensable partner for the UK and we are working to strengthen our partnership and make both countries safer and more prosperous. This means working together on regional stability and security, partnering on counter terrorism, and growing our bilateral trade and investment.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the availability of (a) food, (b) medicine and (c) energy supplies in Nagorno Karabakh; and whether his Department plans to help support international agencies to provide critical supplies to people in the region.
Answered by Leo Docherty
The UK Government closely monitors the humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh, and where we have concerns we have prominently highlighted them both in private engagements with our counterparts in the region, and publicly through the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and the United Nations Security Council. The UK has a strong record of supporting humanitarian responses in this region and FCDO officials are in close contact with humanitarian agencies about the situation on the ground. The START FUND, a humanitarian response fund to which the UK is a significant donor, has allocated £350,000 to the region to support those affected by the closure of the Lachin Corridor.