Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the Government plans to send election observers to Zimbabwe for the upcoming general election in that country.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell
The UK is working alongside international partners to prepare support for domestic and international election observation missions. However, in line with Zimbabwe's constitution and standard practice, invitations for observation missions will not be issued by the Government of Zimbabwe until the election date is announced. Alongside a small British Embassy Harare electoral monitoring mission, we hope to see larger electoral missions from the African Union, Southern African Development Community, EU, Commonwealth, US and international and domestic NGOs.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent diplomatic steps his Department has taken to help resolve the conflict in the Western Sahara.
Answered by David Rutley
The UK supports UN-led efforts to reach a just, lasting, and mutually acceptable political solution, based on compromise, which will provide for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara. We strongly support the work of Staffan de Mistura, Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary-General, and regularly engage key partners to encourage constructive engagement with the political process. Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon reiterated the UK's position to Morocco's Foreign Minister at the 4th UK-Morocco Strategic Dialogue on 9th May. Dame Barbara Woodward, UK Permanent Representative to the UN, discussed the UK's position with her Moroccan counterpart on 18th April.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the Government has provided assistance to the Republic of Cuba to tackle food shortages.
Answered by David Rutley
Our Ambassador to Havana and officials in London regularly engage with the Cuban authorities on how the UK and Cuba can work together to support each other. We have not received a request for assistance from the Cuban Government for aid.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when he plans to reply to the urgent letter of 24 April 2023 from the hon. Member for Stockport on behalf of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Zimbabwe.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell
We have received the correspondence of 24 April and response has been sent on 4 May.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department was informed of the decision by the Home Office in 2021 to remove from the UK Nepalese and Indian citizens following their evacuation to the UK from Afghanistan.
Answered by Leo Docherty
During Op Pitting, the FCDO assisted the evacuation from Afghanistan of some third country nationals, including individuals who worked directly for the British Embassy in Kabul, and individuals who were employed by private companies to provide security in Kabul. Those individuals who worked directly for the British Embassy in Kabul were supported to return to their country of permanent residence. Those who were employed by Gardaworld, to provide security to the British Embassy in Kabul, were assisted by Gardaworld to return to their countries of permanent residence.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to visit the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal in the next 12 months.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan
The UK and Nepal share a long and deep history. Diplomatic relations were established in 1816, and the UK was the first country to formalise diplomatic ties with Nepal. I (Minister Trevelyan) , visited Nepal in March, where I marked 100 years since the signing of the Treaty of Friendship. The Foreign Secretary's travel plans over the next year are still being decided, but Nepal remains a uniquely close and valued partner in the Indo Pacific region. The UK will continue to commemorate this, especially in the centenary anniversary year of the Treaty of Friendship.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what support the Government is providing to (a) Tanzania and (b) other nations affected by the Marburg virus.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell
The UK's £340 million of core funding (2020-2024) to the World Health Organization (WHO) helps address UK global priorities, including building resilient health systems around the world, especially in the poorest countries, and helping us prevent and prepare for pandemics.
In Tanzania, the UK is also providing £100,000 through WHO-Tanzania, while the British High Commission chairs the Health Development Partners group that is coordinating donor support for the outbreak response. UK funding is earmarked to help the Tanzanian Ministry of Health enhance surveillance and outbreak investigation, and active case searches in communities and health facilities. Other types of support are also made available. For example, through the WHO's Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network the UK Public Health Rapid Support Team deployed a Spanish-speaking epidemiologist to assist with an outbreak of the Marburg virus in Equatorial Guinea in February 2023.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
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 UK diplomats posted outside of the UK are (a) male and (b) female.
Answered by David Rutley
The FCDO's ambition is to be a truly inclusive organisation that reflects the diversity of the population we serve and we are proud to have almost closed the gender gap in overseas posts. 48 percent of FCDO staff currently posted overseas are women and 52 percent are men. We endeavour to close the gap with greater numbers of women joining the Senior Civil Service. Understanding any remaining barriers to progression for women and improving the representation of women in senior roles is a focus for FCDO this year.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, which UK Government (a) agencies and (b) other bodies are (i) operating in Nepal and (ii) working with the Nepalese government.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan
Collaboration with UK Government Agencies and other bodies is an important part of our relationship in Nepal. There are various agencies and other bodies working in Nepal or with the Government of Nepal. Those working in the country include the British Council, the Westminster Foundation for Democracy, and BBC World Service. In addition there are organisations that are not based in Nepal but are engaged in work with Nepal. Those include the Chevening Scholarship Programme and the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority. There are a number of other agencies who work with the Government of Nepal on an ad hoc basis.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much the Government has committed to spend to support victims of the Kahramanmaras earthquake.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell
The UK has now committed more than £43 million in aid funding to address humanitarian needs in Turkey and Syria. This is funding additional emergency relief, including tents and blankets and the ongoing deployment of UK medical expertise through the joint FCDO-MoD Field Hospital in Turkoglu. The UK committed £5 million to the DEC Joint Appeal for Turkey and Syria, which has raised over £93 million. On 9 February, the UK announced that it has committed an additional £4.3million from the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund, to aid the White Helmets major search-and-rescue operations in Syria. To date the UK has delivered over 400 tonnes of relief items to both Turkey and Syria.