Asked by: Paul Blomfield (Labour - Sheffield Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to help tackle the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.
Answered by Amanda Milling
We are doubling our assistance for Afghanistan, taking this to £286 million this financial year. On 31 October, the Prime Minister announced the allocation of a further £50 million of this to provide over 2.5 million Afghans with food, health, shelter and warm clothing.
Asked by: Paul Blomfield (Labour - Sheffield Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many diplomats the Government employed in the UK Mission to the EU in (a) 2020 and (b) 2021.
Answered by Amanda Milling
At the end of the two most recent financial years, the number of FCDO UK Based staff working in the UK Mission to the EU was between 100-119 for 2019-20 and between 90-99 for 2020-21.
Asked by: Paul Blomfield (Labour - Sheffield Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many diplomats the Government deployed to EU countries in (a) 2020 and (b) 2021.
Answered by Amanda Milling
At the end of the two most recent financial years, the number of FCDO UK Based staff working in EU countries was between 450-499 for 2019-20 and between 350-399 for 2020-21.
Asked by: Paul Blomfield (Labour - Sheffield Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether any countries have closed their diplomatic offices in the UK in 2021.
Answered by Amanda Milling
FCDO records indicate that the diplomatic mission of the Solomon Islands to the Court of St. James's closed permanently on 31 March 2021, relocating to Brussels, Belgium.
Asked by: Paul Blomfield (Labour - Sheffield Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many meetings the UK Government has planned to take place with (a) German and (b) French Ministers before the end of the 2021 calendar year.
Answered by Wendy Morton - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Ministers at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office regularly engage with their German and French counterparts in bilateral, E3 (UK-France-Germany) and multilateral formats. Meetings are arranged as and when required. Early meetings between the new Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs and her German and French counterparts are being arranged.
Asked by: Paul Blomfield (Labour - Sheffield Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the accuracy of reports on the use of chemical weapons in Tigray.
Answered by James Duddridge
We are aware of reports alleging that civilians in Tigray have suffered burns that may be consistent with the weaponised use of white phosphorus. The Government of Ethiopia has strongly refuted allegations that such weapons are being used against civilians. The UK strongly condemns direct or indiscriminate attacks against civilians no matter what weapon is used.
The UK Government is working to establish the facts. Access to the affected areas, and to verified information, remains difficult. We have called for communications to be restored and for unfettered humanitarian access. We have also consistently called for access for independent human rights investigators. We will continue to do so and support the efforts of the joint investigation between the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission.