Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions her Department has had with the Algerian Government concerning Mohamed Tadjadit.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is committed to the promotion and protection of human rights worldwide, including in Algeria, and consistently urges all states to uphold international law and international human rights standards. Our Embassy in Algiers remains in regular contact with the Algerian authorities to promote the importance of upholding human rights, and we continue to monitor the situation closely.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much (a) their Department and (b) its arm’s length bodies have spent on (i) installing electric vehicle charging facilities and (ii) purchasing electric vehicles since 4 July 2024; and what estimate their Department has made of the difference in capital cost between (A) the electric vehicles purchased by their Department and (B) comparable (1) petrol and (2) diesel models.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The requested information is not centrally collated by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
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 UK and Palestinian strategic cooperation: memorandum of understanding, published on 28 April 2025, whether he has made an assessment of the adequacy of the Palestinian Authority’s compliance with its commitment in February 2025 to end payments to Palestinians convicted of terror offences by Israel.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are clear that a reformed Palestinian Authority (PA) is essential to long-term stability in the region and making progress towards a two-state solution, which is why alongside our international partners, we welcomed the PA's commitment to deliver its ambitious and necessary 'National Program for Development and Reform'. In July the Foreign Secretary announced £7 million to strengthen the PA and Palestinian governance.
We welcomed President Abbas' letter to President Macron, dated 9 June, in which he reaffirmed the Palestine Liberation Organization principles of non-violence, and committed to the organisation of elections, the development of a curriculum that is free from incitement, and revoking the law on prisoner payments by implementing a new social security system. We will continue to work closely with the PA to support it in delivering the important commitments it has made on reform.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
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 UK and Palestinian strategic cooperation: memorandum of understanding, published on 28 April 2025, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the Palestinian Authority’s commitment to non-violence.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are clear that a reformed Palestinian Authority (PA) is essential to long-term stability in the region and making progress towards a two-state solution, which is why alongside our international partners, we welcomed the PA's commitment to deliver its ambitious and necessary 'National Program for Development and Reform'. In July the Foreign Secretary announced £7 million to strengthen the PA and Palestinian governance.
We welcomed President Abbas' letter to President Macron, dated 9 June, in which he reaffirmed the Palestine Liberation Organization principles of non-violence, and committed to the organisation of elections, the development of a curriculum that is free from incitement, and revoking the law on prisoner payments by implementing a new social security system. We will continue to work closely with the PA to support it in delivering the important commitments it has made on reform.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department provides funding for the Inter Mediate office assisting the Syrian president.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office funds a number of different civil society and non-governmental organisations for our mediation and conflict resolution work, including Inter Mediate. We have partnered with Inter Mediate for over 10 years to advance peace efforts in conflicts around the globe. Funding of Inter Mediate began under the previous government. We do not disclose details of the individual projects funded.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has provided funding for intersectional climate action since July 2024.
Answered by Catherine West
We have provided funding to the Global Alliance for Green and Gender Action and to the Equality Fund - both expanding support to grassroots women's rights organisations with Equality Fund grants focussed on the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, With reference to the publication entitled Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office - Ministers' Gifts - May 2025, published on 26 June 2025, what the meaning is of the entry returns pending for the Ceremonial Sword.
Answered by Catherine West
When the Foreign Secretary receives a gift, he decides whether the gift will be retained by the department, or purchased by him personally. On this occasion, the Foreign Secretary has decided this gift will be retained by the department. The public data will reflect this outcome shortly.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the (a) percentage and (b) cash term monetary change in average fees for his Department's nursery was in 2025-26 compared to 2024-25; and what assessment he has made of the reasons for the increase.
Answered by Catherine West
There has been no increase in fees for the nursery based at King Charles Street during the period 2024-25 to 2025-26.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2025 to Question 54794 on British Indian Ocean Territory: Sovereignty, what the value of each annual payment is in cash terms.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We have published the full costs alongside the Treaty and provided further detail in the accompanying explanatory memorandum. These were laid in the House on the day of signature. The average cost per year in today's money is £101 million and the net present value of payments under the treaty is £3.4 billion.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 10 June 2025 to Question 56762 on Chagos Islands: Sovereignty, for what reason the Chagos Islands deal will not be funded from the Official Development Assistance budget.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The treaty is an investment in UK national security, protecting the long-term security of the vital US-UK base. Payments for military bases do not qualify under UK's Official Development Assistance eligibility framework.