Asked by: Sally-Ann Hart (Conservative - Hastings and Rye)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to take steps to strengthen the marine protected area around (a) the South Sandwich Islands and (b) South Georgia.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (GSGSSI) is currently undertaking the second 5-year review of its Marine Protected Area (MPA). GSGSSI launched the review with a 2-day science symposium in June 2023 and is currently assessing the extent to which existing provisions are delivering the objectives of the MPA. GSGSSI is committed to reporting on its review by early next year.
Asked by: Sally-Ann Hart (Conservative - Hastings and Rye)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much and what proportion of the UK’s commitment to protect 30 per cent of the ocean by 2030 will be met by marine protected areas around the UK Overseas Territories.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Blue Belt supports the protection of 4.3 million square kilometres, representing around 65 per cent of British waters. This protection represents approximately 90 per cent of the UK's commitment to protect 30 per cent of the ocean by 2030.
Asked by: Sally-Ann Hart (Conservative - Hastings and Rye)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
What steps he is taking to enhance UK soft power overseas.
Answered by Wendy Morton
The Integrated Review highlighted the UK’s status as a soft power superpower.
The FCDO is continuing to fund projects and programmes that support UK soft power, including through a 27% increase this year in funding for the British Council
Since 2016, we have provided over £370m via the BBC World2020 programme, which has seen the creation of 12 new language services, and we continue to support our Chevening, Marshall and Commonwealth scholarships.
Our international leadership and determination to work as a force for good in the world is an important part of our soft power, as we are seeing through our hosting of the G7 and COP26, and our support for a globally accessible Covid-19 vaccine.
Asked by: Sally-Ann Hart (Conservative - Hastings and Rye)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
What recent assessment the Government has made of the (a) political and (b) humanitarian situation of the Rohingya.
Answered by Nigel Adams
We are working to improve the situation in Myanmar by pushing for implementation of the Rakhine Advisory Commission’s recommendations. The Rohingya were disenfranchised in Myanmar’s recent elections and we have conveyed our concerns to the Myanmar government. We continue to push for accountability for the Rohingya. We are the second largest donor to the Rohingya response in Bangladesh, providing £293.5m since 2017. In Myanmar’s Rakhine state, we have provided over £44m since 2017, including over £25m for the Rohingya.