Asked by: Sojan Joseph (Labour - Ashford)
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 support available to help families living in the UK after the death of a family member living abroad.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
It is a top priority of the UK Government to ensure that we have the right people in the right places to support those who require consular services overseas. We regularly review the services we offer, including the support we provide to families in the UK when a British national dies abroad. We provide country-specific bereavement packs, which set out local laws and practices of the relevant country as well as support and information families can access in the UK. Our Consular staff are contactable 24/7, 365 days a year.
Asked by: Sojan Joseph (Labour - Ashford)
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 international counterparts on tackling the global TB epidemic in preparation for the World Health Assembly in May 2025.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is a leading donor in the fight against tuberculosis (TB) and engages closely with international partners to tackle the disease. Our £1 billion commitment to the Global Fund (2023 to 2025) will provide TB treatment and care for 1.1 million people, screen 20 million people for TB and provide 41,800 people with treatment for multidrug-resistant TB. This is complemented by our investment in Unitaid to improve access to key TB products, and support to World Health Organisation (WHO) and others to strengthen health systems.
Asked by: Sojan Joseph (Labour - Ashford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking with his international counterparts to help tackle (a) tuberculosis and (b) other illnesses.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK has played a significant role with international counterparts to tackle tuberculosis (TB) in recent decades.
Since 2002, TB deaths have been reduced by 36 per cent in countries where the Global Fund invests. The UK is a leading donor to the Global Fund and will this year co-host the 8th replenishment of the Global Fund together with South Africa.
We have also worked through our support to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. The UK is an important investor in product development partnerships such as the TB Alliance, contributing to the development of the new BPaLM/BPAL regimen for multi-drug resistant TB.
The UK also works with international counterparts to tackle a wide range of illnesses, including TB, through our support to the World Health Organisation, Unitaid, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and other multilateral and bilateral health programming.
Asked by: Sojan Joseph (Labour - Ashford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the human rights situation in Balochistan.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is deeply concerned about reports of human rights abuses and violations in Pakistan, including in Balochistan province. The British High Commission regularly raises these issues with the Government of Pakistan at a senior level. The UK will continue to urge the Government of Pakistan to guarantee the rights of all people as laid down in Pakistan's Constitution and in accordance with international standards.