Asked by: Tom Hayes (Labour - Bournemouth East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how they intend to respond to the findings of the McGrail Inquiry that found “grossly improper” and “sinister” interventions by the Chief Minister of Gibraltar to interfere in a live criminal investigation relating to national security.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Sir Peter Openshaw's report contains extremely serious findings which are deeply concerning, and which must be urgently addressed. The UK Government takes its constitutional responsibilities very seriously and expects the highest standards of good governance to be upheld in all our Overseas Territories, including in Gibraltar.
The Inquiry and the report's findings are firstly the responsibility of the Government of Gibraltar, the Gibraltar Parliament, Judiciary and other local accountability mechanisms and authorities.
We have however been explicitly clear that the UK Government expects the Government of Gibraltar to implement the necessary reforms quickly and fully. The UK Government stands ready to support Gibraltar in strengthening its institutions, and to taking any further actions as required to ensure good governance in line with the established constitutional arrangements and our responsibilities.
Asked by: Tom Hayes (Labour - Bournemouth East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department has made contingency plans to support democracy in Iran.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the Foreign Secretary's statement to the House on 13 January, and to my responses in the Urgent Question debate on 19 January.
Asked by: Tom Hayes (Labour - Bournemouth East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure that Jimmy Lai obtains legal access to British consular support.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the Foreign Secretary's statement to the House on 15 December 2025, and her responses to the questions raised in that debate.
Asked by: Tom Hayes (Labour - Bournemouth East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with her Chinese counterpart on Jimmy Lai’s treatment in prison.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the Foreign Secretary's statement to the House on 15 December 2025, and her responses to the questions raised in that debate.
Asked by: Tom Hayes (Labour - Bournemouth East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to help secure the release of Jimmy Lai.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the Foreign Secretary's statement to the House on 15 December 2025, and her responses to the questions raised in that debate.
Asked by: Tom Hayes (Labour - Bournemouth East)
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 effectiveness of the UK's ability to promote and protect the rights of LGBTQI communities abroad.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Across our global diplomatic network, missions collaborate with local partners to challenge discriminatory laws and policies that enable violence and discrimination against LGBT+ people, and to mark key moments including Pride, but there is no central recording of each of these activities.
In multilateral settings, the UK engages likeminded partners in the Equal Rights Coalition, the UN LGBTI Core Group, and the Council of Europe to champion the universality of human rights, and to promote global action to end violence, persecution, and discrimination.
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Ministers and officials also collaborate with other government departments, including the Office for Equality and Opportunity, to align domestic and international efforts to advance human rights and equality for LGBT+ people, ensuring everyone can live with dignity and without fear of violence and persecution.
We continually keep the impact of all FCDO policies and UK-funded programmes under review to ensure they are achieving their objectives, and providing value for money.
Asked by: Tom Hayes (Labour - Bournemouth East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what estimate she has made of the number of countries introducing new anti-LGBTQI rights measures.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Across our global diplomatic network, missions collaborate with local partners to challenge discriminatory laws and policies that enable violence and discrimination against LGBT+ people, and to mark key moments including Pride, but there is no central recording of each of these activities.
In multilateral settings, the UK engages likeminded partners in the Equal Rights Coalition, the UN LGBTI Core Group, and the Council of Europe to champion the universality of human rights, and to promote global action to end violence, persecution, and discrimination.
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Ministers and officials also collaborate with other government departments, including the Office for Equality and Opportunity, to align domestic and international efforts to advance human rights and equality for LGBT+ people, ensuring everyone can live with dignity and without fear of violence and persecution.
We continually keep the impact of all FCDO policies and UK-funded programmes under review to ensure they are achieving their objectives, and providing value for money.
Asked by: Tom Hayes (Labour - Bournemouth East)
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 effectiveness of the UK's global role in advancing LGBTQI rights.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Across our global diplomatic network, missions collaborate with local partners to challenge discriminatory laws and policies that enable violence and discrimination against LGBT+ people, and to mark key moments including Pride, but there is no central recording of each of these activities.
In multilateral settings, the UK engages likeminded partners in the Equal Rights Coalition, the UN LGBTI Core Group, and the Council of Europe to champion the universality of human rights, and to promote global action to end violence, persecution, and discrimination.
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Ministers and officials also collaborate with other government departments, including the Office for Equality and Opportunity, to align domestic and international efforts to advance human rights and equality for LGBT+ people, ensuring everyone can live with dignity and without fear of violence and persecution.
We continually keep the impact of all FCDO policies and UK-funded programmes under review to ensure they are achieving their objectives, and providing value for money.
Asked by: Tom Hayes (Labour - Bournemouth East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to support Pride organisations and LGBTQ+ activists a) in Hungary, b) in Europe and c) globally.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Across our global diplomatic network, missions collaborate with local partners to challenge discriminatory laws and policies that enable violence and discrimination against LGBT+ people, and to mark key moments including Pride, but there is no central recording of each of these activities.
In multilateral settings, the UK engages likeminded partners in the Equal Rights Coalition, the UN LGBTI Core Group, and the Council of Europe to champion the universality of human rights, and to promote global action to end violence, persecution, and discrimination.
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Ministers and officials also collaborate with other government departments, including the Office for Equality and Opportunity, to align domestic and international efforts to advance human rights and equality for LGBT+ people, ensuring everyone can live with dignity and without fear of violence and persecution.
We continually keep the impact of all FCDO policies and UK-funded programmes under review to ensure they are achieving their objectives, and providing value for money.
Asked by: Tom Hayes (Labour - Bournemouth East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what guidance her Department issues to British diplomatic missions overseas on supporting Pride events.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Across our global diplomatic network, missions collaborate with local partners to challenge discriminatory laws and policies that enable violence and discrimination against LGBT+ people, and to mark key moments including Pride, but there is no central recording of each of these activities.
In multilateral settings, the UK engages likeminded partners in the Equal Rights Coalition, the UN LGBTI Core Group, and the Council of Europe to champion the universality of human rights, and to promote global action to end violence, persecution, and discrimination.
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Ministers and officials also collaborate with other government departments, including the Office for Equality and Opportunity, to align domestic and international efforts to advance human rights and equality for LGBT+ people, ensuring everyone can live with dignity and without fear of violence and persecution.
We continually keep the impact of all FCDO policies and UK-funded programmes under review to ensure they are achieving their objectives, and providing value for money.