Asked by: Uma Kumaran (Labour - Stratford and Bow)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 2 June 2025 to Question 52505 on Sri Lanka: War Crimes, for what reason his Department provided legal representation to the freedom of information tribunal against the application for Major David Walker to be summoned to give evidence.
Answered by Catherine West
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) takes seriously its statutory obligations under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and has complied with all relevant directions issued by the Tribunal. The FCDO accepts the Tribunal's decision of March 2024 not to call Mr Walker as a witness in the case. It would be inappropriate for the FCDO to comment any further on ongoing legal proceedings.
Asked by: Uma Kumaran (Labour - Stratford and Bow)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to his Department's news story entitled UK Chair statement: Ministerial Roundtable on Sudan, published on 20 February 2025, whether he plans to convene a follow-up meeting.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We do not plan to re-convene another Development Minister meeting in the immediate future. The Foreign Secretary recently hosted the London Sudan Conference in April alongside France, Germany, the Africa Union and EU which brought together senior figures from the international community to discuss the conflict in Sudan. UK Ministers remain engaged on the crisis with the Minister for Development visiting Chad in May which included a focus on Sudan.
Asked by: Uma Kumaran (Labour - Stratford and Bow)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to help improve access for humanitarian (a) workers and (b) supplies into Sudan.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is playing a leading role in response to the crisis in Sudan, including efforts to facilitate more consistent humanitarian access to help facilitate the delivery of lifesaving supplies and the provision of critical services. At the April London Sudan Conference, the Foreign Secretary highlighted the importance of humanitarian access. The co-chairs' statement from the Conference called on the warring parties to facilitate rapid, safe and unimpeded humanitarian access in accordance with commitments made in the Jeddah Declaration, and in adherence with their obligations under international humanitarian law. He also announced £120 million which will deliver lifesaving support to more than 650,000 people.
Asked by: Uma Kumaran (Labour - Stratford and Bow)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what information his Department holds on whether former SAS soldiers working in private mercenary companies had any involvement in the committing of war crimes during the Sri Lankan civil war.
Answered by Catherine West
The UK Government is committed to human rights in Sri Lanka for all its communities and will continue to press for truth, reconciliation, accountability and justice for victims of the Sri Lankan civil war. On 24 March, the Foreign Secretary announced sanctions on four Sri Lankan individuals responsible for serious human rights abuses and violations during the Sri Lanka civil war.
We take very seriously the allegations raised in relation to the committing of war crimes during the conflict in Sri Lanka. In March 2020, the Metropolitan Police War Crimes Team received a referral regarding British mercenaries in Sri Lanka during the 1980s which started an investigation into these claims. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has previously assisted the police in relation to this matter but does not hold any relevant information. We are not able to provide further comment on the content of relevant information, as the investigation by the police is ongoing.
Asked by: Uma Kumaran (Labour - Stratford and Bow)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with the Soft Power Council on the role of science and research in supporting the UK's diplomatic efforts; and whether the contribution of the science and research sector will be included in the upcoming soft power strategy.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The membership of the Soft Power Council includes several individuals with expertise spanning science, technology, education and research, in recognition of the importance of these themes to the UK's diplomatic work. As the strategy is developed over the coming months, science and research are among a broader set of sectors that are central to our planning.
Asked by: Uma Kumaran (Labour - Stratford and Bow)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his international counterparts on alleged reports of (a) gender-based and (b) conflict-related sexual violence in Sudan.
Answered by Anneliese Dodds
The UK remains committed to tackling gender-based violence, including conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) in Sudan. From 23-25 January, the Foreign Secretary visited Chad and travelled to the Sudan-Chad border. He spoke directly to Sudanese refugees, including survivors, who shared harrowing stories of sexual violence and torture. The UK has galvanised international efforts on this issue, including through the UN Human Rights Council, Security Council and International Alliance on PSVI. In September, the UK convened an event at the UN General Assembly with Dutch and Swiss partners to draw attention to the situation, spotlight the plight of women and girls and stress the importance of survivor-centred, local and women-led responses. The UK co-led a Resolution at the UNSC with Sierra Leone on the protection of civilians which called on parties to take urgent steps to prevent CRSV and to improve protection and access to services. Despite unanimous support from the Council, the Resolution failed to pass due to a Russian veto. I visited South Sudan from 19-21 August 2024, where I heard first-hand the horrifying experiences of women who fled the war in Sudan.
Asked by: Uma Kumaran (Labour - Stratford and Bow)
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 his international counterparts about (a) the role the UK will play in restarting Syria’s political process and (b) a timeline for political transition that enables free elections.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is speaking regularly to regional and other partners about the situation in Syria. The Foreign Secretary has spoken to the UN Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Syria and a number of regional counterparts. I have also discussed developments in Syria with regional partners and Syrian civil society actors.
The focus of discussions has been on protecting civilians, including minorities, and moving quickly to a political transition. It is essential that this transition is inclusive, comprehensive and most importantly determined by the Syrian people themselves. The UK will continue to engage closely with Syrian contacts, international and regional partners to support a peaceful political transition.
Asked by: Uma Kumaran (Labour - Stratford and Bow)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with the Leader of the House on bringing forward legislative proposals to ratify the Global Ocean Treaty.
Answered by Anneliese Dodds
The Government is completely committed to ratification of the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement, also known as the High Seas Treaty), which is in line with our determination to reinvigorate the UK's wider international leadership on climate and nature. The Foreign Secretary and the Leader of the House of Commons have discussed the measures needed to implement the detailed and complex provisions of the Agreement before the UK can ratify.
Asked by: Uma Kumaran (Labour - Stratford and Bow)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will support an independent investigation into shots fired at UN peacekeepers by Israeli forces.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK condemns the recent attacks on UN Peacekeepers. We have been clear: Israel must act in accordance with International Humanitarian Law. Alongside the Foreign Ministers of France, Germany and Italy, the Foreign Secretary expressed deep concern about attacks by Israeli Defense Forces on United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) bases and condemned all threats to UNIFIL's security. The Prime Minister has spoken with international leaders, including Prime Minister Netanyahu, His Majesty King Abdullah II, President Macron and Chancellor Scholz, to press the case for a ceasefire. This builds on extensive discussions by the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary at the UN with regional leaders. We have been working with all parties to prevent escalation and will spare no effort to reduce tensions and find a path to stability.
Asked by: Uma Kumaran (Labour - Stratford and Bow)
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 potential merits of imposing Magnitsky-style sanctions against people in Sri Lanka accused of war crimes.
Answered by Catherine West
Sri Lanka is a human rights priority country for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and we regularly engage with the Government of Sri Lanka on the need for truth, justice and accountability. The Global Human Rights sanctions regime is one tool in our foreign policy toolkit. The UK uses sanctions when we judge that they will be effective to achieve our foreign policy goals. It would not be appropriate to speculate about future sanctions designations as to do so could reduce their impact.