Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
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 fiscal impact on her Department’s budget of supporting the resettlement of the Chagossian community.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answers provided on 12 January in response to Question 103250, and in the Urgent Question debate on 26 January.
The costs of the Treaty will be split between the Ministry of Defence and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
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 total cost to her Department of implementing the proposed treaty with Mauritius on the Chagos Archipelago.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answers provided on 12 January in response to Question 103250, and in the Urgent Question debate on 26 January.
The costs of the Treaty will be split between the Ministry of Defence and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of Russia’s military presence in Belarus.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer given on 1 December 2025 to Questions 92971-73.
Belarus continues to support Russia's aggression towards Ukraine, including the stationing of Oreshnik missiles on its soil, and we remain clear that Belarus must end that support and return to compliance with international law.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
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 support independent media and political prisoners in Belarus.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer given on 1 December 2025 to Questions 92971-73.
Belarus continues to support Russia's aggression towards Ukraine, including the stationing of Oreshnik missiles on its soil, and we remain clear that Belarus must end that support and return to compliance with international law.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
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 level of the threat posed to UK interests by extremist groups operating in north-west Syria.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are closely monitoring the developing situation in Syria and the threat posed by extremist groups, including Daesh and Al Qaeda-linked groups. Daesh's ability to direct, enable and inspire attacks remains one of the most significant global terrorist threats, including to the UK, our people and our interests overseas. The safety and security of the UK and its people remains the foremost priority of this Government and we are working closely with international partners, including the Global Coalition against Daesh, to mitigate risks to the UK and shared national security risks.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of UK sanctions on restricting Russia from securing revenue from energy exports.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government is taking decisive action alongside international partners to increase pressure on Russian energy revenues. Last year, the UK and US sanctioned Russia's four oil majors. Russia's oil export revenues are now at their lowest since the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022. On 15 January, the Government announced that we would move alongside the EU in lowering the Oil Price Cap on Russia crude from $47.60 to $44.10 per barrel. The UK and EU have both announced bans on the import of refined oil of Russian origin and both will introduce maritime services bans relating to Russian Liquefied Natural Gas.
We have led international efforts to disrupt Russia's shadow fleet. The UK has now specified 545 vessels under the Russia sanctions regime, including 520 oil tankers and 16 liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she has taken with international partners to help limit the sale of Russian oil.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government is taking decisive action alongside international partners to increase pressure on Russian energy revenues. Last year, the UK and US sanctioned Russia's four oil majors. Russia's oil export revenues are now at their lowest since the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022. On 15 January, the Government announced that we would move alongside the EU in lowering the Oil Price Cap on Russia crude from $47.60 to $44.10 per barrel. The UK and EU have both announced bans on the import of refined oil of Russian origin and both will introduce maritime services bans relating to Russian Liquefied Natural Gas.
We have led international efforts to disrupt Russia's shadow fleet. The UK has now specified 545 vessels under the Russia sanctions regime, including 520 oil tankers and 16 liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she has taken to help ensure international partners are adhering to the UK Oil Price Cap introduced in December 2022.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government is taking decisive action alongside international partners to increase pressure on Russian energy revenues. Last year, the UK and US sanctioned Russia's four oil majors. Russia's oil export revenues are now at their lowest since the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022. On 15 January, the Government announced that we would move alongside the EU in lowering the Oil Price Cap on Russia crude from $47.60 to $44.10 per barrel. The UK and EU have both announced bans on the import of refined oil of Russian origin and both will introduce maritime services bans relating to Russian Liquefied Natural Gas.
We have led international efforts to disrupt Russia's shadow fleet. The UK has now specified 545 vessels under the Russia sanctions regime, including 520 oil tankers and 16 liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she has taken to strengthen the UK's relationship with Indo-Pacific partners.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Rt Hon Member to my speech at the launch of the Asia House Outlook 2026 on 15 January, available on GOV.UK here: https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/asia-house-outlook-2026-keynote-speech. Additionally, my speech at the 2025 Indo-Pacific Conference at King's College London is available on GOV.UK here: 2025 Indo-Pacific Conference: Minister Malhotra keynote speech - GOV.UK
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the Government’s anticipated timetable is for laying the UK-EU Treaty on Gibraltar before Parliament for scrutiny and ratification.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The final text will be brought before the House in due course for scrutiny in the normal way pursuant to the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010.