Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 30 November to Question 93705 on South Africa: UN Security Council, what discussions his Department has had with the United Nations Organisation on expanding the Security Council to include permanent African representation.

The UK has a clear and longstanding position on UN Security Council reform, including support for permanent African representation on the Council. There are regular discussions on the topic of Security Council reform at the United Nations and we are supportive of advancing intergovernmental negotiations on this matter. The UK's Permanent Representative to the UN most recently outlined our position on Security Council reform at the UN General Assembly on the 17th November. (Momentum for change is building around the UN: UK statement on Security Council reform - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk))