Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the debate entitled Supporting a European perspective for the Western Balkans, which took place at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on 11 October 2022.

The Western Balkans are crucial to UK and European security. We are building closer economic and security ties with the region, to boost jobs and growth and help support a freer, more prosperous and more secure Western Balkans. The government recognises the crucial work of the Council of Europe, including the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), in this area and notes that recommendations will be sent to the Committee of Ministers in due course for appropriate review.