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, pursuant to the Answer of 17 February 2025 to Question 28555 on Nutrition for Growth Summit, whether it remains his policy to spend £1.5 billion on nutrition objectives by 2030.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) remains committed to supporting nutrition in our development work. The FCDO will be able to share further details once the Spending Review is concluded.
The Minister of State for International Development, Latin America and the Caribbean, led the UK's delegation to the recent Nutrition for Growth Summit, and reiterated our commitments to nutrition objectives particularly integrating nutrition into our wider programming.
The FCDO continues to report progress against our financial commitments through its annual Nutrition Accountability Report, as well as through updates to the Global Nutrition Report's Nutrition Accountability Framework.
Asked by: Sarah Edwards (Labour - Tamworth)
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 his Peruvian counterpart on the provision of assistance to indigenous people after the 2022-23 political protests.
Answered by Catherine West
The UK is closely monitoring the human rights situation in Peru, including the specific challenges faced by indigenous communities. Our Ambassador to Peru and his team regularly meet representatives of indigenous communities to understand the challenges faced by these groups. The Minister of State for International Development, Latin America and Caribbean also met a group of Peruvian human rights defenders in November 2024 to discuss the 2022-23 political protests. We hold regular discussions on human rights at senior levels with the Peruvian Government and have raised concerns about threats to human rights defenders. In the aftermath of the protests, through the UN High Commissioner's Office for Human Rights, the UK has funded technical assistance to the Public Prosecutor's Office, forensic capacity building and training within the judiciary.
Asked by: Sarah Edwards (Labour - Tamworth)
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 his Peruvian counterpart on investigations into the responsibilities of (a) senior police officers and (b) other civilian authorities in the killings in Juliaca in 2023.
Answered by Catherine West
We hold regular discussions on human rights at senior levels with the Peruvian Government including the Foreign Minister, the Minister for Women and Vulnerable Populations, and other stakeholders and have raised concerns about threats to human rights defenders. The Minister of State for International Development, Latin America and Caribbean met a group of Peruvian human rights defenders in November 2024 to discuss the 2022-23 political protests. We will continue to work with the government and wider civil society groups to support the protection of human rights in Peru. Alongside raising the importance of accountability, in the aftermath of the protests, through the UN High Commissioner's Office for Human Rights, the UK funded technical assistance to the Public Prosecutor's Office, forensic capacity building, and training within the judiciary.
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, how many FCDO staff attended the Nutrition for Growth Summit in Paris in March 2025; and what was the total budget versus the actual cost of attending.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
At the 2025 Nutrition for Growth (N4G) Summit in Paris, the UK delegation was led by Baroness Chapman, the Minister for International Development, Latin America, and the Caribbean. In total, five Foreign, Commonwealth, Development Office (FCDO) staff members travelled to Paris to support the Minister's agenda and the coordination of the two side-events we co-hosted, including the Minister's private secretary.
While the final figure is being confirmed, FCDO estimates the total cost of attending came to under £6,000. Staff attendance was staggered throughout the week, with two UK based staff members already in Paris for other partner meetings, also providing support to the Minister's visit and the organisation of the side-events. FCDO has also sought to achieve good value for money through its other N4G activities in Paris, including the arrangement of venues for events.
The UK's development expertise is critical to agendas like nutrition. We will continue to play a leadership role in the future with less money to spend.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has met his counterparts in Jamaica since taking office.
Answered by Catherine West
The Foreign Secretary spoke to Jamaica's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Kamina Johnson Smith, on 2 August 2024. They discussed the importance of the UK-Jamaica bilateral relationship and climate issues including Hurricane Beryl. They later had a bilateral meeting in the margins of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Apia in October 2024. The Minister for Latin America and the Caribbean visited Jamaica 14-16 October 2024, with a focus on collaboration around growth, climate resilience and development. The Minister for Latin America and the Caribbean also met the Jamaican Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Aubyn Hill, on 4 November 2024 to discuss opportunities for closer collaboration between the UK and Jamaica on trade and business.
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 he has made of the potential merits of establishing a Special Envoy for Children within his Department.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
As a ratifier of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the UK Government is committed to the promotion, protection and realisation of children's rights at home and overseas. Whilst the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office does not have a dedicated Special Envoy on Children, Ministers and Senior Officials regularly raise and advocate for increased awareness and action on cross-cutting issues affecting children through diplomatic and international engagement.
This is a priority for the Foreign Secretary: in January, he launched a new campaign to advocate for family-based care for children around the world, recognising the specific vulnerabilities faced by children in need of care and protection. Further, in November Baroness Chapman, Minister for International Development and Latin America and the Caribbean, represented the UK at the first Global Ministerial Conference on Violence Against Children.
Asked by: Baroness Anelay of St Johns (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions the Minister for Latin America held during her recent visits to Chile regarding their policies on promoting gender equality, progress on LGBT+ rights and their priorities in formulating policies on sexual and reproductive rights.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
During my visit to Chile in January, I launched a report on digital rights of indigenous women alongside Chile's Deputy Minister for Women, Luz Vidal. The UK is firmly committed to promoting gender equality and fostering inclusive growth worldwide.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what was discussed between his Department and his Chilean counterparts during the delegation to Santiago and Punta Arenas in January 2025.
Answered by Catherine West
Baroness Chapman, Minister for Latin America and the Caribbean, visited Chile 7-9 January to meet with Chilean political and business leaders, and to strengthen bilateral and trade ties following the UK's recent accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. In Santiago, Baroness Chapman met her ministerial counterpart, Gloria de la Fuente, and visited the Chilean headquarters of Anglo American to discuss the growing use of carbon-neutral technologies within the mining sector. Baroness Chapman also visited Punta Arenas to celebrate the longstanding and enduring UK-Chile relationship on Antarctica, and our strong naval partnership.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many times Ministers in his Department have engaged with the leadership of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) since 5 July 2024.
Answered by Catherine West
The Foreign Secretary spoke with the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretary General, Dr Carla Barnett, on 15 August. The Foreign Secretary expressed solidarity with the Caribbean following Hurricane Beryl. They also discussed the situation in Haiti and reaffirm the deep UK-CARICOM relationship, including the need to advance the UK-CARICOM Memorandum of Understanding. During visits to Grenada and Barbados, the Minister for Latin America and the Caribbean had a bilateral meeting with the then Chair of CARICOM, Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell of Grenada. They discussed a number of issues, including disaster preparedness, climate finance and the ongoing challenges in Haiti.
Asked by: Neil O'Brien (Conservative - Harborough, Oadby and Wigston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of (a) women and (b) men who received care for a diagnosed HIV infection were born in (i) the UK, (ii) Europe, (iii) Northern Africa, (iii) Eastern Africa, (iv) Middle Africa, (v) Southern Africa, (vi) Western Africa, (vii) Africa, (viii) Asia, (ix) Oceania, (x) Northern America, (xi) Latin America and the Caribbean and (xii) an unknown location, in each year since 2014.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne
The information requested could only be provided at disproportionate cost.