Asked by: Blair McDougall (Labour - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to provide support to Georgian democrats who were arrested by their government and have lost legal defence funding following the funding freeze by USAID.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We do not provide any legal defence funding to Georgian Civil Society involved in recent protests. The UK's commitment to supporting both humanitarian aid and development across the world remains steadfast. The Foreign Secretary and I have raised our concerns over arbitrary arrests and violence in Georgia with the Georgian Dream authorities. I was clear that Georgia's negative democratic trajectory, and violence targeting demonstrators and journalists is unacceptable. We are working to support a free and open civil society and attend court hearings. On 30 January, our Embassy in Tbilisi issued a statement supporting journalist Mzia Amaglobeli, who has been on hunger strike since 11 January.
Asked by: Stephen Gethins (Scottish National Party - Arbroath and Broughty Ferry)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will take diplomatic steps to support (a) civil society and (b) independent media in Georgia.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign Secretary and I have raised our concerns over the instability and violence in Georgia directly with the Georgian Dream Representatives. I have been clear that Georgia's negative democratic trajectory, violence targeting demonstrators, and journalists is unacceptable. We are working with international partners to support a free and open civil society and media in Georgia. On 30 January our Embassy in Tbilisi issued a statement, on behalf of 14 Media Freedom Coalition members, supporting journalist Mzia Amaglobeli, who has been on hunger strike since 11 January.
Asked by: David Simmonds (Conservative - Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 20 January 2025 to Question 23888 on Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Flags, which flags other than the Union and Ukraine flags have been flown by his Department since 5 July 2024; and what was the estimated cost was of flying those flags.
Answered by Catherine West
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's flag flying policy is that any additional flags flown on the estate are considered on a case-by-case basis and must have a compelling reason for inclusion in the flag flying schedule. Since 5th July 2024, in addition to the Union and Ukrainian flags, King Charles Street has flown the following flags externally on the roof flag poles: British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Rainbow, International Day of Criminal Justice, Falklands, Tristan da Cunha, Gibraltar, Commonwealth, United Nations, British Indian Ocean Territory, St Andrew's Saltire, Pitcairn Islands, and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. All of these flags were held in stock and no cost was associated with flying these flags from 5 July 2024.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will publish a breakdown of the (a) cost to the public purse and (b) recipients by nationality of the Chevening Scholarship in each of the last five years.
Answered by Anneliese Dodds
Chevening Scholarships provide fully-funded postgraduate masters awards at UK universities for future global leaders from approximately 140 eligible countries and territories.
Chevening Programme Expenditure
Financial year | Total programme expenditure |
2019 - 2020 | £57,744,779.51 |
2020 - 2021 | £50,397,000.00 |
2021 - 2022 | £59,233,000.00 |
2022 - 2023 | £58,994,000.00 |
2023 - 2024 | £59,330,000.00 |
Annual costs for Chevening Scholarships can be found in the FCDO Annual Reports and Accounts on GOV.UK. The cost for each Chevening scholar varies between individuals, depending on factors including the cost of tuition fees, accommodation and flights.
Breakdown of recipients by nationality of the Chevening Scholarship for the last 5 years:
Country/Territory | Awards made in 2019 (incl. full/part partner funded awards) | Awards made in 2020 (incl. full/part partner funded awards) | Awards made in 2021 (incl. full/part partner funded awards) | Awards made in 2022 (incl. full/part partner funded awards) | Awards made in 2023 (incl. full/part partner funded awards) | Awards made in 2024 (incl. full/part partner funded awards) |
Afghanistan | 15 | 23 | 29 | 18 | 21 | 13 |
Albania | 16 | 6 | 14 | 11 | 11 | 10 |
Algeria | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 7 |
Angola | 9 | 4 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 7 |
Anguilla | 2 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 5 |
Antigua and Barbuda | 2 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
Argentina | 25 | 19 | 24 | 21 | 15 | 30 |
Armenia | 9 | 3 | 9 | 7 | 4 | 4 |
Australia | 3 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
Azerbaijan | 9 | 8 | 11 | 9 | 6 | 5 |
Bahamas | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 |
Bangladesh | 13 | 14 | 20 | 15 | 21 | 22 |
Barbados | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
Belize | 5 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
Benin | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Bermuda | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Bhutan | 3 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 |
Bolivia | 7 | 5 | 9 | 8 | 4 | 6 |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | 13 | 5 | 9 | 8 | 4 | 5 |
Botswana | 9 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 6 |
Brazil | 57 | 46 | 53 | 47 | 46 | 36 |
Brunei Darussalam | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
Burkina Faso |
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Burundi | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 |
Cambodia | 17 | 9 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 9 |
Cameroon | 15 | 12 | 10 | 5 | 8 | 8 |
Canada | 2 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
Cape Verde | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Cayman Islands | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Chad | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Chile | 7 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
China | 60 | 37 | 41 | 33 | 30 | 17 |
Colombia | 25 | 14 | 16 | 14 | 14 | 14 |
Congo, Republic of | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Congo, The Democratic Republic Of The | 7 | 8 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 8 |
Costa Rica | 5 | 3 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
Côte d’Ivoire | 6 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 4 | 8 |
Cuba | 12 | 11 | 11 | 6 | 8 | 8 |
Djibouti | 3 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1 |
Dominica | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
Dominican Republic | 11 | 10 | 14 | 11 | 10 | 8 |
Ecuador | 9 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 6 |
Egypt | 45 | 33 | 39 | 32 | 31 | 29 |
El Salvador | 6 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
Equatorial Guinea | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Eritrea | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Ethiopia | 16 | 24 | 21 | 13 | 18 | 17 |
Falkland Islands | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Fiji | 2 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 7 |
Gabon | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Georgia | 13 | 9 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 10 |
Ghana | 22 | 21 | 19 | 16 | 17 | 14 |
Greece | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Grenada | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 3 |
Guatemala | 4 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 1 |
Guinea | 1 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 4 |
Guyana | 10 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 |
Haiti | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
Honduras | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
Hong Kong | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
Iceland | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
India | 47 | 38 | 41 | 46 | 38 | 36 |
Indonesia | 60 | 50 | 58 | 45 | 42 | 39 |
Iraq | 22 | 21 | 26 | 22 | 19 | 18 |
Israel | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Jamaica | 18 | 14 | 17 | 16 | 14 | 13 |
Japan | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
Jordan | 15 | 12 | 16 | 11 | 7 | 10 |
Kazakhstan | 8 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 9 | 12 |
Kenya | 33 | 39 | 38 | 37 | 36 | 30 |
Kingdom of Eswatini | 9 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
Kiribati | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Kosovo | 5 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 5 | 6 |
Kyrgyzstan | 6 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 6 |
Lao People's Democratic Republic | 8 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
Lebanon | 9 | 6 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 10 |
Lesotho | 5 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 6 |
Liberia | 6 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 6 |
Libya | 18 | 15 | 17 | 18 | 12 | 11 |
Madagascar | 11 | 8 | 3 | 9 | 5 | 6 |
Malawi | 13 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 7 |
Malaysia | 38 | 37 | 40 | 38 | 34 | 31 |
Maldives | 4 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
Mali | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
Mauritania | 1 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 |
Mauritius | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 5 |
Mexico | 53 | 39 | 40 | 39 | 37 | 33 |
Moldova, Republic Of | 7 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 5 |
Mongolia | 7 | 12 | 8 | 11 | 13 | 16 |
Montenegro | 9 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 4 | 5 |
Montserrat | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
Morocco | 11 | 11 | 13 | 9 | 10 | 10 |
Mozambique | 8 | 8 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 9 |
Myanmar | 12 | 9 | 16 | 8 | 10 | 10 |
Namibia | 9 | 14 | 15 | 11 | 13 | 11 |
Nauru | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Nepal | 11 | 12 | 17 | 10 | 12 | 13 |
New Zealand | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
Nicaragua | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
Niger | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 |
Nigeria | 56 | 46 | 46 | 44 | 44 | 30 |
North Macedonia | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 |
Oman | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Pakistan | 49 | 34 | 51 | 47 | 46 | 43 |
Palestinian Territory, Occupied | 26 | 20 | 23 | 14 | 13 | 10 |
Panama | 7 | 4 | 11 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
Papua New Guinea | 3 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 3 |
Paraguay | 15 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 16 | 16 |
Peru | 18 | 7 | 15 | 12 | 9 | 10 |
Philippines | 28 | 16 | 34 | 23 | 22 | 21 |
Republic of Korea | 24 | 21 | 13 | 12 | 18 | 12 |
Rwanda | 19 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 5 | 5 |
Saint Helena | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Saint Kitts and Nevis | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Saint Lucia | 3 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 |
Saint Vincent and The Grenadines | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
Samoa | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
Sao Tome And Principe | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Senegal | 8 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 6 |
Serbia | 15 | 10 | 10 | 6 | 7 | 10 |
Seychelles | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
Sierra Leone | 6 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 6 |
Singapore | 4 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 3 |
Solomon Islands | 4 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 7 |
Somalia | 11 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 14 | 16 |
South Africa | 44 | 33 | 46 | 35 | 42 | 28 |
South Caucasus | 3 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 2 |
South Sudan | 6 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 6 |
Sri Lanka | 6 | 7 | 13 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
Sudan | 16 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 16 |
Suriname | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Syrian Arab Republic | 22 | 21 | 24 | 22 | 20 | 19 |
Taiwan (Republic of China) | 4 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 5 |
Tajikistan | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 5 |
Tanzania | 18 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 9 |
Thailand | 24 | 15 | 22 | 17 | 22 | 21 |
The Gambia | 10 | 9 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 6 |
Timor-Leste | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
Tonga | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
Trinidad and Tobago | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
Tunisia | 14 | 11 | 11 | 8 | 6 | 7 |
Turkey | 24 | 21 | 23 | 18 | 22 | 23 |
Turkmenistan | 4 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 1 |
Turks and Caicos Islands | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
Tuvalu | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Uganda | 16 | 16 | 24 | 18 | 24 | 17 |
Ukraine | 21 | 20 | 19 | 42 | 26 | 23 |
Uruguay | 9 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 9 |
Uzbekistan | 9 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 15 |
Vanuatu | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2 |
Venezuela | 10 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 6 |
Vietnam | 24 | 19 | 25 | 19 | 23 | 22 |
Virgin Islands (British) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
Yemen | 9 | 6 | 14 | 8 | 5 | 9 |
Zambia | 23 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 13 | 12 |
Zimbabwe | 30 | 10 | 12 | 7 | 6 | 8 |
We are withholding some country specific information under Section 38 (Health and Safety) exemption (1) (a) and (b) of the Freedom of Information Act, which provides that information is exempt if disclosure would or would be likely to endanger the physical or mental health of any individual or endanger the safety of any individual.
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 steps his Department is taking to help protect native wildlife on South Georgia in the context of the potential risk of a collision of the iceberg A23a with the island.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is in close contact with the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) and the Government of South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands (GSGSSI) about the movement of iceberg A23a. BAS and GSGSSI are both actively monitoring the movement of the iceberg and are working to identify a range of likely future scenarios and potential implications, including for the region's wildlife. It is currently anticipated that A23a will run aground on the continental shelf before it reaches the landmass of South Georgia, and that any impacts on wildlife are likely to be localised and transient, but we will keep this assessment under review.
Asked by: Baroness Finn (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Georgia Gould on 26 November 2024 (HC14635), what Ministerial gifts the Prime Minister has accepted which have since been returned or reimbursed, other than gifts where the Prime Minister has purchased the gift or the gift has been retained by the department.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
I refer the Noble Lady to my answer of 26 November 2024, PQ 14635.
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 implications of the recent (a) Georgian parliamentary election and (b) presidential inauguration on Georgia’s relationship with (i) the EU, (ii) the United States and (iii) NATO.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I made clear on 3 December that Georgia's continued steps away from democratic norms and freedoms will only serve to harm its international reputation, and risk fundamentally damaging relations with Georgia's friends and partners. In response to recent events in Georgia, the Foreign Secretary announced on 9 December that the UK would suspend all programme support to the Georgian government, restricted defence cooperation, and limited engagement with representatives of Georgian Dream. On 19 December the UK, in co-ordination with the USA, implemented sanctions against the Minister and Deputy Minister of Internal affairs and three police officials responsible for violent attacks against journalists and peaceful protestors in Georgia. The UK continues to work closely with NATO, European and American partners to support the Euro-Atlantic will of the Georgian People.
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 implications of the recent (a) Georgian parliamentary election and (b) presidential inauguration on UK-Georgia relations.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I made clear on 3 December that Georgia's continued steps away from democratic norms and freedoms will only serve to harm its international reputation, and risk fundamentally damaging relations with Georgia's friends and partners. In response to recent events in Georgia, the Foreign Secretary announced on 9 December that the UK would suspend all programme support to the Georgian government, restricted defence cooperation, and limited engagement with representatives of Georgian Dream. On 19 December the UK, in co-ordination with the USA, implemented sanctions against the Minister and Deputy Minister of Internal affairs and three police officials responsible for violent attacks against journalists and peaceful protestors in Georgia. The UK continues to work closely with NATO, European and American partners to support the Euro-Atlantic will of the Georgian People.
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 implications for his policies of (a) the parliamentary election, (b) the inauguration of a new president and (c) other recent events in Georgia.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
In response to recent events in Georgia, the Foreign Secretary announced on 9 December that the UK would suspend all programme support to the Georgian government, restricted defence cooperation, and limited engagement with representatives of Georgian Dream. On 16 December I spoke to Georgian Dream representative, Foreign Minister Bochorishvili, and on 23 December the Foreign Secretary spoke to the Georgian President, Zourabichvili. Both the Foreign Secretary and I expressed our concerns at the instability we were seeing in Georgia. I was clear that Georgia's negative democratic trajectory, including violence targeting peaceful demonstrators, opposition figures and journalists was unacceptable. On 19 December, the UK implemented sanctions against the Minister and Deputy Minister of Internal affairs and three police officials responsible for these violent actions. We will continue to keep our policies under close review.
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 discussions he has had with his Georgian counterpart since the parliamentary election in that country.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
In response to recent events in Georgia, the Foreign Secretary announced on 9 December that the UK would suspend all programme support to the Georgian government, restricted defence cooperation, and limited engagement with representatives of Georgian Dream. On 16 December I spoke to Georgian Dream representative, Foreign Minister Bochorishvili, and on 23 December the Foreign Secretary spoke to the Georgian President, Zourabichvili. Both the Foreign Secretary and I expressed our concerns at the instability we were seeing in Georgia. I was clear that Georgia's negative democratic trajectory, including violence targeting peaceful demonstrators, opposition figures and journalists was unacceptable. On 19 December, the UK implemented sanctions against the Minister and Deputy Minister of Internal affairs and three police officials responsible for these violent actions. We will continue to keep our policies under close review.