Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to her Department publishing an open opportunity contract on 6 January 2026 entitled Home Office Returns Reintegration Programme (HORRP) - Phase 3 - 2026 – 2028, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of this scheme on the future number of illegal migrants coming to the UK from (a) Algeria and (b) Sri Lanka.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
Since 2021, the UK has seen record numbers of people arriving illegally and claiming asylum, with increasing pressure on public services and accommodation – this scheme is designed to improve returns cooperation with these countries, support those being returned to their country of origin, and ultimately remove more people.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to support the recovery of Sri Lanka from Cyclone Ditwah.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government is deeply concerned about the extensive damage and distress caused by Cyclone Ditwah in Sri Lanka. The British High Commissioner in Colombo has been in regular contact with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Disaster Management Centre, and the UN Resident Coordinator to monitor the situation and understand emerging needs.
We have allocated £1 million of humanitarian support through the Red Cross, UN partners and civil society organisations to support immediate humanitarian assistance.
The UK is tracking the situation closely and remains in regular contact with the Sri Lankan authorities and humanitarian partners.
Asked by: Joshua Reynolds (Liberal Democrat - Maidenhead)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department plans to provide additional funding to Sri Lanka beyond the initial humanitarian assistance announced in response to Cyclone Ditwah.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The level of UK humanitarian assistance provided in response to a natural disaster will be based on a number of factors, including the vulnerability of the affected population, capacity of the affected country's government to respond, the number of people affected or in need, and contributions from other donors towards the crisis.
Asked by: Joshua Reynolds (Liberal Democrat - Maidenhead)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much UK humanitarian assistance was provided to Sri Lanka following Cyclone Ditwah in November 2025.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The level of UK humanitarian assistance provided in response to a natural disaster will be based on a number of factors, including the vulnerability of the affected population, capacity of the affected country's government to respond, the number of people affected or in need, and contributions from other donors towards the crisis.
Asked by: Joshua Reynolds (Liberal Democrat - Maidenhead)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions her Department has had with the (a) World Bank, (b) International Monetary Fund and (c) Asian Development Bank on financial support for Sri Lanka's post-Cyclone Ditwah recovery.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The level of UK humanitarian assistance provided in response to a natural disaster will be based on a number of factors, including the vulnerability of the affected population, capacity of the affected country's government to respond, the number of people affected or in need, and contributions from other donors towards the crisis.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what engagement her Department has had with counterparts in Sri Lanka regarding Storm Ditwah.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 18 December in response to Question 99464.
Asked by: Chris Coghlan (Liberal Democrat - Dorking and Horley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help rescue Melanie Watters and Janine Reid in Sri Lanka following Cyclone Ditwah.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
My officials were in direct contact with Ms Watters and Ms Reid and worked with the local authorities in Sri Lanka who evacuated them from the affected area they were staying. They have now departed from Sri Lanka. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office works tirelessly to support British nationals in distress overseas. We prioritise the safety and wellbeing of our citizens, and our consular teams are available 24/7 to provide advice and assistance.
Asked by: Lord Naseby (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, following the extensive damage in Sri Lanka from torrential rain and a cyclone, what consideration they have given to providing extra and urgent practical support.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
I refer the Noble Lord to the topical statement made by the Foreign Secretary in departmental oral questions on 2 December, which - for ease of reference - is reproduced below:
"May I send my condolences and those of the Government to all those who have lost loved ones in the deadly storms in India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam? Many have lost homes and livelihoods. I praise the emergency responders who have worked tirelessly and are committed to helping those affected, often at great personal risk.
"In response to requests for support that we have already received, the UK is providing £1,000,000 to address immediate humanitarian needs in Sri Lanka and has contributed £800,000 in response to the multiple typhoons that have struck Vietnam. The UK is closely monitoring the situation and stands ready to provide further support as needed."
Asked by: Lord Risby (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion of foreign investment in the UK comes from countries situated in (1) the European Union, (2) the Commonwealth and (3) the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership area.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.
Please see the letter attached from the National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority.
Darren Tierney | Permanent Secretary
The Lord Risby
House of Lords
London
SW1A 0PW
25 November 2025
Dear Lord Risby,
As Permanent Secretary of the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I am responding to your Parliamentary Question to asking what proportion of foreign investment in the UK comes from countries situated in (1) the European Union, (2) the Commonwealth and (3) the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership area (HL12070).
Our statistics for inward Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) positions measure the investment held by UK-resident companies that have foreign immediate parent companies. These are essentially the stock of investment held at a point in time. Table 3.1 of our annual Foreign direct investment involving UK companies (directional): inward statistics shows that the stock of inward direct investment from the European Union was £758,137 million at the end of 2023[1]. This was equivalent to 34.8% of the UK total inward FDI position.
We do not publish a total value for inward FDI with the Commonwealth. However, we have published FDI statistics for all countries. Table 1 below includes the FDI inward FDI position values and percentage of the UK total FDI position accounted for by each Commonwealth country in 2023.
We also do not routinely publish a total value for inward FDI with the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) countries. However, we have published FDI statistics for all countries. Table 2 below includes the FDI inward position values and percentage of the UK total accounted for by each member of the CPTPP in 2023.
Yours sincerely,
Darren Tierney
Table 1: Inward foreign direct investment positions with Commonwealth countries at the end of 2023, £ million and as a percentage of the UK total inward FDI position[2],[3],[4],[5],[6]
Economy | Value (£ million) | Percentage of UK total |
Antigua and Barbuda | 2 | 0.0 |
Australia | 20,781 | 1.0 |
The Bahamas | c | z |
Bangladesh | 1,060 | 0.0 |
Barbados | 19,190 | 0.9 |
Belize | 44 | 0.0 |
Botswana | 16 | 0.0 |
Brunei Darussalam | 6 | 0.0 |
Cameroon | 3 | 0.0 |
Canada | 29,513 | 1.4 |
Cyprus | 6,065 | 0.3 |
Dominica | 6 | 0.0 |
Eswatini | low | 0.0 |
Fiji | 8 | 0.0 |
Gabon | 1 | 0.0 |
The Gambia | 4 | 0.0 |
Ghana | 674 | 0.0 |
Grenada | low | 0.0 |
Guyana | 1 | 0.0 |
India | 12,419 | 0.6 |
Jamaica | 37 | 0.0 |
Kenya | 24 | 0.0 |
Kiribati | low | 0.0 |
Lesotho | low | 0.0 |
Malawi | 4 | 0.0 |
Malaysia | 1,679 | 0.1 |
Maldives | low | 0.0 |
Malta | 6,554 | 0.3 |
Mauritius | 689 | 0.0 |
Mozambique | low | 0.0 |
Namibia | 3 | 0.0 |
Nauru | low | 0.0 |
New Zealand | 908 | 0.0 |
Nigeria | 489 | 0.0 |
Pakistan | 90 | 0.0 |
Papua New Guinea | 2 | 0.0 |
Rwanda | 671 | 0.0 |
St Kitts and Nevis | 31 | 0.0 |
Saint Lucia | 7 | 0.0 |
St Vincent and the Grenadines | 19 | 0.0 |
Samoa | 219 | 0.0 |
Seychelles | 152 | 0.0 |
Sierra Leone | 2 | 0.0 |
Singapore | 19,107 | 0.9 |
Solomon Islands | low | 0.0 |
South Africa | 3,641 | 0.2 |
Sri Lanka | 13,124 | 0.6 |
Tanzania | 2 | 0.0 |
Togo | low | 0.0 |
Tonga | low | 0.0 |
Trinidad and Tobago | 1 | 0.0 |
Tuvalu | low | 0.0 |
Uganda | 5 | 0.0 |
Vanuatu | 8 | 0.0 |
Zambia | 3 | 0.0 |
Table 2: Inward foreign direct investment positions with Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership countries at the end of 2023,
£ million and as a percentage of the UK total 3,5,6,[7]
Economy | Value (£ million) | Percentage of UK total |
Australia | 20,781 | 1.0 |
Brunei Darussalam | 6 | 0.0 |
Canada | 29,513 | 1.4 |
Chile | c | z |
Japan | 78,424 | 3.6 |
Malaysia | 1,679 | 0.1 |
Mexico | c | z |
New Zealand | 908 | 0.0 |
Peru | 7 | 0.0 |
Singapore | 19,107 | 0.9 |
Vietnam | 9 | 0.0 |
[2] There were 55 other members of the Commonwealth plus the UK as of 21 November 2025 according to the Commonwealth Secretariat: https://thecommonwealth.org/our-member-countries
[3] “c” denotes value suppressed to protect confidentiality so that individual companies cannot be identified.
[4] “low” denotes a value below £0.5 million.
[5] “z” is used where the country value is suppressed, and the percentage of the UK total will not be available.
[7] CPTPP membership was taken from gov.uk, and includes the members that had ratified the UK’s accession and those that had yet to ratify as of 21 November 2025
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with her international counterparts on the protection of Christians in Sri Lanka.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK supports the right to freedom of religion or belief for all and regularly raises the importance of religious tolerance and the protection of rights for all Sri Lankans to practise their faith. Our High Commission in Colombo regularly meet government and religious leaders, including affected minorities and civil society, to hear their concerns and support interfaith dialogues and counter discrimination work based on religion or belief. During her visit to Sri Lanka in January 2025, the former Minister for the Indo-Pacific met activists working on freedom of religion or belief issues to reaffirm the UK's commitment to protecting these fundamental rights. More recently, the Minister for the Indo-Pacific met the Sri Lankan Speaker, Justice Minister and wider ministerial delegation in October and discussed the importance of respecting human rights and having an inclusive and transparent process as part of Sri Lanka's reconciliation.