Asked by: Apsana Begum (Labour - Poplar and Limehouse)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what information his Department holds on the number of Israeli (a) civilians, (b) women and (c) children killed since 7 October 2023.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
Any civilian death is a tragedy. Over 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed in Israel, the vast majority on 7 October 2023 according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA). 253 hostages were also kidnapped and taken into Gaza on 7 October, of whom 124 have been returned to Israel (112 alive and 12 deceased). We continue to call for the immediate release of all remaining hostages.
Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what steps his Department is taking to encourage the Federal Government of Iraq to promote inclusion of Kurdish (a) political leaders and (b) Members of Parliament in the (i) Iraqi Council of Representatives in Baghdad and (ii) national political affairs of Iraq.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK supports a thriving Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) within a peaceful and prosperous Iraq. Through our diplomatic engagements, we continue to encourage cooperation between Baghdad and Erbil to resolve outstanding issues, including around Kurdish representation in Iraqi politics.
Elections are essential for the people of the KRI to express their voice and for the future of the region. We are monitoring the situation with long-overdue KRI elections closely and we are seeking a solution that allows free and fair elections to take place as soon as possible.
Asked by: Richard Burgon (Labour - Leeds East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, how many foreign officials have been granted special mission status to visit the UK in each year since 2011; and if he will list the (a) names and (b) country of origin of those officials.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
As set out in 2013 by the former Foreign Secretary William Hague, a special mission is a 'temporary mission, representing a state, which is sent by one state to another with the consent of the latter, in order to carry out official engagements on behalf of the sending state'. Since starting to issue special mission status (SMS) certificates in 2013, the FCDO has given consent for 57 special mission status visits to the UK for the following officials and their delegations:
2013 | Israel | · Maj. Gen. (res) Amos Yadlin, Former Chief of Military Intelligence DMI; Deputy Commander of Air Force · Maj. Gen. (res) Doron Almog Senior Adviser on Beduoin Issues (cancelled) · Lt. Gen. Benjamin Gantz, Chief of Defence Staff, Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) · Dr. Yuval Steinitz, Minister of International Affairs, Strategy and Intelligence |
2014 | Egypt | · Dr. Mohamed Mahmoud Abdul Nasr, Minister of Education (cancelled) · Mr Mounir Faqhry Abdel Noor, Minister for Foreign Trade and Investment · Ambassador Yasser Atef, Deputy Assistant Minister for European Affairs · Dr Sherif Mohamed Ali Hammad, Minister of Scientific Research · Lt. Gen. Mahmoud Hegazy, Chief of Staff of Egyptian Armed Forces · Mr Sameh Shoukry, Minister for Foreign Affairs · Dr Mahamoud Aboel Nasr, Minister of Education |
Israel | · Ms Tzipi Livni, Minister for Justice · Ms Tzipi Livni, Minister for Justice | |
Iran | · Mr Ebrahim Rahimpour, Deputy Foreign Minister for Asia and Oceania | |
2015 | Egypt | · Dr Mahmoud Abdoul Nasr, Minister of Education · Mr Ashraf Salman, Minister of Investment · Mr Ashraf Salman, Minister of Investment · Dr Hany Kadry Demain, Minister of Finance · Prof. Dr SHerif Hammad, Minister of Scientific Research · Sheikh Dr Ahmed Al-Tayyeb, Grand Imam · Mr Sameh Hassan Shoukry, Foreign Minister · Lt. Gen. Mahmoud Hegazy, Chief of Defence Staff · Mr Tarek Kabil, Minister of Trade and Industry · Mj. Gen. Mohamed Elkeshky, Assistant to the Minister of Defence for International Relations · Mr Khaled Fawzy, Chief of General Intelligence · Dr Ahmed Emad Eldin Rady, Minister for Health · President Sisi's Advance Delegation · President Sisi's Delegation · Major General Mohammad Farag Elshahat, Head of Military Intelligence |
Israel | · Ms Tzipi Livni, Member of the Israeli Knessett · Delegation of Former Security Officials · Mr Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister · Maj. Gen. Herzi Halevi, Chief of Military Intelligence | |
Qatar | · H.E, Dr. Ali bin Fetais Almarri, Attorney General | |
2016 | Egypt | · Mr Ashraf El Sheihy, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research · Mr Saad Elgyoushi, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research · Mr Sameh Hassan Shoukry, Foreign Minister |
Qatar | · H.E, Dr. Ali bin Fetais Almarri, Attorney General. | |
Israel | · Ms Tzipi Livni, Member of the Israeli Knessett · Maj. Gen. (ret) Amos Yadlin, Director, Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) · Mr Shaul Mofaz, Former CDS and Minister of Defence · Mr Avi Dichter, Member of the Israeli Knessett | |
Rwanda | · Mr James Kararebe, Minister of Defence | |
2017 | Egypt | · Lt. Gen. Mahmoud Ibrahum Mahmoud Hegazy, Chief of Staff of the Egyptian Armed Forces. · Eng. Sherif Ismail, Prime Minister · Mr Sameh Shoukry, Minister of Foreign Affairs |
2018 | Saudi Arabia | · Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia |
2019 | Egypt | · Mr Mahmoud Sharawy, Minister of Local Development · Mr Kamel El-Wazer, Minister of Transport |
2020 | Egypt | · Mr Abdel Fattah Alsisi, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt · Mr Kamel El-Wazer, Minister of Transport |
Saudi Arabia | · Colonal Turki Al Maliki, Coalition Spokesman and Joint Head of Delegation | |
2021 | Egypt | · Mr Kamel El-Wazer, Minister of Transport |
2022 | Egypt | · Mr Kamel El-Wazer, Minister of Transport · Mr Sameh Shoukry, Minister of Foreign Affairs |
Saudi Arabia | · Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. (cancelled) | |
2024 | Israel | · Mr Benny Gantz, Minister of the State of Israel |
Asked by: Bridget Phillipson (Labour - Houghton and Sunderland South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, in reference to the Office for Students consultation on proposed regulatory advice and other matters relating to freedom of speech, announced on 26 March 2024, what discussions (a) she and (b) the Office for Students have had on this with (i) the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, (ii) other Ministers in the Department for Business and Trade, (iii) Officials in that Department, (iv) the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Affairs, (v) other Ministers in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and (vi) officials in that Department.
Answered by David Johnston - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Officials regularly speak on matters of mutual importance across government, particularly on cross-cutting policy and new legislation. The department’s officials continue to engage with both the Office for Students (OfS) and other governmental departments (OGDs) surrounding the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023 (the Act).
Officials will continue to engage with the OfS and OGDs ahead of the Act coming into force, currently planned for 1 August 2024 for the main provisions, including the complaints scheme. The content of the consultation published on 26 March 2026 is a matter for the OfS.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Worcester (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what barriers exist to the unfettered flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza, and what steps they are taking to remove those barriers.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We have set out five steps that Israel needs to take, including:
The Foreign Secretary has appointed a Representative for Humanitarian Affairs in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Mark Bryson-Richardson. He is based in the region and is working intensively to address the blockages preventing more aid reaching Gaza.
Asked by: Lord Rogan (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Secretary of State for Defence or the Minister for Armed Forces attended the meeting between the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs and Micheál Martin, the Republic of Ireland’s Minister for Defence, in London on 13 December 2023; and what defence-related matters were discussed.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Neither the Secretary of State for Defence nor the Minister for Armed Forces attended the meeting in question. The Foreign Secretary and the Tánaiste discussed a wide range of foreign policy, defence and security matters, including international development, peacekeeping, the Israel-Gaza conflict, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and the shared threat we face from malign state actors.
Asked by: Baroness Royall of Blaisdon (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many times since 2015 ministers have asked to forego a ministerial salary, either full or in part; and who were those ministers.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The number of ministerial salaries available to the government at any one time is 109. This is a statutory limit governed by the Ministerial and Other Salaries Act 1975.
It is routinely the case that some ministers will be asked to serve in an unpaid capacity given the statutory limitations on the number of available salaries. A list of ministers who are currently serving in an unpaid capacity are as follows:
Richard Holden MP, Minister of State (Minister without Portfolio) in the Cabinet Office (receives a salary from the Conservative Party)
The Rt Hon John Glen MP, Minister of State and Paymaster General, Cabinet Office
The Lord Johnson of Lainston CBE, Minister of State at the Department for Business and Trade.
The Baroness Neville-Rolfe DBE CMG, Minister of State at the Cabinet Office.
The Earl of Minto, Minister of State at the Ministry of Defence.
The Rt Hon. the Earl Howe, Minister of State and Deputy Leader of the House of Lords.
The Rt Hon. the Lord Benyon, Minister of State, jointly at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
The Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister of State at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
Andrew Griffith MP, Minister of State at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.
The Baroness Barran MBE, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Education and Government Equalities Spokesperson in the Lords.
The Lord Douglas-Miller OBE, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
The Lord Markham CBE, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department of Health and Social Care.
The Lord Bellamy KC, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Ministry of Justice
The Viscount Camrose, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.
The Lord Offord of Garvel CVO, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Business and Trade.
The Lord Cameron of Lochiel, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Scotland Office.
The Lord Roborough, Lord in Waiting (Government Whip)
The list of all government ministers on GOV.UK is updated following each reshuffle. The current government list is on gov.uk at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/ministers.
It would be a significant undertaking to calculate the exact number of unpaid ministers since 2015, especially given some ministers have dual roles (where they are paid in one role but not in another) such as if they hold more than one ministerial position. We can estimate however that over the last decade, this number has been approximately 10-20 at any given time.
It is ultimately for the Prime Minister to decide how to organise the executive and which ministers are paid a salary. While the Cabinet Office provides advice to the Prime Minister on the number of salaries available, the department does not decide the allocation of salaries.
Ministers are continuing to voluntarily waive part of their salaries, foregoing any pay increase to their Ministerial salaries. This means ministers in the Commons’ salaries have not increased since 2010; and ministers in the House of Lords have received frozen salaries since 2019. Further information is published on GOV.UK at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ministerial-salary-data.
Asked by: Baroness Royall of Blaisdon (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many times since 2015 ministers have been asked to forego a ministerial salary; and what were the reasons for those requests.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The number of ministerial salaries available to the government at any one time is 109. This is a statutory limit governed by the Ministerial and Other Salaries Act 1975.
It is routinely the case that some ministers will be asked to serve in an unpaid capacity given the statutory limitations on the number of available salaries. A list of ministers who are currently serving in an unpaid capacity are as follows:
Richard Holden MP, Minister of State (Minister without Portfolio) in the Cabinet Office (receives a salary from the Conservative Party)
The Rt Hon John Glen MP, Minister of State and Paymaster General, Cabinet Office
The Lord Johnson of Lainston CBE, Minister of State at the Department for Business and Trade.
The Baroness Neville-Rolfe DBE CMG, Minister of State at the Cabinet Office.
The Earl of Minto, Minister of State at the Ministry of Defence.
The Rt Hon. the Earl Howe, Minister of State and Deputy Leader of the House of Lords.
The Rt Hon. the Lord Benyon, Minister of State, jointly at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
The Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister of State at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
Andrew Griffith MP, Minister of State at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.
The Baroness Barran MBE, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Education and Government Equalities Spokesperson in the Lords.
The Lord Douglas-Miller OBE, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
The Lord Markham CBE, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department of Health and Social Care.
The Lord Bellamy KC, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Ministry of Justice
The Viscount Camrose, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.
The Lord Offord of Garvel CVO, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Business and Trade.
The Lord Cameron of Lochiel, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Scotland Office.
The Lord Roborough, Lord in Waiting (Government Whip)
The list of all government ministers on GOV.UK is updated following each reshuffle. The current government list is on gov.uk at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/ministers.
It would be a significant undertaking to calculate the exact number of unpaid ministers since 2015, especially given some ministers have dual roles (where they are paid in one role but not in another) such as if they hold more than one ministerial position. We can estimate however that over the last decade, this number has been approximately 10-20 at any given time.
It is ultimately for the Prime Minister to decide how to organise the executive and which ministers are paid a salary. While the Cabinet Office provides advice to the Prime Minister on the number of salaries available, the department does not decide the allocation of salaries.
Ministers are continuing to voluntarily waive part of their salaries, foregoing any pay increase to their Ministerial salaries. This means ministers in the Commons’ salaries have not increased since 2010; and ministers in the House of Lords have received frozen salaries since 2019. Further information is published on GOV.UK at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ministerial-salary-data.
Asked by: Baroness Royall of Blaisdon (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many times since 2015 a minister has foregone a ministerial salary at the request of the Cabinet Office.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The number of ministerial salaries available to the government at any one time is 109. This is a statutory limit governed by the Ministerial and Other Salaries Act 1975.
It is routinely the case that some ministers will be asked to serve in an unpaid capacity given the statutory limitations on the number of available salaries. A list of ministers who are currently serving in an unpaid capacity are as follows:
Richard Holden MP, Minister of State (Minister without Portfolio) in the Cabinet Office (receives a salary from the Conservative Party)
The Rt Hon John Glen MP, Minister of State and Paymaster General, Cabinet Office
The Lord Johnson of Lainston CBE, Minister of State at the Department for Business and Trade.
The Baroness Neville-Rolfe DBE CMG, Minister of State at the Cabinet Office.
The Earl of Minto, Minister of State at the Ministry of Defence.
The Rt Hon. the Earl Howe, Minister of State and Deputy Leader of the House of Lords.
The Rt Hon. the Lord Benyon, Minister of State, jointly at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
The Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister of State at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
Andrew Griffith MP, Minister of State at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.
The Baroness Barran MBE, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Education and Government Equalities Spokesperson in the Lords.
The Lord Douglas-Miller OBE, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
The Lord Markham CBE, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department of Health and Social Care.
The Lord Bellamy KC, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Ministry of Justice
The Viscount Camrose, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.
The Lord Offord of Garvel CVO, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Business and Trade.
The Lord Cameron of Lochiel, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Scotland Office.
The Lord Roborough, Lord in Waiting (Government Whip)
The list of all government ministers on GOV.UK is updated following each reshuffle. The current government list is on gov.uk at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/ministers.
It would be a significant undertaking to calculate the exact number of unpaid ministers since 2015, especially given some ministers have dual roles (where they are paid in one role but not in another) such as if they hold more than one ministerial position. We can estimate however that over the last decade, this number has been approximately 10-20 at any given time.
It is ultimately for the Prime Minister to decide how to organise the executive and which ministers are paid a salary. While the Cabinet Office provides advice to the Prime Minister on the number of salaries available, the department does not decide the allocation of salaries.
Ministers are continuing to voluntarily waive part of their salaries, foregoing any pay increase to their Ministerial salaries. This means ministers in the Commons’ salaries have not increased since 2010; and ministers in the House of Lords have received frozen salaries since 2019. Further information is published on GOV.UK at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ministerial-salary-data.
Asked by: Baroness Royall of Blaisdon (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether there is a cap on the combined total for ministerial salaries in any financial year.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The number of ministerial salaries available to the government at any one time is 109. This is a statutory limit governed by the Ministerial and Other Salaries Act 1975.
It is routinely the case that some ministers will be asked to serve in an unpaid capacity given the statutory limitations on the number of available salaries. A list of ministers who are currently serving in an unpaid capacity are as follows:
Richard Holden MP, Minister of State (Minister without Portfolio) in the Cabinet Office (receives a salary from the Conservative Party)
The Rt Hon John Glen MP, Minister of State and Paymaster General, Cabinet Office
The Lord Johnson of Lainston CBE, Minister of State at the Department for Business and Trade.
The Baroness Neville-Rolfe DBE CMG, Minister of State at the Cabinet Office.
The Earl of Minto, Minister of State at the Ministry of Defence.
The Rt Hon. the Earl Howe, Minister of State and Deputy Leader of the House of Lords.
The Rt Hon. the Lord Benyon, Minister of State, jointly at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
The Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister of State at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
Andrew Griffith MP, Minister of State at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.
The Baroness Barran MBE, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Education and Government Equalities Spokesperson in the Lords.
The Lord Douglas-Miller OBE, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
The Lord Markham CBE, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department of Health and Social Care.
The Lord Bellamy KC, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Ministry of Justice
The Viscount Camrose, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.
The Lord Offord of Garvel CVO, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Business and Trade.
The Lord Cameron of Lochiel, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Scotland Office.
The Lord Roborough, Lord in Waiting (Government Whip)
The list of all government ministers on GOV.UK is updated following each reshuffle. The current government list is on gov.uk at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/ministers.
It would be a significant undertaking to calculate the exact number of unpaid ministers since 2015, especially given some ministers have dual roles (where they are paid in one role but not in another) such as if they hold more than one ministerial position. We can estimate however that over the last decade, this number has been approximately 10-20 at any given time.
It is ultimately for the Prime Minister to decide how to organise the executive and which ministers are paid a salary. While the Cabinet Office provides advice to the Prime Minister on the number of salaries available, the department does not decide the allocation of salaries.
Ministers are continuing to voluntarily waive part of their salaries, foregoing any pay increase to their Ministerial salaries. This means ministers in the Commons’ salaries have not increased since 2010; and ministers in the House of Lords have received frozen salaries since 2019. Further information is published on GOV.UK at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ministerial-salary-data.