Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what changes will be made to FCDO due diligence processes for high-profile consular cases following the review announced by the Foreign Secretary.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
In 2024-25, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) answered over 400,000 requests for consular support from British nationals overseas, and provided more detailed consular assistance to over 22,200 British nationals overseas, including support to families of more than 6,000 British nationals who had died overseas, and 3,500 who had been hospitalised.
The Hon Member's suggestion that the FCDO should withhold consular support in all these cases until checks have been conducted on each individual's social media history is not only completely impractical, and deeply inappropriate in the cases of families facing bereavement and individuals requiring emergency medical care, but would also violate the basic principle that consular assistance is provided primarily on the basis of someone's citizenship status and the circumstances they face.
Changes arising from the review of information processes initiated by the Foreign Secretary on 29 December will be announced in the normal way in due course.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department plans to introduce mandatory social media checks for individuals receiving consular support.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
In 2024-25, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) answered over 400,000 requests for consular support from British nationals overseas, and provided more detailed consular assistance to over 22,200 British nationals overseas, including support to families of more than 6,000 British nationals who had died overseas, and 3,500 who had been hospitalised.
The Hon Member's suggestion that the FCDO should withhold consular support in all these cases until checks have been conducted on each individual's social media history is not only completely impractical, and deeply inappropriate in the cases of families facing bereavement and individuals requiring emergency medical care, but would also violate the basic principle that consular assistance is provided primarily on the basis of someone's citizenship status and the circumstances they face.
Changes arising from the review of information processes initiated by the Foreign Secretary on 29 December will be announced in the normal way in due course.
Asked by: Jon Trickett (Labour - Normanton and Hemsworth)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions her Department has had with representatives of the Venezuelan oil company PDVSA in the last 12 months.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
There is no record of any such discussions.
Asked by: Alicia Kearns (Conservative - Rutland and Stamford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether (a) Ministers and (b) officials have met with the Ambassador of the People's Republic of China since July 2024.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is in regular contact with our Chinese counterparts at various levels, including with Ambassador Zheng.
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, what steps her Department is taking to support civil society engagement in (a) Armenia and (b) Azerbaijan.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government hugely values the role of civil society in the South Caucasus, and supports their work in Armenia and Azerbaijan through both diplomatic engagement and programming. We engage with organisations focused on peace, security, democracy, equality, and inclusion, and work with representative groups to strengthen civil society's role in both countries' development and stability. We also support efforts by Armenian and Azerbaijani think tanks to foster dialogue, building trust ahead of a hoped‑for historic peace agreement. During my visit to Baku and Yerevan in August 2025, I met civil society representatives to discuss key issues and reaffirm the UK's commitment to supporting civil society across the region. We regularly raise the importance of maintaining civil society space and rights.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department has considered inviting the President of the Swiss Confederation for a State Visit to the United Kingdom.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
As the Hon Member is experienced enough to know, there are standard procedures for such matters. The Government's recommendations for State Visits are discussed at the Royal Visit Committee. These are then endorsed by the Foreign Secretary and Prime Minister before being presented to His Majesty The King for formal approval.
Asked by: Luke Taylor (Liberal Democrat - Sutton and Cheam)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of providing security guarantees to Greenland outside the NATO framework alongside key European allies.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the statement made to the House by the Foreign Secretary on 5 January, and her responses to questions raised in that debate, where she set out in comprehensive terms the UK's position on Greenland.
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, when his Department will reimburse the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead for the £350,000 in costs incurred supporting the delivery of three state visits in 2025 in line with the new burdens doctrine.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The costs of State Visits have historically been shared across a number of departments and agencies. The allocation of costs for visits hosted at Windsor Castle is currently under review, and we will keep the Hon Member informed on the outcome.
Asked by: Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations the Government has made to the Government of India on the protection of freedom of religion or belief for religious minority communities, including their ability to participate in civil society.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 25 November 2025 in response to Question 90911.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with her Bangladeshi counterpart on the killing of Dipu Chandra Das.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 12 January in response to Question 101933.