Asked by: Neil Hudson (Conservative - Epping Forest)
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 monitor the (a) situation and (b) safety of British nationals in Iran.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Our Embassy in Tehran, which continues to operate remotely, is closely monitoring the situation in Iran. We remain committed to ensuring the safety and security of our nationals, including those detained.
However we have long advised against all travel to Iran and warned British Nationals that in an emergency the UK government will not be able to evacuate or provide face-to-face assistance.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Pakistani counterpart on first cousin marriage involving UK and Pakistani nationals.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government has not held recent discussions with the Government of Pakistan on first cousin marriage involving UK and Pakistani nationals. The Marriage (Prohibited Degrees of Relationship) Bill, currently under consideration in the UK Parliament, is a domestic legislative matter.
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 British nationals will be evacuated from Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Support to British nationals remains our top priority and we have worked at pace to ensure those who want to leave Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories can do so, with six flights leaving Israel since 24 June. At this time, no further flights are planned. Commercial flights are now available. This remains a fast-moving and fragile situation, and plans will be kept under constant review.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of implications for international law of the decision of the United States of America to bomb Iran.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
It is not for the UK to comment on the US' legal position and the UK did not participate in these strikes. We expect all parties to abide by international law. Our priority is stability in the Middle East and we have been clear with all sides that restarting the conflict is in nobody's interest.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
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 counterpart in Israel on compensation for the relatives of British aid workers killed while delivering humanitarian aid in Gaza.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Prime Minister and I recently met with the families of British aid workers killed in Gaza.
The Government's priority is securing justice for the appalling strike that killed John Chapman, James Henderson, and James Kirby. We continue to press Israel to swiftly conclude the Military Advocate General's (MAG) investigation into consideration of events on the 1 April 2024, including determining whether criminal proceedings should be initiated. The Foreign Secretary has repeatedly pressed Foreign Affairs Minister Sa'ar and Minister of Strategic Affairs Dermer for the MAG to conclude consideration of the case swiftly and thoroughly.
We have advised the families on their legal options for claiming compensation and that is a matter for them to pursue independently through the Israeli legal system.
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, with reference to table 2.6 of HM Treasury's document entitled Spending Review 2025: Departmental Efficiency Plans, published on 11 June 2025, whether he has had discussions with the BBC on proposals for potential costs savings of the BBC World Service.
Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
No decisions have been taken on the World Service Grant-in-Aid funding for the next three years (2026/27 and beyond). This was not settled in the Spending Review and will be determined alongside our other Official Development Assistance and Non-ODA allocations, in the autumn.
For the Spending Review, the Treasury asked the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (along with most departments) to identify efficiency savings and to model certain budget scenarios. The request we made - to model scenarios equivalent to flat cash and a 2 per cent per year budget reduction, equating to around £3 million per year - was in line with that Treasury request.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
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 the Syrian authorities following the suicide bombing that resulted in twenty three deaths and scores injured at a Church in Damascus on 23 June 2025.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK strongly condemns the horrific terrorist attack at Mar Elias Church in Damascus, and remains committed to combatting terrorism in all forms. I sent a personal message to Syrian Foreign Minister Al-Shaibani, expressing my condolences and the UK's continued support to the people of Syria. The UK Special Representative for Syria visited Damascus last week and discussed the assessment of the situation with the Syrian authorities, including the Foreign Minister and also gave her condolences. We will continue to advocate for the right to Freedom of Religion or Belief for all Syrians.
Asked by: Lord West of Spithead (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that the governments of Mauritius and Russia have agreed to strengthen their relationship on fishing and marine research; and what implications this will have for the United Kingdom’s military base on Diego Garcia.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The Treaty explicitly grants all rights and authorities that the United Kingdom requires for the long-term, secure and effective operation of the Base. Mauritius as a sovereign nation has agreements with many countries on a range of issues which have no bearing on the Treaty. We will retain full control over Diego Garcia with robust provisions to keep adversaries out. These include unrestricted access to and use of the base for the UK and US; a buffer zone around Diego Garcia; a comprehensive mechanism to ensure no activity in the other islands threatens base operations; and a ban on the presence of any foreign security forces.
Asked by: Baroness Anelay of St Johns (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how they marked the UN International Day in Support of Victims of Torture on 26 June; and what plans they have to promote the introduction of international controls on weapons and equipment that could be used for torture, including at this year’s UN General Assembly.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government remains committed to preventing torture and tackling impunity for those who torture others. It is essential for safeguarding our security and integral to a fair legal system and the rule of law.
At the UN General Assembly, we will continue to work with allies to encourage all states to uphold their international human rights obligations. As a member of the Global Alliance on Torture Free Trade, the UK supports the initiative to stop the trade of goods used for capital punishment and torture. Goods are subject to export restrictions if they can be used for torture, capital punishment, or cruel and inhuman treatment. Export licence applications are considered against the Strategic Export Licensing Criteria. The Government will not grant a licence for items where we determine there is a clear risk that the items might be used to commit or facilitate internal repression.
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 recent representations he has made to the Taliban on the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan: and what outcome he has achieved.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) officials regularly speak to the Taliban on the UK Government's priorities, including women's rights in Afghanistan, most recently in June. Ministers do not engage with the Taliban. The Foreign Secretary condemned the erosion of women and girls' rights in the appalling "vice and virtue" law introduced in August 2024. The UK Government is working with international partners to maintain collective pressure on the Taliban to reverse their inhuman restrictions. Upholding human rights and gender equality is not only a moral imperative but also essential for building a stable, inclusive and prosperous country for all Afghans.