Asked by: Jayne Kirkham (Labour (Co-op) - Truro and Falmouth)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking with international partners to support the reconstruction of Gaza.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the second half of the answer provided on 26 January in response to Question HL13572 which, for ease of reference, is copied below:
The UK is providing £81 million for humanitarian and early recovery support for Palestine this financial year. Last month, supplies of UK-funded tents entered Gaza, providing urgent shelter for 12,000 vulnerable civilians, and we will continue to push for the entry of further UK-funded aid, including tents and shelter kits, which have so far been unable to reach those in need. On 30 December 2025, the Foreign Secretary issued a joint statement alongside a number of international partners calling on the Government of Israel to remove restrictions hindering the delivery of essential humanitarian aid.
The UK is supporting the US-led plan for Gaza's post-conflict stability, as well as exploring the mobilisation of private-sector finance to support Palestinian-led reconstruction of Gaza. We have also deployed UK civilian and military experts to support the Civil-Military Coordination Centre that aims to coordinate reconstruction efforts in Gaza. In addition, the UK has announced £4 million of funding for the United Nations Mine Action Service to help clear rubble, protect civilians and aid workers, and enable the safe delivery of aid. In total, the UK is providing £116 million for Palestine this financial year for humanitarian aid, support for Palestinian economic development, and strengthening Palestinian Authority governance and reform.
Asked by: Jayne Kirkham (Labour (Co-op) - Truro and Falmouth)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when she last spoke to her Israeli counterpart regarding the decision to restrict the operations of international non-governmental organisations in Gaza and the West Bank.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the statement I made on 5 January, and to the joint statement issued by the Foreign Secretary and several of her counterparts on 30 December 2025, which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/jointstatementon-the-gaza-humanitarian-response.
Asked by: Perran Moon (Labour - Camborne and Redruth)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment has she made of the potential impact of the changes to the sovereignty of the Chagos Islands on the protection of the marine environment of the Chagos Archipelago.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 21 November 2025 in response to Question 90684.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have undertaken a investigation into the atrocities against the Yazidis; if so, what is the progress of that investigation; and, if so, what are the next steps further to those listed in the 2nd Report of the Joint Committee on Human Rights, Accountability For Daesh Crimes: Government Response (HL Paper 121, Session 2024–25), including amending the International Criminal Court Act 2001 to include prosecutions for international crimes.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
Securing accountability for the atrocities committed against the Yazidi people is a priority for the UK, and our Embassy in Iraq regularly engages the Yazidi community, the Government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government to that end. In July 2025, the former Minister for Human Rights and the UK Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion and Belief met with Mir Hazem Tahsin Beg, the Prince of the Yazidis, to understand the ongoing challenges faced by the community and what support the UK can provide.
As set out in the Government Response, the International Criminal Court (ICC) Act 2001 is the primary international institution for investigating and prosecuting the most serious crimes of international concern, holding perpetrators to account, and achieving justice for victims, and the UK is a strong supporter of the ICC and its mission.
Where the UK does not have jurisdiction, we seek to build domestic capability, supporting partners to deliver justice and hold perpetrators to account. To that end, the UK is working closely with Iraq's National Centre for International Judicial Cooperation to ensure that evidence of crimes can be used effectively to deliver justice for all victims of Daesh. We also continue to push for the full implementation of the Yazidi Survivor law which is crucial to securing justice for survivors and helping them rebuild their lives.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government when the last Joint Analysis of Conflict and Stability assessment was conducted for Syria; how the escalation of violence affects that assessment; and what practical steps they are taking to address the escalation of violence, in particular violence targeting ethnic and religious minorities.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
We continue to engage with the Syrian Government and Syrian Democratic Forces, and regional and international partners, to press for an immediate end to hostilities, the protection of civilians, and a return to negotiations in support of a sustainable political agreement.
The Foreign Secretary conveyed these messages to Syrian Foreign Minister al Shaibani on 20 January, and underlined the importance of developing a clear plan to secure control of the detention facilities and camps, and ensure the protection of Kurdish rights. We also reiterated these points at the UN Security Council on 22 January.
While we are keeping the situation in Syria under close review, we do not publicly comment on the timings or content of specific Joint Analysis of Conflict and Stability (JACS) assessments.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the situation in Syria, in particular the threat posed to ethnic and religious minorities in the country, following reports of the mass release of Daesh members.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
We continue to engage with the Syrian Government and Syrian Democratic Forces, and regional and international partners, to press for an immediate end to hostilities, the protection of civilians, and a return to negotiations in support of a sustainable political agreement.
The Foreign Secretary conveyed these messages to Syrian Foreign Minister al Shaibani on 20 January, and underlined the importance of developing a clear plan to secure control of the detention facilities and camps, and ensure the protection of Kurdish rights. We also reiterated these points at the UN Security Council on 22 January.
While we are keeping the situation in Syria under close review, we do not publicly comment on the timings or content of specific Joint Analysis of Conflict and Stability (JACS) assessments.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to reports of a mass release of Daesh members in Syria, what assessment they have made of whether any of those released have British citizenship or residency.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
We continue to engage with the Syrian Government and Syrian Democratic Forces, and regional and international partners, to press for an immediate end to hostilities, the protection of civilians, and a return to negotiations in support of a sustainable political agreement.
The Foreign Secretary conveyed these messages to Syrian Foreign Minister al Shaibani on 20 January, and underlined the importance of developing a clear plan to secure control of the detention facilities and camps, and ensure the protection of Kurdish rights. We also reiterated these points at the UN Security Council on 22 January.
While we are keeping the situation in Syria under close review, we do not publicly comment on the timings or content of specific Joint Analysis of Conflict and Stability (JACS) assessments.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with international partners about the protection of religious minorities in northeast Syria.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
I refer the Noble Lord to the Written Ministerial Statement (HLWS1285), I made to the House on 28 January 2026.
Asked by: Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice - North Antrim)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the status of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC); and what guidance her Department has issued to devolved institutions on engagement with that organisation.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government is committed to engaging respectfully and constructively with the Devolved Governments on international‑facing issues, recognising their interests and the value of working together where appropriate. Devolved Governments are appropriately briefed on the risks and opportunities of working with China. International relations, however, remain a reserved matter for the UK Government.
Engagement with China provides an important channel to address areas of concern and to cooperate where this aligns with UK interests.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions her Department held with the Mauritian Government on the sovereignty of the Chagos Islands in (a) January 2009 and (b) July 2009.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The then government explained to Parliament in 2009 that the purpose of the meetings in 2009 was to establish a dialogue between the UK and Mauritius on the British Indian Ocean Territory. Officials set out their respective views on the issue of sovereignty at that time. There were discussions on other issues, including fishing rights, environmental concerns, and future visits to the territory by members of the Chagossian community.
It was not until 2022, under the immediately preceding government, that negotiations regarding sovereignty began. That government then undertook 11 rounds of negotiations on sovereignty and related matters, with the last public update on progress being issued on 29 April 2024.