Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, what assessment he has made of recent reluctance by Libyan stakeholders to establish elections in the country.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The ongoing political impasse in Libya is unsustainable, and deeply damaging for ordinary Libyans. It leaves Libya extremely vulnerable to third state actors set on pursuing control over Libya's security, politics and economy. The UK continues to support the UN's efforts to broker a Libyan-owned and led political settlement, with the onus on Libya's leaders to fulfil their responsibilities. We note with regret the resignation by UN Special Representative of the Secretary General, Abdoulaye Bathily, and renew our full support to the United Nations and the key role it continues to play in Libya.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, what steps the Government is taking to work with EU countries to counter disinformation campaigns orchestrated by foreign state actors.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
The UK works closely with international partners to counter Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI) by hostile actors, including with the European Union and with some EU members States. This includes work to identify and respond to the diverse and evolving threat to our democracies from information manipulation. We work closely with countries across Europe to develop effective national security responses to FIMI; enable communication activities to challenge information manipulation; and support independent media and civil society organisations to build resilience to disinformation. We have sanctioned enablers of Russian disinformation and information manipulation including Russia state media and Kremlin-funded information operations globally, including in Europe.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, whether his Department monitors the role of external state actors in influencing electoral outcomes in the EU.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
International partners, including in the EU, could be at risk of attempts by foreign states to interfere in elections. Collaboration with international partners, including in the EU, is an essential part of countering these risks. Through the UK's Defending Democracy Ministerial Taskforce, FCDO officials have engaged with partners, including Austria, Romania, and France, to share best practice and identify opportunities for future joint work to build resilience against interference in our democratic processes. FCDO regularly updates to the Taskforce's Ministerial meetings on key risks, learnings, and responses from international elections to inform the UK's election preparations. The UK will continue to engage with international partners.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the presence of foreign military bases on the sovereignty of host countries in West Africa.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
Decisions about hosting foreign military bases in Africa are for host countries to make. The UK supports the sovereignty of states and encourages all actors to ensure foreign forces are deployed in line with African Union and UN frameworks on peacekeeping and security operations. This ensures respect for international law and human rights, and accountability, are upheld. UK military will continue to work with, and at the invitation of, elected governments to support on security.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, what support his Department provides to nations in West Africa to strengthen their counterterrorism capabilities.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The UK recognises the increased threat of instability in West Africa. As part of our efforts to support partners in the region, we have agreed and are developing new programmes, including through HMG's Integrated Security Fund. Combined with our existing Security and Defence Partnerships with Ghana and Nigeria, these programmes will further build resilience to and counter violent extremism in the region. They include a range of interventions with international, government and non-government partners across the region to address challenges including Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR), Terrorist Financing, crisis response and strategic communications.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, whether he has had discussions with representatives of World Central Kitchen on the creation of an independent commission to investigate the killings of aid workers in Gaza on 1 April 2024.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
As the Prime Minister said in his call with Prime Minister Netanyahu 2 April, the UK was appalled by the killing of seven World Central Kitchen aid workers, including three British nationals, in an Israeli airstrike 1 April. The Prime Minister called for a thorough and transparent investigation into what happened. Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon also spoke with the CEO of World Central Kitchen, Erin Gore, on 2 April to offer our condolences.
Both the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary have conveyed to their Israeli counterparts the importance of effective deconfliction.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of infrastructure within Gaza to effectively distribute aid.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The Government is closely monitoring the situation in Gaza and is in regular contact with humanitarian partners who operate there.
HMG have underlined the need for increased capacity inside Gaza including fully enabling the UN's minimal operating requirements. Both have also conveyed to their Israeli counterparts the importance of effective deconfliction.
Asked by: Mark Logan (Conservative - Bolton North East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, what plans he has to collaborate with Israel on expediting the opening of the (a) Erez crossing and (b) Ashdod Port for humanitarian aid shipments to Gaza.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The UK has long urged Israel to take these steps and welcomes these commitments. We want to see Israel fulfil these commitments swiftly and in full. The Foreign Secretary discussed this with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu on 17 April.
The Foreign Secretary and Foreign Minister Baerbock urged Israel to deliver on its promises of delivering more aid into Gaza through as many routes possible by land, sea and air.
We have also announced £3 million of additional funding for equipment to support the UN and aid agencies to get more aid into Gaza through new and existing land crossings. The UK's contribution will include trucks, forklifts, generators, fuel stores and lighting towers.
Asked by: Anna McMorrin (Labour - Cardiff North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, what support his Department is providing to the Turks and Caicos Islands in response to the security situation in Haiti.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK remains committed to the safety and security of the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) and supporting the security of TCI borders in response to worsening violence in neighbouring Haiti. The FCDO has been coordinating and funding a range of support to the TCI. This includes a package of coastal sensors overseen by the Joint Maritime Security Centre, recruiting specialist police officers, supporting the deployment of US government aircraft and procurement of other specialist equipment. Minister Rutley remains in close contact with the Governor and Premier.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the UK’s aid relationship with China.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We stopped direct government-to-government aid to the Chinese Government in 2011. In a Written Ministerial Statement (WMS) in April 2021, the FCDO committed to cut Official Development Assistance (ODA) funded programmes in China by 95 per cent from the 2021-22 financial year, which it has delivered. All new ODA programme funding has been limited to supporting our open societies and human rights objectives in China.